|
|
 |
|
Beyond the Sea: Port Mini-Breaks
|
|
|
Philadelphia: Pre- or Post-Cruise Mini-Break
|
|
Once the largest and most important city in colonial America, Philadelphia has since been overshadowed by more glamorous East Coast neighbors like New York and Washington, D.C. -- but these days the City of Brotherly Love is again becoming a must-see destination in its own right. Its first claim to fame is its history, which lives on in some 200 miles of cobblestone streets and more original colonial buildings than any other city in America. Philadelphia has witnessed the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, the scientific discoveries of Benjamin Franklin, and the stitching of the first American flag.
But if it's the history that draws visitors to Philadelphia in the first place, it's the contemporary attractions that keep them coming back -- like the sizzling restaurant scene, the innovative Adventure Aquarium, orchestra concerts at the new Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, and the trendy shops and galleries of the revitalized Old City neighborhood. The city's efforts to preserve and celebrate its past have not been at the cost of its future; just as the skyscrapers of Center City rise behind the colonial townhouses of the historic district, the city's past and present coexist in a way that enhances them both.
Philadelphia's continuing evolution makes the city an increasingly dynamic and exciting place to visit. Whether you're seeking romance, family fun or a laid-back getaway, you'll find when you get here that the latest marketing campaign has it right: Philly truly is "the city that loves you back."
--by Sarah Schlichter, Associate Editor for Cruise Critic's sister site, IndependentTraveler.com.
Photo by B. Krist for GPTMC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
