What should I see in Philadelphia?

What is there to see or do as a tourist in Philadelphia?

• If you only had 48 hours, what would you do, espeically if you wanted a nice mixture of "famous" and "lesser known" attractions & destinations to visit and experiences to have?

• Answer:

  This question is bound to have a thousand answers--wouldn't that be cool for quora!--because there are a thousand ways to see and experience Philly. It is truly an amazing place with a thousand faces (literally; see below). Here's one good way: a way that's bound to appeal to everyone in some way, and some people in every way, and me, on some days. Day 1: Friday Afternoon & Evening: High Culture Catch the train from the airport to Suburban Station and walk to your hotel you pricelined on Market Ave: maybe it's the Crowne Plaza, maybe the Windsor, or maybe a quaint B&B (see http://www.bnbphiladelphia.com/philadelphia/center-city.htm). If you're at the Crowne, then take a stroll to Rittenhouse Square for a great espresso at La Colombe (http://www.lacolombe.com/) or The Coffee Bar (http://www.intoxicaffeineation.com/) to get a pick me up before the evening. Before making your way to a delightful (early) Italian dinner at Melogranos on Sansom (http://www.melogranorestaurant.com/), stroll some of the area retail shops like Joseph Fox Books on Walnut (http://www.foxbookshop.com/), the Apple store (for the more technological window shopper), Lush (for some fantastic soap: http://www.lushusa.com/shop, at 1428 Walnut St.), or Anthropologie if you like fashion. Follow dinner up with a delightful gelato on 20th at Capogiros (http://www.capogirogelato.com/), and walk to JFK where you can catch the #38 bus (or a cab) to the Philadelphia Museum of Art's "Art after Five" (http://www.philamuseum.org/artafter5/) for some of the best museum viewing in the country. After the museum, head back to your hotel to freshen up and catch a movie at the Ritz on Sansom, a comedy show at one of the clubs on Sansom, or take in Shakespeare at the Philly Shakespeare Theater's evening shows (http://www.phillyshakespeare.org/; but evening shows start at 7 so this might rule out the Museum unless you can stay till Sunday afternoon, 2pm show.) Day 2: Morning: People Power People's Diner Italian Market Mural Tour bike ride in Fairmount Park (rent a bike from the Valley Forge Bike company) Philly is famous as a blue collar, working class city and these are great areas to see that DNA still in active expression. Day 2: Afternoon: History & Roots Washington Square Park First Supreme Court house Liberty Bell (pay attention to the display's emphasis on the ongoing significance of the Bell for today's world). Storyteller at one of the indicated signposts Underground Railroad Museum Constitution Center Independence Hall (tickets required, but are "free"--reserve them online a day ahead of time) Valley Forge (not too far away from Center City and you could rent a bike from the Valley Forge Bikes agency I mention above) Day 2: Evening: National Champions Catch a Phillies game and watch the Phils beat up on a visiting team. Before hand, try to eat at Geno's or Pat's for a cheesteak--or both! Afterwards, chill out at one of Philly's great taverns or bars (I prefer something theological like Grace's, Monk's, or the Bishop's Collar; see a good but somewhat older list here (2008): http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/cover-story/phillys_top_50_bars-38465689.html?page=2&comments=1&showAll=). Day 3: Morning: Spirit and Truth Check out of your hotel and ask them to Coffee at Spruce St. Espreso, which is the best in the city in my opnion (http://sprucestespresso.wordpress.com/). Because Philly is a great city for church services, you can check a church service at any number of places. Here are some that fit my own tradition and faith profile...* the historic Tenth Presbyterian Church (http://www.tenth.org), Grace and Peace Church in South Philly Epiphany North Philly (http://www.epiphanyfellowship.org/), one of the liberti churches (http://www.liberti.org/), Realife Church (http://www.realifephilly.org/) or Grace Church Philly (http://www.gracechurchphilly.org/). If this kind of Christian worship doesn't fit your style, check out another house of worship at one of the many historic congregations (Jewish, Mainline, or Catholic, for example) or take a quiet morning reading in Washington Square Park, playing in the fountain at Logan Square (technically not legal but a whole lot of fun), or doing some more museum hopping: the African American Museum (http://aampmuseum.org/index.php/index) or the Franklin Institute (http://www2.fi.edu/)--which has a great iMax theater among other things. Then, with the last ounce of energy you have, take the train back to the airport and sleep all the way home! Conclusion As I said this is an impossible list but hopefully a helpful start for someone visiting the City of Brotherly Love for the first or fiftieth time. I provided more detail to some of the sections above and then ran out of energy when I realized I was beginning to write a travel brochure. :o) I know the travel times aren't all realistic--eating early on Friday night probably isn't going to happen, for example--but neither is it realistic to expect one guide to help everyone. So take this as an indicative, not an imperative. As an example of other great guides and resources, check out: http://www.visitphilly.com/itineraries/philadelphia/shopping-in-philadelphia/ http://www.notfortourists.com/philadelphia.aspx My hope in updating the question and offering this answer is to invite others to show off their Philly personality and one of America's most historic and hip cities. ----- *disclaimer about posting church references: I am a presbyterian pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America and am affiliated with Acts 29, a church planting network. For me and my family, visiting a church is an important and fun part of a trip to any city.