Philadelphia…More Than Just Cheese Steaks

I just spent my first weekend in Philadelphia and have to say it was one of the best weekend getaways I have taken in a while. We drove from CT on a Friday morning and spent 3 entire days exploring the city. I learned there is a lot more there than just the Liberty Bell, sports and cheese steaks.

The location we picked was really the key to our weekend’s success. The weather was awful. It was all rain and wind the first two days but we still walked everywhere. Walking totally justified the insane food intake and cocktail consumption. It made it all OK because we worked it off. Our motto was Walk –Eat-Drink-Repeat!!

We stayed at Penn’s View Hotel in Old City Philadelphia which was a great pick. We literally parked our car when we arrived and never used it again until the day we left. Location is everything and this one is right near every place you want to be. The hotel is a beautiful historic building with tons of character and charm. The staff was top notch and offered tons of great suggestions on where to go and what to see. Rooms had brick walls and gas fireplaces that made for the perfect retreat every night. The Panorama was another winning feature located right off the lobby with a full wine bar featuring a unique custom-built wine dispensary that offers over 120 wines by the glass. They are even in the Guinness Book of World Records. Seriously it is something to see and they did a variety of wine flights. A wine lover’s dream.

There are far too many cute shops to name. You will not be disappointed wandering down Market Street, South Street or in Chestnut Hill

We were there when there was a craft fair, a food truck festival and an amazing music festival the Mid-Town Fall Festival. I thought we just picked a lucky weekend but later found out there is pretty much always something cool happening. For year round info on the top picks for each season check out http://www.visitphilly.com/

Much to my surprise I did enjoy all of the historical landmarks. I was with some true history buffs so I was a little worried I would be spending hours reading little plaques in dark museums but we wound up hitting all of the highlights and really had a great time. There I said it, history was fun.

Believe it or not we hit it all in just one weekend!

• Betsy Ross
• Liberty Bell
• Independence Hall
• Masonic Temple
• Love Park -The Fountain was Pink in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
• Redding Terminal – The nation’s oldest continuously operating farmers’ market. More eating but I count this as a historic stop still.
• Penn’s Landing
• The Rocky Steps

Hotel location is the key. You need a central place so you can walk to most places. I know this was the first of many great trips to the city.  Stay tuned to hear about the amazing food and drinks Philly has to offer! #PhillyRocks

For more travel posts, visit a few of my favorite bloggers:

• What to See in San Francisco in One Day by Confessions of an Overworked Mom
• Philladelphia More than Just Cheesesteaks by Controlled Confusion
• Florida Travel for the Holidays by Life with Lisa
• Llama Trekking in Winston-Salem by Champagne Living
• Colorado a Beautiful Holiday Travel Destination by Rajean Blomquist
• Fall Weekend in Philly by Tools 2 Tiaras

Would your brand like to participate in #Thanks30? Fill out this form for more information.