This summer, I went to Philadelphia for a few days to explore the city of brotherly love. It did not disappoint!
History
One of the reasons I was excited about Philadelphia was because the city is filled with history. The city was the meeting place for many important events in our country’s history.
Liberty Bell
Independence Hall
Getting Around
Philadelphia was an easy city to get around. The trains from the airport can take you straight into Center City (downtown area). Most of the places I visited were in walking distance from where I stayed in the Washington Square West neighborhood.
Food
Sadly, I didn’t find a cheesesteak that blew my mind, though I didn’t try the recommended Pat’s or Geno’s.
Roast Pork Sandwich at DiNic’s
Zahav is a great place for Middle Eastern food. I loved the traditional hummus and fried cauliflower.
Reading Market Terminal is the popular indoor market that’s bustling with people and food options.
For cupcakes, I recommend Philly Cupcakes. This birthday cake cupcake I had was delicious and much better than the cupcakes I had at two other cupcake shops in Philly.
Popular Sights
Rocky Steps
Now might not be the best time to admit this but I have never watched the movie Rocky. I did, however, watch the infamous clip from the movie to know why the “Rocky Steps” were significant before I arrived, which made seeing person after person run up the steps crack me up. So hardcore. Ascending the Rocky Steps rewards you with a great view of the city!
The Rocky Statue is at the bottom of the steps.
This is the original Love sign and although warned, I was still surprised by it; it was a lot smaller than its clones!
Right next to the Love sign is a super tall fountain. I was sitting by it people watching when the best thing happened. A little boy got in the fountain, raised his arms up and started yelling at the top of his lungs at it. His parents let him go at it for a while before they had to leave. Pretty funny.
Philadelphia Magical Garden is a mosaic maze by artist Isaiah Zagar and a fun place to explore. Every inch is covered in glass bottles, tiles, mirrors, bicycle wheels and other random bits and pieces. This wold be a fun place for a photo shoot or to host a special event. I also love that Zagar has decorated walls in the neighborhood with his signature style, like sprinkles of magic throughout the city.
Not only is Anthropologie a pretty store to wander around in, but the flagship Anthropologie store is in an elegant old house with beautiful architecture.
If history and art are among your favorite things when you travel, you will definitely love Philadelphia. Overall I thought it was a quiet, walkable city and perfect for a long weekend.
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