Philly - what to do on a Sunday just off Logan Sq.?
 

I'm going to Philly for a conference starting this weekend, and will have about 3 hours on Sunday afternoon to wander around before it starts. My hotel is the Wyndham Franklin Plaza on 17th and Race. What is around there within walking distance? (I like art, architecture, interesting shops.) I will NOT have a car. Also...any suggestions for lunch spots in the area? (Something basic & under $20...I'll be with a friend who is not an adventurous eater).

Thanks in advance!

If you like art, just jump in a cab and go to the Philadelphia Art Museum which is a 3-5 minute ride from your hotel. The Rodin museum is on the Parkway but with only 3 hours you won't have enough time to do both. The exhibits at the Philadelphia Art Museum are spectacular. Probably the closest good eating area to your hotel is Chinatown. Just walk down Race Street about 5 or 6 blocks and you'll see many many chinese restaurants.

You won't find much that's attractive about the walk from 17th and Race to Chinatown, but buongiorno is right about the art museum. In fact, on Sundays admission is whatever you want it to be -- and that includes free. There's both a cafeteria and a very nice cafe there: www.philamuseum.org.

Phila. Museum of Art is your best bet, and it's easily walkable down the B.Franklin Parkway from your hotel. You can also walk behind the museum to the Waterworks and East River Drive area where famous Boathouse Row is. Either enjoy the view from there, or hike the circular walking/biking/skating path that goes about 4 miles up east river drive, across a bridge, and 4 miles back down west river drive. All of downtown Phila. is walkable, so if the weather is nice, just grab a map and wander. Chinatown has good restaurants, but there are fabulous restaurants all over. You can walk south on 17th St. up to Walnut St. On Walnut St. are Le Bec Fin's cheaper bistro sibling, (Le Bec fin itself $$$$), newly renovated Black Bass restaurant and excellent Susanna Foo's. Turn right and go 2 blocks and you'll see Rittenhouse Square. Try Rouge cafe on the square. In the neighborhood that's a few blocks north of the Art Museum (25th and Fairmount Sts.)are some charming, less expensive restaurants including Rembrandts, the Firehouse, and several others. For a strange experience, see if Eastern State Penitentiary is open for a tour. This is an interesting neighborhood but best explored during daylight hours if you're not a big city person. Franklin Institute Science Museum, Planetarium and IMAX is at 22nd st. and B.Franklin Parkway--also fun to see, especially the classic old locomotives and the walk-thru heart (which may be currently undergoing an angioplasty for the first time in decades...)Have fun!

Thanks, everyone...I'm going to print this out and take it with me.

But first...please tell me more about Boathouse Row? What exactly is it?

Boathouse row is a row of boathouses just behind the Art Museum along the Schuylkill River. It is a nice walk if the weather is nice. Also, right around there is the Fairmount Water Works "museum", which has a nice display of water supply system back at the turn of the century. I thought it was nicely done and interesting.
http://www.fairmountwaterworks.com/index.php

Even if you don't go inside, it's a nice spot to walk around.

At
www.gophila.com
if you click on "itineraries & tours", you can choose the
"30min walk - Art along Benjamin Franklin Parkway" and follow the guide. There's lots of outdoor art along BFP. If you like Alexander Calder, don't forget to check out the Swann Memorial Fountain at Logan Sq, designed by Calder's father, and William Penn on top of City Hall, designed by Calder's grandfather.

I don't know if your friend is up for Asian food, but here are 2 suggestions (both places in Chinatown):
Sang Kee (Chinese) on 9th street just south of Vine Street

Penang (Malaysian) on 10th street between Arch & Race streets.

If you want something very basic, you can just head south on 17th street to Marathon Grill (between Chestnut & Walnut). It's got your basic diner fare (but on the healthy side).