Emily & Stefan
Things To Do
Barnes Foundation
The Barnes Foundation is an art collection and educational institution promoting the appreciation of art and horticulture. Originally in Merion, the art collection moved in 2012 to a new building on Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Barnes was founded in 1922 by Albert C. Barnes. Today, the foundation owns more than 4,000 objects, including over 900 paintings.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is an art museum originally chartered in 1876 for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. The main museum building was completed in 1928 on Fairmount, a hill located at the northwest end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at Eakins Oval. The museum administers collections containing over 240,000 objects including major holdings of European, American and Asian origin. The various classes of artwork include sculpture, paintings, prints, drawings, photographs, armor, and decorative arts.
Frankford Beer Hall
Set in an industrial structure in the heart of Philadelphia’s Fishtown, Frankford Hall nails the perfect balance between edge and charm. Complete with massive garage doors and trees strung with twinkling lights, the space spreads out the action between spacious open-air picnic tables, fire pits and indoor bar area with ping-pong and other games. German and American beers flow by the half and full liter, joining two-fisted eats like sausages, burgers and warm Bavarian pretzels. Ideal for an impromptu drop-in with a few friends or an all-day session with a huge group, Frankford Hall embodies true Teutonic spirit-raising with a modern twist.
Rittenhouse Square
While most cities have some type of a public square, it's safe to say many aren't as historic as Rittenhouse Square. One of the five original city squares created by William Penn, it's named after the renowned inventor and astronomer David Rittenhouse. Some of the city's most beautiful homes surround it, many dating back to the mid-1800s. We like to spend an entire afternoon here, ambling along the tree-lined sidewalks, catching one of the flower markets or art shows, and shopping.
Franklin Fountain
Franklin Fountain serves up handmade ice cream in an astounding number of flavors including standards like vanilla bean, chocolate and Franklin mint chip along with a few creative options including Green Tea, banana and Teaberry Gum. The friendly staff at the fully restored soda counter offers 25 different flavors of soda, ice cream sodas, egg creams and milkshakes.
Reading Terminal Market
Philadelphia has a long market history, the first informal iterations having appeared in the 1680’s. Reading Terminal was formed from a few different markets and opened in 1892; train service began the following year. The last train left Reading Terminal in 1984, but the market lives on. Today, people come here for excellent produce, meat, cheese, specialty chocolate, flowers, and gifts—and the legendary soft pretzels from Miller’s Twist.
Philly Style Bagels
What’s a Philly-style bagel? According to bakers Collin Shapiro and Jonathon Zilber, it’s boiling the dough in beer-spiked water. The resulting bagel is crispy on the outside and pillow-y on the inside with a delicate malty flavor. For purists, have your sesame, poppy, garlic, onion, salt, everything, or plain bagel simply toasted with spread (smoked salmon is a favorite). For the adventurous, there are bagel sandwiches—from hummus and veggie to BLT.
Dalessandro's Steaks
Pat's or Ginos? Neither, Dalessandro's. This is Stefan's favorite cheesesteak. He considers it a "locals only spot."
Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania
With its ninety-two acres of English gardens, this Victorian arboretum is a hit with kids and adults. As part of the University of Pennsylvania (about a 30-minute drive outside of the city), it offers educational classes on horticulture throughout the year–but the biggest draw, at least for littles, is the network of bridges, catwalks, and observation bridges suspended from the trees, fifty feet above ground. You can amble along the canopy walk, lie on the giant hammocks, or see the trees and gardens from a different perspective via the telescopes.
Old City
Old City is a cool and historic neighborhood is Philadelphia. Many of Old City's residents live in restored 18th-century rowhouses that line some of the country's oldest streets. Nightlife options for fashionable crowds include trendy eateries and bars along South 2nd Street.
Fishtown
The new up and coming area in Philadelphia. Lots of great restaurants and bars. We highly recommend Frankford Beer hall. It is a 21st century German beer hall with games, firepits, sausages and big Bavarian soft pretzels. If you have the chance, Pizzeria Beddia is one of the best pizza spots in the country. They also have a new back room restaurant (reservation only) called the Hoagie Room. Finally, if you've had enough Wawa and are craving a slightly more elevated hoagie, then Liberty Kitchen is a must. They also have fantastic tomato pie, another Philly favorite.
Longwood Gardens
Longwood Gardens is an American botanical garden. It consists of over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, United States in the Brandywine Creek Valley.
Chadds Ford Winery
Chaddsford Winery is a Pennsylvania winery located in the Brandywine Valley, in Chadds Ford Township in Chester County. It was founded in 1982, and is one of the largest wineries in the state.
Linvilla Orchards
Linvilla Orchards is the perfect spot for outdoor fun, located just 30 minutes from Philadelphia. Visit to pick fresh fruits and vegetables, go fishing, play a round of mini golf and more. Families can also visit with the farm animals, enjoy face painting and go on train rides and pony rides. Linvilla also hosts a variety of giant festivals throughout the year that are usually themed according to the produce of the season (think blueberries, apples, pumpkins and more), many of which feature games, contests, music and costumed characters. The farm is open year-round and admission is completely free.