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Impressive past. Fascinating future. A Philadelphia Story.

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As the fifth largest city in the United States and the second largest on the East Coast, Philadelphia is home to the icons that make America, America. From the Liberty Bell to Independence Hall, from Penn’s Landing to the stairs of the Philadelphia Art Museum, there is no city in this nation that can claim to be more of a living monument to historical forces.

Photo Credit: Bob Krist Greater Philadelphia Tourism

Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, was settled in 1681 by Capt. William Markham, who, with a small group of colonists had been sent out by his cousin William Penn. Penn arrived the following year with the intention of creating a safe haven for the Quakers.

Situated at the intersection of the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers, Philadelphia, at the time of the American Revolution, was the economic and political center of the fledgling United States. Today, Philly boasts the largest surviving district of original colonial homes and shops in the country, with dozens of attractions in and around Independence National Historic Park.

History aside, Philadelphia is also known as a city of neighborhoods (109 by one count). Shoppers haggle over prices of fresh produce in South Philly’s Italian Market; families picnic in the parks of Germantown; street vendors sell soft pretzels in Logan — and the list goes on. And of course, a visit through Philadelphia’s neighborhoods would not be complete without stopping for one of Philly’s infamous cheesesteak sandwiches. So grab a hoagie and head over to a sporting event of one of the city’s eternally hopeful sports teams. Philadelphia sports fans are rumored to be among the loudest and most obnoxious, and in the wide world of sports that’s a good thing. Correction…that’s a great thing!

Philadelphia, like many other northern American cities, can be hot and humid in the summer and cold in the winter (average snowfall is 21 inches). And although you’ll always find a place that will welcome you in out of the heat or the cold, you may want to think about visiting when the climate is perfect — think spring or fall! But for tourists and historians alike, ultimately any time is the right time to visit this revolutionary American city par excellence!