PHILADELPHIA - CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE

Philadelphia is one of America's most historical cities, as it is the birthplace of the United States. On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed at the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall). 11 years later the United States Constitution was adopted on the same spot.  

Over two centuries later, Philadelphia has changed quite a bit but has admirably retained its historical aspects, making it a good city to visit. Its nickname as the City of Brotherly Love, however, is a bit of a misnomer, as the people of Philadelphia were not particularly friendly, especially those at the ball game.

Philadelphia's downtown is where most of the attractions are located, and the roads are very crowded. There is a decent subway system that is a better idea, driving can be messy and parking can be difficult to find. One of the interesting sights we saw on Broad Street is cars parked on the center median, something we have yet to spot in another city.

The City Hall marks the center of the city, with the historical section stretching east to the Delaware River. Market Street is the main east-west thoroughfare, while Broad Street travels north-south all the way to the stadium complex and beyond.  Walking along Market and the surrounding streets is very intriguing, you never know where you might suddenly happen upon a significant historical artifact such as Ben Franklin's printing shop, or Betsy Ross House.

Our impressions: Philadelphia is primarily a tourist city, especially in the downtown core. You should make use of transit as much as possible; the downtown roads are not in good shape and drivers are not patient with those who don't know their way around. This is a place where walking is the best mode of transportation; attractions are close by and the city has a great feel to it. You can sometimes imagine yourself living there 200 years ago.

Penn's Landing lets you walk along the river, but should be avoided on hot days - there wasn't much shade around. It is better to spend your time touring Independence Hall and related areas, or perhaps enjoying Fairmount Park. 

The stadium is south of downtown, if you are planning to see a game, it takes about 30 minutes on the subway from Independence Hall. This is much better than driving, getting out of the parking lots after the game is a long wait. However, there is nothing around the stadium, other than a Holiday Inn which might be a good bet for fans who are driving in and out.

The weather was variable, with showers mixing with very humid weather. As you will be spending most of the day outside, make sure to check the weather before you leave your hotel - we saw a number of wet tourists who had forgotten umbrellas.

Philadelphia is not a clean city, but it is fun to wander around. Get a good tourist map and plan your day - there is so much to see that a history buff could easily spend a week there taking it all in. As the birthplace of the entire country, Philly is definitely worth the time for anybody - just remember that brotherly love can sometimes be tough.  

Downtown Philly from City Hall

Rocky statue outside the Spectrun