A Weekend in the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia, PA
Spending time in the city of brotherly love is a great way to celebrate a weekend! The city of Philadelphia was founded by William Penn and named after the Greek word for brotherly love. It’s founder had experienced persecution, so the idea of the colony was to be a place of peace. The city is rich in history, great food, and beautiful sights. It did make for a fun and relaxing weekend!
My daughter and I spent a girl’s weekend in the city and stayed in the neighborhood of Rittenhouse Square. Centered around a beautiful park and southwest of City Hall, we stayed in a beautifully restored row house north of South Street. We were within walking distance of all that Center City had to offer. Our first night we walked down the beautifully lit cobblestone side streets, with their original boot scrapers and horse tie rings in front of each historic row house. Historic views were around every corner.
Such Good Food
We lucked out and came across Pizzeria Vetri for our dinner the first night in the city. They make the best tasting Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizzas that I have ever had. Hands down. We stuffed ourselves silly and savored every bite. We had walked by a tiny corner establishment and knew we needed to come back for breakfast based on the name alone - Waffles & Wedges on Pine Street. It was a fun menu and had cute cafe outdoor dining too. Carmen's Famous Italian Hoagie was our next nights dinner at the Reading Terminal marketplace.
We had to get cheesesteaks while in the city and these didn’t disappoint. We saw the long lines at Beiler’s Donuts and Salads and figured they must be worth it. Yes, it sounds like a crazy combination, but everyone was in line for these delicious Amish-made donuts and we enjoyed them for dessert and breakfast the next day.
Fun Neighborhood Shopping
We walked and shopped the length of Walnut Street in Center City and enjoyed the high-end retail stores and historic buildings. We sought out a few independent shops throughout the city and loved it when we came across little gems. 3rd Street in Old City there were plenty of these great little boutiques filled with unique clothes, great gifts and antiques. Some of our favorites were the Omoi Zakka Shop and Philadelphia Independents. We enjoyed not only food, but also a little shopping at the Reading Terminal marketplace. As one of America’s largest and oldest public markets, it was a treat to spend time shopping and eating there.
Cultural Delights
Old City is filled with wonderful cobblestone streets and historically preserved businesses, homes, and museums. Independence Hall and the Visitor Center of course are a must see with the Liberty Bell and the site of the birthplace of our country. At the heart of Center City is the massive and ornate City Hall that you really shouldn’t miss (and it’s hard to with the statue of William Penn on top). If you happen to visit in the winter months, you can skate at the outdoor ice rink in Dilworth Park to the west of City Hall and in the month of February it’s even free. Further to the west is the Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the top art museums in the country, has fantastic views of the city and has the added bonus fo recreating Rocky’s famous scene. While on the west side of the city we also drove around the Oval with it’s beautiful fountain views and crossed over the Schuylkill River so we could enjoy the great views of Boathouse Row - the home of 100-150 year old boathouses. If you can see them outlined with lights at night as they reflect on the river’s surface, it’s even better.
Philadelphia has so much going for it. Fun as a family, couple or a friends weekend, there is plenty to enjoy!
