The City of Brotherly Love, which Benjamin Franklin called home, is a trip you’ll want to take this year as the city is in the midst of celebrating the centennial of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway with an event dubbed “Parkway 100.” From now until Nov. 16, the city will hold special events and exhibits that include pop-up public art, festivals, concerts and more.
The Allure
Located in the heart of Philadelphia’s bustling city is The Rittenhouse Hotel, lodgings that define elegance and splendor. Named as a top hotel by numerous travel publications, the renovated accommodations come in both suites and rooms, and all have offerings of the in-house spa, brunch, afternoon tea, cocktails and fine dining at the on-property Lacroix Restaurant, as well as a health club, indoor pool and Jaguar driver service. If you’re traveling with kids in tow, the property offers luxuries for them as well: complimentary in-room movie and popcorn for tweens and teens, a pick from The Rittenhouse Treasure Chest for those 10 years and younger, bathrobes at turndown time and to get the little ones off to sleep, a copy of Goodnight Philadelphia.
America was made in Philadelphia, so a trip to Independence Square is a must to delve into the founding of our nation. Tour Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was debated and signed, then take a peek at the Liberty Bell, and step into Congress Hall and Old City Hall to see how our nation’s laws were formed. Also, make time to take in the Benjamin Franklin Museum to learn about the great inventor and orator. And a trip to Philly wouldn’t be complete without trying your hand at innovation in the nearby Franklin Institute, an amusement park of science with interactive exhibits that will have children secretly learning as they crawl through the two-story model of the human heart, explore parts of the human brain, spark creativity with electricity exhibits and so much more (air and space exhibits, sports challenges, a physics loft and observatory).
Philadelphia is topping the charts in the nation’s food scene. Of course there are what Philadelphia magazine dubs the best hoagie at Fink’s Hoagies, and the best restaurant at Vernick Food & Drink, but to truly engage in the food experience, a stop at one of The Food Trust’s Night Markets is the way to experience everything the dining front has to offer. Throughout the year night markets pop up, giving residents and travelers an experience mimicked from markets in Asia where local food vendors gather in a neighborhood offering food, locally crafted beverages and live entertainment.
City shopping is a trip all its own, and Rittenhouse Row is the place for it when in Philadelphia. The city center of Rittenhouse Square is a mecca of upscale shopping with more than 200 stores lining the old town streets. Here you’ll find blocks of art galleries, couture boutiques, cafes and more. And if shopping isn’t your thing, head here at night as it is home to a plethora of bars and restaurants that are defining the nightlife scene.