Philadelphia
As the birthplace of the Revolution, the City of Brotherly Love can’t help but brim with historical landmarks; highlights include Independence National Historical Park (Liberty Bell and Independence Hall), the U.S. Mint and the Franklin Institute. Guided tours can steer you from where the Declaration of Independence was signed to where Betsy Ross sewed her flag, but if you strike out on your own, Philly has even more to explore.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art showcases more than 300,000 pieces (and you can re-create Rocky’s run on the front stairs), and while cheesesteaks dominate Philadelphia cuisine conversations (Pat’s and Geno’s get all the press, but we’re partial to Steve’s in the Northeast), restaurants such as Volvér Restaurant and Lacroix at The Rittenhouse inject international sophistication into the scene.
Philadelphians are used to hearing that their city is no New York; and to them, that’s a source of pride. Their hometown teams compete in fierce rivalries against their New York nemeses, including the Eagles (NFL), Phillies (MLB) and 76ers (NBA). With rowdy sports crowds, original cuisine and more historic sites than a textbook, the City of Brotherly Love offers as much culture as any place outside New York — and Philadelphians will let you know it, too.
