It's All About Culture in Philadelphia
Philadelphia is a world-class city in every sense and should definitely be in your itinerary if you are planning a trip to the area. The first reason, of course, is the history in evidence around every corner: Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were hammered out and adopted, and the Liberty Bell, the iconic symbol of American independence. And if you are a real history aficionado, you probably should make a stop at the National Constitution Center to truly understand the significance of this document to the country.
It's All About Culture in Philadelphia
Independence Hall
Liberty Bell
Then, there is the astonishing culture in evidence throughout the city: City Hall, the eclectic Philadelphia Museum of Art, now with a statue in front commemorating the classic scene of Sylvester Stallone sprinting up the museum steps in Rocky, and you will pass the rich Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, the Barnes Foundation with its astonishing collection of post-Impressionist and early modern art, and the Rodin Museum with more than 140 bronzes, marbles, and plasters representing every phase of Auguste Rodin's career – its is a remarkable mile indeed, offering you more truly fine art than any such stretch in the U.S.
Actor Sylvester Stallone in Rocky (1976)
Statue in front of Philadelphia Museum of Art celebrating the classic scene of Sylvester Stallone sprinting up the museum steps in Rocky.
City Hall
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Rodin Museum entrance
Old City
Stroll the cobblestone streets in Old City, one of America's most authentically colonial neighborhoods still thriving or take a walk on the extensive network of biking and walking trails that traverse the largest city-owned urban park system in the world.
Cobblestone streets in Old City, one of America's most authentically colonial neighborhoods still thriving
Old City
Parks
Fishtown's Penn Treaty Park
Mario Lanza Park is just one of nearly 80 Philadelphia parks
The Smith Memorial Arch is located off of South Concourse Street/Lansdowne Drive
The Amish Experience
The Pennsylvania Amish of Lancaster County are America's oldest Amish settlement, where thousands still live a centuries-old "Plain" lifestyle. Arriving in PA Dutch Country allows you to step back in time to enjoy a slower, more peaceful pace – one where the horse and buggy remains a primary form of transportation, and where windmills dot the landscape, providing power harnessed from nature. Always a vital part of Lancaster County culture, the PA Amish are involved in agriculture as well as an array of businesses and cottage industries.
When you visit Lancaster County be sure to take a tour of the Pennsylvania Amish countryside – you can even do it in an Amish horse and buggy. Afterwards, explore the many Amish-themed attractions, and events, shop for hand-made Amish crafts, and chow down on some authentic PA Dutch cooking.
Take an aerial tour in Philadelphia
Must-See Philadelphia
Night Market Philadelphia brings an evening of food truck noshing, live music and outdoor entertainment to Callowhill this June. (Image credit: D. Tavani for Night Market)
One of the largest outdoor arts festivals in the Delaware Valley, the Manayunk Arts Festival draws nearly 200,000 people to its historic Main Street. (Image credit:J. Fusco for VisitPhilly.com)
A 200-foot Chinese dragon is one of the many illuminated attractions at the Chinese Lantern Festival in Franklin Square (Image credit: J. Fusco for Historic Philadelphia, Inc.)
The Independence Beer Garden is one of many bars and restaurants offering drink specials during Center City Sips, held Wednesdays throughout the summer (Image credit: M. Fischetti for Visit Philadelphia)
To Philadelphia (and Washington, D.C.) from New York
If you are in New York City, you can take a 2-day tour to Philadelphia. It's the perfect way to discover two great cities: Washington DC, the capital of the U.S., and Philadelphia, the city of the Founding Fathers.
Watch this video and take a tour in Washington, D.C.
Cheers to Philly! And to D.C.!