Christmas in Philadelphia

I love Philadelphia! I think it’s one of the most interesting cities in the US with its blend of history and contemporary culture. I’ve always thought it was an intriguing place with a wide variety of attractions which appeal to a broad audience. It is a bigger city than people realize, the 6th largest in the US, but it does not feel overwhelming like New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. Philadelphia is understandable and relatable. It’s manageable. Part of this appeal stems from its history and design – the Center City, where most tourists will spend their time, is laid out on an easy to understand grid pattern that won’t confuse first timers. Another appeal is that Philadelphians are a laid-back people. There is not so much the attitude that comes with a lot of hustle and bustle. Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of sophistication there, but it comes with a more egalitarian point of view.

Independence Hall, Philadelphia

Philadelphia is one of the oldest cities in the US and has played a significant role in the development of our country. Founded in 1682 by William Penn, the city played host to many pivotal events in the history of the United States – the Continental Congresses were held there and the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were finalized in Philadelphia as well. It was well situated geographically between the northern and southern original 13 British colonies and was one of the largest and most significant cities in the British Empire. Given its influence, Philadelphia has also been home to many “firsts” in the US – such as the first stock exchange, zoo, hospital, and library. It was also the capital of the United States for a period until Washington, DC was built as the permanent US capital city. To me, Philadelphia feels like a living museum where you can really experience the weight of time. I don’t mean in a heavy or stuffy sense, but there you walk on city streets that have probably not changed much in 400 years. The Starbucks you get a coffee at may be in a building where Benjamin Franklin once set foot. It’s one of the few places where history is alive and well and people still live in and are making it. It’s not a museum or “experience” to view from the outside.

Second Bank of the United States, Philadelpia

Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia

I’ve been to Philadelphia many times and of course there are the must-dos such as Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Philadelphia Art Museum and the “Rocky” stairs, cheesesteaks, and the famous LOVE sculpture, to name but a few. I had the opportunity to visit in early December to experience the Christmas season and below are a few of my highlights from the trip. The city is a joy to visit at any time but the holidays bring an extra magic and festiveness.

Union Station, Washington, DC

The city is easily accessible by car, plane or train. We took the Amtrak train from DC, a relaxing hour plus ride with a disembarkation at Philadelphia’s art nouveau 30th Street Station. The station is a very short taxi ride into Center City and we stayed at the Le Meridien Philadelphia on Arch Street, right next to the grand and imposing City Hall. The hotel is situated in a former YMCA building and was satisfactory for our short stay though I would have thought there would have been more grandeur in the lobby given the building’s age. The location was fantastic and the room was as expected but there was not much excitement there. The small breakfast buffet was more than sufficient and the bar served up some good drinks with a bartender who looked like he was an extra from the movie Doctor Zhivago with his Bolshevik mustache and bangs. He did make a good martini though.

30th Street Station, Philadelphia

This was a relatively short trip (about 48 hours) and the primary purpose was to see a Madonna concert at the new Met concert hall on Saturday night. We managed to take in a few things before and after the show but this was hardly a full-on sight-seeing trip. We arrived on Friday afternoon and left on a Sunday late afternoon. The concert hall itself was a beautiful setting – it’s in a restored opera house originally built in 1908. They did an amazing job with the renovations and the acoustics are ideal for musical events, of which there is a wide variety of programming. It will for sure be on my radar for future visits to see what’s playing there. The show itself was different for Madonna (this was her Madam X tour which took place in small theaters) but we enjoyed it and the people around us made for an interesting evening.

Since we were there in early December, we wanted to take advantage of all of the Christmas and Holiday offerings. But we also managed to sneak in three museums/sights, two good restaurants and the Reading Terminal Market (twice). I’ll describe these briefly before highlighting some of the holiday festivities. As I mentioned, I’ve been to Philadelphia before and seen most of the major sites (Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, etc.) which are all grouped together in the Center City/historic district. I had not, however, had the opportunity to see the Museum of the American Revolution which opened in April 2017. This new and sprawling museum explores the history of the 100 plus years leading up to the Revolution and of course the events and conflicts surrounding the creation of our country. Like most modern museums, there is a wide variety of media to engage attendees such as movies, multi-media exhibits, hands-on and more traditional artifacts, such as Washington’s tent from Valley Forge. I’d highly recommend a visit and I learned a few new things about our history, something I was not expecting really. See below for a few items from the museum.

We also had time for a quick visit to Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens. This unique and quirky “museum” is the work of artist Isaiah Zagar and has been on going since the 1960’s. Filling half of a South Street city block, the site is a house and associated complex garden covered in a mosaic made from all types of materials – bottles, plates, sculptures, tire spokes, and you name it. I think you could visit this over and over and always find new things. There are 3 full time conservationists who are continually updating and maintaining items that weather or break. Zagar intended this to be an ever-evolving process. You can also find more than 100 other mosaics by him throughout the city. In addition to mosaics, Philadelphia is a city of murals - in fact it has more public-art murals than any other city in the US. There are walking tours of them as well but I enjoyed just discovering them. One last tourist site we got in before the Christmas stuff was the One Liberty Observation Deck (also know as Philly From The Top). At 57 floors above street level, you are quickly whisked up to see panoramic views of the city from all sides. Many cities have these and I have mixed feels about them since I don’t usually know what I am looking at. But it is interesting to see the wide stretch of the city, the river so close, and how the old historic core is really such a small part of the city. Following are some photos from the Magic Gardens and around town.

Luckily were able to visit one of my favorite restaurants anywhere, Talula’s Garden, just off Washington Square. I’ve tried to eat here every time I’ve been to Philadelphia and find this restaurant to be among the most charming. The décor is so inviting with a lot of quirky touches and nooks and crannies and the vibe is always buzzy and full of life. It’s a really beautiful space. If you are lucky enough to be visiting while the weather is nice, the side garden where the entrance is offers a really beautiful place to dine. The food changes frequently, is seasonal, and always deliciously hits the mark – they don’t skimp on portion sizes here either! Cocktails are also seasonal, cool, and fresh – this place should be on your list! We also ate at Opa, a Greek restaurant in Center City. I had dined here before as well and remembered that the food is so authentic. It’s served like tapas-style with dishes coming to the table when they are ready. The fava hummus with it’s billowy pita was a real standout as was my fig vodka with rosemary cocktail. Other quick meals were enjoyed at the Reading Terminal Market, another of my very favorite places. The 125-year-old market is located in the former Reading Railroad (as in the game Monopoly) terminal and houses dozens of permanent vendors selling all manner of food and other items. The food ranges from prepared foods to take away, restaurants and counters you can eat there, and grocers selling fruits, vegetables, meats and many other products. There are many Amish vendors from near-by Lancaster County selling their unique and simple foods. Read my Lancaster County blogs here, here, and here. It’s a fascinating place with something for everyone. Be warned though that trying to eat there at lunch can be a challenge, it can be quite crowded with local workers and attendees of conferences from the convention center next door. Below are photos from the Market, Talula's and Opa

Christmas in Philadelphia was really a lot of fun and there are a pretty large number of things to do, most conveniently located in Center City. Much of the activity centers around City Hall which sits imposingly at the intersection of Market and Broad. This massive Second Empire architectural wonder is the largest municipal office building in the US and the heart of the city, taking up most of Penn Square. The space is home to the Wawa Holiday Plaza which includes a gigantic Philadelphia-themed Christmas tree, Ferris wheel and holiday train. In Dilworth Park, on the West side of City Hall, there is a huge Made in Philadelphia Holiday Market which includes an ice rink, tent selling food and drinks, an evergreen filled Wintergarden, and dozens of vendors selling local and regional gifts. Finally, inside the City Hall courtyard there are more vendors, performers and a Carousel for children to enjoy. Following are photos from around City Hall.

Right across from the City Hall is the LOVE Park which is home to the super popular Christmas Village in Philadelphia. This old style German Christmas Market was pretty authentic to the real thing, down to the long lines for the gluhwein. Read my blog about European Christmas Markets here. There was a long line for an actual German vendor selling authentic made-in-Germany Christmas items. There were dozens of other vendors selling all variety of items from hot sauces to Christmas ornaments to dog treats. A main stage hosted nightly performances and you could get your fill of local and German-inspired dishes. Finally, there was a large illuminated Christmas gift which you could walk inside and make a donation to charity. If you donated, you could control the colors of the lights on the structure. Below are photos from LOVE Park.

Beyond the markets, there were two Christmas light shows that we were able to catch – one quite old and traditional and one very modern. It was so interesting to see the differences between the two. The modern show takes place at the Comcast Center every hour on the hour and last for about 15 minutes. It’s projected onto a video wall in the lobby area of the building and features several clever vignettes timed to holiday song classics. The experience concludes with a sing along and snow tumbling from the rafters. While we were at the Comcast Center we also experienced the Universal Sphere, a Steven Spielberg-designed multi-media experience about Innovation. Both of these were quite cutting edge and inspiring. The more traditional light show was the one at the large Macy’s on Market Street. This show has been going on since 1955 and feature a large lighted tree and backdrop in front of the historic Wanamaker’s pipe organ. The short show also takes place on the hour and features changing backdrops and lighting combinations, set to various Christmas classics. Ballerinas, nutcrackers, snowflakes, reindeer, and Santa float across the screen in all sorts of combinations. Children (and adults alike) love this uniquely Philadelphia tradition. Following are photos from Comcast and Macy's.

Philadelphia is a great city at any time of the year but certainly did not disappoint at Christmas. I loved the sense of tradition that carries on and you could tell that Philadelphians really cherish that too. While it’s a little close to Christmas as I publish this, some of these festivities will carry on to the New Year. Happy Holidays!