Philadelphia/Center City West

When Philadelphia was first settled, the core of the city was on the eastern part of the city, nearby the Delaware River, in what is now Old City. City founder William Penn plotted out the entire grid street structure of Center City from the Delaware to the Schuylkill Rivers so that the city would develop in an organized fashion, and over time the city did extend development westward and beyond.
Because Old City was where the business and market areas were concentrated, much of the western half of Center City became the residential neighborhood. A lot of the housing stock dates from the 1800s, when wealthy businessmen built their homes alongside communities of working-class neighborhoods. In the 1950s, Philadelphia began to expand the business district westward as well, and with the University of Pennsylvania located just across the Schuylkill River, the area has retained its desirability for many residents. In particular, Rittenhouse Square is surrounded by high-rise apartment towers housing the moneyed elite, and the neighboring blocks have long been one of the most desirable residential locations in Philadelphia. Fortunately, the park itself has retained a unique ability to exclude no one, no small feat considering Philadelphia's history of tension between different racial and social classes. On any given day, especially weekends and in the summer, the park will be populated and used by just about anyone and everyone.
Commercial businesses came westward with the planning of Penn Center, a rather unwelcoming business district west of City Hall just north of Market Street. However, this enabled other commercial development to occur in the area, and in 1985 One Liberty Place became the first building to break the unofficial height limit in Philadelphia, which was top of Penn's hat on City Hall. With a ground floor mall at the base of the building, this development helped spur retail development, which in turn contributed to the reversal of urban blight and flight in the early 1990s. Today, the three blocks north of Rittenhouse Square (Walnut, Sansom and Chestnut Streets) and eastward to Broad Street is Center City's upscale shopping district, where fashionable clothing brands have established a presence. In addition, many restaurants, bars and nightlife destinations are located in this particular area as well.
North of the business district is the spectacular Benjamin Franklin Parkway, a grand boulevard that begins at the famous LOVE Park near City Hall and continues northwest, through Logan Circle, and ends at the Philadelphia Art Museum and Fairmount Park. Designed in 1917, the Parkway is one of the city's earliest urban renewal projects and takes many of its cues from similar boulevards in France. Today, the parkway is the spine on which most of the city's museums are located.

By train

Center City is served by SEPTA trains, both the subway and regional rail. All regional rail lines stop in Center City West, at Suburban Station (16th St and JFK Blvd). If you are coming in from the airport, or Trenton, trains will stop here. Suburban Station only serves SEPTA trains, so if you are coming into Philadelphia on Amtrak, you will disembark at 30th Street Station, just across the Schuylkill River.
SEPTA has only two subway lines, both of which run through Center City. The Market-Frankford Line (or the El, because it used to be elevated) is an east-west line running underneath Market Street, connecting West Philly to Northeast Philadelphia. Unfortunately, because the subway was constructed at a time when nothing much existed between the Schuylkill River and City Hall, it does not stop in the middle of Center City West. The Broad Street Line is the second subway line, running north-south. However, as Center City is best explored on foot, just get off at City Hall and walk; no need to make a transfer on the subway line unless Center City is not actually your final destination.
A third train line, operated by the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) is called PATCO and comes in from Camden across the Delaware River. The train terminates in Center City West at 15th and Locust.

By trolley

SEPTA runs trolleys from West Philly and University City into Center City West, which stops at 22nd, 19th and 15th Streets before terminating at City Hall. If you are coming in from the west, trolleys are slower but can be more convenient depending on your final destination. In Center City, trolleys run underground.

• Academy of Natural Sciences

  phone: +1 215 299-1000
  address: 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
  Not just a natural history museum, this institution also has an active research arm and library. Highlights of the museum include a 2-story dinosaur exhibit, a butterfly walk-through area, and a children's nature center with live animals. It is the oldest natural science research institution and museum in the Americas.

• Barnes Foundation

  phone: +1 215 278-7200
  address: 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
  One of the world's most important collections of post-impressionist and modernist art, open in this location since 2012. Advance reservations strongly recommended (weeks in advance for week-end time slots); a limited number of tickets is available for same-day visits.

• The Comcast Center

  address: 1701 John F Kennedy Blvd
  Opened in 2008, at 975 feet tall, the Comcast Center is Philadelphia's tallest skyscraper and the headquareters of the cable provider. The building features a public plaza with a gorgeous fountain display, a dramatic eight-story “Winter Garden” and an energy-saving “glass curtain” that wraps around the Comcast Center, allowing for a 360° view of Philadelphia’s urban landscape. The building has also unveiled a Sony Style Comcast Labs Store, which includes an “Interactive Technology Lab” that is open to the public. The lobby has garnered attention as a tourist attraction. At first glance, the north wall of its lobby appears to be a wood veneer wall, but actually, it's a massive 2,000 square feet high-definition LED screen that's just displaying a picture of a wood veneer wall. Wait a minute, and a dancing figure might appear on the wall, or the entire wall might fade out and be replaced with a photograph or a video show. The computer-generated images are so realistic, you’ll think they’re jumping out of the wall. With a resolution 500% greater than that of an HD television, the Comcast Experience is a remarkable technological and artistic achievement. The video wall, a giant HD video screen that is actually the largest four-millimeter LED screen in the world, is located right in the building’s publicly accessible main lobby, so everyone can enjoy it. Visit during the holidays for special seasonal displays.

• The Franklin Institute Science Museum

  phone: +1 215 448-1200
  address: 222 N 20th St
  This museum attracts some of the top scientific exhibits in the world, including special exhibits that change every few months. Be sure to walk through the giant-sized human heart, a favorite with kids. Also features planetarium and the immense Tuttleman IMAX Theater and its four-story, domed screen with fifty-six speakers. This museum is incredibly popular as a field trip destination for local schools, so mornings and early afternoons on weekdays may be crowded with schoolchildren.

• The Mütter Museum

  phone: +1 215 563-3737
  address: 19 S 22nd St
  It used to be open only to medical students, but this collection of medical oddities is quickly becoming one of the city's most popular attractions. Not for the faint of heart, this museum includes lots of items in formaldehyde, lots of skeletons, and one of the only women to ever decompose into soap.

• One Liberty Observation Deck

  phone: +1 215 561-3325
  address: 1650 Market St
  Located on the 57th floor of the One Liberty Place skyscraper at 883 feet above street level, this observation deck offers 360-degree views of the city of Philadelphia and the surrounding area. In addition to the views, the observation deck features a sculpture of Ben Franklin's head, tables, seating, vending machines, restrooms, interactive boards that zoom in on landmarks, and exhibits and facts pertaining to the city of Philadelphia. The entrance is located on the ground floor and tickets and the gift shop are on the second floor, where the elevator leads to the 57th floor. On the second floor, visitors may take a photo in front of a green screen. The elevator ride features a video about the observation deck and the city of Philadelphia.

• Philadelphia Museum of Art

  phone: +1 215 763-8100
  address: 26th St and Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
  Famous on the outside for the steps seen in the film "Rocky" and famous on the inside for one of the world's largest collections of art, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is home to many rotating collections as well as a standard selection of pieces always on display. The permanent collection is especially strong in Asian and medieval art, impressionist paintings, and furniture. The museum was founded in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year and is now among the largest and most important art museums in the United States. It sits on a hill overlooking the Schuylkill River at the end of The Ben Franklin Parkway, which was modeled after the Champs Elysees in Paris. There's an impressive view back toward City Hall from the top of the "Rocky" steps. In addition, the PMA is opening a new exhibition space in the Perelman Building on Pennsylvania Ave which will display sculpture, costumes, textiles, prints, photographs, and design.

• Rare Book Department of the Free Library of Philadelphia

  address: 1901 Vine Street
  If you're into rare books at all, take the free tour, offered M-F at 11AM, of the Philadelphia Free Library's amazing rare book collection. Besides the Gutenberg Bible, highlights include medieval manuscripts, children's book illustrations, and the stuffed body of Charles Dickens's pet raven Grip, the raven who indirectly inspired Poe's "The Raven."

• Rodin Museum

  phone: +1 215 763-8100
  address: 2151 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
  Displays the largest collection of Rodin's work outside of Paris.

• Rosenbach Museum and Library

  phone: +1 215 732-1600
  address: 2008 DeLancey St
  Hourly tours (Tu-F 11AM-4PM) take visitors through this fine old townhouse owned by a pair of rare-book dealers, which has grown into a museum and archive. The Maurice Sendak room, full of his sketches and pages, also contains Herman Melville's own bookcase, which holds the copy of Moby-Dick he inscribed to Hawthorne. A handsome double library on another floor holds Joyce's manuscript for Ulysses. On the top floor, poet Marianne Moore's Greenwich Village living room has been installed, to go along with the Rosenbach's trove of Moore papers.

• Fairmount Water WorksFeatures information on local watersheds as well as interpretive art.

Parks

• Fairmount ParkConsists of 63 regional and neighborhood parks, spanning both Center City and part of western North Philly. When you want to get away from the city's hustle and bustle, there is always somewhere green to go.

• Fitler Square

  address: S 23rd St and Panama St.
  Neighborhood has some good restaurants and pretty tree-lined streets. The charming 2400 block of Panama, supposedly, has been re-created on a Hollywood lot for the show "Cold Case." A Saturday morning farmers' market runs spring-fall.

• Rittenhouse Square

  address: 18th and Walnut Sts
  As close to a central park as one can get in Philadelphia. Only 4 blocks west of Broad St and the main business areas, it is an oasis in the heart of the city. It is surrounded by tall buildings, and there are many nice restaurants in the area. Summer concert schedules are listed in the park. The square was named after a patriotic leader David Rittenhouse. As you explore through the square you will see outdoor art exhibits, several art sculptures, annual flower markets, a reflecting pool, and many people having a picnic or watching their children play. Some places to eat near here are: gelato and sorbetti shop Capogiro, Starr restaurant Continental and the Marathon Grill. Lodging includes the Four Seasons Hotel, AKA Rittenhouse Square, Rittenhouse Hotel, and the Ritz-Carlton. Cultural hot spots are the Kimmel Center, Wilma Theater, Prince Music Theater and the Philadelphia Horticultural Society. Another activity that one can take part in when in Rittenhouse is shopping. Some places include Barnes & Noble Booksellers (with a Starbucks Cafe inside on the 3rd floor), Armani Exchange, Philadelphia Runner, Guess, and just a few blocks away is the Liberty Place.

• Schuylkill River ParkThe newest of the city's parks, but already becoming one of the most popular. For a century, Philadelphia's waterfronts were cut off from its residents by industry and an extensive system of railroads. Now gone for decades, the waterfront is a kaleidoscope of residential development, recreation, and good living. Center City's ongoing Renaissance is being charged by new amenities such as this urban river-side park, which carves its way deep into the city, culminating in South Philly.

• The Shops at Liberty PlaceOn 16th and Chestnut is an elegant shopping center with stores like Nine West, J.Crew, and Express. Many professionals stop by to get a bite to eat at its large food court and some quick shopping during the lunch hour.

• The Shops at the BellevueLocated in the historic Bellevue at Broad and Walnut Sts., the Shops at the Bellevue offer upscale shopping and a gourmet food court. Shops include Ralph Lauren, Tiffany & Co., Williams-Sonoma, Origins, and Teuscher Chocolates of Switzerland (Oprah Winfrey loves the champagne truffles). Aside from the gourmet food court and upscale shopping, the Bellevue is also home to such upscale eateries as The Palm, Bliss, XIX and J.L. Sullivan's Speakeasy, as well as the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue.

• Walnut Street from Rittenhouse Square eastward to Broad Street is Philadelphia's upscale shopping district where shoppers will find major chains from Apple to Zara and local favorites such as Joan Shepp and Jacques Ferber.

• Village Whiskey

  phone: +1 215 665-1088
  address: 118 S 20th St
  A beautifully decorated Victorian-era bar and restaurant by local restaurateur Jose Garces, which serves some of the best and juiciest burgers in Philadelphia. It's not the cheapest, and fries cost extra, but it's definitely worth it.

• XIX

  phone: +1 215 790-1919
  address: 200 S Broad St
  Actually a hotel bar and restaurant named for the floor it's on in a historic 1904 Beaux Arts building, it just might be the highest dining spot in the city with a giant outdoor balcony with a view of downtown.

• Parc Restaurant

  phone: +1 215 545-2262
  address: 227 S 18th St
  One of Stephen Starr's many Philadelphia restaurants, located across from Rittenhouse Square and mimics the Parisian cafe scene in food, decor, and ample sidewalk seating. It's open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and is always busy, even on weekdays—don't any of these people have to work? Ah, just like Paris.

• Continental Mid-town

  phone: +1 215 567-1800
  address: 1801 Chestnut St
  Another Stephen Starr restaurant, located north of Rittenhouse Square. Fusion food in a brightly decorated, almost-but-not-quite retro diner.

• Erawan

  phone: +1 215 567-2542
  address: 123 S 23rd St
  Some of the best Thai food in Center City. They'll also deliver.

Rittenhouse Square

• Alma de Cuba

  phone: +1 215 988-1799
  address: 1623 Walnut St

• The Dandelion

  phone: +1 215 558-2500
  address: 124 S 18th St
  A perfect spot for a hearty dinner in a whimsical atmosphere. The idea behind Dandelion is a British gastropub, serving not only hearty food but also hearty beer. Order either the beer-battered fish and chips or the lamb shepherd’s pie. For dessert indulge in either the chocolate hot pot or the sticky toffee pudding. Dining at Dandelion is a relaxing way to end a jam-packed day.

• Friday Saturday Sunday

  phone: +1 215 546-4232
  address: 261 S 21st St
  A good neighborhood restaurant with regularly updated menu and good, reasonably priced wine list. The decor is dreamily intimate, with strings of twinkly white lights framing the room and, oddly enough, a huge aquarium that backs the bar upstairs and lights up the faces of the bar patrons with a faint glow. A great place for a romantic adventure or a date with an old friend. FriSatSun was a key contributor to Philly's 'restaurant renaissance' in the 70's, and is still going strong. Reservations recommended.

• Los Catrines & Tequilas Restaurant

  phone: +1 215 546-0181
  address: 1602 Locust St
  Featuring over 100 tequilas.

• Mama Palma's Gourmet Pizza

  phone: +1 215 735-7357
  address: 2229 Spruce St
  A cozy neighborhood gourmet pizzeria. This casual restaurant serves delicious pizza concoctions from the wood-fired brick oven.

• Barclay Prime

  address: 237 S 18th St
  Luxury boutique steakhouse.

• Capogiro

  address: 13th and Spruce; 20th and Sansom
  Artisanal gelato that reflects seasonal and local ingredients. Sample flavors: La Colombe cappuccino, Campari and grapefruit, muscat grape, hot pepper.

• Scoop DeVille

  address: at the corner of 18th and Chestnut
  a wonderful ice cream and sweets shop.

• Jones Restaurant

  address: 700 Chestnut Street
  The retro decor and shag rugs add to the fun atmosphere. This is a great spot for families and requires casual comfy attire. Make sure to start your meal off Jones’ famous monkey bread and a cup of coffee. The breakfast menu ranges from chocolate chip waffles, to eggs benedict, to huevos rancheros

Center City West has an active nightlife scene around the Rittenhouse Square area. As it's also one of the wealthiest neighborhoods, crowds here can be young, hip, and beautiful—or at least pretending to be—which leads some other people to gripe about how it's all turning too "tacky" and "Manhattan-esque." Depending on how you look at it, this is either changing Philadelphia for the worse, or this is the kind of scene Philadelphia needs to keep people from leaving for the actual Manhattan. Either way, this clash of cultures results in a larger range of options this side of Broad, from the dark, blue-collar dives to the super-ritzy cocktail lounges.
If you're in Center City during the summer months, be sure to take advantage of Center City Sips , a downtown-wide Happy Hour every Wednesday from 5PM-7PM where many bars and restaurants all participate in drink specials: $2 beers, $3 wines and $4 cocktails, and usually some selection of food specials. As it's right after the hump of the office work week, you'll see a lot of young professionals in business casual, and some places will get really crowded, but the prices are definitely right.

• Denim Lounge

  phone: +1 215 735-6700
  address: 1712 Walnut St
  One of Center City's most popular lounges with great DJs and a hip, young and fashionable crowd. However, recent reviews of service and drink prices in particular have placed this venue on the decline over the past several years.

• Monk's

  phone: +1 215 545-7005
  address: 264 S 16th St
  One of two of the best places to drink beer in Center City (the other one is Eulogy Tavern in Old City). Monk's has one of the largest beer varieties in the area, especially Belgian beer, with the right food to go with it (the burgers and mussels are standouts). Check their website to see the newest featured beer.

• McGlinchy's

  phone: +1 215 735-1259
  address: 259 S 15th St
  One of the few true dive bars in Center City. It's dirtier then you can imagine, and since the lighting is dim enough to be almost completely turned off, it's also dirtier then you can see. Right away, the staff genuinely doesn't like you. You will be a smoker as soon as you walk in, whether you smoke or not; McGlinchy's is one of the few bars that is exempt from the smoking ban and it's obvious from the door. The bathrooms are tiny and completely foul. You're better off not washing your hands, just to avoid touching as few things in there as possible. Fights are not uncommon, but the staff is always quick to pounce and drag it outside; McGlinchy's does not suffer fools. But the beer is ridiculously cheap, and the staff will warm up to you if you aren't an idiot, don't waste their time thinking about what you want to drink, and tip well. The crowd is often a mix of old barflys, blue collar after-workers and plenty of cute art school students. This is hands-down one of the best bars in Philly if you leave pretension at the door and roll with the vibe.

• Raven Lounge

  phone: +1 215 840-3577
  address: 1718 Sansom St
  A small bar just around the corner from Rittenhouse Square that's a lot of fun. Board games on the tables, affordable drinks, and a DJ mixing it up—once the night gets going, girls get on the bar itself because that's the only place left to dance! Other nights there will be live music or a live comedy show as well.

• Table 31

  address: located within the Comcast Center at 1701 JFK Boulevard
  There’s an outdoor bar/lounge area with a view of the city. Table 31’s outdoor lounge is a way to end off the night with a few drinks. They also offer an indoor lounge area that has a high-class look. One of the nicest ways to end the night is with a view of the city.

Coffee

• La Colombe

  address: 130 S. 19th Street
  Renowned Philadelphia-based coffee company's Rittenhouse cafe is a little slice of continental Europe in the City of Brotherly Love.

• Nook Bakery & Coffee Bar

  phone: +1 215 496-9033
  address: 15 S 20th St
  Coffeehouse and bakery operated by the owners of the former Walnut Bridge Coffee House.

Rittenhouse Square

• The Rittenhouse Hotel

  address: 210 West Rittenhouse Square
  A luxury 5-Diamond rated hotel.

• Crowne Plaza - Center City

  phone: +1 215 561-7500
  address: 1800 Market St

• Rittenhouse 1715

  address: 1715 Rittenhouse Square
  Renovated boutique hotel. Seasonal and couples specials are available.

• Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel Philadelphia

  phone: +1 215 735-6000
  address: 1701 Locust St # 411

• Hotel Palomar Philadelphia

  phone: +1 215 563-5006
  address: 117 South 17th Street
  A luxury Kimpton hotel near Rittenhouse Square, with complimentary wifi and hosting an evening wine reception. A LEED registered building following eco-friendly, energy-efficient standards.

Art Museum area

• Sheraton Philadelphia City Center

  address: 201 N 17th St
  4 blocks from the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

Free wifi

If there's something Philadelphia's plethora of students need, it's a local cafe with free wifi Internet access, and there are a handful of them scattered throughout Center City West. Of course, they can be of use for the traveler as well; most places will provide the password after you've purchased your coffee. However, unlike Starbucks, which are never in short supply, most of these locally-owned cafes encourage faster turnover and less "mobile office" syndrome by not providing electrical outlets.

• Good Karma Cafe

  address: 331 S. 22nd St.

• Free Library of Philadelphia (Philadelphia City Institute Branch)

  address: 1905 Locust Street
  You'll need a library or a guest account.

• Free Library of Philadelphia (Central Library)

  address: 1901 Vine Street
  You'll need a library or a guest account.

• Tuscany Cafe

  address: 222 West Rittenhouse Square
  No password, but also incredibly slow.

• Cosi

  address: 1720 Walnut Street,
  No password on internet, opens as late as 11 but lacks many power sockets.

• LaVa

  address: 21st and South Street,
  Relaxed feel, password given on purchase, a bit of a walking distance from Rittenhouse however.