Philadelphia Freedom – I ❤ You
Elton John sings this line with excitement and exuberance. This is what I feel arriving in the birthplace of American freedom and independence. I recently found that I had 24 hours in Philly adjacent to a work trip. How to explore and re-acquaint myself with this wonderful city.
Having only been here for a week back in the early 1990s gave me an appreciation for the rich history and major sites. The first order of business was checking into my hotel. I stayed at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. This proved to be an excellent location.
Reading Railroad and Terminal
Adjacent to the hotel and also the conference location is the Reading Railroad Terminal. Yes, that Reading Railroad, think Monopoly and owning all of the railroads and collecting $200 every time someone lands there. Originally built in the 1890s, the grand depot has a 9 story headhouse (hotel), originally contained a 13-track train shed (pictured below), and a public farmers market.
Here is what the Reading Railroad Terminal looked like back in its heyday.
Hop On – Hop Off Bus Tour
With only a short amount of time to explore Philadelphia, I figured a hop on hop off bus would be the best way to see the most and get around. This stop is in front of the hotel.
The day was a little cool, but being on the open upper deck provided the best views. Starting out we passed the Hard Rock Cafe (left) located at the end of the Reading Terminal and displaying the signature giant guitar.
City of Brotherly Love
Philadelphia is known as the City of Brotherly Love. This is reflected in the LOVE street art. Inside Love Park is a LOVE sculpture which is a popular photo spot for locals and tourists. Also, just a few blocks away at 210 18th Street in Sister Cities Park is the AMOR (Love) sculpture. It is another popular photo spot. Both of these LOVE photo spots are favorites every day, but on Valentine’s Day they are the place to snap a picture with someone sweet.
A large fountain is in the center of Logan Circle. This makes a great gathering spot for picnic lunches, people watching, and walks.
Ben Franklin and Free Books for All
The Free Library of Philadelphia was founded in 1891 as a library that was to be free to all people. It’s mission is to advance literacy, guide learning, and inspire curiosity. Benjamin Franklin founded the Library Company of Philadelphia in 1731. It was America’s first lending library and the predecessor of the free library. For three months in 1733-34 Franklin actually served as the librarian for the Library Company.
The Rodin Museum was founded in 1929 and has the largest collection of sculptures by Auguste Rodin outside of Paris. The entrance archway is also a popular photo spot for couples.
“I See Dead People”
Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment) is haunted by ghosts in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Sixth Sense. Maybe Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) can help. The house located at 22nd and Green Street is featured in the movie.
And if seeing dead people wasn’t terrifying enough, a couple of blocks away is Eastern State Penitentiary, what was once America’s most historic, famous and expensive prison. Today it stands in ruin, crumbling cell-blocks and empty guard towers. This haunted glimpse into the past once held many of America’s most notorious criminals, including “Slick Willie” Sutton and “Scarface” Al Capone. This is a definite must see if you are into these kinds of things (and I am). The nighttime “Terror Behind The Walls” haunted house at Halloween is said to be heartstopping.
Museums and Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is a major complex with a large adjacent park and multiple buildings. It is considered one of the largest and most renowned museum art collections in the country.
The gilded bronze sculpture of Joan of Arc carrying her standard into battle faces the Museum. Sculptor Emmanuel Frémiet was originally commissioned to design the original monument for the Place des Pyramides in Paris. This is one of a few copies around the world.
Stella !!!
The most famous boxer of all times (in the movies) was Rocky Balboa. The movie set in Philadelphia shows Rocky training by running up and down the 72 stone steps of the Museum. There is a large statue of Rocky in his winning pose outside in the park. Another popular photo spot for Rocky wannabes.
Also popular are meetup and physical fitness boot camps on the steps. You too can conquer your demons just like Rocky. Hey, you on the left, you’re not working hard enough.
Our 1st President
The George Washington Monument Fountain stands in front of the Museum of Art’s stairs inside the Eakins traffic oval. Rudolf Siemering sculpted the bronze and granite monument in 1897. George Washington sits atop his horse above the fountain looking toward City Hall. The sculptor made the statue’s face from an impression of Washington himself made while he was still alive.
A great stop for kids (of all ages) is the Academy of Natural Sciences. They have three floors of exhibits with both permanent and rotating exhibitions with more than 18 million specimens. Check their website for current exhibits and programs.
Philadelphia City Hall is an impressive building with gorgeous architecture.
There are an abundance of quaint neighborhoods to explore in Philadelphia if you have time. For me with only 24 hours, I can just observe from my bus. To the right of the steps, there is one of the original period iron ‘boot scrapers’ set in the sidewalk.
The Delaware River waterfront has all sorts of activities. Comprised of Penn Landing, Great Plaza and Festival Pier, the area is alive both day and night. There are activities, events, concerts, multicultural restaurants and nightlife. Independence Seaport Museum features historic warships, a submarine and schooner along with exhibits. There is also an active nightlife in this area and public concerts.
Independence Mall
Independence Mall is 4 blocks long with Independence Hall at one end, and the National Constitution Center at the other.
The bell and clock tower on Independence Hall stand proud as a symbol of freedom and independence.
The Liberty Bell is on display and across the street is the Independence Visitor Center. There is also the Independence Mall Cafe for a quick bite and coffee.
A Penny Saved
Ben Franklin’s grave (just inside the fence) is in the Church of Christ Graveyard at the corner of Independence Mall N. 5th and Arch Street. Franklin coined the phrase, ‘a penny saved, is a penny earned’. As a tribute to Franklin, visitors toss a penny on the grave. The trust collects about $5,000 in pennies each year.
In a town that dates back to the early history of our country, even the Starbucks look old.
With only 24 hours in Philadelphia I was only able to barely scratch the surface of all the town has to offer. I would have loved to have been able to have leisurely spent time exploring in depth the museum collections, Independence Hall and the Constitution Center. There is an almost never-ending list of places not mentioned including: The United State Mint, Betsy Ross’s house, Edgar Allen Poe’s house, USS New Jersey, Masonic Temple, Ben Franklin’s Museum, the Jersey Shore (across the river), and literally dozens of other museums not even mentioned.
Food, Food and more Food
Chinatown offers an unlimited assortment of Asian food, shopping and events. There are more than 30 restaurants in this small area which has become a melting pot for all kinds of Asian cuisines ranging from Chinese, Malaysian, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese and more. Detailed information on current events and restaurant choices is on their website here.
Back to where we began. Across the street from the Downtown Marriott is the Reading Terminal Market. This is both and interesting place to explore, and a great place to grab a bite to eat. The hard part is choosing from all of the different food options. To help explore, there is a map below showing the lay of the land. A downloadable PDF map and guide is here.
For dinner, across the street from the hotel is Maggiano’s Little Italy. They serve an exceptional pasta dinner, with bottomless hot bread and great wine. I highly recommend this restaurant, but be sure to take a healthy appetite as the portions are large.
The Hop On – Hop Off Bus Tour map is below.
With my 24 hours up, it is time to think work and conference. After all this talk about FREEDOM, this just seems wrong.
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