What's New: An Online Update for Frommer's Philadelphia

Founding father William Penn -- who still hovers proudly above Center City Philadelphia, in the form of a statue atop City Hall -- would be astonished at the wealth of new restaurants, shops, and additions and renovations in Society Hill's historic district over the past few years. He'd love South Philly's two new sports stadiums, also. Here are some of the city's newest highlights:

Planning Your Trip

The Philadelphia International Airport (www.phl.org) has a new terminal: The sleek, glass-and-steel, ultramodern Terminal A West has 13 new wide-body international gates, 60 ticket counters, and 11 new restaurants.

Accommodations

Philly's hotel-building boom of the 1990s has slowed, but the result is some 30,000 beds in the region, many of them being sold at deep discounts these days; even luxury properties offer incredibly affordable weekend deals. The most recently built hotel is the Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn's Landing, 201 S. Columbus Blvd. (tel. 215/928-1234; http://pennslanding.hyatt.com), on the Delaware waterfront, with Keating's Restaurant on the riverbank terrace and immediate access to I-95. The most spectacular rehab in the city is the Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia, 10 Avenue of the Arts (S. Broad St.; tel. 215/523-8000; www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/philadelphia), in a historic bank with a 140-foot-high, grand domed lobby.

Dining

Philadelphia is a wonderful dining city -- it merits several mentions in Gourmet's America's Top Restaurants -- and things have gotten even more fabulous over the past 5 years, with a crop of new glamour spots to lounge and nibble, as well as earthy, affordable BYOBs opening in many neighborhoods. Stephen Starr is the restaurateur behind many of the sexiest spots, with 11 cool spots, including brand-new Barclay Prime, 237 S. 18th St. (tel. 215/732-7560), a mod steakhouse in a circa 1919 building on Rittenhouse Square, and Washington Square, 210 Washington Sq. (tel. 215/592-7787), the hipster hangout with the LA-style garden in warm months and the dark, intimate dining rooms and bar in the winter.

Lovers of modern French cuisine incorporating local Pennsylvania ingredients already know chef Jean-Marie Lacroix from his 2 decades at the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia. Now he has a gorgeous new haute-eatery, Lacroix, 210 W. Rittenhouse Sq. (tel. 215/790-2533; www.rittenhousehotel.com/lacroix.cfm), a few blocks away, inside the Rittenhouse Hotel. Fork, 306 Market St. (tel. 215/625-9425), the beloved Old City bistro, has expanded and added a light take-out menu in a gourmet shop next door. For a quick bite, with or without the kids, in a futuristic setting with a chic roof bar, Continental Midtown, 1801 Chestnut St. (tel. 215/567-1800), offers blue Naugahyde booths and glittery '70s inspired lighting, and great burgers and pad Thai. Tria, at 18th and Sansom (tel. 215/972-8742; www.triacafe.com), is a pretty, small wine bar with modernist decor, inventive snacks, and an impressive selection of quirky wines, beers, and cheeses.

Sightseeing

The old is new again. The National Park Service has implemented a $130-million renovation plan, including the gleaming new interactive Liberty Bell Pavilion, Chestnut Street between 5th and 6th streets (tel. 215/965-2305; www.nps.gov/inde/liberty-bell.html), where even at night the bell is visible through lofty glass walls, surrounded by beautiful walkways and landscaping. Within a block, the new glass-and-steel National Constitution Center, 525 Arch St. (tel. 215/409-6600; www.constitutioncenter.org), provides an entertaining exploration of this amazing document, the root of America's achievements. The stretch of Broad Street south of City Hall has been renamed the Avenue of the Arts, and its crowning glory is the majestic glass-enclosed Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (tel. 215/893-1999 for tickets; www.kimmelcenter.org), opened at Broad and Spruce streets in 2001 and joining the Academy of Music a block north as one of the nation's leading performing arts complexes. The Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th Street and the Ben Franklin Parkway (tel. 215/763-8100; www.philamuseum.org), has added a wonderful outdoor martini bar above the "Rocky Steps" for its popular Friday evening gallery hours.

For fans who make the journey to South Philadelphia for professional sports, the 66,000-seat Lincoln Financial Field, One Lincoln Financial Field Way (tel. 215/463-5500; www.lincolnfinancialfield.com), opened in the fall of 2003. The Phillies are justifiably proud of their intimate, modern Citizens Bank Park ball field, Broad Street at Pattison Avenue (tel. 215/463-1000; www.citizensbank.com/ballpark/cbp_info.asp), seating 43,000, which opened in 2004 with wonderful local food vendors such as Tony Luke's steaks and Peace-a-Pizza, plus the rollicking McFadden's Pub. There are great views from every seat, plus city skyline views from many tiers.

Shopping

The lack of tax on clothing here attracts shoppers, and the top news is yet more expansion in size and increased quality at the King of Prussia Court and Plaza (tel. 610/265-5727; www.kingofprussiamall.com), a 450-store behemoth near the junction of suburban routes 202 and I-276. It's got top national chain restaurants, movie theaters, and even simulated rock climbing for the kids. The Old City neighborhood, just north and east of Independence Hall, has become a mecca for contemporary and 20th-century crafts, art, and specialty services, and Pine Street, long known for antiques, now has some trendy new home stores, also. Rittenhouse Row, especially the stretch of Walnut Street just east of Rittenhouse Square, has an exciting new Coach store, Zara for European clothing at affordable prices, and a new location of Jack Kellmer Jewelers.

After Dark

Look to the Avenue of the Arts as the local capital of classic performances. You'll find The Philadelphia Orchestra in the cello-shaped Verizon Hall of the Kimmel Center (see above), and great theater at the restored movie palace now known as the Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut St. (tel. 215/972-1000; www.princemusictheater.org). The blocks of Old City have cool lounges such as 32 Degrees, 16 S. 2nd St. (tel. 215/627-3132; www.32lounge.com), where 2004's Real World Philadelphia cast hung out, or head uptown to the mod, Delano-hotel-style Denim Lounge, 1712 Walnut St. (tel. 215/735-6700; www.denimlounge.com).

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