Will be in Philly for the UPenn tour. What are some must see spots for the duration of the day, and where should I eat?

Planning also a trip there, on the way to the east-coast...
Looking for accommodations for the night, close enough to the campus, but with an easy access to the expressways,not in the center of downtown.
Thanx so much.
Amik.

Welcome to Philadelphia! It's really tough to narrow the must-sees to one day, as it really depends so much on your priorities. The University area itself, especially the U of Pa Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, is fascinating. If you have time, though, you might want to try the public transportation system to see some of the rest of the city. Historically, of course, Independence Hall/ Liberty Bell area are extremely important. Architecturally, many neighborhoods such as Old City or Society Hill, the mansions of Fairmount Park and the magnificent City Hall are great for tours or just strolling. Socially, South Street, the riverfront, and Manayunk are busy spots. The Reading Terminal Market at 13th and Market is a great place for lunch, but Philadelphia takes food seriously and it's easy to find good food almost anywhere!
Amik, there's a Sheraton at 36th and Market that should fit your need (called, in fact, the University City Sheraton.)
Let me know if I can answer any questions more specifically, or any more specific questions.

Do NOT eat at the White Dog Cafe on Sansom Street in the UPenn area!! It is completely over-rated and now simply rests on its hype; the food and service are lackluster at best.
Here are a few restaurant choices:
Pizza: Mama Palma's on 23rd and Spruce. Consistently wins awards for best pizza in town.
Coffee: La Colombe on 19th and Walnut (entrance on 19th St.) for best coffee and town and to see what Philly's Eurocrowd are up to.
If you're in town on a week-day, The Plough and Stars on 2nd and Chestnut, has the best afternoon tea in town. The Plough and Stars also is a good restaurant choice, more like French Irish cuisine rather than typical pub grub.
Other popular restaurants are Fork, Square Bar at the Sheraton Hotel on Rittenhouse Square, Genji's on the 1700 block of Sansom Street (better than the University City location) for sushi and Japanese cuisine.
BTilke

FYI: The Univ City Sheraton is on the rundown side. You might want to try the Inn at Penn, which opened about a year ago (location-wise, it's at 38th and Walnut, right across the street from the main campus) and has a nice restaurant and shops, etc downstairs--have not seen the rooms, but has a much more inviting feel to it (Sheraton is mid-70's architecture, very very bland). Otherwise, would try booking around the Rittenhouse Square area--many hotels, $5 cab ride to Penn or $1.60 on the bus ($1.15 if you buy 10 tokens)--Amik, it's very close to the expressway, but it *is* the center of downtown. If that's not where you want to be, might try around City Line Avenue in Bala Cynwood, eg...about a 20 min drive to the campus (30-40 in bad traffic).

Bram,

Amy and BTilke gave good suggestions - if you are visiting for just the day.
Note to Amik: I second the recommendation to stay at Inn at Penn for a one night stay. The Univ. City Sheraton is pretty shabby. I would opt not to stay in City Line area - traffic can be very congested - Inn at Penn would be very convenient to Penn's campus.