In a morning’s drive from Saratoga Springs, you can find yourself in the city where our nation was born. If that isn’t enough of a draw for you, Philadelphia also has some of the country’s best art and food.
Here’s how to dig into Philly’s history, culture, and cuisine in a weekend.
History
For history buffs, the UNESCO-sanctified Historic District is a one-stop shop. Get your bearings at the Independence Visitor Center then head to Independence Hall, where in 1776, 56 delegates gathered to pledge their “lives, their fortune and their sacred honor” for the country’s freedom from tyranny. Eleven years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, representatives from 12 states gathered to craft the US Constitution.
You’re not going to want to miss Congress Hall, which served as home to the US Congress from 1790 to 1800, when Philadelphia was the country’s capital. Walk around the stately but humble two-story Georgian brick structure and marvel at the history made here, from the establishment of the First Bank of the United States to the creation of the Federal Mint and the Department of the Navy.
Then, of course, there’s the Liberty Bell, which once rang in the tower of the Pennsylvania State House (what we today call Independence Hall). It may be mute, but its message, inscribed on the bronze exterior of the bell, is unmistakable: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”
Just next door to the Bell is The President’s House, which commemorates the lives of nine enslaved Africans who served George and Martha Washington.
Culture
Museums? Philly’s got ‘em! If you have a free afternoon, head straight to the Barnes Foundation, which boasts an extensive collection of French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, including works by Renoir, Cezanne, Matisse, Picasso, Rousseau, Degas, and Van Gogh. The Philadelphia Museum of Art, which surveys more than 300 years of world-class painting, sculpture, and decorative art, is also worth a visit, as is the Rodin Museum, considered the premier collection of work by Auguste Rodin, set within a stunning Beaux-Arts building.
Another culture hub is Logan Square, a traffic circle that encompasses the impressive Alexander Calder–designed Swann Memorial Fountain. Surrounding the circle are the Free Library of Philadelphia, Sister Cities Park, Moore College of Art & Design, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, and Franklin Institute (top photo), one of the oldest and most widely respected scientific and educational centers in the world. Founded in honor of Benjamin Franklin, the Institute’s mission is to engage visitors’ sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them.
If your ideal day of culture involves a purchase or two, head to Walnut Street for art galleries and high-end boutique shopping, or Rittenhouse Square, widely considered the city’s chicest ’hood, where luxury retail shopping surrounds a tree- and sculpture-filled park. And if you have an Instagram account, you’re pretty much morally obligated to take a selfie with the pop artist Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE sculpture.
Cuisine
There are more than 4,000 restaurants and bars in Philadelphia, but we’ll get to them in a minute.
Enthusiastic home cooks and party maestros will want to wander around Reading Terminal Market, the OG American food market that’s been in operation since 1893. Shop cooking gadgets, hosting must-haves, cookbooks, and specialty ingredients, plus killer scratch-made food from Butcher’s Pantry (get the chicken cutlet sandwich), Bao & Bun (nab the Asian nachos), Ma Lessie’s Chicken & Waffles (you know what to do), and Uncle Gus’ Steaks (the best cheesesteaks around…and yes, I realize them’s fightin’ words).
Another source of walk-around gustatory delight is the century-old 9th Street Italian Market, which boasts great craft beer at 12 Steps Down, an oil and vinegar taproom at Cardena’s, and phenomenal cheese and gourmet snacks at Di Bruno.
OK, back to the restaurants. Eat your way around the world at Kalaya, which offers fiery and complex Thai; Royal Izakaya, which serves up exquisite Japanese omakase; Illata, which offers seasonal nouveau American; Famous 4th Street, which serves the best authentic Jewish American pastrami and matzo ball; and J’aime French Café, home of to-die-for French pastries.
And the cherry on top? Philly has been dubbed the most walkable city in the country by USA Today readers for two years running. So grab your walking shoes: There’s so much to explore.
