Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

If every museum, business, historic site and theater in town burned down overnight, you could still have a terrific trip to Philadelphia simply by eating.

Rittenhouse Square

Many of the high-end restaurants are grouped along Walnut Street between Broad Street and Rittenhouse Square and are located in the Old City district around 2nd and Market. Everything is available here, starting with an extraordinary number of Italian and Asian restaurants. Philadelphia was also an early center for American nouvelle cuisine and this has developed into a heritage the locals take for granted. One good option for the more exotic cuisines is Amara Cafe, a small, modest Thai restaurant that is a neighborhood favorite. The Saffron Cafe is a homey, internationally influenced café that is sure to please everyone. For a little taste of the islands, Roy Yamaguchi’s Roy’s cooks up all the flavors of Hawaii. For a real, down home Philly joint, try the delightfully gritty Little Pete’s. Finally, if you’re more in the mood for something a bit more European, the Brasserie Perrier is the place for you.

South Philly

For a classic Philly Cheesesteak, two different places in the Italian Market stay open all night to supply the crowds. For some more casual food, the family owned Cosmo’s Deli is a crowd pleaser for all kinds of Italian deli items. For something a bit more upscale, but that won’t break the bank, stop in to Gayle Restaurant. Moving south of the border, Cantina El Caballito is sure to please with all your favorite Mexican specialties.

Chinatown

Chinatown is a haven for those visitors who are in the mood for a taste of Asian cuisines. The grand and elegant Ocean Harbor serves specialties from all over China, while vegetarians can delight in the meat-free fare at Harmony Vegetarian Restaurant. Although called “Chinatown,” there is more than just Chinese food on offer here; the Palace at the Ben offers spicy and rich Indian cuisine, Penang serves up in-demand Malaysian cuisine. Leaving the Asian continent altogether, Johnny Brenda’s offers Mediterranean food in a lively, bar-like atmosphere.

Society Hill

The charming Society Hill neighborhood features many quality restaurants, ranging from fancy to cozy and casual. Bistro Romano is an elegant restaurant featuring delectable European specialties. For a more casual option, the South Street Diner is a late night favorite featuring everything you would expect from a traditional diner, as well as a variety of Greek specialties, while another late night eatery, Hello Cafe serves up satisfying Chinese dishes. Italian food is not lacking in this neighborhood with Sfizzio and the Monte Carlo Living Room, one of the area’s most popular restaurants.

Philadelphia has a history of introducing new entertainment to the rest of the country. Broadway shows used to regularly try out their material here before moving on to New York. The popular television show, "American Bandstand" originated here and introduced rock and roll to millions of American homes. There are still lots of new plays and touring companies that perform here and this is still a town where they talk about the Philly Sound.

Museums

One of the world's best collections of Impressionist paintings is the Barnes Foundation, in the suburb of Merion. All of the pieces here are instantly recognizable from reproductions, but only a small number have ever traveled, and then only recently. The Philadelphia Museum of Art and its small companion, the Rodin Museum, represent a brief history of world art on the Ben Franklin Parkway: Ancient Egypt, Impressionism, Expressionism, Cubism and Post-Modernism comes with guided tours and souvenir reproductions available in the gift shop.


Historical Sites

Because of the city's rich history, there are plenty of historic sites that are innovative in the way they educate and entertain at the same time. One of the most famous Philly landmarks is the Liberty Bell, the bell from the Pennsylvania Statehouse commissioned by William Penn in 1751. Another key piece of American history found in this fair city is Independence Hall, the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. For some literary history, the Edgar Allan Poe House, where the famous poet penned “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The Tell-Tale Heart,” among other masterpieces. Another famous residence, Franklin Court, was once the home of Benjamin Franklin, and now houses seven different museums chronicling different aspects of this historic American’s life and contributions to the world.

Music

Every possible sound is available in Philadelphia on Wednesday through Saturday nights. On other nights, the choices are narrower, but if you look carefully there's always something going on. Philadelphia has always been a popular stop for national acts. There are concert halls from the massive stadiums of the Susquehanna Bank Center to the comfortably mid-size Trocadero, Tower, Electric Factory or Keswick, right down to the overheated and cramped rooms of the legendary bars where everyone from Bruce Springsteen to the Roots paid their dues. There is a string of clubs along Delaware Avenue on piers jutting into the Delaware River. There are more clubs around South Street, such as Fluid, a place known as much for its no-right-angles design as for its techno mix.

It is possible to find a string quartet, opera or symphony performance every night of the week. With the Curtis Institute and the various college programs, the quality of street performers brightens the parks and sidewalks in the spring. The Philadelphia Orchestra is legendary for conductors like Leopold Stokowski, Eugene Ormandy, Ricardo Muti and Sir Simon Rattle.

Theater & Dance

For nearly a hundred years, Philadelphia was mainly known as a "tryout" town. New York producers would try out material here before opening on Broadway. These days it's more likely a play will originate here. The Walnut Street Theatre has produced the American premieres of two Tom Stoppard plays that were hits on London's West End, but have never played New York. InterAct hosts a new play reading every January which supplies work to regional theaters across the country. Keep an eye out for anything by Brat Productions, a young edgy company that often stages strong works in a bar.

The first ten days of September, the Philadelphia Fringe Festival takes over the Old City district with a mix of local acts and visiting troupes from the Edinburgh, Toronto and New York. There are still national touring companies that perform big Broadway musicals at the Forrest, maintaining a healthy balance of new and recognized work. From the Pennsylvania Ballet to The Philadelphia Dance Company (known as Philadanco), the dance performance scene here is low profile, but substantial. The city often acts as a lab for companies that are seen and celebrated in New York or Washington. Once again, because of the numerous collegiate dance programs, there are always visiting professional and resident performers to see.

Children

Philadelphia pays particular attention to its younger visitors. The National Park Service provides tours and multimedia, interactive, educational displays at Independence Hall. At the Please Touch Museum, children are encouraged to put their mitts on everything and the entire museum is scaled to kids. There are similar setups in the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Franklin Institute. Don't forget the popular petting pen at the Philadelphia Zoo.

Many of the larger chain bookstores around town have Saturday programs for children with readings and performances. The Free Library often has scheduled activities, including readings, films and performers. Then there are the children's theater programs at the Arden and Annenberg. To make your travels more convenient, children under the age of 12 ride free on SEPTA's buses and subways on Saturdays.