Philadelphia, located in southeastern Pennsylvania, on the southern fringe of the mid-Atlantic region, is the fourth-largest urban area in the United States and the country's sixth-largest city.
Often referred to as "Philly", the official city boundaries are actually quite large—what started as a much smaller city began annexing the surrounding districts and suburbs in the mid-19th century, and Philadelphia the city is now coterminous with Philadelphia the county. Altogether, Philadelphia's metropolitan area encompasses a total twelve counties in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
Source: Wikitravel. A list of contributors is available at the original article on Wikitravel.
Philadelphia Information
Population: Approx. 1.6 million
Time Zone: GMT -5
Languages: English
Currency: Canadian Dollar ($USD)
Currency Exchange: Purchase your USD cash and travellers cheques before you leave Australia
Electricity: 110v - 60Hz
Philadelphia Climate
Summers tend to be hot and often muggy in Philadelphia, the humidity tending to be high during July and August. Fall and spring are mild and the most pleasant seasons. The rainfall pattern is generally spread throughout the year, with between six and nine wet days in every month. Winters are cold, but seldom does the mercury drop below freezing.
Snow is unpredictable, some winters experiencing little and others characterised by continual snowstorms. The city centre and inner New Jersey suburbs generally have light snow, with heavier falls being experienced to the north and west of the metropole.
Philadelphia Airport
Name: Philadelphia International Airport
Address: 8500 Essington av, Philadelphia
Distance to city: 27km
Car Rental: Great choice of hire cars at mates rates with our car suppliers
Transfers: Shuttle buses are widely available outside the ground transportation area
Westin Philadelphia
4 Star property
The Westin Philadelphia is located in the heart of the city's business, culture, and entertainment districts. Exceptional service is a hotel hallmark, and luxurious rooms provide a welcome respite after a day of sight-seeing and exploring the 70 shops of adjacent Liberty Place. The property provides a variety of welcoming comforts, from thick terry robes to coffeemakers with Starbucks premium coffees.
Sofitel Philadelphia
4 Star property
On the renovated site of the former Philadelphia Stock Exchange on the corner of 17th and Sansom St, the hotel is located in the heart of the business district, close to shopping and historic centre.
The Latham Hotel
3 Star property
The Latham Hotel Downtown is located approximately seven miles from Philadelphia International Airport and within walking distance of Independence Mall.
Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia
5 Star property
Philadelphia's first choice for business or pleasure, Four Seasons is elegance itself, furnished in faithful reproductions of the handsome Federal period - close to the financial and commercial districts yet surrounded by museums, shopping and history at One Logan Square.
Holiday Inn Philadelphia Stadium
3 Star property
The Holiday Inn Philadelphia Stadium is within a mile of Citizens Bank Ballpark, Lincoln Financial Field, and Wachovia Center, approximately five miles from downtown Philadelphia and four miles from Philadelphia International Airport. Local attractions include Philadelphia Zoo, Tweeter Center, Franklin Institute, and Penn's Landing.
Ritz Carlton Philadelphia
5 Star property
The centerpiece of Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts, the Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia is in the landmark Girard Trust Company Bank Rotunda, across the street from City Hall, walking distance from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, and approximately seven miles from the Philadelphia International Airport.
Dining
No trip to Philadelphia is complete without trying the cheesesteak, Philly's most famous homegrown food, a sandwich made of a fresh roll filled with grilled shaved beef and cheese (as well as onions, mushrooms, and other optional sides).
Philadelphia's most famous snack is the salted soft pretzel, which, while shaped with the three holes like soft pretzels everywhere else, are distinctive in that they are flattened into a wide rectangle and are made in long chains in which the wide sides of the pretzels are attached.
Philadelphia has an extremely vibrant culinary scene, with many young and enterprising new chefs coming to the City of Brotherly Love for its food-obsessed culture. Local restauranteurs such as Stephen Starr, Marc Vetri, Iron Chefs Masaharu Morimoto and Jose Garces, and others have become household names and food celebrities in their own right, transforming Philadelphia's food scene and exporting its concepts to other parts of the country. In part, the scene is bolstered by a culture of organic and sustainable foodstuffs coming from local farmers.
Source: Wikitravel. A list of contributors is available at the original article on Wikitravel.
