Dilworth Park, located in City Center, has become a major gathering place at the base of Philadelphia’s City Hall. Credit Mark Makela for The New York Times
Just yesterday John Dorman, a writer with the New York Times, wrote a story highlighting Philly as a bike-friendly place to visit – yet another feather in our great city’s cap!
Check out John’s story here:
With the April launch of Indego, Philadelphia’s 24-hour bike share program, the city now has a network similar to New York’s Citi Bike; Washington, D.C.’s Capital Bikeshare; and bike programs in other cities. (Philadelphia is also on our list of 52 Places to Go for 2015.) A bike can be rented with a credit or debit card at any Indego docking station for $4 per half-hour, an ideal option for neighborhood trips. There is also an option to find open bikes at individual stations online.
Now, it’s time to explore the city.
Center City Philadelphia would be an excellent place to begin, given the density of docking stations in the neighborhood. Jon Hurdle, a freelance reporter who contributes to The Times, recommends visiting Dilworth Park, a public space on the west side of Philadelphia’s City Hall. Formerly a large concrete-dominated open plaza, the park now includes performance space, lawns, a water fountain that uses recycled rainwater and a seasonal ice-skating rink.
“The park opened last September after a two-year renovation and connects with transit services,” Mr. Hurdle said. “It’s a big improvement over a previously uninviting public plaza at the heart of the city.”
Dilworth Park also features Rosa Blanca Café, a Cuban-themed restaurant operated by the chef Jose Garces. Recent menu items have included a Cobb Cubano salad with garbanzos, romaine, avocado and balsamic vinaigrette ($9) and a traditional Cuban sandwich with roasted pork, smoked ham and Swiss cheese (also $9). There are breakfast options as well (chocolate-almond croissants recently went for $3).
With Independence Day quickly approaching, it’s only natural that American history will play an oversized role in any summer trip to Philadelphia. Traveling east from City Hall, Old City has the Independence National Historic Park, which includes Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the Benjamin Franklin Museum. Christ Church Burial Ground, the final resting place of Benjamin Franklin and four other signers of the Declaration of Independence, is near the park.
Continue east and you’ll discover Elfreth’s Alley, a collection of 32 brick rowhouses on what is considered the oldest continuously occupied residential street in America.
While most travel guides will instruct you to head to Geno’s Steaks or Pat’s King of Steaks in South Philadelphia for the authentic cheesesteak experience, Sonny’s Famous Steaks is also an excellent option. On Market Street just a few blocks from the Liberty Bell, Sonny’s has a straight forward menu. There are several varieties of cheesesteaks, including a regular ($9) and a pepperoni version ($11). Sides include $4 cheese fries and $5.50 mozzarella sticks. If you’re out and about late, not to worry; Sonny’s stays open until 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.
Another resourceful thing about Philadelphia? From Old City, it’s easy to reach other neighborhoods. Major traffic arteries conveniently branch from Center City’s efficient street grid system. Indego has stations near the Philadelphia Museum of Art (a cultural gem on the Champs-Élysées-inspired Benjamin Franklin Parkway), and in areas like Northern Liberties, Fishtown, Powelton Village, Spruce Hill and Washington Square West.
Throughout the summer, and June in particular, festivals bring out the eclectic tastes of Philadelphians. The Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show, which runs from June 5 to 7, will showcase works from over 100 artists. The festival is in its 84th year and is the country’s longest-running outdoor art show.
And in a city that loves bikes, it stands to reason that the Philadelphia International Cycling Classic, scheduled for June 7, is a highlight. The 12.3-mile race begins and ends in the northwest Philadelphia neighborhood of Manayunk .
“There are big local street parties as crowds will line the streets and root for the bikers,” Mr. Hurdle said.
Nestled along the Schuylkill, Manayunk is a unique finishing point for the cyclists. Before completing the race, they have to ascend “The Wall,” a steep 800-meter hill at a difficult grade.
That sounds considerably more interesting than a cab ride.
