Interested in taking the most scenic
route from the northwestern part of the city into historic
downtown
Philadelphia? Take cobblestone
Germantown Avenue from Chestnut
Hill, a classy section of shops and
homes resembling a quaint English village, to Cresheim Valley Drive.
This is the northeasternmost tip of Fairmount Park, at nearly
9,000 acres, the largest municipal park in the world.
Cresheim Valley Drive becomes
Emlen Street and feeds into Lincoln
Drive, a thoroughfare with stately
homes and churches. At Wissahickon Avenue, Lincoln becomes a twisting
scenic parkway lining Wissahickon
Creek, which flows into the Schuylkill
River.
From Lincoln, take Kelly Drive or
West River Drive along either bank of
the river. The stunning tree-lined
riverscape, with eye-catching sculptures
at strategic points, invites picnickers,
bicyclists and joggers, as sculls race
across the water
From West River Drive, you can
turn off to the Philadelphia
Zoo, the nation's oldest, or
catch a glimpse of colorful
Boathouse Row and the stately Philadelphia Museum of Art, one of the
world's major art museums, worth a visit in itself.
The front staircase of the museum, overlooking the broad, flag-lined
Benjamin Franklin Parkway, affords a view of one of the grandest
city skylines you will ever see. A mile ahead, at the other end of the
Parkway,
is City Hall.
A few blocks before it is Logan Circle with its cool Swann Fountain.
Even closer, on your left, is the Rodin Museum, with the
largest collection of Rodin originals this side of Paris.
To the right, a bank of sparkling tallest, Liberty Place One and
Liberty Place Two, lie just beyond two of the premier science museums
in the world.
The Franklin Institute contains the Fels Planetarium, the Mandell
Futures Center and the Tuttelman Omniverse Theater, which
projects films and adventure onto a screen 79 feet
long and four stories high.
The Academy of Natural Sciences, the oldest institution
of its kind in the country, draws visitors from around the
world to its outstanding "Discovering Dinosaurs" exhibit.
Just off the Parkway is the wonderful Please Touch Museum,
a unique blend of artistic, scientific and cultural
elements aimed at encouraging children, especially those under 7, to use
their senses.
Not far from the Parkway, at Broad and Cherry, stands the Pennsylvania
Academy of the Fine Arts, a magnificent example of High Victorian
architecture housing one of the finest collections of American art
in the country.
Philadelphia's top tourist draws, however, continue to be the 18th
century landmarks in Independence
National Historical Park, those buildings most closely
associated with the colonial period, the birth of the nation,
and the city's early days as the nation's
capital.
Since January 1, 1976, the glass-structured Liberty Bell Pavilion has
served as permanent home for the Liberty Bell, signifying
the nation's freedom. Prior to that, it was housed at elegant
Independence Hall, where the Second Continental Congress decided
to defy the British crown, where Washington accepted his commission as
Commander in Chief of the colonial forces, and where the Declaration of
Independence and the Constitution
were signed.
Other major sites in Independence Park are Congress Hall, Carpenters'
Hall, Old City Hall, Graff House and the Second Bank of the
United States. Near these attractions are the Betsy Ross
House, where the nation's "first seamstress" is alleged to
have stitched the first American flag; Elfreth's Alley, the
quaint and narrow street said to be the oldest in continual use
in the nation; and Christ Church, where many signers
of the Declaration knelt in prayer. The Church's Burial Ground,
nearby, contains the graves of Benjamin Franklin and four other signers
of the Declaration.
The city's revitalized riverfront also draws many visitors and
locals as well. At Penn's Landing, a site which marks where William Penn
first set foot in 1682, you will discover the Port of History Museum,
several historic ships (including the U.S.S. Olympia), and a
sculpture garden. Concerts and festivals are
held here throughout the year.
At Penn's Landing, you can also catch the Riverbus for your 20 minute
ride to the New Jersey State Aquarium, across the Delaware in Camden, or
board The Spirit of Philadelphia for a river cruise or tour of
the harbor.
Live entertainment and casual dining can also be found at various
clubs along the riverfront. Another popular haunt for the young at
heart is South Street, with its wild and wonderful restaurants and
boutiques. The antique shops of Pine Street are also worth a
visit.
Closely associated with Philadelphia history and culture are the
century old Reading Terminal Market (right by the brand spanking new
Pennsylvania Convention Center), where the city's freshest produce and
best luncheon specials can be had; the
Italian Market, in the heart of South
Philadelphia; and the Mummers Museum, featuring audio-visual displays
celebrating the city's world-famous Mummers string bands and New Year's
Day Parade.
As Philadelphia is a city of ethnic diversity and proud neighborhoods,
a visitor would also do well to wander
through Chinatown (and dine at one of its fine restaurants),
the neat row houses of South Philadelphia, or the campus
atmosphere of University City, site of the University of Pennsylvania
and Drexel University.
Visitors to Philadelphia might also enjoy a trip to the South
Philadelphia Sports Complex.
That includes the Spectrum, where the Flyers, 76ers
and major rock concerts play, and Veterans Stadium,
home of the Eagles and the Phillies.
Theatre is also alive and well in Philadelphia, with
productions running at The Forrest Theater, The Wilma,
The Philadelphia Theatre Company, The Philadelphia Drama
Guild and People's Light & Theatre Company.
The city is also proud of its world-class Philadelphia Orchestra,
which presents its winter series at the
stately Academy of Music, and its summer series under the stars
at the Mann Music Center.