Although I grew up outside of Philly I know a few things about being in Philly as I traveled around town a lot, in addition to listening to local news. I figured that I can share a few things with you guys that you may not know, even if you're from Philly:
1. Philly can go a while without having a championship sports team.
Yes, while it has been only 10 years since we did have a championship team (Phillies). I know that a lot of die-hard sport fans are hungry for another championship and I personally do not see that happening until the city gets enough money to pay for champion players. I know a lot of people may think of Lebron James, or Tom Brady, or Dewayne Wade coming to Philly, but I do not believe that we have that type of money. I do hear that the Sixers are doing well, so maybe something could come out of this city soon.
2. Philadelphia is the birthplace of freedom.
The Declaration of Independence was signed at Independence Hall and the original Liberty Bell is located along Independence Mall. If you go down to the city and visit Independence Hall, you will see the table where the Declaration of Independence was signed. And just in case you don't know where the Betsy Ross House is, it is located on Arch Street in Old City. If you've never been down to historic Philadelphia and grew up in and around Philly, shame on you.Get down there ASAP.
3. Reading Terminal Market was regarded as one of the best Farmers Markets in America, and with it being downtown, you should have been there more than once.
I've been down to the Terminal Market a lot, and although I am not a fan of their selection, if you try, you are sure to find a little something to eat, on your way to either a convention or a sports game. The Reading Terminal Market is easy to access from SEPTA regional rail and has been around for at least 80 years.
4. The Jersey Shore points are easy to access from Philly.
I know this may sound like an obvious statement, but believe it or not, some people may not know this. The closest shore point that I know of is Atlantic City because it is a straight run down the Garden State Parkway. Have you ever wondered why it was such a short drive from Philly to the shore? Well, that is because we have beaches "right in our back yard." All you have to do is get in the car and drive an hour and you will be at the shore in no time. This is one of the benefits of living in Philly, especially during the summer.
5. The city of Philadelphia has five sports teams: the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, Union, and Sixers.
The Union were founded in 2010, and the Phillies are the one-name, one-city franchise in all of sports, according to the website. The Eagles and Phillies shared the famous Veterans' Stadium for a while until they each got their own stadiums in 2003 and 2004. I am sure that everyone has been to the Spectrum before it was demolished in 2010, but if you didn't, there wasn't much that you missed. If you are from Philly, you should have been to at least one or all major games (if you were lucky). The newest complex, Xfinity lIve!, looks inviting when you visit (let me know how it is, I haven't been yet).
6. If you're from Philly, you may know that we have a mini-Broadway, called the avenue of the arts.
All of the theaters are located right next to each other, and you have a pretty healthy pick of what theater to attend and enjoy yourselves. Just make sure that you arrive early so you can get good seats. I've been to the Marriam Theater and although it is older, the theater is kept up and the seats are comfortable. The Walnut Street Theater is also very well known and worth the trip for a show.
7. If you live in Philly, you should know that public transportation sucks and SEPTA is one of the least reliable methods of public transportation around.
I take SEPTA often and it makes you yearn more for a car. SEPTA is constantly going on strike, which is an inconvenience to its riders, including me. SEPTA has to get a better system in place to accommodate the riders that board the buses and trains each day.
Although Philly has its downsides, there are certainly upside to living in a city that not as big as NYC and does not have as much traffic as DC. I will say that Philly has to do better job with how they take care of their homeless, streets, and neighborhoods. If I was a city council representative, I would make sure that there was enough funding to help those who can't help themselves. I am sure that there are plenty of readers that agree with me. I was born and raised around Philly culture and I hope that the city will be just as big of a tourist attraction as NYC or DC.
One can dream.
