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Eating before the Ball
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Besides cheesesteaks (see Eating after the Ball, below), hoagies from Wawa (an upscale Kwik-E-Mart type of place) are an integral part of the Philly experience. There's no on-premises eating but take one back to your hotel room or stop at a park bench to scarf one down. For great meat, bread and seafood that's so fresh you'll slap it, check out the farmer's market at Reading Terminal, located at 12th & Arch Streets. They close early, so it's better suited for breakfast or late lunch.
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If your tastes are as exotic as ours can be, you might enjoy dining at the Ariana restaurant, located just past 2nd Street on Chestnut Street. Ariana offers courteous and friendly service, a quiet atmosphere, pleasant (pre-recorded) music, and an excellent menu of Afghan cuisine, which, broadly speaking, is not unlike Middle Eastern food in general. One of our favorite places to dine in the city, and worth a visit.
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Eating after the Ball
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Avoid The South Street Diner at all costs. Instead, try the Midtown Diner (2013 Chestnut St) which usually has an abundance of seating but not much parking, or the Oregon Diner (302 W Oregon Ave) which has some on-site parking but is likely to be more crowded. The Oregon has slightly nicer food but the Midtown is closer.
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While the post-2am crowds are sometimes unruly, a late-night cheesesteak is a low-cost Philadelphia tradition. The big dog on the block is Pat's, located across the street from their rival, the far less friendly Geno's, at 9th St and Passyunk Ave. However, a growing number of locals have defected to Jim's Steaks, at the corner of 4th and South Streets.
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Staying in the city
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The Comfort Inn at Penn's Landing (215-627-7900) offers nice rooms, a convenient location, a parking option and generally good prices. Club Quarters Philadelphia (215-282-5100) is not as close to our venues, but offers snug rooms with a business traveller focus (free wi-fi!) and very low prices.
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Designated a National Historic Landmark as the world's first Modernist skyscraper, the Loews (215-627-1200) is a four-star hotel with unusually reasonable rates. The Hilton Garden Inn (215-923-0100) is a three-star hotel that offers a somewhat superior location, but often at a higher price.
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Staying near the city
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The airport is a full 15-20 minutes from the city, so airport hotels offer better parking and usually lower rates. Two of the cheapest are Days Inn (610-876-7211) and Microtel Inn (215-492-0700).
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Cherry Hill is just 15-25 minutes over the bridge in New Jersey. There's a 3 1/2 star Hilton there (856-665-6666) with many amenities. Adult travelers may enjoy the themed fantasy hotel suites at the Feather Nest Inn (www.feathernestinn.com)
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Internet Resources
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Philadelphia hotel bargains can be found here.
Spooky attractions include the Mutter Museum, Edgar Allen Poe House and Rosenbach Museum.
General Philadelphia tourism information available from Independence Visitor Center.
For a printable .PDF map showing the route from Shampoo to South Street, click here
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