I just returned from a quick trip to Philadelphia—two days to take in some of the sights, sounds, and flavors of a city that, despite living only two hours away, I’d never really spent much time exploring.  And it was definitely worth experiencing!

Of course, after an entire summer of being stuck in one place (even if that place is a city I love), I was so anxious for a little getaway that almost any place would have been a balm to my wandering soul after having been cooped up for so long.  But I really did enjoy Philadelphia—it’s not DC, of course, but it has a charm of its own, and is an especially rewarding destination for foodies, art lovers, and history buffs (all of which I am, to a greater or lesser extent).  So it’s hardly a surprise that I connected quite well with Philadelphia, even on a brief visit.

I’ll be publishing some posts in the near future describing my trip in more detail, but I wanted to share some of the highlights with you now.  So, without further ado, here’s a list:

My Favorite Things in Philadelphia

  • Reading Terminal Market: This was my first stop after checking into my hotel, and it was a good choice as my train got in just before lunchtime. By the time I arrived, the market was bumpin’, but despite the crowds I enjoyed myself and had a great time walking around looking at the different baked goods, ethnic foods, and sandwiches being offered at the dizzying variety of food stalls.  I ended up choosing an egg and cheese sandwich (reasonably priced and good—also easy enough to eat given that I couldn’t find anywhere to sit down.  Be advised the market doesn’t have much if any seating space for those not buying food from a sit-down restaurant).  I also grabbed a to-go chocolate chip walnut cookie from one of the many bakeries, which was even better!

 

  • Rittenhouse Square: I deliberately chose a hotel near Rittenhouse Square, a central green leafy park area, so that I’d be in a nice neighborhood close to many of the attractions and restaurants I wanted to check out during my visit. The square itself made for a nice, relaxing walk on my first day, and I sat down for a bit to enjoy some live music as well.  It’s always nice to find a pretty park to rest in for a while after you’ve been walking all over town—and I tend to walk quite a lot when I visit new cities.

 

  • The Museums: I visited the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Museum of the American Revolution. I did one each afternoon, spending a few hours in each, which felt like a good way to space things out and allow myself plenty of time to absorb their exhibits and displays. The Philadelphia Museum of Art had a great collection of Impressionists (my favorite) and lots of quality European art in general.  Of course, as a DC resident I’m fortunate to get to visit the National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, and many other Smithsonians for free whenever I want, so the $20 entrance fee gave me a bit of sticker shock—but hey, I like art and I was on vacation, so I’d definitely say it was well worth it.  The next day I spent several hours in the Museum of the American Revolution, which I REALLY enjoyed.  As a history buff, I tend to focus my attention more on the twentieth century than the eighteenth, so this was a great opportunity to brush up on some of my high-school history and learn lots of new things as well.  It also helped me to put some of our nation’s current struggles in perspective, and did a good job of looking back at the eighteenth century from today with a clear eye and presenting lots of thought-provoking content on issues like the role of women and African-Americans in the revolution, and how the country was divided between those loyal to the British King and those seeking independence.  I’ll be doing another post  just on the museum soon (that’s how much I enjoyed it) but in the meantime I’ll just close by pointing out that you get to see the actual tent George Washington used during the war.  I mean, do you need any further inducement than that to check this place out?!

 

  • The Food: Ah, yes, now we’re getting to it—the food! One of the main things I wanted to do in Philadelphia was eat (see above: I was on vacation!) and I did so quite well.  My big dinner was at The Prime Rib steakhouse (hello, vacation splurge), and while it did feel like a rather steep price tag for a filet mignon, steak fries, and dessert, I can’t deny the food was excellent.  I also had a wonderful chocolate croissant at the  Miel Patisserie, as well as a nice lunch at the Bluestone Lane coffee shop in my hotel (I went for the chicken sandwich, which was tasty, though I kind of wish I’d tried the avocado smash as that seems to be their thing…) My breakfast at Federal Donuts was good too—I had an apple-peanut butter drizzle flavor combo—though I think I’m beginning to come to the conclusion that when it’s about donuts, I prefer to keep things a bit simpler (hello, chocolate glazed).  I’m only sad I didn’t get to squeeze in Capogiro gelato—but I guess that gives me an excuse to return!  Well, that and a few more restaurants I had to pass on as they were closed on Mondays…note to self for the future.

 

Overall, Philadelphia was a great weekend getaway and I look forward to coming back in the future!

Have you been to Philadelphia?  Any recommendations for my future trips?