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Philadelphia Philadelphia is well known as the City of Brotherly Love but is better known by the locals as just "Philly". The city is steeped in history and during the American Revolution, Philadelphia played an instrumental role as a meeting place for the Founding Fathers of the United States, who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the Constitution in 1787. Philadelphia was one of the nation's capitals during the Revolutionary War, and the city served as the temporary U.S. capital while Washington, D.C., was under construction. Philadelphia is known for its arts and culture. The cheesesteak and soft pretzel are emblematic of Philadelphia cuisine, which is shaped by the city's ethnic mix. The city has more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city, and Philadelphia's Fairmount Park isthe largest landscaped urban park in the world. If visiting the city for a historical tour be sure to visit Independence Hall (birthplace of The Declaration of Independence and The Constitution), The Liberty Bell Center,the Betsy Ross House(birthplace of the American flag), The National Constitution Center, The Independence Seaport Museum( which details Philadelphia's importance as a vital seaport in history), Elfreth's Alley( which was once home to the 18th century artisans and trades-people who were the backbone of Philadelphia), Eastern State Penitentiary, Tides of Freedom(A History of African Prescence on the Delaware),Carpenter's Hall( Meeting place of the First Continental Congress), Christ' Church and Christ' Church Burial Grounds( where early Americans such as Ben Franklin can be found buried), City Hall( an architectural wonder),etc. The list goes on and on but I just wanted to highlight some important ones here. Visit www.visitphilly.com for a more complete list or check out the Independence Visitor Center located in Independence National Historical Park. Philadelphia is known for its arts and culture. The cheesesteak and soft pretzel are emblematic of Philadelphia cuisine, which is shaped by the city's ethnic mix. The city has more outdoor sculptures and murals than any other American city, and Philadelphia's Fairmount Park is the largest landscaped urban park in the world. If visiting the city with your children don't miss the Please Touch Museum where you can find one of the monorail cars that use to cruise the ceiling of John Wanamaker's Toy Department up until the late 60's for those of you old enough to remember. Also be sure not to miss the Philadelphia Zoo which is home to over 1300 animals, many of which are rare or endangered. Several other places you might like to check out while visiting the city are the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Franklin Institute, the Japanese Tea House and Gardens and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. For those of you planning to get married soon be sure to check into the Azalea Gardens located behind the Art Museum as they make a perfect backdrop for wedding photos. For the sports fans out there the city offers several stadiums for your pleasure. Citizen's Bank hosts the Philadelphia Phillies as well as some great concerts. The Wells Fargo Center hosts the Philadelphia Flyers as well as a vast selection of concert entertainment. Lincoln Financial Field hosts the Philadelphia Eagles and the Temple Owls on occasion. The city also has several live theaters for those of you that enjoy a live show versus a movie. Some of the more popular ones are as follows...the Academy of Music, the Arden Theater, the Forrest Theater, Innovation Studio,the Merriam Theater, the River Stage, Society Hill Playhouse, the Suzanne Roberts Theater, the WalnutStreet Theater and the Wilma Theater,etc. For other concert venues check out the Electric Factory, Johnny Brendas, the Keswick Theater, Penns Landing Festival Pier, the Tin Angel, the Trocadero and World Cafe Live, etc.
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