maitaitom

Well, I'm only about five years late for our Philadelphia trip, but the Fearsome Foursome (Tracy, Kim, Mary and I) have decided to visit Philadelphia for five days in May (we were going to to do Seven Days In May, but the title was already taken). We're all history freaks, so that will be our main scope (well, except for that eating and drinking thing).

I'm sure I will have lots of questions...I haven't been there for nearly 40 years. Once I think of some (like where is the best area to stay), I'll be back. Watch out Philadelphia!!!

elberko

Uh, oh.

marvelousmouse

Yay! You'll have a blast- so much good food. I am definitely looking forward to your trip report!

maitaitom

So here's a few things we wanted to see in our 4 1/2 days and five nights...

Barnes Foundation
Battleship New Jersey
Benjamin Franklin Bridge
Benjamin Franklin Museum
Betsy Ross Home
Carpenters' Hall
Cathedral Basilica of Saint Peter and Paul
Christ Church
Christ Church Burial Ground
City Hall
Comcast Center
Declaration House
Eastern State Penitentiary
Elfreth's Alley
Franklin Institute
Gloria dei
Independence Hall
Jon's Bar & Grille (birthplace of a famous American)
Liberty Bell
Masonic Temple
Museum of the American Revolution
Mütter Museum
National Constitution Center
Old Joseph's Church
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
Pennsylvania Hospital
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Powel House
Reading Terminal Market
Rittenhouse Square
Rodin Museum
Washington Square

Of course, the above will make for a busy first day

Seriously, in 4 1/2 days what do you realistically think we could cover and still have time to enjoy a few Manhattans (with Rittenhouse Rye, of course)? I know the Barnes needs advance reservations...are there others on this list that benefit from reservations made before we leave?

Restaurant suggestions are also appreciated. After Philly we are either going to DC, NYC or make the longer trek to Virginia to check out some presidential homes and torn down Robert E. Lee statues. Still are deciding on those four days. Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

Please do not show the above list to Tracy, Kim or Mary as they will revolt against me. It will make the Revolutionary War look tame in comparison.

PaulRabe

Some advice from a Philly native:

If you plan your itinerary well and don't dawdle, you might see most of the things on this list. However, trying to do so would mean a lot of rushing from one place to another.

> are there others on this list that benefit from reservations made before we leave?
Your timed ticket to see Independence Hall -- one of the most historically important places on this planet -- might be readily available when you show up, or it might not be. If you plan a specific time to start your tour, and don't want to stand around & wait for one, then you can make advance reservations for a tour at a specific time.

A few tips on what to splice, if time becomes a problem:

The story that Betsy Ross designed & made the first U.S. flag is an obvious falsehood, created (almost) out of thin air. Feel free to skip her home.

There's not much at Pennsylvania Hospital beyond (surprise!) a hospital.

Jon's Bar & Grille -- I'm glad someone else recognizes the genius of this violin player. There's a large mural recognizing his birthplace, but only that.

Getting from Philly to Camden, and then touring the battleship _New Jersey_, will take up half a day. I recommend spending the time within Philly, and viewing the ship from across the river.

Elfreth's Alley is interesting only in that it is (almost) unchanged since the days of Ben Franklin. Other than that, it's just a bunch of row-houses.

Birdie

Listen to PaulRabe and skip the BR house. Elreths Alley is worth the 10 min it will take to walk through it.

You can walk across the BF bridge and you should be able to glimpse the ship from there.

The Squares are small, pretty parks but that's about it. It is interesting to read about the original planning for the city.

You might also enjoy the Rosenbach Museum near Rittenhouse Square. Make sure you take the house tour. Depending on your interest in archaeology, you might be interested in the Upenn museum.

https://www.penn.museum
Upenn is a gorgeous campus to walk through.

Any particular reason you want to see the Comcast Center?

My list of recommended restaurants will be as long as your list of sites to see. Have you decided where you'll stay? What types of food do you like?

marvelousmouse

Some stuff depends on your level of interest. For instance the Mutter isn't that big but I read every display, and it was crowded, so it turned into most of an afternoon for me. But then again, I would have gotten through a lot more of your list had I never stepped fit in Reading terminal market

Agree about tickets to Independence Hall. That and liberty bell are both worth showing up early for, because you don't want to waste time in line. Cuts into your drinking time!

Grumman Greenhouse was my favorite after the Market and the Mutter. Very cool!

I had a great dinner at Talula's garden. I would go back to Philly for just that and beiler's Amish donuts in the Market- line may be as long as the one for liberty bell but it's definitely worth the wait.

Seamus

What the hell are you smoking? How can your list not include Pat's, Geno's or both? And Reading terminal? And any little family run restaurant in South Philly? Omission of any of these will result in immediate rescission of your membership in the statin society.

Songdoc

Agreed about the cheesesteaks. And you're missing Little Italy. Eat at Ralph's.

(Seamus, you missed that the OP did mention the Reading Terminal Market.)

The Franklin Institute and the Philadelphia. Museum of Art could each take a full day -- depending on how much you want to see in each place.

I haven't been there in years, but I liked the Betsy Ross house. Even if she didn't make the flag it's neat to go through a house from that era.

The Mutter Museum is certainly unique. I liked it.

I'd include South Street if you enjoy browsing interesting shops and galleries. With your interest in art you could include a visit to the Magic Gardens while you're on South Street. https://www.phillymagicgardens.org

It's hard to tell you what to eliminate because that depends on your personal interests.

I'd say to prioritize because it's unlikely you'll see everything on your list, unless you run from place to place.

Enjoy my hometown!

maitaitom

Thanks for your replies...Much appreciated. Definitely skipping the battleship. I've seen the Iowa in L.A. and Midway in San Diego, plus there's always a chance of me falling down all those stairs which might impact our vacation.

mm, I'll definitely get to those places early. A Rittenhouse is waiting for me (and I don't mean the Square).

seamus, I'll look up Geno's to see what's at "steak" (guess I better load up on my acid reflux pills for this trip) and Songdoc I'll look up Ralph's.

Birdie, I thought I read somewhere that the lobby of the Comcast is interesting (just a walk-by if in we are near).

And Paul, I would never leave out the home of that Fine violin player. Thanks for the info.

Amy

You can do a lot in a small area; walking tours are always good. Of course, I like food tours, too, some of which take you out of the downtown like Chew Philly's tour of Chestnut Hill (with the Schmitter, one of the best sandwiches in a city that is a mecca for sandwiches. {Others include Datillo's prosciutto and sharp provolone with roasted peppers, for instance, or Max's cheesesteaks, a short ride up the Broad Street subway but quite possibly a long line.}) Reading Terminal Market is an of course, but you could spend a long time there. One of my current favorites is the broiled scallops at Pearl's Oyster Bar.

A few places not on your list or in the suggestions above are Shofuso, the Japanese house, in an area of Fairmount Park that is lovely in spring; the historic houses of Fairmount Park, including the one purchased by Benedict Arnold for new wife Philadelphian Peggy Shippen; Tinnicum National Wildlife Reserve; Philadelphia History Museum at Atwater Kent; the Dream Garden mosaic (right across from Independence Hall) in the Curtis building.

Restaurants aplenty, but ones with added experience include Victor's Cafe with the singing waiters (and good food, at that) and Marrakesh on Leithgow Street.

Skip the maudlin poetry, and check out some pix and sites on the four pages of my Philadelphia blog: missalg.tumblr.com

WeisserTee

IMO, Dirty Frank's has 100x the historic and cultural authenticity than the Betsy Ross house and legend. You can get a decent draft brew or go lowbrow with the $2 Shelf of Shame. http://www.philly.com/philly/food/Ba...ty-franks.html (full disclosure: DH and I got engaged there)

The Oyster House on Sansom Street has good food and a good vibe. A part of each annual visit back to Phila. https://www.zagat.com/r/oyster-house-philadelphia

I've lived in a full range of Phila neighborhoods inc 5th & South, 11th & Rodman, Clinton Street, Brewerytown, Queen Lane, Chestnut Hill and a few others. Rittenhouse Square remains my favorite.

Songdoc

The last time I was there the Comcast lobby had a very interesting multi-media show. It's a short stop--and worth it.

FYI, "Pearl" (of the Reading Terminal's "Pearl's Oyster House") was a cousin of mine. She died decades ago. Next door to Pearl's is Bassett's ice cream, which is quite famous, as well.

maitaitom

WT...I might have to go for the Manhattan at Dirty Frank's. We are staying very near Rittenhouse Square.

Amy and Songdoc...We'll go to Pearl's for Mary and Bassett's for the rest of us.

Songdoc

My father proposed to my mother at Rittenhouse Square. When I was a kid it was a very elegant place. We would watch the Easter parade there and wealthy society matrons would walk French poodles dyed to match their outfits!

But the last time I was there (maybe ten years ago) it seemed a little seedy. There were people sleeping on benches and kids playing loud music on boomboxes. I'll be curious to hear how it is these days.

Enjoy Pearl's and Bassett's! I could eat my way through the entire market. The Amish food is usually terrific (apple dumplings!). The hard part is deciding where to eat.

PS. I'll be there next month, but I won't have much time. I'm going to attend a family affair.

PaulRabe

> I'll be curious to hear how it is these days

It's no longer elegant, but it's also not a dive. It's a family friendly place where people gather to relax & people-watch. There's farmers' markets and/or festivals almost every week, so there's always a lot of activity around.

There MIGHT be people sleeping on benches or listening to boom-boxes, but the place is hardly dominated by either.

WeisserTee

"It's no longer elegant, but it's also not a dive."

I lived a block from RS for years and never remember it being truly seedy. It's had the occasional shabby-ish period, mostly when it was all dug up for pipes or cabling work, but overall, it's been able to withstand the test of time pretty well, IMO.

I'm also a fan of Fitler Square, one of my fav squares with some similarities to RS (on a much smaller scale) yet it's well off the usual tourist radar.

Songdoc

Thanks for the RS updates!
I'm glad to hear it has evolved and is still thriving.

gardendiva

I have been to Philly twice and both times I have been told NOT to go to Pat's Or Geno's. However, I cannot remember the name of the place that really had the best cheesesteak. Maybe someone can help us out. I want to say Jim's but that might not be right.

I enjoyed the Philadelphia Historical Museum. It is small and only took about and hour to go through it. It is Philadelphia specific for history. I took a cultural tour of the south side which included South Street and the food shops along 9th in the Italian market.

For an "after hours" event I took a ghost tour. Not so spooky but fun and I think I learned more history on that tour than at Independence Hall.

The best food item I found at Reading Terminal were the cookies at a stand right next to the kitchen gadget booth.

My favorite restaurants were The Little Lion which was on the same street as Independence Hall on 2nd or 3rd. Georgio's on Pine is great for dinner. However it is a BYOB.

I have stayed both times at The Alexander Hotel on 12th & Spruce. Great location and even better service.

Birdie

It was Jim's, gardendiva, but if you go, you better know how to order or you're going to get the "scowl." Steak, provolone, wid is my usual order. You also brought up another point that Maitaitom should keep in mind. There are a lot of BYOB restaurants in Philadelphia so if having a cocktail is important to you, make sure you book at a place with a liquor license.

Rittenhouse Square is lovely. When I'm in Philly with my dog, I'm in the square at least twice a day. Sometimes very early in the morning or late at night. During the day you'll see families with young children, people walking their dogs, residents of the neighborhood enjoying the outdoors.

The weather should be nice in May so the restaurants facing Rittenhouse will have tables set up along the sidewalk. Any of those three, Devon Seafood, Rouge, and Parc are great places to have a drink or a meal and people watch.

In the Rittenhouse area, I recommend:
Breakfast: a. kitchen, Honeys Sit and Eat (great grits), Day by Day, Metropolitan Bakery and Cafe
Lunch: Parc
Dinner: Fitler Square Dining Room (my favorite), Twenty Manning Grille, Tinto, Vernick (book weeks ahead), Res Ispa.