Introducing Philadelphia
Although it may seem like a little sibling to NYC, which is less than 90 miles away, Philadelphia is more representative of what East Coast city living is like. And in the minds of many, it offers every upside of urban life – burgeoning food, music and art scenes, neighborhoods with distinct personalities, copious parkland and maybe equally importantly, relatively affordable real estate. The older, preserved buildings in historic Philadelphia provide a picture of what colonial American cities once looked like – based on a grid with wide streets and public squares.
For a time the second-largest city in the British Empire (after London), Philadelphia became a center for opposition to British colonial policy. It was the new nation's capital at the start of the Revolutionary War and again after the war until 1790, when Washington, DC, took over. By the 19th century, New York City had superseded Philadelphia as the nation's cultural, commercial and industrial center. Though urban renewal has been going on for decades, some parts of the city formerly populated by industrial workers are blighted and worlds away from the carefully manicured lawns and park-service-glutted historic district around the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.
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Woman shopping for clothes, Philadelphia
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Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia
Sights in Philadelphia
Activities in Philadelphia
Old City
Philadelphia destination guides
Hotels in Philadelphia
Budget Hotels & Hostels in Philadelphia
Guesthouses and B&Bs in Philadelphia
Apartments in Philadelphia
Entertainment in Philadelphia
Shopping in Philadelphia