Q. We (Mom, Dad, 21 year old brother, husband and I) are stopping over in Philly this Saturday and Sunday. I want to go to the Art musem and see the liberity bell. Anyone have any other suggustions? My family likes history, food, and fun... I'll check this tomorrow and pick my best answer before we leave. Thanks.
A. Welcome to Philly! I tried to select good places that matched your interests, and I grouped them according to location and a "walkable" distance. The restaurants are close to the sites and relatively inexpensive. I put a ($) next to a more moderately priced restaurant, and a (**) next to my favorites.
in Center City North
The Art Museum (Ben Franklin Parkway)
The Rodin Museum (Ben Franklin Parkway)
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts** (N. Broad & Cherry)
Places to eat: TGI Friday's, Rose Tatoo** ($). The Sheraton Hotel (17th & Race) has Phillips Restaurant ($) and The Terrace.
in Olde City
The National Liberty Museum** (3rd & Chestnut)
The Constitution Center** (6th & Market)
Places to eat: El Azteca, Society Hill Hotel & Restaurant, Jones**, Bookbinders ($), Cuba Libre ($). Also, the Bourse Building (5th & Market St.) has a food court.
in Center City South
Civil War Museum (18th & Pine)
The Historical Society of PA (13th & Locust)-- great library for history buffs!
Antique Row (independent shops along Pine St.)
Places to eat: Monk's (excellent burgers & beer), Mixto**, Ted's Montana Grill**, The Marathon Grill. There's a food court in the Bellevue Building (Broad & Walnut.)
The Fairmount section:
Eastern State Penitentiary** (old prison tours--cool place)
Restaurants: London Grill ($), Rembrandts, Jack's Firehouse ($)
Restaurants along Penn's Landing (The Waterfront):
Chart House**, Moshulu, LaVeranda ($$), Keating's River Grill (great for brunch)
To travel cheaply:
Philly PHLASH $1 per ride
SEPTA $5 (all-day pass)
Enjoy Philly!
in Center City North
The Art Museum (Ben Franklin Parkway)
The Rodin Museum (Ben Franklin Parkway)
Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts** (N. Broad & Cherry)
Places to eat: TGI Friday's, Rose Tatoo** ($). The Sheraton Hotel (17th & Race) has Phillips Restaurant ($) and The Terrace.
in Olde City
The National Liberty Museum** (3rd & Chestnut)
The Constitution Center** (6th & Market)
Places to eat: El Azteca, Society Hill Hotel & Restaurant, Jones**, Bookbinders ($), Cuba Libre ($). Also, the Bourse Building (5th & Market St.) has a food court.
in Center City South
Civil War Museum (18th & Pine)
The Historical Society of PA (13th & Locust)-- great library for history buffs!
Antique Row (independent shops along Pine St.)
Places to eat: Monk's (excellent burgers & beer), Mixto**, Ted's Montana Grill**, The Marathon Grill. There's a food court in the Bellevue Building (Broad & Walnut.)
The Fairmount section:
Eastern State Penitentiary** (old prison tours--cool place)
Restaurants: London Grill ($), Rembrandts, Jack's Firehouse ($)
Restaurants along Penn's Landing (The Waterfront):
Chart House**, Moshulu, LaVeranda ($$), Keating's River Grill (great for brunch)
To travel cheaply:
Philly PHLASH $1 per ride
SEPTA $5 (all-day pass)
Enjoy Philly!
netherlands and amsterdam..any info will be greatly appreciated?
Q. im going to Amsterdam in June and im curious about some things.like about the red light district.. is that like a boardwalk, is there more than one? also i want to go to a zoo out there where is there a zoo? any other suggestions? i am pretty much informed on all the 'coffee shops' but i would like to know anything anyone who has been there before can tell me. all info is appreciated.. thanks! muah!
A. AMS is a medieval city, built in a time there wasn't any form of motorized transportation. So the center - at least the part that is of interest of you is very small, it's walkable. The red light district is the oldest part of the town, about ten streets with a lot of small alleys. So it is not like a boardwalk, it is like an old medieval european city, with a lot of canals used to supply the city with food. Almost every row of houses has a canal in front of it - at least in the center of the city, only about four streets in the center don't have water anymore to make room for the traffic.
Zoo: the zoo is called Artis (www.artis.nl). I can't understand why you would travel to the other side of the world to visit a zoo, but if you want, it is about ten minutes by tram from the central station which really is in the old center of the city - they built a special island in the old harbour to make room for the railway station in the city center.
Coffee shops: don't go if you're still a child. Most of the Dutch don't understand why all the tourists want to visit the coffee shops. We try it once, and most say they don't want to do it again.
Still if you really want to go, just visit one, go to the counter and tell them you are new in this and unexperienced. If it's not too crowded, they will be happy to tell you everything there is to know about it. Visit in the afternoon, they will have time for you.
One of the nicer things about the red light district is that prostitution is legal. This makes that it hasn't the feel of criminality that you have if you visit comparable districts in other big cities of the world. The hookers can be seen plainly sitting behind the windows. Outside it is very crowded mostly with curious tourists. As long as you're on the street, no one will think you are a hooker or a customer.
Go visit a normal pub / bar. They are not so seedy as I've seen in small towns of the US. Mums and dads visit them, and even hookers visit them to take a break. They are willing to talk to everyone who doesn't have the attitude to accuse them they are doing something wrong. Go talk to them, and maybe you'll understand why they (have to) do this work, and see that it isn't glamourous at all. Especially the older ones have more time to talk to people in the bars. Don't treat them as a tourist attraction though.
Don't flash your rolex or your 1000 dollar billets. Because of the crowds it is not really dangerous, but don't tempt the villains. After all, you don't really need it there, do you? Beware of pickpocketers though, they are in the crowds as in every big city in the world (san francisco, new york, london, paris, cairo, mexico city...) wear your wallet in the front pocket of your jeans, so you can feel it, or wear the big money under your clothes.
If I'd travel to the other side of the world, I'd try to sniff some culture from there: see the famous 16th century paintings by Rembrandt in the Rijksmuseum (ask your hotel for tram number), on the same square is the van Gogh museum, with all famous van Gogh paintings (except for three even more famous ones in Paris). Expect a morning, or afternoon for each of these museums. Like all famous big museums in the world they are too big, you get tired before you've seen everything, so first visit the famous paintings, and if you want to see more, visit the other items. If you're interested, visit Anne Franks house (it is just a house, so expect to spend there only a few hours).
Means of transport: if you can: rent a bike. Everyone uses a bike in the city. Easy and fast. You'll reach everything within ten minutes. If you can't use a car, trams are also a fast way of transportation and run really often (every five minutes or so, except for the night) Don't use a car, you can't leave it anywhere.
Finally: have fun. The nicest thing about visiting other countries is having a talk with the local people. Visit a bar, most people really do like it if you start a conversation. Don't be shy, after a few tries you'll experience that it is really nice to have a talk. And the nice thing is that everyone in the Netherlands speaks English
Zoo: the zoo is called Artis (www.artis.nl). I can't understand why you would travel to the other side of the world to visit a zoo, but if you want, it is about ten minutes by tram from the central station which really is in the old center of the city - they built a special island in the old harbour to make room for the railway station in the city center.
Coffee shops: don't go if you're still a child. Most of the Dutch don't understand why all the tourists want to visit the coffee shops. We try it once, and most say they don't want to do it again.
Still if you really want to go, just visit one, go to the counter and tell them you are new in this and unexperienced. If it's not too crowded, they will be happy to tell you everything there is to know about it. Visit in the afternoon, they will have time for you.
One of the nicer things about the red light district is that prostitution is legal. This makes that it hasn't the feel of criminality that you have if you visit comparable districts in other big cities of the world. The hookers can be seen plainly sitting behind the windows. Outside it is very crowded mostly with curious tourists. As long as you're on the street, no one will think you are a hooker or a customer.
Go visit a normal pub / bar. They are not so seedy as I've seen in small towns of the US. Mums and dads visit them, and even hookers visit them to take a break. They are willing to talk to everyone who doesn't have the attitude to accuse them they are doing something wrong. Go talk to them, and maybe you'll understand why they (have to) do this work, and see that it isn't glamourous at all. Especially the older ones have more time to talk to people in the bars. Don't treat them as a tourist attraction though.
Don't flash your rolex or your 1000 dollar billets. Because of the crowds it is not really dangerous, but don't tempt the villains. After all, you don't really need it there, do you? Beware of pickpocketers though, they are in the crowds as in every big city in the world (san francisco, new york, london, paris, cairo, mexico city...) wear your wallet in the front pocket of your jeans, so you can feel it, or wear the big money under your clothes.
If I'd travel to the other side of the world, I'd try to sniff some culture from there: see the famous 16th century paintings by Rembrandt in the Rijksmuseum (ask your hotel for tram number), on the same square is the van Gogh museum, with all famous van Gogh paintings (except for three even more famous ones in Paris). Expect a morning, or afternoon for each of these museums. Like all famous big museums in the world they are too big, you get tired before you've seen everything, so first visit the famous paintings, and if you want to see more, visit the other items. If you're interested, visit Anne Franks house (it is just a house, so expect to spend there only a few hours).
Means of transport: if you can: rent a bike. Everyone uses a bike in the city. Easy and fast. You'll reach everything within ten minutes. If you can't use a car, trams are also a fast way of transportation and run really often (every five minutes or so, except for the night) Don't use a car, you can't leave it anywhere.
Finally: have fun. The nicest thing about visiting other countries is having a talk with the local people. Visit a bar, most people really do like it if you start a conversation. Don't be shy, after a few tries you'll experience that it is really nice to have a talk. And the nice thing is that everyone in the Netherlands speaks English
Philadelphia, Museum area, what restaurant must I not miss?
Q. Please no seafood restaurants, wife allergic.
A. Waterworks Restaurant is right behind the Art Museum. Make sure you make a reservation. If it's not too hot, dine on the patio. The staff has a bit of a fu-fu attitude, but the view from the river is worth putting up with it. Decent food. Nice ambiance. Moderately priced ($$).
The Rose Tattoo-- (20th & Callowhill) is one of my favorites. Great food-- sort of an Americana/Louisiana fusion cuisine. Desserts are works of art. Moderately priced ($$).
The Four Seasons Hotel (18th & BF Parkway) has an upscale restaurant-- very posh and pricey ($$$).
Bridgid's (nr. 25th & Brown)--a well kept secret. Small, laid-back, very cozy. It's a family-run restaurant that really keeps a homey, dining room feel. Food is very good. Lunch is the best deal ($). Dinner is moderately priced ($$).
Just a few (4-5) blocks north of Art Museum area is the Fairmount neighborhood. Lots of nice resturants there. The following restaurants are located across the street from the old Eastern State Prison (23rd & Fairmount), a great tourist place toi visit.
Jack's Firehouse ($$)
The London Grill ($$)
Rembrandt's ($)
Have a fun and plesant day in Philly!
The Rose Tattoo-- (20th & Callowhill) is one of my favorites. Great food-- sort of an Americana/Louisiana fusion cuisine. Desserts are works of art. Moderately priced ($$).
The Four Seasons Hotel (18th & BF Parkway) has an upscale restaurant-- very posh and pricey ($$$).
Bridgid's (nr. 25th & Brown)--a well kept secret. Small, laid-back, very cozy. It's a family-run restaurant that really keeps a homey, dining room feel. Food is very good. Lunch is the best deal ($). Dinner is moderately priced ($$).
Just a few (4-5) blocks north of Art Museum area is the Fairmount neighborhood. Lots of nice resturants there. The following restaurants are located across the street from the old Eastern State Prison (23rd & Fairmount), a great tourist place toi visit.
Jack's Firehouse ($$)
The London Grill ($$)
Rembrandt's ($)
Have a fun and plesant day in Philly!
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