Results tagged “Philadelphia” from Intelligent Travel Blog

World Series Travel Tips

on November 2, 2009 11:00 AM | Comments (2)

Going to the World Series this year? Whether you're a Phillies or Yankees fans (I'm just upset my hometown Nationals forgot how to play ball this year), here are some tips on traveling in both cities.

Getting There
Call it the Amtrak Series, but the cheapest way to get from city to city is by bus. Budget buses Megabus and BoltBus both offer inexpensive fares between Philadelphia and New York.

Philadelphia

I Heart My City: Philadelphia
Albert Lee serves as concierge at the Independence Visitor Centerhttp://www.independencevisitorcenter.com/, and tells us what to do, see, and where to eat in the City of Brotherly Love.

Philadelphia On Foot
One of the best ways to explore the city is by foot. Print out our map of Philly's Northern Liberties neighborhood, and check out more tips on visiting the historic neighborhood from IT.

Family Vacation Planner: Pennsylvania
Get cool tips on all the places to take your kids in and around Philadelphia.

Philadelphia's Italian Market
Philadelphia is home to America's longest-operating outdoor market, and writer Jeff DiNunzio shares some insider tips on the best spots to visit.

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On Foot: Philly's Northern Liberties

Janelle Nanos

on August 10, 2009 3:45 PM | Comments (2)

Inspired by the On Foot article in our current issue about Philadelphia's funky Northern Liberties neighborhood, my fiancé and I set out to explore writer Caroline Tiger's route this past weekend (yes, even when we work here we still use the magazine as a guide). I have to say, I haven't had that much fun wandering in a while.

Northern Liberties, or "No Libs," using the official shorten-the-neighborhood-name parlance essential to any "emerging" locale, is fun, funky, and certainly unique. Located north of Center City nearby the Delaware River, it's got a vibe similar to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and a swath of galleries, independent stores, and great bars that make for a perfect lazy afternoon stroll.

Going on Tiger's suggestions, I checked out the Standard Tap for lunch (tasty beers and a huge, marvelous burger that requires two hands and a healthy appetite), then wandered to the Piazza at Schmidts (pictured, above) where an Italian-style square has been re-imagined and lined with 35 independent storefronts (I particularly liked Pressed 55 for great letterpress typography, Amberella Sugary and Sweet, a gallery of art and jewelry set amidst an explosion of neon pink, and Lyla Designs, where the very friendly owner was happy to talk fabrics with me).

We explored the shops of North 2nd Street, stopping into The Foodery to grab a drink, where we had plenty of options to choose from -- they have over 800 types of bottled beers, along with a deli counter and a few tables -- undoubtedly why the low-key joint has been called one of the best places to meet singles in Philadelphia Magazine. Down the street at Casa Papel, owner Cecilia Torres explained that the secret to the area's coolness was No Libs supportive neighborhood business owners association, which seeks out businesses that are independently-minded, and encourages sustainable practices in its members. She was pleased and more than a little surprised to find out that No Libs had made it into Traveler.

Want to explore yourself? Check out the interactive map to the neighborhood here, and find the complete article in this month's issue.

Photo: Krista Rossow/NGS

Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary

Meg Weaver

on March 17, 2009 1:10 PM | Comments (5)

If you're looking for something slightly macabre to do in Philadelphia, check out Eastern State Penitentiary at 22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue. ESP, a hulking, haunting, crumbling prison turned tourist destination, will open its recently discovered and restored 1924 synagogue, probably the first built in an American prison, to the public the weekend of April 4 & 5.

At one time among the most infamous and expensive prisons in the world, ESP opened in 1829 and remained in operation for 142 years, closing in 1971. Its radiating, spoke-like panopticon design of individual cell blocks guarded by a central rotunda kept its prisoners in near-constant solitary confinement (but for light work and their Bibles) and was based on the Quaker notion of penitence, and the assumption that once so confined, criminals would revert to a stage of "natural" innocence. The prisoners housed at ESP faced sentences of very little human interaction and most turned mad as a result.

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I Heart My City: Albert's Philadelphia

Janelle Nanos

on February 19, 2009 4:20 PM | Comments (12)

We've been loving your submissions for our I Heart My City project - and today's city comes to us via Albert Lee, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There were few people who showed as much enthusiasm for their cities as Albert, and we'll let him explain why in his own words:

I'm a proud hometown boy. Was raised in the Chinatown section of Philadelphia where our home housed three generations. I serve as the head concierge at the Independence Visitor Center (the official visitor center for Philadelphia and its surrounding counties). My overall duty is to make sure that while you're here, regardless of how long, you're going to have a good time. That is my promise even if our doors are closed. In fact, I carry maps in my bag to make sure people get to go where they need to. Want to get in a fancy restaurant at 8 p.m.? I'll take care of you...even if we are on a street corner. Philadelphia has been good to me and I see no greater reward than showing it off and getting paid for it!

Still haven't sent in your own city suggestions? Easy enough. Just complete our list of fill-in-the-blank questions then copy and paste the list into an email, fill in your answers (as many as you like), and send your responses to IntelligentTravel@ngs.org.

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A Stroll Through Philadelphia's Italian Market

IT Blog

on November 24, 2008 12:15 PM | Comments (4)

Friend of IT Jeff DiNunzio is your tour guide through American's longest-operating outdoor market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Some blocks in Philadelphia seem invisible. They've been forgotten for so long that they're simply unseen. The Italian Market is not one of those places. The 9th Street Curb Market - it's formal name - constantly shuffles with commerce. It's a tourist site that routinely displays a quiet disregard of such distinctions. Sure, many nonnative bodies stroll through the awning-covered concrete hallway, sniffing dollar-fifty eggplants. But do not be fooled: as one of the oldest operating outdoor markets in the United States, the Italian Market remains a place where the daily exchange of goods and services is done among people who live there.

At the turn of the 1900s, Italian immigrants built a rudimentary shopping mall along narrow South 9th Street. Before south Philly was covered by apartment buildings and factories, vendors lined a small stretch of this growing neighborhood. Early twentieth century migrants in Philadelphia employed basic sales principles: put a lot of things in one place and people will come.

Today, the market is stuck fending against expanding grocery chains with large supplies and low prices. Shop owners must find the right equilibrium of pricing, marketing, and profit. Recently, Emilio "Mee Mee" Mignucci, the third generation owner of Di Bruno Bros cheese house, has stepped up to help revitalize the market's business association and is working to bring in new tenants to empty storefronts and more local farmers to sell their produce. It's a promising start. The market has learned to modernize without losing its intimacy - as one merchant put it, "The owner deals with the customers directly."

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Marilyn Terrell on A Stroll Through Philadelphia's Italian Market: Illadates are really fun-- I'd seen your Italian Market one before. Make more, please!
Janelle on A Stroll Through Philadelphia's Italian Market: Very fun date Mark, and a great video!
Mark Schoneveld on A Stroll Through Philadelphia's Italian Market: If you're interested in seeing a little video about the Italian Market, be sure to check out the epi
Austin on A Stroll Through Philadelphia's Italian Market: Great article about this market. I've always wondered what there is to do when you visit Philly, be