[Closed] Philadelphia - what's to see and do?

run up the stairs like Rocky.

Spent a couple of days there 2 years ago. The old town where the liberty bell is is nice for a wonder around. The Barnes Foundation is worth a visit if you're into your art. Need to book a visit though. If you want to stop for some food and a beer then Monks Cafe is where to go. Excellent Belgian style beer bar with a huge selection of beers and excellent mussels.

Thanks, liking the sound of mussels and Belgium beer!

I looked at the modern art museum but none of the Edward Hopper paintings listed were on display, pity. Will google the Barnes.

Running the Rocky steps is a must.
Liberty Bell
Reading Terminal market
Lots of great Irish bars.

I second the old town for a bit of history. The Mutter museum is interesting too in a macabre kind of way. And obviously at some point you'll get a cheese steak and eat it with grease dripping off your fingers.

If you're in the centre and want to go for a run then the riverside past the art museum steps is very nice. Just don't trip over and arrive back at your hotel dripping blood like I did

Up the Rocky steps is a given - Art gallery itself is v good.

Superb mountain biking available from centre city if you could get your hands on a bike - Philadelphia must be unusual in this respect for US cities. There's a state park called the Wissahickon about 5 miles out, ride out through Fairmount park. Steep sided ravine - some serious trails along the valley sides. I used to go to bicycle therapy when I lived there, on S street.

run up the stairs like Rocky.

I was amused by the amount of tubby Americans that tried to, and had to stop halfway for a rest.

The museums worth a look, take the bus tour round the parks etc, jump off at the museum for a couple of hours then back to the city centre. The old town area where sixth sense was filmed has a good selection of nice bars and pubs. There's also the liberty bell of course

Wissahickon +1.

Go to a baseball game - [url= http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/ticketing/singlegame.jsp?c_id=phi&mlbkw=ma-s-WW2o4kdc ]Phillies[/url]

And of course, go to a gun shop! 😉

I'd recommend the Dutch oven in Reading terminal. Amish food, bloody lovely slow cooked pulled pork 🙂

There's loads if great bars around, the beer is fantastic, and don't waste too much time on the bell as you can see if through the window and save time queuing.

You can also go to the top of the parliament (need to check the actual name of it) building for good views around the city, which even our friend who lived there didn't know till we visited.

Thanks guys, some great suggestions there.

Behind the 'Rocky step ' is the East State Penitentiary, you can do your own audio tour around it - surprisingly interesting.

You can also take a free tour around the Philadelphia mint.

I think the parliament building referred to earlier may be the City Hall - the one with William Penn on it.

I can second the bike riding, I think officially you're supposed to have some sort of pass?

It's a great city, enjoy it.

Get yourself down to Tommy Dinic's in Reading Terminal market for the best pork sandwich ever. Fact.

Reading Terminal market

Totally forgot about this place. It's great. Go there and eat all the food.

Thanks TrekEx8, I new I want calling it the right thing.

If you were able to get to a Phillies then the food and drink on the stadium is better than anywhere I've seen sport before. The baseball's OK too.

At least go and have a look at [url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moshulu ]Moshulu[/url]

If you've got a few days in Philly you can see the big sites in an hour or two anyway in the evenings. What you need is a ROADTRIP!!

Get a car and go and see a bit of wilderness, rural and small town America.

Start by heading west for a bit of Intercourse, and see the Amish
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Then north through the old steel belt into the Poconos, where if you had more time there is great biking and rafting, which you can sample in Jim Thorpe
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Then pick a line through the hills and national forests eastward to the Delaware Water Gap
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Follow the Delaware south through Washington Crossing, heading over into NJ for a quick look at the Ivy League in Princeton
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And back to Philly for your supper.

Been far too many times for work.

Monks Cafe is a must.
Milkboy for coffeebar culture.
Barnes Collection if you can get tickets.
Train to New York/DC if all else fails 😉
Breakaway Bikes on Chestnut stock Stages Cranks.

The 124 bus leaves Market East by Marriot Hotel. It's about $3 and will take you right out to the largest shopping mall on the East Coast. I have shopped there many times, as the kids wardrobe is testament!

Oh and for travel to downtown, taxis from the airport are $28 fixed, but the R1 train is $10 and runs every 30 minutes. Philadelphia has a very good public transport system.

Any questions, just drop me a line.

Have a proper Philly Cheesesteak...

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Suggestions of best places [url= http://www.visitphilly.com/articles/philadelphia/top-10-spots-for-authentic-philly-cheesesteaks/ ]here[/url]

If you like Mexican food, check out Tequilas. Some of the best I've ever had and as an added bonus it was used as Samuel Jackson's comic book shop in Unbreakable. South street has some cool bars as do the streets around Rittenhouse square. Liberty bell stuff is very interesting actually.

Do not, under any circumstances, go over the Ben franklin bridge and into Camden. You will get murdered, that's not a joke.

REI are a good outdoor sports chain store

http://www.rei.com/

[url= http://www.bilenky.com/ ]Bilenky Cycle Works[/url] are based in Philly.

Submarine 319
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3048/3044613886_96b333d2b0_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3048/3044613886_96b333d2b0_z.jp g"/> ?zz=1[/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/5D3rCS ]Engine Room[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7509988@N07/ ]Ginger F0x[/url], on Flickr

And East State Penitentiary (audio guide is Steve Buschemi and you get to see where Al Capone was imprisoned)
[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3068/3043770113_82e3e3ceb1_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3068/3043770113_82e3e3ceb1_z.jp g"/> ?zz=1[/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/5CY7P4 ]Prison Corridor[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people/7509988@N07/ ]Ginger F0x[/url], on Flickr

Right back from Philly, what a great city, I had a complete blast, despite flying in Friday, working Saturday and Sunday and then flying back Monday afternoon.

Cheesesteak at Sonny's - Done
Liberty Bell - Done
Independence Hall - Done
Reading Terminal Market - Done, (best/only good coffee of the trip)
Jazz club - Done
20km run up and down the Schuylkill River - Done
Rocky Steps - Done
Breakaway Bikes - Done

Thanks for the tips folks.