What's closer to NYC than DC, just as historical as Boston,
and full of students, dogs, and babies? Philadelphia, of course. I took my first
real visit to the city of brotherly love this past weekend and have to say I
was more than impressed. It's easy to lump Philly in to those post-industrial
bastions of American economic sludge, like Baltimore, Hartford, and Pittsburgh. Beyond that, maybe you
think of the liberty bell or Nicholas Cage stealing the Declaration of Independence.
While those elements are present, you must be sure not to discount the plethora
of independent small businesses, tidy row houses with basements and backyards
(for the same price as Manhattan "2 bedroom"), lively art scene, and
attractions that go beyond the hallmarks of the American Revolution.
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| Boathouse Row on the Schuylkill River |
About the Trip: I joined my roommate Anna, my soon to be roommate Nichole,
and Dylan to crash in the spacious 3-bedroom house of Anna's boyfriend Aaron and Aaron's roommate Rob. Aaron is a filmer/producer for a local public art TV show, and is also an
incredible chef. He and Dylan have taken a liking to each other, which offers
multiple options for double dates and excursions, but this was the first time
we had traveled to the city Aaron now calls home. Luckily, Aaron was more than willing to host his four guests in various beds, couches, and air mattresses throughout his home. His hospitality was compounded by his knowledge and eagerness to show us fun areas of the city packed with locals on a beautiful summer weekend. As is the habit of my generation, the weekend revolved heavily around food, drink, and debauchery, though we managed a pinch of refined culture and maturity thrown into the mix.
Getting There: Philadelphia is extremely easy and inexpensive to get to from NYC, with multiple bus departures from Peter Pan, Megabus, Bolt Bus, and the like, mostly for under $20 a pop. NJ Transit and/or Amtrak are also options if you have an aversion to the New Jersey Turnpike, but those tend to be spendier, and in the case of NJ Transit, much less convenient. A big shout-out to Dylan, though, who made the far less simply journey from Hartford via a combination of car, train, subway, and bus. And he did it all without complaining...
What to Do: Upon a late evening arrival at Aaron's apartment (a house he shares with two other guys in the family-friendly Graduate Hospital neighborhood), we immediately shook off the Greyhound bus smell with a backyard barbecue of meat, topped with meat, served with a side of meat (hot dogs and bacon burgers, of course). We washed it down with a few craft beers, of course, before heading out for a night at Morgan's Pier, a big, open-air beer and dance hall right on the waterfront of the Delaware River, underneath the Ben Franklin bridge. The casual vibe and proximity to watercraft make Morgan's Pier a solid destination whether looking to dance on a Friday night or relaxing on a Sunday afternoon (better yet, I just looked at their website and learned they have weekend brunch).
