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TOURIST OFFICE
The Independence Visitor Center
Location: 6th and Market Streets Philadelphia, PA 19106
Hours of Operation: 7 days a week, opens at 8:30am. EMERGENCY SERVICES
Police/Ambulance/Fire 911
BRITISH CONSULATE
33rd Floor
1818 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Tel: 215 557 7665
LOCAL ATTRACTIONS
It's just one square mile, but the area between Front to 7th Streets and Spruce to Race Streets covers three different neighbourhoods, all jam packed with restaurants, galleries, shops and attractions. Each puts its own distinctive spin on history. And together, they make up Historic Philadelphia.
Here America's most sacred historic sites (the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall) stand side-by-side with the hustle and bustle of a 21st-century city.
Old City brims with shops, cafes, restaurants and bars while Society Hill welcome visitors to stroll their cobblestone streets and take in the architecture of the centuries-old homes, churches and landmarks that make the neighbourhood so picturesque.
Liberty Bell Center
The Center is open year round, 9am - 5pm, with extended hours in the summer.
No tickets are required for admission to the Liberty Bell, however, visitors must go through security screening to gain entrance to the Center. Location:
The Liberty Bell Center is located at 6th and Market Streets, with its entrance on 6th Street.
The Liberty Bell has a new home, and it is as powerful and dramatic as the Bell itself. Throughout the expansive, light-filled Center, larger-than-life historic documents and graphic images explore the facts and the myths surrounding the Bell. X-rays give an insider’s view, literally, of the Bell’s crack and inner-workings. In quiet alcoves, a short History Channel film, available in English and eight other languages, traces how abolitionists, suffragists and other groups adopted the Bell as its symbol of freedom. Other exhibits show how the Bell’s image was used on everything from ice cream moulds to wind chimes. Keep your camera handy. Soaring glass walls offer dramatic and powerful views of both the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, just a few steps away.
Independence Hall
Birthplace of both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution Tickets:
Tickets are required for admission. Free, walk-up tickets are available for pick up at the Independence Visitor Center on the day of your visit starting at 8:30am Arrive early — during the busy season, tickets are often gone by 1 pm They risked everything — “their lives, their fortune and their sacred honour.” During the blistering summer of 1776, 56 courageous men gathered at the Pennsylvania State House and defied the King of England. Eleven years later, representatives from 12 states gathered to shape the U.S. Constitution, finally creating one unified nation. The guided tour of Independence Hall, led by National Park rangers, begins in the courtroom where lawyers from opposing sides shared tables and law books. George Washington’s “rising sun” chair dominates the Assembly Room which is arranged as it was during the Constitutional Convention. In the adjacent West Wing, the original inkstand used to sign the Declaration and an original draft of the Constitution are displayed. Simeone Foundation Museum
Start your engines!
Within the walls of the newly opened Simeone Foundation Museum — the only museum of its kind in North America — you'll find 60 of the world's rarest and most famous race cars.
And if luxury is your style, names like Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar and Maserati are pretty tough to beat. Significant cars in the collection include the “Hippie” Porsche 917 (named for its psychedelic paint scheme), a 1958 Aston Martin DBR1 that Stirling Moss drove to victory, a Cobra Daytona Coupe that had been lost for 30 years until Simeone helped in its recovery, a Le Mans-winning Bugatti and a 1938 Alfa Romeo, winner of the Mille Miglia.
6825-31 Norwitch Drive
Philadelphia, PA 19153
215 365-7233
www.simeonefoundation.org BARS Nodding Head Brewery and Restaurant
Despite its location in the heart of Center City, Nodding Head is actually a hidden gem, and one which is definitely worth seeking out. Venture up to the second floor location on the 1500 block of Sansom Street and you’ll be very glad you did. Nodding Head brews its own beers to go along with its excellent, gastro-pub fare. Standard pub fare is taken up a notch with extra attention to detail, local ingredients and some of the best fries in the city. Other menu highlights include fresh fish and vegetarian and vegan options. You can expect large portions and low prices. The kitchen is open Monday through Thursday until 12 midnight, until 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and until 11:00 p.m. on Sunday. While the kitchen can certainly hold its own, the brewery has won more beer competition awards than it can hang on its walls. Beers here are brewed seasonally and in plain view. Among Nodding Head’s dozens of styles: Grog, BoHo Pils, Golden Ale and Son of Swami, all of which compliment the kitchen’s excellent burgers, Belgian-style mussels and everything else. 1516 Sansom Street
http://www.noddinghead.com Royal Tavern
Holding court in a former South Philly Italian restaurant, the Royal Tavern is a jukebox- and food-fuelled establishment that's grown to become a neighbourhood favourite. It was a trailblazer that helped initiate the renowned gastro-pub renaissance of Philadelphia. When you dine at Royal Tavern, expect menu options straight from Mom's kitchen, but recreated with imaginative touches. If you're sitting bar-side, try their buffalo chicken wings — crisped and sauced to a perfect equilibrium and available in three flavours — or the standard French fries, which are given a face-lift with an accompaniment of malt vinegar mayonnaise. Other dishes to try are the baby back ribs, an amazing burger and the macaroni and (cheddar) cheese. For a real dose of comfort food, try the Sloppy Joe, which is served to the preference of either meat-lovers or vegetarians. And in true Philadelphia fashion, the bar specializes in local brews like Victory, Yards and Dogfish Head.
937 E. Passyunk Avenue
http://www.royaltavern.com/
McFaddens, Located at 461 N 3rd street, sandwiched between Old City and Northern Liberties, McFadden's is the most dynamic establishment in Philadelphia. Offering lunch, brunch, dinner, crazy nightlife or an exciting place to watch a sports game, the many facets of McFadden's will never disappoint you or let you leave with out a smile! Closed Sundays.
461, North 3rd Street.
Fado, Irish Pub and Restaurant, 1500, Locust Street.
Make yourself at home in one of the intimate nooks that seat two, or up to a dozen. One glance at Fadó's menu will get your appetite in full gear as you peruse the best Philadelphia has to offer in authentic Irish cuisine with a contemporary flare. Start off with the fresh Galway Bay Mussels, followed by our infamous Fish and Chips.
Even on a full stomach you'll find it hard to resist polishing off your meal with our new Black and Tan Brownie with Guinness Ice Cream.
It goes without saying that Fadó stocks the finest in Irish and European draught beers. Our draught system is state-of-the-art, and our bartenders pour each and every pint with craftsman perfection RESTAURANTS AND CAFES
Morimoto, 723 Chestnut St., Historic Area, Philadelphia
Stunningly expensive dishes created by celebrity chef Masaharu Morimoto (of the Food Network's Iron Chef) are served in an elegant, slightly futuristic setting. Tables and benches are made of hard white plastic and the ceiling is undulating bamboo. Omakase (tasting menus), $40-$80 at lunch and $80-$120 at dinner, are well worth the expense. Authentic and creative à la carte dishes include toro (tuna) with caviar and wasabi. Reservations are recommended. Derek's
4411 Main St., Manayunk, Philadelphia, PA
Tel: 215 483 9400
Kobe beef meatballs, refried rock shrimp risotto, and crab cake with corn and avocado relish are but a few of the small plates available at the restaurant Derek Davis opened under his own banner. In addition, look for wood-fired pizzas and steakhouse cuts of beef. The split-level place bustles from its upstairs vodka bar to its ground-floor tavern with a big-screen TV. Davis invented the candy cocktail, featuring vodka-infused sweets. Jim's Steaks
400 South St., South Street, Philadelphia, PA
Tel: 215 928 1911
You'll know you're nearing Jim's when the scent of frying onions overwhelms your senses—or when you see people lined up around the corner. Big, juicy, drippy sandwiches of Philly steaks—shaved beef piled high on long crusty rolls—come off the grill with amazing speed when the counter workers hit their stride; but be aware that no matter how hard you beg, they will not toast the rolls. Jim's is mostly takeout, but there are some tables and chairs upstairs. Lolita
106 S. 13th St., Center City, Philadelphia, PA Tel: 215 546 7100
In a town where liquor licenses are few and far between, lots of restaurants are BYOB (bring your own bottle). Lolita's twist is BYOT, or bring your own tequila. They'll use it to blend a pitcher of some exotic-sounding margarita—try fresh strawberry puree and purple basil. The food—nouveau Mexican prepared with locally sourced ingredients—is pretty good, too Bistro Romano
120 Lombard St., South Street, Philadelphia, PA
Tel: 215 925 8880
Copious portions of regional Italian cuisine are served in the brick-walled dining room of this early-18th-century granary. Don't miss the acclaimed Caesar salad prepared tableside by the genial owner, who thoroughly enjoys animated conversations with his guests. Tuesday-night lobster specials make the trip to the Society Hill area more than worthwhile. Prime Rib
Warwick Hotel, 1701 Locust St., Center City, Philadelphia, PA
Tel: 215 772 1701
The glamorous 1940s atmosphere sets this steak house apart from the rest—sleek leopard-print carpeting, nightly jazz piano and bass, and black-lacquer walls trimmed with gold all add up to a convivial atmosphere. Habitués (of whom there are many) admire the gigantic slabs of dry-aged prime beef, glistening fresh seafood (also served in more than generous portions), addictive baked potato skins, and other sit-up-and-take-notice dishes that keep this handsome restaurant hopping.
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