Getting to know Philadelphia is easier today than it ever has been because of the internet. The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (www.gophila.com) has introduced two new programs that will connect visitors and residents alike to current events and activities in and around Philly. One program is a series of neighborhood and cultural podcast tours available for listening and downloading at www.soundaboutphilly.com. The other is a youthful up-to-the-minute blog about city life and events at www.uwishunu.com.
Outgoing Mayor John Street has begun to make good on his promise to deliver citywide, fee-based wireless internet access by fall 2007. In spring 2007, Philadelphia "proof of concept" neighborhoods north of Race Street and east of the Schuylkill River went wireless. To check on wireless status of more neighborhoods, visit www.wirelessphiladelphia.org.
Where to Stay
Philadelphia's overnight scene has remained relatively constant since 2000, when the Republican National Convention came to town and hotels cropped up by the dozens. Room rates -- even in popular Center City hotels like Courtyard by Marriott (21 N. Juniper St.; tel. 215/496-3200; www.marriott.com) and Residence Inn (1 E. Penn Square; tel. 215/557-0005) -- are reasonable. One word of warning: there's still a hefty 14% room tax, and garage parking is almost never free. Stylish overnighters can still look forward to Philly's first W Hotel (www.starwoodhotels.com) with its Bliss Spa, scheduled to open in January 2009.
Where to Dine
The region's restaurant boom continues, with bistros and BYOBs opening at light speed. The most talked-about newbie is Chef Marc Vetri's Osteria (640 N. Broad St.; tel. 215/763-0920; www.osteriaphilly.com). Vetri uses octopus- or egg-topped flatbread pizzas and porchetta and mozzarella-filled gnocchi to attract gourmet eaters to his industrial-chic restaurant. Dinner and lunch reservations are suggested weeks in advance, but lucky last-minute diners can jockey for a first-come, first-served seat at the bar.
Just a block from South Philly's Italian Market, candlelit James (824 S. 8th St.; tel. 215/629-4980; www.jameson8th.com) takes Tuscan fare up a notch with espresso-braised oxtail ragu and mushroom cappuccino with chestnuts and pine. Farther north in the Fairmount/Art Museum neighborhood, L'Oca (2025 Fairmount Ave.; tel. 215/769-0316; www.locafairmount.com) is a cozy, glassed-in BYOB serving dinners of saffron spaghetti and pappardelle laced with ragu of "l'oca" (Italian for "goose").
For business lunches and post-sightseeing dinners, 707 (707 Chestnut St.; tel. 215/922-7770) serves 12-ounce prime ribs and omelets all day in a casual lounge atmosphere. A few blocks south, the refurbished Chick's Café & Wine Bar (614 S. 7th St.; tel. 215/625-3700) offers fried calamari and zucchini sticks, bacon-wrapped dates, artichoke hummus, and a boutique wine list in a buffed old taproom. The Gayborhood's historic Venture Inn (255 S. Camac St.; tel. 215/545-8731) has also gotten a second lease on life, thanks to Chef Harlan Russell and his crab cakes, duck breast and Sunday brunch.
For travelers with a couple hours to kill between or before flights, the new BYOB Carson's Dockside Grill (401 S. Swarthmore Ave., Ridley Park; tel. 215/484-494-3388) offers dockside seating for seafood.
What to See & Do
In mid-September 2007, the Philadelphia Museum of Art (2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.; tel. 215/763-8100; www.philamuseum.org) will open a new annex for its 30,000-plus piece costume and textiles collections in the Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building across the street from the museum. The 2,000 square-foot gallery space will open with an exhibition on Philadelphia-born designers James Galanos, Gus Tassell, and Ralph Rucci. The Philadelphia Museum of Art will also be the only stateside venue to host Renoir Landscapes, an exhibition of outdoor works by the great French Impressionist from October 4, 2007 to January 6, 2008.
This past winter, two of Pennsylvania's first slot parlor casinos opened: Philadelphia Park Casino and Racetrack (3001 Street Rd., Bensalem; tel. 215/639-9000; www.philadelphiapark.com) and Harrah's Chester Casino & Racetrack, (777 Harrah's Blvd., Chester; tel. 800/480-8020; www.harrahs.com). Despite ardent protests from nearby residents, two more gambling megaplexes are slated to open along the historic Delaware Riverfront in the next year: Sugarhouse Casino (www.sugarhousecasino.com) and Foxwoods (www.foxwoods.com).
After Dark
Rittenhouse Square's latest nightlife addition is Rum Bar (2025 Walnut St.; tel. 215/751-0404; www.rum-bar.com), a walk-up lounge for mojitos, rum punch, island-inspired tostones, and Ahi tuna tacos. Across town in Old City, Philadelphia's first branch of Triumph Brewing Co. (117 Chestnut St.; tel. 215/625-0855; www.triumphbrewing.com) serves eight kinds of microbrews. The Penthouse Lounge & Grille (460 N. 2nd St.; tel. 215/413-2500; www.penthousephilly.com) feels very VIP with scantily clad servers, private booths, international fare, and bottle service. The burgeoning Grays Ferry neighborhood has gained an Irish gastropub in yello'bar, 2425 (Grays Ferry Ave.; tel. 215-735-3533), a cozy spot for Guinness beef stew, sandwiches and salads.
Side Trips from Philadelphia
Any trip to Philadelphia should include an excursion into the beautiful surrounding countryside. Whether you're looking for an intimate romantic getaway or an action-packed family romp, Bucks County, the Brandywine Valley and the Lancaster County area all offer wonderful urban escapes that can fit any budget. Keep in mind that summer is tourist season, so book lodgings early, especially on weekends. Weekday travel is advantageous: crowds at popular attractions are lighter, and you may find discounts on accommodations.
Bucks County
A new exhibit at the Mercer Museum (84 S. Pine St., Doylestown; tel. 215/345-0210; www.mercermuseum.org), "Are We Dressed Yet? Accessories and the Stories They Tell," explores the role that fashion and personal accessories share in our lives. The display of rarely-seen 18th to 20th-century objects from the museum's collection runs from September 15, 2007 until May 31, 2008.
Stop by the tasting room of the recently completed "castle" at Sand Castle Winery (755 River Rd, Erwinna; tel. 800/722-0463; www.sandcastlewinery.com), a majestic facility that boasts a more than 15-mile view and authentic European-style wines.
Brandywine Valley
At Longwood Gardens (1001 Longwood Rd., Kennett Square; tel. 610/388-1000; www.longwoodgardens.com), the outdoor "InTREEgue" exhibit runs until September 1, 2007. This innovative environmental art display provides a new way to experience the historic arboretum's remarkable collection of trees. A huge interactive indoor Children's Garden will open in October.
Lancaster
A new Caribbean Indoor Water Park makes the Howard Johnson Inn (2100 US Hwy 31 East, Lancaster; tel. 717/397-7781; www.hojo.com) a great choice for families. The splashy, 10,000-square-foot facility, available exclusively to registered guests, is fun any time.
Effie Ophelia (230 N. Prince St.; tel. 717/397-6863; www.effieophelia.com),the latest restaurant to open on "gallery row" is an intimate BYOB bistro that highlights fresh, seasonal local foods.
There's plenty of construction going on in Lancaster's burgeoning downtown. A convention center is slated for completion in 2008, and the freshly renovated Hotel Brunswick (151 N. Queen St.; tel. 800/821-9258; www.hotelbrunswick.com) reopened in April this year. The Thaddeus Stevens/Lydia Hamilton Smith Historic Site, featuring the restored homes of the renowned abolitionist attorney and the Underground Railroad conductor who was his housekeeper, may reach completion in late 2007. The Lancaster Quilt & Textile Museum (39 N. Market St.; tel. 717/397-2970; www.quiltandtextilemuseum.com) is closed for renovations until September. To get the latest scoop on downtown arts, events, dining and shopping, Fig Lancaster (www.figlancaster.com) hosts an informative website where a quarterly guide may be requested.
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