I agree with Amy, I would stay a few block up from the Penn's View. Best Western or Omni or even Holiday Inn around 4th/Arch I think.
We usually stay at Courtyard by Marriott near the Hard Rock or BW,Omni. Front St. is just too far down for me.

Some of the reviews I've read about Holiday Inn (4th & Arch) and BW Independence Park have been rather drabish.

Are these from people whose expectations are too high or are these places really dumpish?

Clean and comfortable is fine. Luxury is not a requirement.

I have stayed in the Holiday Inn many times. It is clean and safe and comfortable, which is all I look for in a Hotel.

Myer,
Restaurant recommendation- Bookbinders:

http://www.bookbinders.biz/about.php

Some friends in Philly took me to dinner at Bookbinders two years ago when I was "stuck" there an extra day after booking the wrong flight back to ATL. My friends live in the city and frequent the restaurant.

Thanks.

Lucy, ahhh food. Thanks.

Fork is great. Also Philadelphia Fish & Co.
http://philadelphiafish.com/

If you want a fabulous and unique experience, reasonable, in the heart of Philly, look at staying at The Morris House Hotel, 225 S. 8 th St... 215 922-2446. It is a small historic, somewhat of a secret. It feels like a cozy B&B. DO NOT STAY IN THE NEW SECTION ABOVE THE 'M' restaurant. Make sure you say the older rooms in the original house!! morrishousehotel.com. Fabulous location you can walk to everything from there, old city, Rit Sq. you will be one block from Washington Sq. Park. the best resturants. For a great brunch I recommend The Morning Glorly Cafe on 10th and Fitzwater, if you do not get there by 9:30 am you will wait 45 min. ( it's woth the wait)then walk to the Italian Market.

Maxine,

I see that the Morris House has no elevator. Is that an issue?

Myer,
This is only an issue is you have a problem with a staicase. Give them a call and ask the particulars for your set of circumstances. I am not sure if there are rooms on the first floor. It is a lovely setting with a garden, you just do not feel you are in a city. I live here in Philly and can give you a million places to go and see for a discount, depending on your interests.

Maxine,
Thanks.

At this time I'm trying to decide if we should stay 3 or 4 days after 3 in New York. Waffling back and forth. Never been to Philadelphia.

Convince me.

As a native New Yorker I can tell you there is NO place like NY!!! Philly is very very do-able. Nothing like the electric feel of NY. It has a very charming historic feel in certain sections. The hotel that I suggested will give you that. Our museums are easy, nothing here is overwhelming. I too was in Brugges last summer and loved the Groeningemuseum. The ' Rocky" Philadelphia Museum has a Jan van Eyck, that will knock you out !!! It is the smallest painting yet probably my most favorite! You must ask the guard to give you his magnifying glass, ( they carry one, you must ask )and he will explain the deatils only seen with the glass. It is facinating. Did I sell you yet?? I hope AMY forgives me but, I do not recommend you go to Chestnut Hill or Manayunk for that matter. Stay in Philly. I have many more suggestions, but DO see Philly..Betsy's house, the Bell, ya have to see that, your here !! You have to experience a REAL philly cheesestake, Jim's is great on 4th and South Street. What do you enjoy doing??

Well, not to be technical, but Chestnut Hill and Manayunk ARE Philadelphia; even the Fairmount Park system (Wissahickon would be a part of this) is contained within the city. It's just a way of seeing more than the main tourist areas.
But there is certainly enough to do in the Center City area, bounded by oh, say, Arch to South and Front to 20th or so, plus the Parkway and Kelly Drive and maybe a trip into the Italian Market. If you haven't been to Philadelphia before, and may not be able to come again for a while, four days is certainly not too many to fill and photograph!

Maxine & Amy,

Thanks for your responses.

I don't mind only a couple of days in NY. We've been before (just after Thanksgiving 2001 and a couple of years later same time of year).

I can see going back again in a year or so. Philly is a different story. More of a travel destination than an event. And there are other destination we haven't been to such as Boston and Chicago.

I can see being back in Paris (been 3 times) before getting back to Philly.

While we are not really museum goers we have gone to and enjoyed some of the 'must sees' such as the Louvre, d'Orsay, Prado, the Met, The British Museum (I bought an English-American dictionary) and Uffizi. What we really enjoyed in NY is one that many New Yorkers don't even know about; The Frick.

We enjoy the 'must do' sights (after all that's why they're there) but also wandering around whole areas of interest. We walk quite a bit and then attempt to recover from sore feet. We're reasonably active.

Some things that I've printed out for review are the Mural Tour, Physick and Powel Houses and Fairmount Houses.

We also tend to get more done in a day that I think we will. Not sure why.

I hope I've given you enough info so you can make more suggestions. I do research quite a bit but there's nothing like getting it from Fodorites.

- - - - -

As a NY aside.

We went to NY just after 9/11 (a day after Thanksgiving). We hadn't been to NY in over 25 years. I had an old map of the city that I found and open. I had to keep the panels from falling apart.

I just wanted to remember the layout of the city. It was a long time since last visiting.

While looking over mid-town, I decided to find the site of the World Trade Center (this was after 9/11 and before the trip).

Eventually I found it on my old map. "World Trade Center - Under Construction").

Here's a link to a post that was in the European forum (so of course wouldn't come up on your searches here) that has some interesting suggestions: http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34850987

It sounds as if your way of traveling and mine are very similar; I too walk as much as possible and tend to spend the night a bit footsore! Philadelphia is great for walking, and the grid system makes it really easy to find your way around.
I'm going to look for another post that links the "Ben Franklin" walk that I took my class on; even though he was a Boston native, he was certainly crucial to the city's development and one of our "favorite sons".
*goes off to search for the walk*

Here's "In Franklin's Footsteps":
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34808371

One of the interesting spots along the way (we saw, but didn't have time to visit on this trip) is the Arch Street Meeting House, as well as the Free Quaker Meeting House. (That's the Elizabeth Griscom et al. Ross connection that's the most interesting to me, as the flag bit is pretty much mythical and the house is, um, well, not exactly authenticated either.)

Another museum that a lot of people enjoy is the Mutter Museum; I haven't been there yet, actually, as I'm a little queasy about some things.

The Waterworks (now a museum about, um, sewage) behind the Art Museum is another interesting little place for a brief visit, and the views from there are lovely.

Maxine, Amy et al,

Just to give back a little in advance.

You can see my travel photos at:

www.travelwalks.com

Please be aware, other than the last trip Europe 2006 (Prague, Budapest, Brugges & Amsterdam) the photos are 4x6 photos scanned.

When I find some time and the negatives I'll convert them to digital and post better photos.

Now, onto reading those posts and more.

Thanks.

Lovely photos, Myer! I am very much looking forward to seeing what your gift for vision and composition does with my hometown. (I'd love to spend more time wandering around here with a camera, actually, but it's just one of those things that never seems to happen...)

Myer,

I loved your photos!!!! My daughter and I visited many of the same places last July, brings back wonderful memories !!!Chicago is my favorite city in th US, especially in the spring and summer months. If you need any info just ask...Myer, if I may ask, where are you traveling from? Max

Maxine,

We're former Montrealers but we've lived in South Florida since 1993.

It's a small world. I graduated from Miami Beach High School ( Moved from NY)in the 70's. Parents retired to Lake Worth.. If I can help with your trip to Philly in any other way just let me know. Philly is a great city and the tips from the people here have been right on....Max