About Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Residents of Philadelphia Pennsylvania, the fifth largest city in the United States, can reach the beach by car in one hour and the mountains within two. The Philadelphia International Airport makes travel to destinations that are further away equally convenient.

In Philadelphia you will walk, run, bike, or rollerblade along the Schuylkill River in Fairmount Park, the world’s largest landscaped city park. You will love our local cuisine, perhaps first trying a cheesesteak, in addition to the international cuisine available to Philadelphians.

You will become familiar with historic sites from the revolutionary period, like Valley Forge National Historic Park and Independence Hall, as well as more modern architectural landmarks like the PSFS building, the first international-style skyscraper, and Liberty Place, the most recent addition to Philadelphia's spectacular skyline.

You will find live entertainment, casual dining, antiques, and boutiques along the streets of many of Philly’s neighborhoods, like Manayunk, South Street, or Old City.

While enjoying these and other benefits of a contemporary American city, Philadelphians can also rest assured that their dollar goes a little further here than it does in many other large metropolitan areas.

The Arts
Outside of Paris, you won't find a larger collection of Impressionist art than the pieces on exhibit at The Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Barnes Foundation. American art is featured at The Pennsylvania Academy of The Fine Arts, the first art museum in America, and outdoor art, more than in any other city in the world, is displayed on corners and in squares throughout Philadelphia's historic streets.

The Opera Company of Philadelphia, performing at the breathtaking Academy of Music, the world-famous Philadelphia Orchestra, known locally for open-air concerts on summer nights at the Mann Music Center, and the Pennsylvania Ballet act as the cornerstones for Philadelphia's lively performing arts scene.

Blues and jazz clubs, folk music festivals, and rock and alternative music venues continue to fuel a local passion for contemporary music, a tradition begun here with American Bandstand.

Also known for the culinary arts, Philadelphia boasts seven restaurants that have ranked among the top 50 in the country.

Sports
Lincoln Financial Field, Citizens Bank Park, the First Union Spectrum, and the First Union Center provide the forums for our popular professional athletic teams: the Eagles, Phillies, 76ers and Flyers. We are also the proud hosts of international sporting events like the First Union USPRO Cycling Championship and the Penn Relays.

But the true Philly sport aficionado never forgets to support the local college teams where skilled athletes can be cheered in more intimate and informal settings. Every Spring, hundreds gather at Boathouse Row and the banks of the Schuylkill for the Dad Vail Regatta.

A College Town
The University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, Drexel University, University of the Arts, Villanova, La Salle, St. Joseph's, Haverford, Bryn Mawr...the list of colleges goes on and on.

While the presence of so many institutions of higher education makes Philadelphia a leading center for intellectual pursuits, the multitude of undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students generates a constant demand for entertainment. Our city meets this demand with a steady supply of both the classic and the trendy in pubs, dance clubs, and local music.