Page 8 - AAA Schuylkill County – AAA Now! July/August 2015

TRAVE
Philadelphia in 3 Days
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Three days is barely enough time to get to know any major destination. But AAA travel editors suggest these activities to make the most of your time in Philadelphia.
Day 1: Morning
Begin your first day in the City of
Brotherly Love at Independence Visitor Center in Independence National Historical Park located at the corner of 6th
and Market streets in Center City. If you arrive early, you'll
be ahead of the crowds. Get free tickets and sign up for a National Park Service walking tour.
Head to Independence Hall then to Liberty Bell Center. Continue touring Independence National Historical Park
and see the National Constitution Center, Congress Hall and the Second Bank of the United States Portrait Gallery.
Day 1: Afternoon
Walk north on 5th Street. Stop at Christ
Church's modest burial ground, where Benjamin Franklin and other signers of the Declaration of Independence are interred.
For lunch, dine in an Old City restaurant— take your pick of places, from casual diners and
sandwich joints. Try Sonny's Famous Steaks at nd
Day 1: Evening
For dinner, try one of Old City's restaurants
or head back toward Independence National Historical Park. If you're in the mood for some hip Asian cuisine, try the fusion Buddakan at 3rd and Chestnut. If meatloaf or macaroni and cheese are more your speed, head to Jones.
After dinner, head to Penn’s Landing on the waterfront, scene of Friday night concerts all summer and Thursday film screenings under the stars in July and August. In the winter, you can practice your turns on the outdoor ice-skating rink. Afterward, nab a cocktail on “The Hippest Street in Town.” The popular song's lyrics don't lie: as you amble down South Street between Front and 9th, you'll find plenty of bistros and bars where you can swill that nightcap.
Day 2: Morning
Begin in Center City and visit the Pennsylvania
Academy of The Fine Arts and its huge collection of American art. After a few hours of soaking up the visuals, walk south on S. Broad Street toward City Hall, glimpsing a bronze statue of William Penn perched on top, then duck into Macy's, a.k.a. the John Wanamaker Building. Twice daily Monday through Saturday, the Wanamaker organ, the largest operational pipe organ in the world, blasts out a dramatic concert within the department store's seven story court.
Day 2: Afternoon
For lunch, walk east to Reading Terminal Market,
where you can taste true Philadelphia eats such as the highly regarded cheese steak or buttered soft pretzels. Try some Amish sassafras jelly or ginger snaps. Of course, dozens of food stalls offer plenty of edible options, including lo mein and pizza.
Now head back toward City Hall and walk east on Market to find the strangest, most wonderful museum in town: the Mütter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. The
2 and Market. Fancier establishments include Fork and Amada at 2nd and Chestnut. If you're in the mood for a Philly Cheesesteak, why not visit the most popular place in the neighborhood? Hoof it to Jim's Steaks at 4th and South streets. You'll also discover lunch trucks serving the famous sandwich on just about every corner.
After grabbing lunch, walk (or bus it) back to Christ Church. This time go inside to see
where the American Episcopal Church got its start and where some of the
Founding Fathers worshipped. After a church visit, head over to the
Betsy Ross House at 239 Arch Street. And then make your way to Elfreth's Alley, the
oldest continually inhabited street in America. The visitor
center is free and is located at number 124.
In the late afternoon, walk southeast to Head House Square
(Lombard and S. 3rd streets). How about resting your feet? Take a romantic
horse-drawn carriage ride. Meander through Society Hill's 18th-century cobblestone streets. The architecture, row houses and intimate courtyards cast fabulous shadows as twilight beckons.
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JULY/AUGUST 2015
Now!