Top Ten Travel Tips for Philadelphia

When most people think about Philadelphia, they think about the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and Ben Franklin. And while we love Philadelphia's history, the city offers lots more. So here's a list of the City of Brotherly Love's top ten sights:

1. Don't miss the chance to see the 30-mile panoramic view of the city from the observation deck at the foot of William Penn's statue atop City Hall. Until the late 1980s, an unwritten law decreed that no building could be higher than this statue. Although many office buildings tower over it now, it is still a great vantage point. Call 215-686-2840 for tour details.
2. One of our favorite places to hang out in Philadelphia is Fairmount Park, which features (among other things) a zoo, historic houses, and plenty of places to go hiking and walking (after all, Fairmount Park's 8,500 acres make it the largest landscaped city park in the world).
3. The city has plenty of wonderful gems tucked away -- you just have to know where to find them. One of these special secrets is the beautiful glass mosaic by Louis Comfort Tiffany in the lobby of the Curtis Center, an office building on Washington Square.
4. We also love, Boathouse Row, which is made up of 11 Victorian buildings that house the "Schuylkill Navy" -- rowing clubs that practice on the nearby river. Tiny white lights that outline each of the buildings create a wondrous sight every night throughout the year.
5. The Philadelphia Art Alliance, housed in an elegant mansion off Rittenhouse Square, has wonderful galleries that are open to the public.
6. On the first Friday of each month, more than 40 art galleries and shops in Old City stay open late for receptions and shows. It's like an elegant, traveling cocktail party. Call 215-592-7752 for details about "First Friday" events.
7. And speaking of art, we recommend that you venture beyond the steps made famous by the movie "Rocky" and explore the amazing art collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
8. Although Philadelphia is home to many institutions of higher learning, it is primarily the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania that gives University City its name (although Drexel University is also close by). UPenn's campus itself is quite attractive -- we recommend a stroll along Walnut Walk (near 34th Street), with plenty of time to admire College Hall (said to be the inspiration of the house in Charles Addams' The Addams Family cartoons), the fraternity houses, and the statue of Ben Franklin seated on a bench (a classic photo op).
9. No trip to Philadelphia is complete without tasting a cheese steak, the iconic food of the city. Pat's Steaks in South Philly serves some of the best.
10. Of course, if you have never visited Independence National Historic Park, it really should be on your list of "must sees." Start at the Visitors' Center and then plan which of the historic sites you want to tackle.