For ancient Philadelphia renowned for its role in early Christianity, see Alaşehir.
Philadelphia, often referred to as Philly, is known globally as the birthplace of American democracy. In Independence Hall but also in taverns and other locations around the city, the nation's founders planned and ultimately launched the American Revolution, which gave birth to the nation. The city is the largest in Pennsylvania, the second largest in the Northeast megalopolis, behind New York City, and the sixth largest city in the United States. Visitors interested in U.S. history will also discover that it is a city of firsts: the first library (1731), first hospital (1751), first medical school (1765), first national capital (1774), first stock exchange (1790), first zoo (1874), and first business school (1881).
Philadelphia sits adjacent to New Jersey, on the west side of the Delaware River, and is only 15 miles from Delaware. The Philadelphia Region, a metropolitan area known as the Delaware Valley with a population exceeding six million, is the nation's sixth and world's 67th largest metropolitan region. It encompasses counties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and even Maryland.
For most visitors, the focal point will be Center City and Old City, which comprise the downtown section of Philadelphia. It is bounded by Vine St. to the north, the Delaware River to the east, South St. to the south, and the Schuylkill River to the west. The 2010 Center City residential population of 57,000 makes it the third most populated central business district in America, behind New York City and Chicago. Other popular districts to visit are West Philly and South Philly.
Philadelphia's beautiful City Hall, the Convention Center, Chinatown, Washington Square West, the gay-friendly Gayborhood, and the Broad Street Arts Corridor.
West of Broad Street and City Hall, includes the art museum district, Rittenhouse Square, shopping resembling an outdoor mall with dining on Chestnut and Walnut Streets, and a good portion of the central business district with Philadelphia's tallest skyscrapers.
Philadelphia's oldest historic quarter, where the roots of American Independence began. It's between 6th Street and the Delaware River, and features Independence Mall and historical landmarks like the Liberty Bell, Constitution Hall, and Independence Hall. Also of significance are the art, design and fashion businesses and galleries, making Old City a vibrant and culturally diverse neighborhood with an 'old world' European aesthetic. Evening hours bring added excitement with great restaurants, bars and clubs.
South Street, the Italian Market, the Sports Complex, endless cheap dive bars, and Philly cheesesteaks.
Working class neighborhoods, some of which are struggling with crime problems, but also the home of Temple University and Northern Liberties.
West of the Schuylkill River, includes University City comprising of University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University and its surrounding neighborhoods.
The off-the-beaten-path northwestern reaches of the city, most notable for its middle-to-upper class residential neighborhoods of Manayunk, Chestnut Hill, East Falls and Mt. Airy.
The far northeastern part of town, a residential yet multicultural area.
Philadelphia, often called the "Birthplace of America", is the birthplace of the country's modern democracy. Philly was founded by William Penn in 1681, and assumed its present-day shape and size in 1784 when Montgomery County was split off from Philadelphia. The city's name translates to "City of Brotherly Love" and it has been a seat of freedom since its inception; founded by Quakers, the colony promoted religious freedom among its residents in stark contrast to the England of the time.
The definition of "Philadelphia" changed in 1854. Prior to that time, the term "Philadelphia" referred to what is today called "Center City", and what we today call "Philadelphia" was referred to as "Philadelphia County" (that term is still used today in legal and administrative contexts). For clarity's sake we will use modern terminology, though many people will refer to Center City as "Philadelphia" when referring to pre-1854 periods.
Known for its role in the American Revolutionary War, Philadelphia saw the convening of the Continental Congress as well as the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Shortly after the nation's inception took place in Philadelphia, Center City was named the nation's capital, a role it filled from 1790 until 1800, when Washington, D.C. took over. Prior to 1854, the city of Philadelphia only consisted roughly of what we now call Center City, extending east to west between the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers and north to south between Vine and South Streets. Everything else was Philadelphia County and contained thirteen townships, six boroughs, and nine districts. The Act of Consolidation in 1854 consolidated all these areas within the city of Philadelphia, creating the boundaries you see today.
Benjamin Franklin, probably Philadelphia's most famous resident, was responsible for the city's alternative title, the "new Athens." While Franklin's most famous experiment dealt with the conducting of electricity, he was also responsible for the country's first insurance company, the city's first public library and the first fire department; Franklin also played a great role in establishing the city's postal system and inventing new conveniences such as bifocal lenses and the Franklin Stove.
Philadelphia has seen its skyline and its name in lights throughout the years in such famous films as the "Rocky" series (the statue from Rocky III still stands prominently outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art), and films like namesake Philadelphia and many of Philadelphia native M. Night Shyamalan's thrillers.
The Liberty Bell is right in the center of Philadelphia inside of a pavilion near Independence Hall. The Liberty Bell is a major piece in Philly's history. It was rung to announce the news of the passage of the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829 in Great Britain. John Sartain in his book, Reminiscences of a Very Old Man, claims the bell was cracked during this announcement:
"The final passage of the Emancipation Act by the British Parliament is linked to a bit of Philadelphia history. On receipt of the news in Philadelphia the Liberty Bell in the tower of the State House was rung, and cracked in the ringing. When I was up in the tower in 1830, two years after, viewing the cracked bell for the first time, Downing, who was then the custodian of Independence Hall, told me of it and remarked that the bell refused to ring for a British Act, even when the Act was a good one."
The Philadelphia area's 6.2 million inhabitants comprise a diverse group of almost every nationality. Philadelphia's primary cultural influences can be seen in its plethora of Irish pubs, the city's Italian Market, the Chinatown District, and the Reading Terminal which plays host to a diverse crowd of merchants — from first-generation European and Asian immigrants to the area's local Amish and Mennonite farmers.
Compared to other major American cities, especially those in the Northeast, Philadelphia has a much smaller immigrant population; up until 1950 it was a magnet for European immigrants, with smaller African populations. But due to a sluggish economy, racial tensions, and the rising prominence of cities like New York, Boston, or even Atlanta, Philadelphia's immigrant population dwindled. Things have changed since the early 2000s however, with the area once again becoming an immigration gateway. Immigrants now flock from places as varied as China, India, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Ghana, Morocco, and Russia.
Philadelphia's economy is as diverse as the population that inhabits the city. In Old City, the 'Third Street Corridor', from 3rd and Chestnut Streets to Vine Street, is home to many locally owned businesses contributing to art, design and fashion industries. The Philadelphia Stock Exchange, the oldest one in America, has been in operation since 1790. In addition, the city is host to several Fortune 500 companies, including Comcast (the nation's largest cable television and broadband Internet provider), CIGNA insurance, Aramark, and Lincoln Financial Group. The largest private employers in the city are the University of Pennsylvania, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and Temple University. In the region there are approximately 50 higher educational institutions making Philadelphia a large 'college town'.
Dating back to the city's roots as the nation's first capital, the federal government's presence is also strong in Philadelphia. A U.S. Mint is near Philadelphia's historic district and the Philadelphia division of the Federal Reserve Bank is close to that. Thanks to this governmental presence the city plays host to a large number of prestigious law firms and is considered one of the nation's centers of law.
The Pennsylvania Railroad, once the largest railroad company in the world, continues to influence Philadelphia's economy under the Amtrak name. Amtrak's second-busiest station, 30th Street Station, is on the west bank of the Schuylkill River and employs many Philadelphians in customer service, engineering, accounting, and IT jobs at the station.
Many medical schools, pharmaceutical companies, and medical technology firms make their homes in and around Philadelphia, arguably making it the nation's healthcare capital. And numerous virtual commerce firms have made their home in the Philadelphia area, including QVC, Half.com (purchased by eBay), DuckDuckGo, and Monetate.
Philadelphia sits at the northernmost boundary of the humid subtropical climate zone; it has many features of a humid continental climate, and the climate has four seasons. Winters are cold and often snowy, but are rarely unbearable like in Boston or Chicago; temperatures usually hover around 32°F (0°C) during the colder months. Average annual snowfall is 24 inches (59 cm) which is spread out mainly from December to March, but the area is sometimes hit by devastating blizzards that can dump up to half that total or even more on the city in one day, such as in 1996 when a single storm dumped 30.7 inches (78 cm) of snow on the city in just a couple days.
On the other hand, summers in Philadelphia are notoriously hot and humid, and conditions can get quite unpleasant when the air temperature is near 90°F (32°C) and humidity is high.
Spring and fall are rather pleasant, with temperatures in the 60s and 70s °F (15°C-25°C).
Colloquialisms
For those who are unfamiliar with either the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast or even just Philadelphia regions, local lingo and enunciation can seem rather daunting. Older white working-class locals mostly speak with a distinctive accent, as does Philadelphia's African-American community; in fact, the latter is responsible for many modern-day slang words and expressions that have become ubiquitous in American culture. However, transplants, academics, other ethnic minorities (especially Asians), and Millennials now tend to speak with a more general American accent. With that said, most young people from the Philadelphia area - regardless of race - have made laudable efforts in keeping elements of the accent alive, most notably with regards to vowels and vocabulary.
Here is a breakdown of Philadelphia's most popular local terms:
The Airport Line serves each terminal throughout the day until approximately midnight and takes about twenty minutes to travel between the airport and Center City Philadelphia, making stops at all major commuter tunnel stations: 30th Street Station (Amtrak), Suburban Station (Penn Center, City Hall) and Jefferson Station (formerly "Market East Station": East Market Street, The Fashion District, Pennsylvania Convention Center, Reading Terminal). Tickets for the Airport Line can be purchased on the train platform at a fare kiosk, the cost of the journey to center city is $6.75 at the kiosk or $6.50 (plus $4.95 initial fee) from a travel wallet on the SEPTA Key. Tickets purchased at ticket windows at stations in Center City cost $6.75. You can also buy a day pass for $13 valid on all regional rail trains after 9:30AM except into New Jersey either on board the train or at a ticket office. A family pass is available for $30; the same restrictions apply.
Or, the #37 SEPTA bus stops at all terminals (Directly outside baggage claim) and goes into South Philadelphia, terminating at the Broad Street Line subway station "Snyder." The trip costs $2.50 cash exact change only or from the SEPTA key, payable to the driver.
Alternatively, you can fly to Newark Liberty International Airport (IATA: EWR) or Baltimore-Washington International Airport (IATA: BWI), each of which is connected by Amtrak to 30th Street Station (1 hr from EWR; 80 min from BWI). Other New York and Washington-area airports are less convenient.
Northeast Philadelphia Airport (IATA: PNE), 40.081944°, -75.010556°. Philadelphia proper also has a general aviation airport which does not have scheduled commercial airline service.
Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown is the best option for those traveling to the Lehigh Valley, and is located roughly 60 miles north of Philadelphia.
Philadelphia's 30th Street Station 📍 (IATA: ZFV) is a major hub along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and Keystone lines. Inbound trains from Washington, D.C. and New York City arrive at least once an hour during the day; some of them are high-speed Acela trains. Trains from Harrisburg arrive between 10-14 times daily, and trains from Pittsburgh arrive once each day. Amtrak also provides service to Vermont, Virginia, Charlotte, and overnight service to Florida and New Orleans. Tickets on Amtrak with 30th Street Station as the origin or destination are also valid on SEPTA regional rail to/from Suburban and Jefferson (Market East) stations in Philadelphia Center City. For ongoing 30th Street Station is also a stop on the Market-Frankford subway line, and has a taxi rank, as well as cars from several rental agencies.
It's also possible to get to Philadelphia from NYC via commuter rail. Using this method, one would take New Jersey Transit from New York Penn Station to Trenton and then transfer to the SEPTA Regional Rail Trenton Line. While this is about a third the price of Amtrak service from NYC, it is more than an hour slower; on the other hand, this is comparable to both the speed and price of an average bus trip from New York, with much more frequent journeys and a more comfortable trip.
SEPTA Regional Rail lines (commuter rail) connect Philadelphia to its many suburbs. All regional rail lines stop at 30th St Station (at the upper level/SEPTA concourse), and at two stops in Center City (Suburban and Jefferson stations).
The New Jersey Transit Atlantic City Line connects 30th Street Station to Atlantic City.
Philadelphia is connected to neighboring cities by freeways:
Several bridges across the Delaware River link Philadelphia to New Jersey. Of these bridges are Tacony Palmyra Bridge (Route 73), Betsy Ross Bridge (Route 90), Benjamin Franklin Bridge (US 30) and Walt Whitman Bridge (I-76).
Philadelphia is served by the Greyhound, Trailways, Bieber, and Peter Pan bus routes to cities across the U.S. The city is also served by a Chinatown Bus service, which began as a way to shuttle Chinese immigrant workers between various Chinatowns, but are now low-cost bus options for anyone looking to get in to Philadelphia from New York City or Washington, D.C. Although the buses are a bargain compared to corporate competitors like Greyhound, they are far from luxurious; they also use small terminals in both Chinatown districts, and have a poor reputation for safety, which can be daunting for less adventurous visitors.
To compete against the Chinatown buses in the low-cost, low-frills bus market, corporate bus companies have started Megabus and BoltBus services. There are two main bus terminals. Greyhound operates the City's main bus terminal at 1001 Filbert Street in Center City. Megabus and BoltBus make curbside stops near 30th Street Station.
If you buy tickets online, be sure to get on the right bus. Some companies trick you into taking the wrong bus and then charge you again.
The RiverLink and Freedom Ferry services provide travel from Philadelphia to neighboring Camden, New Jersey, between April and September. The service provides direct service to Camden's Susquehanna Bank Center on the Waterfront, a popular concert venue for the Philadelphia area. Access to the other waterfront attractions, including an aquarium, is also provided by the ferry service.
There are plenty of public transportation options to get around the downtown core of Philadelphia. Buses, trains, and trolleys gather at 30th St. Station and the 69th St. Transportation Center.
Absolutely no smoking is allowed in any SEPTA Transit Station. SEPTA Staff, transit police officers, and even fellow riders will ask you to extinguish/dispose of tobacco before entering. Violators may be subject to fines, arrest, or even community service.
Philadelphia is one of America's most walkable cities. This has been taken advantage of and the city is marked extremely well by "Walk! Philadelphia" signs that are placed on each block, sometimes only several feet apart, that guide visitors toward shopping, dining, gallery perusing, cultural enjoyment, local must-sees and public transportation should it need to be taken. The city has two very walkable shopping districts as well as the walkable Benjamin Franklin Parkway, which is home to many museums, including the Franklin Institute and the Museum of Art that was made famous in the "Rocky" movies.
SEPTA Bus. SEPTA runs an extensive bus network in Philadelphia. Buses are a convenient (if slow) method of getting almost anywhere within the city. On-time performance is relatively lacking especially in the suburbs, and it's bound to happen to you at least once in a weekend if you take the bus heavily. Frequencies are spotty in the outer suburbs so plan ahead. In Center City, bus routes will be fairly well documented on bus shelters, but in all other locations around Philadelphia, route maps and schedules will generally not be posted; in fact the stops or route markers may only be posted on a tree branch, so do your bus route research early. Seniors ride free with a Medicare Card or a Senior Citizen Transit ID Card.
Fares can be paid with cash at $2.50 but passengers must have the exact amount as change will not be given. Tokens (to be discontinued on 30 April) will effectively reduce the cost of a single ride to $2.00 but must be bought in groups of 2 ($4), 5 ($10), or 10 ($20). Because tokens are discounted, you might want to buy tokens in bulk when given a chance; token purchases are most easily done at machines located in the busiest subway stations in Center City and at some convenience stores, but unfortunately, not all stations have token machines. SEPTA also has a reloadable chip Key Card which works like most other contactless SMART cards and the fares are the same as when a token is used ($2). SEPTA Key Cards are also available in selected locations. Passengers who require a transfer need to pay $1 on the first mode of transport they take (either through a deduction of their Key Card balance or payment of exact cash amount).
Phlash Bus. Philadelphia has a seasonal (May-October) trolley bus for tourists called the Phlash. It runs in a 20-stop east-west circuit of major tourist locations, from the Museum of Art in the west to Penn's Landing in the east. It is $2 per ride or $5 for a one day pass. SEPTA pass and key card holders ride free, as do children ages 4 and under and seniors 65 and older. Look for the purple trolley bus or the winged purple & blue logo.
The 69th St. Transportation Center and 30th St. Station are the main hubs of major commuter (regional) rail, subway rail and trolley lines.
SEPTA Regional Rail regional commuter rail trains stop in Center City at underground commuter rail tunnels. The three major Center City stops, 30th Street Station, Suburban Station and Market East Station, serve most of the city's major attractions. Suburban Station is adjacent to near City Hall, the shopping district, the financial district, and many cultural attractions; Market East Station connects to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, shopping at The Gallery, and the Reading Terminal Market, a famous local marketplace. Traveling within Center City is considered a "Zone 1" fare and will cost $4.75 if purchased in advance and $6 if purchased on board the train. Seniors ride for $1. Fares to other destinations are up to $10. Between Temple University, the city center stations and University City, service is generally frequent enough that you won't need a schedule. Service in other areas tends to be about every half-hour, with more frequent service during peak hours. The Airport Line comes every 30 minutes daily from about 4:30AM to midnight, and Paoli/Thorndale Line (between Center City and Malvern) and Lansdale/Doylestown Line (between Center City and Lansdale) also have half-hourly service during the day on weekdays. The lightly used Cynwyd Line only comes Monday through Friday on an erratic, rush hour centered schedule.
New Jersey Transit Atlantic City Line provides service to suburbs in New Jersey and to Atlantic City. Service patterns are somewhat uneven; be sure to check the schedule online in advance. These trains pick up passengers from the Amtrak concourse at 30th Street Station.
SEPTA operates two metro (subway/elevated) lines, and a "Subway-Surface" trolley line which crosses Center City in a tunnel but runs in the street elsewhere. Just like SEPTA buses, the cash fare is $2.50. Tokens are no longer sold by SEPTA, though they remain valid for use on bus, subway, and trolley. A subway ride also costs $2 if a SEPTA contactless Key Card is used. Seniors ride free with ID.
Broad Street (Orange) Line (BSL) — referred to by locals as the "subway" — runs North-South underneath Broad Street, the main north-south arterial. It serves Temple University, City Hall, the Sports Stadium Complex and everywhere in between. The BSL also has a "spur" called the Broad-Ridge Spur that serves Chinatown and 8th & Market Sts. in Center City. At City Hall station, there are free transfers to the Market-Frankford Line and Subway-Surface Lines. Transfers from a subway to a bus or from a bus to a subway cost $1 and must be purchased when you pay for the first leg of your trip. This transfer is also required if transferring from the 8th St Ridge Avenue spur to the 8th St MFL station.
Market-Frankford (Blue) Line (MFL) — referred to by locals as the "el" — follows Market St from 69th St east to 2nd St, then turns northeast to Frankford Transportation Center in Northeast Philadelphia. The line runs underground beneath Market Street from 2nd to 45th Streets, and is elevated elsewhere. An free interchange with the BSL is available at 15th St, and a paid interchange with the Broad-Ridge Spur at 8th St station. Paid interchanges with SEPTA's Regional Rail are available at 11th St, 15th St, and 30th St stations. At 30th St you can also board Amtrak intercity trains.
Subway-Surface (Green/Trolley) Lines — referred to by locals as the "trolleys" — are a set of five streetcar lines: 10 (Lancaster), 11 (Woodland), 13 (Chester), 34 (Baltimore), and 36 (Elmwood). The other routes run along a different avenue in West Philadelphia, but all meet at a subway portal at 40 St. and Woodland Ave. (except the #10, which joins the subway at a portal at 36th St.) to run in a streetcar subway under the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University to 30 St., then under Market St. from 30 to Juniper St, near 13 St. The trolley shares 30th, 15th, and Juniper/13th St stations with the MFL, but is the only subway stopping at 19th and 22nd Sts along Market St. There is a free interchange between the lines at all three shared stations. A sixth trolley line, #15-Girard Avenue, runs through North Philly and uses refurbished vintage PCC streetcars.
Norristown High Speed Line (Route 100) — this above-ground electric train service departs from the MFL's 69th Street terminal, and travels through suburbs in the main line to Norristown. Service comes about every 20 minutes, with more frequent service including express trains during peak hours. Stops are made on request only - to request a train to stop when standing on a platform (except at 69th Street, Ardmore Junction, and Norristown), you must press a button to activate a signal to stop the train. Otherwise, trains can blast through at up to 65 miles per hour, leaving you stranded.
PATCO Hi-Speed Line operated by the Delaware River Port Authority, travels between 16th and Locust Sts. past 8th and Market Sts. in Center City Philadelphia and Lindenwold Station in Southern New Jersey. PATCO runs underground in the city and rises above ground to cross over the Delaware River on the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. It then runs underground in the center of Camden, then is above ground through the rest of its trip in New Jersey. There is no free interchange between SEPTA's subways or regional rail and the PATCO service, and SEPTA passes are not valid on PATCO; a discounted round-trip transfer to SEPTA can be purchased for $3.10 extra when buying a round trip from a New Jersey station to Philadelphia. The PATCO line is the easiest way to access Camden, NJ's waterfront attractions, including the Adventure Aquarium and the BB&T Pavilion at the Waterfront concert venue. Fares are based on the distance of travel. Those rates are as follows:
Passengers who wish to use a combination of SEPTA trolley, bus and subway around downtown Philadelphia may purchase a One-Day Convenience Pass. It costs $9 and may be purchased from the ticket booth at a SEPTA subway station. It can be purchased either as a paper pass or loaded into a SEPTA chip Key Card. Unlike other metropolitan transit systems, the one-day pass does not entitle the passenger to unlimited rides on the entire system and is limited to eight rides on the day it was first used. That said, it still effectively brings down the cost of each ride to $1.13 (compared to the standard fares of $2.00 to $2.50).
To use the paper pass, just present it to the driver or station attendant at the fare gate who will punch in the current date and ride number (from 1 to 8) you have taken to indicate how many rides were already used. If the pass is loaded on a SEPTA Key Card, just tap the card against the reader you normally would. Transfers that require you to exit the station fare gates (including subway-to-bus transfers) will be counted against your ride allowance.
The Convenience Pass is not valid on regional/commuter rail lines. However, SEPTA also offers the Independence Pass, which is a one day pass that is valid on all modes of transit, including the regional rail lines (except to Trenton and West Trenton, which are $5 extra each way). The Independence Pass cannot be used on Regional Rail trains arriving in Center City prior to 9:30AM on weekdays, with the exception of the Airport Line where it is valid at all times. The Independence Pass costs $13 for an individual and $30 for a family. The Independence Pass does not have the 8-ride limit of the Convenience Pass.
Taxis are regulated by the Philadelphia Parking Authority and display a medallion license on their hood. As a result, Go2Go does not serve Philadelphia and the surrounding area. All taxis are metered. Rates are $2.70 at flagfall and $2.30 per mile (1.6 km). There is also a variable gas surcharge. In July 2012 it was $1.15. For trips from the airport, a flat rate, including fuel surcharge, of $28.50 applies. An additional $1 per passenger ($3 maximum) after the first passenger will be charged on flat rate trips between the airport and Center City for those passengers over the age of 12. Tipping for good service is common.
Ride-hailing services Uber and Lyft can be used to get around Philadelphia.
Philadelphia is also home to Enterprise Car Share and Zipcar, where, after registering, you can book vehicles by the hour or day for significantly less than a rental car. Enterprise Car Share has vehicles including Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Beetle and Mini Cooper stationed at various locations called 'pods' around Philadelphia. You first book online, and then use your personal key to unlock the vehicle and away you go. Rental is $5.90-7.90 per hour, or approximately $50 for a full day, plus a few dollars booking fee and $0.09 per mile (1.6 km) traveled.
You can park at the ends of the subway lines for very little. Remember that Philadelphia is the center of a metro area of 6 million, so the roads are congested from early morning until the mid-evening, and parking is not cheap. Should you choose to bring a car, check with your hotel about parking in the city. Legal street parking is available but is very difficult to find close to Center City attractions or hotels. Secured parking garages can cost $10-35 per day or higher in some cases. In the historic district, there were several parking options under $20. Visitors should also be aware that the Philadelphia Parking Authority is renowned (even notorious) for its efficiency, and PPA parking enforcement personnel are as quick to write tickets as they are unlikely to yield to a violator's plea for leniency. Tickets that are not paid promptly quickly accumulate additional penalty fees. It is also worth mentioning that the only coins that the meters accept are dollar coins and quarters. Putting other coins in the meter will not give you extra time. Fortunately, depending on where you are in the city, a quarter can give you up to a half hour of parking. However, in such busy places such as Chinatown and Center City, a quarter can get you only eight minutes of parking. A new parking method has been brought about in the city -- although there are still parking meters throughout the city, some areas have a kiosk at which patrons can use bills or credit cards (not just quarters) to print a ticket which they leave on the dashboard. You can park and ride for $1 at AT&T Station (the southernmost stop on the Orange subway line) on Mondays through Fridays until 7PM, but you must get there before noon.
In terms of congestion Center City Philadelphia compares favorably to most large U.S. cities. Gridlock does occur, however, particularly during rush hour. Traffic generally moves at the slowest pace in the Chinatown neighborhood, on the numbered streets west of Broad and in the South St. and Old City areas on weekend evenings. Broad St. is typically only moderately congested. The most heavily-traveled roads in the area are I-95, I-676/I-76 (the Schuylkill Expressway), which connects Center City to the various suburbs west of the city, and I-476 (the "Blue Route") which curves from the south to the northwest of Philadelphia, connecting I-95 with I-76 and, beyond that, the PA Turnpike. Rush-hour delays are common on all these roadways: During the morning rush-hour I-95 south-bound typically backs up between the Bridge St. and Girard Ave. exits; and eastbound I-76 typically jams from Gladwynne to 30th Street. During the evening rush-hour, I-95 usually slows from the Bridge Street to Academy Road exits. On I-676 and the west-bound Schuylkill, traffic can be stop-and-go from roughly Broad St. potentially all the way to the so-called "Conshohocken Curve," just east of the town of the same name, effectively doubling the time it normally takes to drive from Center City to the PA Turnpike entrance at King of Prussia. Anyone planning to drive through Philadelphia during either rush hours would do well to anticipate traffic conditions and plan accordingly.
SEPTA operates 8 trolley lines including the 5 subway-surface branch lines and the two suburban trolley lines, numbered 101 and 102, that leave from the 69th Street terminal on the Market Frankford Line. In addition, the 15 line (running along Girard Ave.) has been renovated and vintage trolley cars are now in use on this route. Connections to this line can be made at either the Broad Street Line or Market-Frankford Line Girard Stations; a transfer should be purchased upon boarding the trolley or entering your origin subway station for $1 to avoid paying an additional fare when making the connection. Among its other uses, the 15 line provides the only rail link to the Philadelphia Zoo. SEPTA has also been studying whether to restore trolley service on former lines, as many miles of rail are still in place.
Travelers planning to visit multiple attractions may benefit from Philadelphia CityPASS, which grants admission to 6 Philadelphia attractions within 9 days of first use for a much reduced rate and includes expedited entry in some cases. The included attractions are: THE Franklin Institute; Adventure Aquarium; Phila Trolley & the Big Bus Company, 24 hours of on-off privileges; Philadelphia Zoo; Option Ticket One with choice of either the Academy of Natural Sciences or the National Constitution Center and Option Ticket Two with choice of Please Touch Museum or Eastern State Penitentiary. A Weekend in Philly offers a detailed itinerary that includes several of these attractions.
Thanks to Philadelphia's innovative Mural Arts Program, the city has a truly massive amount of art that can be seen without paying a dime or entering a single building. Originally designed to help stop graffiti and enliven the city's buildings, the Mural Arts Program has led to Philadelphia now having the largest collection of public art in the world, with over 3500 murals completed since its inception. There are tours offered as well, from trolley or train tours to the mural-mile walking tour. Other public art of note includes the many glass mosaics found throughout the city; a sampling of this great public art can be seen on South St. east of Broad.
Center city Philadelphia offers many public statue displays. "The Clothespin" is a sculpture by Claes Oldenburg that resembles a clothespin located just across from City Hall on West Market St. LOVE Park, serving as a terminus between City Hall and the museum-laden Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., features a famous LOVE statue that has come to represent the brotherly love that Philadelphia was founded on. The site once was the city's (and perhaps the nation's) most popular skating attraction until new legislation and remodeling efforts outlawed skating in the park. Just across the JFK Blvd. from City Hall at the Municipal Services Building, visitors can find many larger than life game pieces from popular board games as well as a statue of former mayor Frank Rizzo.
More statues can be found throughout Fairmount Park along Kelly Dr. on east side of the Schuykill River. Sculptures by Remmington can be found on the path, while several sculptures by Alexander Milne Calder can be found in Laurel Hill Cemetery, which is just off the paved walking path.
Independence National Historic Park, 525 Market St, 39.95147°, -75.14993°, +1 215-965-2305. Independence National Historic Park is Philadelphia's signature historic site in the Old City. It features the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Constitution Hall (home of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution), and other historic buildings. 2022-08-23
Eastern State Penitentiary, 2027 Fairmont Ave, 39.96830°, -75.17265°, +1 215-236-3300. Daily 10AM- 5PM, closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Eastern State Penitentiary is billed as "America's Most Historic Prison." It is also the site of an annual Bastille Day recreation. In October, the notoriously haunted penitentiary is home to one of the city's most popular Halloween attractions: the "Terror Behind the Walls" haunted house. Adult $17, senior $15, child (7-12) $13, child (under 7) free 2022-08-23
Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, 532 N 7th St, 39.96198°, -75.14998°, +1 215-597-1061. Su F Sa 9AM-5PM. The Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site contains the former home of the famous American author of mystery and the macabre. Free 2022-08-23
Fairmount Water Works, 640 Waterworks Dr, 39.96634°, -75.18349°, +1 215-685-0723. W-F 11AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-5PM. The Fairmount Water Works features information on local watersheds as well as interpretive art. Free 2022-08-23
William Penn designed Philadelphia to have "five squares" of public, open space. Four of the five squares are now city parks, somewhat symmetrically located at the four corners of an imaginary square surrounding the very center of Center City. (The fifth square, at the very center of the city, is now occupied by City Hall.)
Fairmount Park is a large park on both sides of the Schuykill River northwest of Center City. East Fairmount Park is home to the Smith Memorial Playground, Dell East Concerts, and a driving range. West Fairmount Park, much of which has been renamed the Centennial District, includes the Mann Music Center (where the Philadelphia Orchestra plays in summer), the Japanese Tea House, Please Touch Museum for kids in a restored Memorial Hall (from the nation's centennial celebration).
LOVE Park is square near City Hall, known for its Robert Indiana "LOVE" sculpture, and for attracting skateboarders from around the world (but since 2002, a ban on skateboarding has been rigorously enforced).
Spruce Street Harbor Park takes on a fairground atmosphere during summer nights, with colorful hammocks, floating gardens, trees adorned in colored lights, local craft beers, and food trucks from some of Philadelphia’s most popular restaurants.
Rittenhouse Square (the southwest park in William Penn's original plan) sits among classic and classy Rittenhouse hotels and residences and attracts people from around the world. It is named after David Rittenhouse, a clockmaker and astronomer.
Logan Square (northwest, better known as Logan Circle), named after William Penn's secretary James Logan, is the gateway to Fairmount Park and the Art Museum area. Until 1823, Logan Circle was an execution site as well as burial ground. In Logan Circle there is the Swann Memorial Fountain.
Washington Square (the southeast park in William Penn's original plan) is near Independence Hall. It was also used as a burial ground and a potter's field. Franklin Square (northeast) is located on the outskirts of Chinatown at 6th and Race Streets. It is home to the Philadelphia Park Liberty Carousel, has a Philadelphia-themed miniature golf course, two playgrounds, a fountain (new technology causes the water to shoot lower on rainy or windy days so bystanders do not become wet), and a gift shop. The center of City Hall's Square is a large compass in the ground. There are four archways leading into it.
Penn Treaty Park, in North Philly, is a small riverfront park. On this site William Penn famously entered into a treaty of peace with Tamanend, the Lenape Indian chief.
The Philadelphia Zoo, the first zoo in the United States, is located in West Philly.
Clark Park, also in West Philly, maintains a busy events schedule with festivals, flea markets, theatrical performances, concerts and a year-round farmers’ market.
Philadelphia prides itself on its wide variety of live performances, particularly for music. Venues can be found throughout Center City East and West, Old City, South Philly and the Northern Liberties/Fishtown districts of North Philly. R5 Productions promotes smaller bands and affordable shows at several local venues.
The Fringe Festival, held every September, is a 4-week-long, city-wide celebration of innovation and creativity in contemporary performance. Each September, the Festival explodes into every nook and cranny of Philadelphia with more than 1,000 artistically daring performances.
Philadelphia takes its sports seriously and makes a legitimate claim to being the sports capital of the nation. As one of the largest metro areas in the U.S., Philadelphia has an extensive sport history and culture. However, whenever the topic of American sports comes up, one will soon notice that Philadelphia is seen with disgust and derision. This is the result of two preconceived notions: 1) Philadelphia sports teams have had very little luck competing for, let alone winning, championships, 2) Philadelphia fans have a reputation for being a hard-nosed and passionate bunch who engage in violent behavior at will. While these are not incorrect statements, you should not be deterred from enjoying yourself, far from it. In fact, Philly sports fans are often praised for their passion and in-depth knowledge of their teams and league rules, and few cities can boast crowds as electrifying as Philly. Having teams with volatile performances in all major sports will inevitably create fans that stick to their teams through thick and thin.
Philadelphia is rich with educational opportunities. The most prestigious university in the area is the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania.
Other universities include Temple University, Thomas Jefferson University, Drexel University with the only co-op program in the area, La Salle University a major Catholic university, Saint Joseph's University a Jesuit university, and United Lutheran Seminary a divinity school; as well as "Westminster Theological Seminary" in Glenside.
The Community College of Philadelphia is Philadelphia's premier community college.
Art schools include the University of the Arts, one of the most prestigious art schools in America, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Moore College of Art and Design an all-women college, Hussian College, and the Art Institute of Philadelphia.
Trade schools include The Wine School of Philadelphia which offers professional sommelier & winemaking diplomas, along with wine tasting classes.
Philadelphia's job market is ever-expanding both in the city and in its suburbs. The Comcast Center is a constant reminder of the economic revitalization of Philadelphia and of Comcast's presence in the city. Additionally, a Keystone Opportunity Zone over the Powelton Rail Yards adjacent to 30th St. Station promises a bright future for jobs and new office buildings in the city.
Philadelphia's Old City has always been a center of commerce, and as Philadelphia grew to be a bigger city many shops and department stores were found on Market Street between Old City and City Hall. Two such landmark department stores on Market Street were Gimbels and Strawbridge & Clothiers, which faced increasing difficulty in competing against suburban department chains in the 20th century. In the 1970s, the Gallery at Market East, an urban mall with Gimbels and Strawbridge & Clothiers as major anchors, opened to stem the tide of retailers fleeing the urban core to the regional shopping malls. Despite success in the first decade or so of operation, the Gallery remained unable to compete; Gimbels closed in 1986, while Strawbridge's closed in 2006. The Gallery was replaced by the Fashion District mall located where the Gallery was with a movie theater, other attractions, and stores.
Just northwest of the Fashion District is the Reading Terminal Market, a very successful indoor public market that opened in 1893 at the site of the Reading Railroad's headhouse terminal, now part of the Philadelphia Convention Center, after open-air sidewalk markets were closed down in the 1850s due to health and safety concerns. Some of the vendors have been in business for over a century, and sell produce, meats, chocolates, and a variety of other usually handmade foodstuffs and items. There are a lot of small restaurants and a section for Pennsylvania Dutch (or Amish) vendors.
The high-end shopping district of Center City did eventually regain its footing in downtown Philadelphia starting in the 1980s and 1990s, and is along Chestnut Streets and Walnut Streets west of Broad Street to Rittenhouse Square, featuring national brands and boutiques, from the high-end Burberry, Tiffany and Diesel to locally-managed corporate Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters. Chestnut Street also has a larger range of mid-range shops as well, with many ma-and-pa outfits in addition to bargain big-leaguers H&M and Daffy's, and extends from as far east as 11th Street to 22nd Streets. The Shoppes at Liberty Place is in Philadelphia's second-tallest building, and The Shops at the Bellevue is in a historic building on Broad Street.
For a more unique flavor, there are shopping districts with its own distinct character. 3rd Street Corridor in Old City has the city's best in high-end, independent retailers for fashion, art and design. Landmark Sugarcube should not be missed for the fashion savvy. Beauty-goers will enjoy Moko, an organic beauty studio along the corridor. Antique Row, on Pine Street between 9th and 13th (Center City), is home to a mix of antique stores and local gift and craft boutiques. The Italian Market in South Philly is an open-air street market with fresh produce and food; although it has been a predominantly Italian district, there is now a large infusion of Mexicans. Chinatown (Center City) is similar to many other similar Chinatowns in various U.S. cities, as an ethnic enclave of Asian American immigrants and residents.
See the Districts articles for specific listings.
No trip to Philadelphia is complete without trying the cheesesteak, Philly's most famous homegrown food, a sandwich made of a fresh roll filled with grilled shaved beef and cheese (as well as onions, mushrooms, and other optional sides). The spiritual homes of the cheesesteak are Pat's King of Steaks, where the cheesesteak was invented, and Geno's Steaks, where they claim to have improved on Pat's version. They are across from each other in South Philly at the intersection of 9th Street and Passyunk Avenue.
There are many ways to order a cheesesteak. Some cheesesteaks are made with chopped steak (Pat's and Geno's), while others are made with sliced top-round (Steve's). While Cheez-Wiz is a local favorite, many people also enjoy American or Provolone cheese on their cheesesteaks. The way the cheese is served makes a huge difference. Some cheesesteak joints simply place the cheese on top to melt (Pat's and Geno's), while others, such as Steve's, ladle hot melted cheese on top, adding to the delicious grease from the meat. Any local will tell you as well that the most important part of the cheesesteak (or hoagie, for that matter) is the roll, which is why many have found it difficult to replicate the cheesesteak outside of the Philadelphia region. Many displaced Philadelphians who have started their own restaurants elsewhere have encountered trouble making authentic cheesesteaks, and import their rolls from the Philly area.
Although Pat's and Geno's are the most famous cheesesteak joints, they are far from the best. There are many others to choose from, particularly in South Philadelphia—John's Roast Pork at Snyder and alley-street Weccacoe is considered by many locals to offer a standout. John's offers what sports radio 610 WIP's Cheesesteak Challenge called the best cheesesteak in the city, and an outstanding roast pork sandwich. It is common for people visiting John's to bring a friend and split a cheesesteak and a roast pork sandwich. Placing at #2 on the 610 cheesesteak list is Steve's Prince of Steaks in Northeast Philadelphia, which has 2 great locations. They also serve a delicious side of cheese fries, which can be had with wiz, American, or provolone. Many enjoy Jim's Steaks or Tony Luke's. 'The Great Northeast' is also home to Joe's Steaks + Soda Shop, a delightful drug-store throwback on Torresdale Avenue near the Delaware River. No cheesesteak aficionado can call himself such without a visit to Dalessandro's Steaks or Chubby's on Henry Avenue in the Roxborough section of Northwest Philadelphia (north of Manayunk and East Falls). One of this region's better steaks is found at takeout-only Sorrentino's on Cresson in Manayunk. Sonny's in Old City, on Market St between 3rd and 4th, also serves an excellent cheesesteak in a location close to Independence Hall. Philadelphia's other notable sandwich is roast pork which can be found at DiNic's in the Reading Terminal Market, Tony Luke's, John's, or a Latin version at Porky's Point. Lastly, the city's best roast beef sandwich served on a locally baked Sarcone's roll is at caffe chicco.
A caveat before ordering a cheesesteak, particularly at the often crowded Pat's and Geno's—know how to order. There is somewhat of a 'no soup for you' attitude at these busy and fast-service oriented establishments which can really make a tourist stand out. The way to order is as follows: It is assumed that you are going to order a cheesesteak, so unless you are not, don't specify this. First, say the type of cheese—only American, provolone, and whiz are generally available. Ask for Swiss at your own risk. The only condiment that is not available in a jar outside the stand will be fried onions; with (or "wit" in Philly parlance) or without ("witout") will specify your preference on the matter. So 'Whiz "Wit", Provolone "Witout",' etc. Not too complicated, and a straightforward way to have a nice local moment on your travels.
You can also find cheesesteaks at Reading Terminal Market at 12th and Arch Sts. Here visitors will find many stands selling produce, meats, flowers, and baked goods. Reading Terminal Market is a good place to get lunch if you are in the area. The multitude of vendors and low prices provide plenty of options for a quick meal. It's also home to one of the city's best pretzels (Miller's).
Philadelphia's most famous snack is the salted soft pretzel, which, while shaped with the three holes like soft pretzels everywhere else, are distinctive in that they are flattened into a wide rectangle and are made in long chains in which the wide sides of the pretzels are attached. A person may typically buy two, three, or more attached pretzels at a convenience store or from a street vendor. The price is low, especially compared to national vendor brands sold in other cities and in malls. Unlike pretzels served in many other cities, Philly pretzels are not served hot, but at room temperature and often eaten with mustard.
The most famous sweet snack is from the Tastykake brand. Their main factory is in the Navy Yard in far south Philly, so every flavor and type of TastyKake is sold in Philadelphia, and they are usually extra fresh, since they do not have to travel far to the retail outlet.
Also unique to the area are Goldenberg's Peanut Chews, a bit-sized chocolate bar with a chewy peanut center. Originally developed as a high-energy ration bar during World War I, but still popular today!
Scrapple is a favorite comfort food of native Philadelphians. Best described as a seasoned breakfast pork product, scrapple is of Pennsylvania Dutch origin and is made from pork by-products (you're better off not knowing exactly what's in it) and cornmeal, cooked into a thick pudding, formed into a loaf, sliced, and fried. You'll find it on the breakfast menu of many neighborhood diners in Philly. Ask for it very crispy.
Some other Philly foods include Philadelphia Cream Cheese, water ice, and hoagies.
The Kraft/Nabisco factory is in the far Northeast of Philadelphia at Byberry and Roosevelt Blvd. Drive by with your windows down and take a whiff!
Wawa is a chain of local convenience stores similar to 7-Eleven. They are most famous for their deli ordering terminals, which allow you to specify via a touch-screen monitor exactly what you want on a sandwich. Although locals refuse to consider Wawa's cheesesteaks as authentic, due to its use of ground beef rather than sliced or diced beef, the Wawa option is still delicious and you get to customize it with a wide range of options. Many stores also carry a respectably thick and doughy fresh soft pretzel at their counter.
Philadelphia has an extremely vibrant culinary scene, with many young and enterprising new chefs coming to the City of Brotherly Love for its food-obsessed culture. Local restauranteurs such as Stephen Starr, Marc Vetri, Iron Chefs Masaharu Morimoto and Jose Garces, and others have become household names and food celebrities in their own right, transforming Philadelphia's food scene and exporting its concepts to other parts of the country. In part, the scene is bolstered by a culture of organic and sustainable foodstuffs coming from local farmers.
Pennsylvania's draconian liquor laws make it very expensive and inconvenient for restaurants to obtain liquor licenses. As a result, many restaurants—including some of the best—are BYOB, that is, "Bring Your Own Bottle". These restaurants will advertise their BYOB-status, and will usually help you out by supplying corkscrews, glasses, or club soda, so long as you supply the beer, wine, or spirits. You'll have to pick wine or spirits up at a state-sponsored liquor store, or six-packs or individual beers from a neighborhood bar or bottle shop, which are good locations for finding a variety of craft beers. Convenience stores do not sell alcoholic beverages. Even if you don't drink, or don't want a drink, dining at a BYOB can pay off as the restaurant doesn't need to pay off a license and can charge a little less for the food.
Because of the state of Pennsylvania's complicated liquor laws, most supermarkets are not able to sell beer or spirits, although some neighborhood stores might and certain locations of grocery stores sell beer and have limited-selections of wine. State-run liquor stores called Fine Wine and Good Spirits are all over the place but don't sell beer, and beer distributors sell beer only in bulk and are scattered in inconvenient locations, and neither will be open late. In part because of this complicated setup, Philadelphia has a visibly strong, public beer culture, celebrated in events such as the annual summertime Philly Beer Week (dead link: August 2018) or the Philly Craft Beer Festival in March.
Local beers include Yuengling, Yards, or Troegs. Many bars will have a varied selection of beers you already know and love alongside ones you've never heard of. If you're ever stuck on a choice but don't want to look out of place, just ask for a "lager", which in Philly specifically means the Yuengling Traditional Lager, a pre-Prohibition style amber lager rather different from the mass-market pale lager you find elsewhere. You can also order a "Citywide Special", which is a shot of house whiskey with a can or bottle of light lager usually Pabst Blue Ribbon or Miller Lite.
Primarily, most of the nightlife scene takes place in Center City (West and East) and in Old City. The areas around Rittenhouse Square in Center City, and Headhouse Square and Penn's Landing in Old City, are popular destinations that have a large concentration of bars and clubs, many of them attracting the hip, young, pretty people of the suburbs or the universities. Slightly further out, the rapidly-gentrifying Northern Liberties district is another solid nightlife destination with more of a "yuppie" or "hipster" vibe. Yet another area that has a vibrant nightlife is the Manayunk neighborhood (dead link: December 2020).
However, bars can be found in just about every corner of Philadelphia, and nothing is more characteristic of Philly than the local bar as a default place for social gathering; every neighborhood's got one or two just around the corner, even if it's a dark, run-down dive without proper signage and a crowd of blue-collar regulars, or a new-but-looks-old pub attracting the yuppies with outdoor seating and live music. Any major street or well-known district is going to have its own selection of watering holes, and each of these establishments will cater to a crowd, whether it's students, sports fans, hipsters or clubbers. In particular, streets and neighborhoods with a notable collection of drinking locales, not including Center City, Old City or Northern Liberties, include University City and West Philly; South Street and Passyunk Ave in South Philly; and the Art Museum District.
In the summer, the Center City District sponsors Center City Sips (dead link: January 2023), a downtown-wide Happy Hour every Wednesday from 5PM-7PM where many bars and restaurants all participate in drink specials: $4 beers, $5 wines and $6 cocktails, and usually some selection of food specials.
It's been said that Philadelphia invented, or at least popularized, the popular pub trivia event that is known here as Quizzo, which are called by other various names such as "quiz nights" by the time they expanded to other parts of the United States. Philadelphia native Patrick Hines first began running Quizzo games at the New Deck Tavern in University City in 1993 (though he spelled it with one 'z', as in "Quizo"), and began a second one at Fergie's Pub in Center City in 1995; there are now plenty of other bars running their own Quizzo nights throughout Philadelphia, and while Hines has moved to Ireland, he still writes the questions for several local bars. If you're able to find yourself in a game (you'll have to have a team and needlessly long and/or hilarious team name, or see if you can join one as a free agent) it's a fun way to spend a night, but be prepared to be completely left in the dust by trivia buffs who play regularly.
Philadelphia is home to two hostels within the city limits, both are affiliated with Hostelling International USA:
There is a wide variety of hotels located in Philadelphia. Prices usually range from $100 to $200 a night, excluding weeks with major trade conventions. Center City is home to a wide variety of moderate and high end hotel chains that can be found in five main areas:
Philadelphia is thoroughly covered by all of the major American cellular telephone companies. AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile phones will all receive full service in most parts of the city. As always, service indoors varies according to signal strength, phone brand, and the composition of the building itself. AT&T has contracted with SEPTA to provide wireless service in transit tunnels.
There is no way to sugarcoat it, so let us cut to the chase: yes, Philadelphia has a massive crime problem. As early as the late 1980s it was bestowed the notorious moniker of 'Killadelphia'. Even to this day the city suffers from some of the worst crime rates in the USA. However, as a rule of thumb, it is important to know that the places visitors are likely to spend time in are safe and well policed, so be informed about places that are popular with tourists.
Center City and the surrounding neighborhoods have very low crime rates (some of the lowest in the country). Wealthier neighborhoods like Rittenhouse Square, Old City, and Society Hill, are safe, as are Northeast Philadelphia (for the most part), Northwest Philadelphia, the Art Museum Area, Chinatown, the Parkway, and Bella Vista. Some petty crimes (mostly pickpocketing) happen but much less often than the media suggest. South Philadelphia is generally safe, though certain parts should be avoided (especially those near I-95).
On the flip side, other parts of the city struggle with rampant crime. The city's criminal activities are overwhelmingly concentrated in North Philadelphia (with the very notable exception of Temple University), far West Philadelphia (though this area has seen improvements), and Southwest Philadelphia. These areas are of little interest to tourists, but do be careful if you do end up venturing there.
Pickpocketing and scams are nowhere nearly as common in Philadelphia as they are in other cities, but the threat of being mugged or approached by unwanted individuals remains real, so keep an eye on your belongings. One known scam is being "photographed" by homeless men near the Rocky statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Arts.
Be careful of traffic when crossing at major intersections—in Philadelphia, as in many major cities, one must always walk, cross, and drive defensively. The winding Schuylkill expressway provides some beautiful views, particularly around Boathouse Row, but do not try to enjoy them from your car; with the high speeds, the river on one side, and jagged rocks on the other, this is a sure way to cause an accident.
Although it is frequently blown out of proportion, Philadelphia sports fans have earned a reputation as a very passionate and notorious bunch. It is advised to be extra vigilant when attending a major sports match at the Sports Complex, particularly those who have the courage to wear the opposing team's gear in hostile territory. For these fans, it is best not to provoke the Philadelphia faithful and take their jabs in stride, as fans have been assaulted and even seriously injured in fights in and around the Sports Complex and around town. Be especially cautious if you are a fan of the Dallas Cowboys, any team from the New York City area (especially the Giants and Mets), Pittsburgh Penguins, New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, and Washington Capitals.
While Philadelphia has a history of crime, the rest of the Delaware Valley is one of the safest metropolitan areas in the U.S., though certain locations like Camden (across the Delaware river in New Jersey), Reading, Tinicum Township, and Chester have very high crime rates, so visitors should exercise caution when visiting these regions.
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