Philadelphia Travel Guide
Travel guide to Philadelphia , USA with comprehensive information about events, shopping, and major Philadelphia sporting events to help you enjoy your visit more.
Philadelphia Overview
Philadelphia is known as The City of Brotherly Love, and is one of the most important and evocative cities in the USA, an important cultural centre renowned for world class galleries and museums as well as being the home of a thriving arts and music scene that has given birth to an almost indecent number of household names.
Philadelphia has provided the gritty backdrop to the Sylvester Stallone films about Rocky Balboa, and the Tom Hanks movie Philadelphia. It is the place to see the famous, indeed iconic Liberty Bell, the signal bell rung by Colonel John Nixon when he declared independence for the American Colonies from the British Empire in 1776.
Visitors to the city find it a welcoming place with much to entertain them, including the Independence Park, and America's oldest zoo, and there is plenty more to Philadelphia than many visitors expect, most notably a busy nightlife that spawned a unique music scene, and the skateboard craze that has swept the world since the 1970s.
Philadelphia has loads of opportunities for a spot of retail therapy, and indeed many people come each year to take advantage of the bargains that can be found in the many stores and shopping malls.
Philadelphia offers a wide range of hotels and guesthouses and as a major transport hub for US Airways, the city makes a great short city break destination or as a companion stop off on the way to somewhere like Orlando, and there are cheap flights to Philadelphia available throughout the year.
Top Philadelphia Attractions
Perhaps the most famous attraction in Philadelphia is the iconic Liberty Bell, which last rang out in 1846, and was used to gather the crowd in 1776 for the declaration of Independence. Other buildings in the Independence National Park include the Congress Hall, the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall) where the constitution was signed.
Close by, there is a statue of Rocky - the fictional boxer at the top of the library steps where he posed during the Sylvester Stallone movie. It's a popular photo opportunity.
Shopping in Philadelphia
Philadelphia is developing a reputation as one of the best shopping cities in the USA, and more and more people are choosing to visit the city in place of New York. Less crowded and cheaper than its near neighbour, Philadelphia has many benefits.
With a great selection of shops including all the big names, frequent sales, and the chance to see some great attractions in and around the city during your stay, Philadelphia is a great shopping destination - particularly during the run up to Christmas when festive decorations are everywhere.
Philadelphia Sporting Events
If you're a fan of the main American sports, then Philadelphia is a great place for you to visit, with a number of top teams calling the city home. The Philadelphia Eagles play American Football in the NFL, while the famous 76ers are the city's main basketball franchise. Other teams include the Ice Hockey Flyers, and the popular baseball team: The Philadelphia Phillies.
