Philadelphia/West

With the exception of a few colonial and early federal mansions like the Woodlands and Bartram's Gardens, most of West Philly developed from farmland as an early suburb. Development moved west from the Schuylkill following the course of a network of trolleys (many of which still run today) and the El which runs above Market St. University City is also known as the "Left Bank" (an homage to Paris' Latin Quarter), as well as Philadelphia's "international" neighborhood because of the multitude of ethnicities living here.
Not surprisingly, West Philadelphia today presents a living catalog of 19th- and early 20th-century residential architecture ranging from dramatic ornate Queen Anne Victorian mansions to more humble brick rowhouses. Although many sections suffered decline and urban blight as the heavy industry that fed the demand for housing construction in West Philly dwindled and departed the United States, areas like Powelton Village, Spruce Hill and Cedar Park have been largely preserved and provide an opportunity to "step back into time" as you stroll the wide tree-lined streets of stately 19th-century homes. The area has been declared a National Historic District.
West Philly is home to several large educational institutions including the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and the University of Sciences in Philadelphia.
The area also holds most of Philadelphia's expansive Fairmount Park, the largest municipal park in the country. It is home to Mann Music Center, the Philadelphia Zoo, and soon the Please Touch children's museum. On Sundays, MLK Drive is closed to traffic, so bring your Rollerblades!
Check out Clark Park on Baltimore Ave at 43rd Street, or take a stroll on Spruce or Pine.

By public transit

• West Philadelphia is primarily served by stops 30th St through 63rd St of the Market-Frankford subway/elevated train line, which most locals refer to simply as "the El." This transit line which, as its name suggests, runs along Market Street, connects the neighborhoods of West Philadelphia with Center City to the East, ending in the Frankford section of Northeast Philadelphia. To the West, the El connects the city with 69th Street Terminal in the suburb of Upper Darby, where riders can transfer to various suburban trolley and bus lines.

• In addition to the El, all of Philadelphia's remaining trolley lines run through West Philadelphia at some point of their route.
• West Philadelphia is also served by Regional Rail, the city's network of commuter lines. Every line serving the city stops at 30th St station, and some lines make additional stops in the area (see the SEPTA rail map for additional information).
• Both Megabus and BoltBus have their Philadelphia stops behind 30th Street Station. The area is easy to locate as there is often groups of people waiting, vendors, and signs where the buses stop. Megabus and BoltBus both run multiple trips to New York each day. Megabus runs to various other places including Washington D. C., Toronto, Boston, State College, and more. See the website for current information.

By car

In addition to the network of city streets, West Philadelphia has easy access to Interstate 76 (usually referred to as the Schuylkill Expressway, after the river along which it was built) on its Eastern edge and Interstate 476 (the Blue Route) may be accessed on the Western edge of the area via PA Route 3 (West Chester Pike).

By bike

West Philadelphia cyclists count on one of the more extensive networks of bike-friendly streets in the city, many of them with designated bicycle lanes. These streets are all part of the city's Bicycle Network. The
Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia also provides resources. There are also a few good places to get new/used bikes as well as new/used parts and accessories: The Bike Church and Firehouse Bicycles.

Neighborhoods

• Powelton VillageIs a small enclave outside the University City section of Philadelphia, from 34th to 40th streets between Market and Haverford. It remains visually identifiable, an oasis of tree-lined streets, porch-fronted suburban houses interspersed with a few mansions and their commercial support buildings dating from the second half of the nineteenth century. Large, well-cared-for homes from the early 20th and late 19th century line several streets. This area is a collection of Philadelphia natives, college students and professors.

• University CityRoughly speaking, University City begins at 30th Street anchored by the historical 30th Street Station, extends west just beyond 40th Street, and north to Spring Garden Street. The area includes two of Philadelphia's major universities, Drexel University and University of Pennsylvania, and a teaching hospital. The neighborhood is undergoing gentrification and is a rapidly growing, heavily policed, student-friendly enclave within the larger predominantly working class West Philly. It also includes the prestigious culinary school The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College at 43rd and Walnut, and the private university University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. West Philadelphia also includes the residential areas of Powelton Village, Spruce Hill and Cedar Park, all of which have large student populations. Locust Walk, a part of Locust Street that has been made pedestrian-only through the University of Pennsylvania campus, is a particularly nice place for a stroll.

Fairmount Park

• Philadelphia Zoo

  phone: +1-215-243-1100
  address: 34th St and Girard Ave
  The first zoo in the United States, opened in 1874 (after a 15-year delay due to the Civil War). Home to nearly 1500 animals and attractions such as camel and pony rides, a bird safari, and a Victorian-era train.

• Mann Center for the Performing Arts

  phone: +1 215 893-1999
  address: 5201 Parkside Ave
  Theater and dining complex.

• Japanese House and Garden (Shofuso)The Japanese House, as it is informally known to Philadelphians, was built in 16th century style on the grounds of the Horticultural Center in the West Philadelphia section of Fairmount Park near the intersection of Belmont Avenue and Montgomery Drive.

• The Please Touch Museum

  phone: +1 215 963-0667
  address: 4231 Avenue of the Republic
  A fantastic place to take young children. As the name says, everyone is encouraged to touch the exhibits. It is located in Memorial Hall, a striking Beaux-arts building of granite, glass and iron, which is only major structure to survive from Philadelphia's 1876 Centennial Exposition.

• Belmont Plateau

  address: 2000 Belmont Mansion Dr
  Section of Fairmount Park with a great view of center city. The lower plateau has locations for grilling, baseball, and other activities. Climb to the upper plateau for the view.

• Belmont Mansion

  phone: +1 215 878-8844
  Historic mansion built in 1745, located at the top of the Belmont Plateau. Mansion now includes the Underground Railroad Museum.

Other parks

• Clark Park

  address: 43rd & Chester
  Clark Park is an outdoor music and arts festival area in West Philadelphia.

• John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum

  phone: +1 215 365-3118
  address: 8601 Lindbergh Blvd
  Located on the border of Philadelphia and Tinicum Township, the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum is the first urban National Wildlife Refuge in the United States and preserves the Tinicum Marsh along the Darby Creek, which is the largest freshwater tidal marsh remaining in Pennsylvania. The refuge is a stop for birds along the Atlantic Flyway and is home for a variety of wildlife including deer, fox, raccoons, butterflies, fish, ducks, geese, osprey, and eagles. The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum features a 10-mile network of trails that allow for viewing of wildlife. You can also fish in the Darby Creek of travel through the marsh in a canoe. Also located at the refuge is the Cusano Environmental Education Center.

Museums

• Penn Museum

  phone: +1 215 898-4000
  address: 3260 South St
  An anthropology and archeology museum run by the University of Pennsylvania. Houses an impressive collection of Egyptian and Greco-Roman artifacts.

• The PalestraPhiladelphia is known for its rich college basketball history, and the Palestra, located on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania, is a museum of the Philadelphia Big 5 programs (La Salle, Penn, Saint Joseph's, Temple, and Villanova). The arena serves as the home court for the Penn Quakers basketball team and is the court for many basketball games between the city's colleges.

Theatre

• Rave Cinemas University City 6

• Group Motion Dance Company

  address: 3500 Lancaster

• Film @ International House

• PhiladancoThe Philadelphia Dance Company. Events often take place at the Kimmel Center in Center City.

• Spiral Q Puppet Theater

  address: 3808 Lancaster

• Curio Theatre Company

  address: 4740 Baltimore
  also offers lessons for children.

Galleries

• Arthur Ross Gallery

• Esther M. Klein Art Gallery

  address: 3701 Market

• Institute of Contemporary ArtA modern art museum.

• The Slought Foundation

  address: 4017 Walnut
  Runs cultural events.

• Barnes FoundationJust west of the city boundaries in Merion, the former Barnes residence features a 12-acre arboretum, with over 3,000 species of woody plants and trees. The art collection moved to a new building in Center City West in 2012.

Culture

• Community Education Center

• East Africa Resource and Study Center

• Special Events @ International House

• Penn Humanities Forum

• University City Historical SocietyA registry of historic buildings in the University City area.

• 2nd FridayA more "laid-back" version of Old City's 1st Friday.

Live music

• Crossroads MusicCrossroads organizes world music concerts at various venues in West Philly.

• The Blockley

  address: 38th and Chestnut
  Concert venue for smaller acts. Includes both local and touring bands.

• Fiume

  address: 229 S. 45th St
  Live blues every Sunday, 7-10, and live Bluegrass on Thursdays, 10-1:45

• The Green Line Cafe

• Gatherings Concert Series

• Millcreek Tavern

• Philadelphia Boys' Choir & Chorale

• Pilam

• The World Cafe Live

  address: 3025 Walnut St
  Offers an eclectic offering of concerts, from jazz to rock, from locally and nationally-renowned artists.

Misc

• Foreign Language Classes @ International House

• Kelly Writers' House

• University City Arts League

• West Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

• Penn Presents Annenberg Center

• The Rotunda (promotion of arts/live music)

• University Pinball

Fitness & Recreation

• FIT Gym

• Penn Ice Rink

• Philadelphia Karate Club

• Power Yoga Works

• Studio 34: Yoga Healing Arts

  phone: +1 215 387-3434
  address: 4522 Baltimore Ave
  A 5,000-square-foot healing and creative arts space in vibrant, diverse West Philadelphia. Opened in March 2008, it offers yoga, Pilates, healing, creative arts events, and community programs. Just 15 minutes from City Hall on SEPTA's Route 34 Green Line trolley.
• SWEAT gym (right before the Walnut Street Bridge)

• The Urban Arboretum of University CityA collection of trees growing along the residential streets of West Philadelphia. Dozens of species can be found, and a map is available to help locate them.

There are two main streets in West Philadelphia along which the majority of the area's shopping is concentrated. Walnut street in University City caters to the more upscale tastes of residents, many of them students, who live on and around the college campuses, while 52nd St has historically been frequented by the less affluent residents of outlying neighborhoods. The 52nd St shopping district has recently started falling into decline, earning itself a reputation for being unsafe, but still may offer some interesting shopping and dining options for those who care to visit.
City Line Ave, which divides Philadelphia City and County from suburban communities in Montgomery County, also provides a variety of chain stores and restaurants.

• Eastern Mountain Sports

  phone: +1 215-382-0930
  address: 3401 Chestnut St
  Excellent selection of Scott Bikes - Road bikes, Hybrids, and Mountain Bikes

• The Fresh Grocer

• Clark Park Farmer's Market

• Lancaster Ave Farmer's Market

• University Square

• Penn Bookstore

• The Natural Shoe Store

• Market & Shoppes @ 30th St Street Station

• Supreme Supermarket

• UC Pets

  address: 4916 Baltimore Ave

West Philadelphia boasts one of the largest and most varied concentrations of ethnic restaurants outside of Center City. However, more familiar chain restaurants, from McDonald's to Boston Market, aren't hard to find for the less-adventurous palate. Food trucks are also popular around the university areas, leading several Penn students to start a website cataloguing and mapping all the local trucks, with a handy filter for only trucks that are open.

Budget

• Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant

  phone: +1 215 387-2424
  address: 229 S 45th St
  Good, affordable Ethiopian food, if you can stand the poorly rated service and long wait times. Vegan friendly.

• Bobby's Burger Palace

  phone: +1 215 387-0378
  address: 3925 Walnut St
  Celebrity chef Bobby Flay's first "fast casual" burger joint in a major city, featuring "Crunchified" burgers—potato chips between the meat and the bun.

• Kaffa Crossing Cafe

  phone: +1 215 386-0504
  address: 4423 Chestnut St
  Cross between fair trade coffee shop and Ethiopian restaurant. Vegan friendly.

• Kim's Oriental Food

  address: 37th and Walnut Streets
  Food truck that's immensely popular amongst college students, because it's cheap, tasty, extremely fast, and is one of the few food trucks that feels like it's always open.

• Pho Cafe Saigon

  phone: +1 215 222-6800
  address: 4248 Spruce St
  Cheap Vietnamese food.

• Saad's Halal Restaurant

  phone: +1 215 222-7223
  address: 4500 Walnut St
  Mediterranean restaurant.

• Tacos Don Memo

  phone: +1 610 529-2039
  address: 38th Street, between Walnut and Chestnut Streets
  Some of the best burritos and tortas in the area actually come out of this tiny, blink-and-you'll-miss-it taco truck on traffic-heavy 38th Street. Unfortunately, there will be quite a long wait—about a half hour or so—during the lunch rush, and despite their popularity, their presence is not always reliable (though you can now follow their Twitter account for updates).

Mid-range

• Allegro Pizza & Grill

  phone: +1 215 382-8158
  address: 3942 Spruce St
  A staple of the college student's late-night delivery repertoire.

• Dahlak

  phone: +1 215 726-6464
  address: 4708 Baltimore Ave
  Economical Ethiopian/Eritrean fare, one of the original and best east African restaurants in the neighborhood. Lovely traditional decor.

• The Greek Lady

  phone: +1 215 382-2600
  address: 222 S 40th St
  Greek food.

• Kabobeesh

  phone: +1 215 386-8081
  address: 4201 Chestnut St
  Pakistani restaurant.

• Koreana Restaurant

  phone: +1 215 222-2240
  address: 3801 Chestnut St
  You'd never know it was there, since it's tucked behind Abner's Cheesesteaks and a Chili's, but the Korean college students will tell you it's some of the best Korean food in the city.

• Lemongrass Thai

  phone: +1 215 222-8042
  address: 3626-30 Lancaster Ave

• Metropolitan Bakery

  phone: +1 215 222-1492
  address: 4013 Walnut St
  Locally-based artisan bakery with several stores throughout Philadelphia.

• Mokas

  phone: +1 215 222-4410
  address: 3505 Lancaster Ave
  Greek restaurant.

• New Delhi Indian Restaurant

  phone: +1 215 386-1941
  address: 4004 Chestnut St
  Vegan friendly.

• Penne Restaurant

  phone: +1 215 823-6222
  address: 3600 Sansom St

• Rx

  phone: +1 215 222-9590
  address: 4443 Spruce St
  Great food, with somewhat slow service.

• Sang Kee Noodle House

  phone: +1 215 387-8808
  address: 3549 Chestnut St

• Satellite Cafe

  address: 701 S 50th St
  Local and organic coffee shop.

• Sitar India Cuisine

  phone: +1 215 662-0818
  address: 60 S 38th St
  Vegan friendly.

• Tandoor India Restaurant

  phone: +1 215 222-7122
  address: 106 S 40th St
  Vegan friendly.

• Vientiane Cafe

  address: 4728 Baltimore Ave
  Thai/Laotian restaurant. Vegan friendly.

• White Dog Cafe

  phone: +1 215 386-9224
  address: 3420 Sansom St
  One of the pioneers of the "buy local" movement in Philadelphia, the White Dog uses products from local farmers, and serve beers from local breweries. As a result, prices are higher. The food is mostly American/Continental style, with pub grub served at the bar.

Splurge

• Distrito

  phone: +1 215 386-1072
  address: 3945 Chestnut St
  "Modern Mexican" food by local restaurateur Jose Garces. Dinner starts being served at 5PM Distrito is a restaurant that’s full of pink décor that will get your attention. This modern restaurant has unique setting from chairs, booths and taxis. Chef Jose Garces won Best Chef Mid-Atlantic award and won The Next Iron Chef in 2010.

• Marigold Kitchen

  phone: +1 215 222-3699
  address: 501 S. 45th St

• MidAtlantic

  phone: +1 215 386-3711
  address: 3711 Market St
  Modern reinterpretation of Mid-Atlantic and traditional Philadelphian food.

• Pod

  phone: +1 215 387-1803
  address: 3636 Sansom St
  Stephen Starr's Asian fusion restaurant in a funky, nightclub-like decor.

In West Philly, local dive bars and Irish pubs rule the roost.

• The Blarney Stone

  phone: +1 215 222-5340
  address: 3929 Sansom St
  Dive bar popular with Penn undergrads.

• Bridgewater's Pub

  phone: +1 215 387-4787
  address: 2951 Market St
  Rotating selection of local and German microbrews on draft.

• Dock Street Brewery

  phone: +1 215 726-2337
  address: 701 S. 50th St
  Changing selection of six microbrewed beers. Gourmet pizzas prepared in a wood burning oven.

• Fiume

  address: 45th and Locust St
  Live bluegrass music on Thursday nights and $3 PBR/Whiskey specials. Located above Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant, enter on Locust street, and go up the stairs.

• Gojjo

  phone: +1 215 386-1444
  address: 4540 Baltimore Ave
  Ethiopian restaurant with a resident DJ that plays Friday and Saturday after 10PM.

• Local 44

  phone: +1 215 222-2337
  address: 4333 Spruce St
  Good food and a large selection of craft beers, both local and from around the world. Although the name evokes the all-powerful Philadelphia labor union, the crowd reflects this West Philly neighborhood of young professionals and graduate students.

• Mikey's

  phone: +1 215 222-3226
  address: 3180 Chestnut St
  An American sports bar, with decent food and beer bongs. Quizzo (that's two 'z's, outside of Patrick Hines's Quizo empire) on Thursday nights.

• Natalie's Lounge

  phone: +1 215 222-5162
  address: 4003 Market St
  Jazz club. Most popular night is on Saturdays, kicking it off with a jam session for anyone to join in and then with professional acts throughout the evening.

• New Angle Lounge

  phone: +1 215 387-5147
  address: 3901 Lancaster Ave
  A local bar on a triangle lot, hence its name. On Wednesdays, ordering a drink gets you a balloon which you pop, and there are instructions inside that tell you what to do next!

• New Deck Tavern

  phone: +1 215 386-4600
  address: 3408 Sansom St
  An Irish pub a stone's throw away from the University of Pennsylvania, it's a popular hangout for students with good bar food. Home of the first Quizo game, which is still happens every Monday and Wednesday nights.

• Sláinte

  phone: +1 215 222-7400
  address: 3000 Market St
  An Irish themed pub owned by the same people as New Deck and with a similar but less collegiate feel. Draws more of a business crowd but has good inexpensive bar food and beer.

Hostels

• HI - Chamounix Mansion Hostel

  phone: +1 215 878-3676
  address: 3250 Chamounix Dr
  On a scenic bluff above the Schuylkill River and 45 minutes to downtown Philadelphia's cultural and historic attractions. Associated with Hostelling International. Curfew at 2AM, daily lockout between 11AM and 4:30PM.

Bed and breakfasts

• Cornerstone Bed & Breakfast

  address: 3300 Baring

• The Gables Bed & Breakfast

• Spruce Hill Manor Bed & Breakfast

Hotels

• The Inn at Penn

  address: 3600 Sansom St
  A four-diamond Hilton property hotel on the University of Pennsylvania campus.

• Sheraton Philadelphia

  address: 36th and Chestnut Streets
  Sheraton Philadelphia University City hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania features luxurious rooms, meeting space, and a restaurant near city center.

• Penn Tower Hotel

Airport hotels

• Residence Inn Philadelphia Airport

  phone: +1 215 492-1611
  address: 4630 Island Ave

• Marriott Courtyard Philadelphia Airport

  phone: +1 215 365-2200
  address: 8900 Bartram Ave

• Philadelphia Airport Marriott

  phone: +1 215 492-9000
  address: 1 Arrivals Rd
  Connected to Terminal B of the Philadelphia International Airport via the skybridge. Has event space for meetings and weddings.

• Microtel Airport

  phone: +1 215 492-0700
  address: 8840 Tinicum Blvd
  Economy/budget hotel offering guests free local and free long distance calls in the continental United States, and free Wi-Fi in every room of their hotels, as well as advance online check-in and check-out with unlimited access to online folio information.

• Embassy Suites

  phone: +1 215 365-4500
  address: 9000 Bartram Ave

• Renaissance Philadelphia Hotel Airport

  phone: +1 610 521-5900
  address: 500 Stevens Dr