Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is called the City of Brotherly Love. It was one of the first capitals of the United States and is the place where this country’s Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence from Britain in Independence Hall. Philadelphia is home to 1,449,634 residents in the city proper. Its climate is cold in the winter and can be very hot in the summer months, with humidity adding to the heat.
“Philly” has many beautiful neighborhoods, each distinctly different from the other, not only in architectural style but in ethnicity as well. Similar to New York City, Philadelphia became a melting pot for immigrants in the later 19th and early 20th Century. Many of the original Colonial buildings still stand and are still in use. Styles of architecture to found in the city include Georgian, Federal, Victorian and even modern contemporary.
Philadelphia is a treasure trove of American history that is everywhere you look. The most famous of all tourist attractions are the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Betsy Ross House where the first American flag was sewn, Edgar Allen Poe’s home, the Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia History, the National Museum of American Jewish History and, if you search the Pennsylvania local directory, you will find dozens of other historical sites that are open to the public.
Checking the yellow pages online will bring up the city’s entertainment venues, such as the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, home to the Philadelphia Orchestra; the Academy of Music, which houses the Opera Company of Philadelphia and oldest opera venue in the country; South Street and Old City host clubs; the Avenue of the Arts at City Center holds restaurants and theatre.
Sports teams abound: the Flyers (NHL), Eagles (NFL), Phillies (MLB/NL) and the 76ers (NBA); the yellow pages offer ticket info.