Philadelphia, PA
Having lived on the East Coast for a few years now, I still hadn’t ventured south to Philadelphia. Well, last month I changed that! Philadelphia is a quick 2 hour drive from New York City (you can also take the Amtrak). I was instantly amazed by the downtown area and how friendly it/everyone was. Of course, I took my pup Kody with me and unlike most cities, there were a lot of great parks within walking distance of our hotel. The weather didn’t totally cooperate while we were there but it was still beautiful!
While in Philadelphia, we stayed at the Ritz Carlton; located across the street from the City Hall. This hotel, like most Ritz Carlton’s was extremely pet friendly which was a huge plus for me. Upon arrival, I received a great welcome amenity of homemade cookies, truffles, and cupcakes. Kody got a her own welcome amenity which consisted of homemade dog treats and a bowl for to use during our stay.
Our room was remarkable! We were on the 30th floor (the top floor) which was also the club level. The Club Level rooms at the hotel receive breakfast, mid-morning snacks, lunch, afternoon snacks, wine/beer, and evening treats; plus coffee and tea throughout the day. This amazing amenity is included for all guests staying on the club level; it is available for purchase for other hotel guests as well. The views were amazing, our room looked out at City Hall and had great views of downtown.
The Ritz Carlton Philadelphia is a very unique property. In the early 1900’s, it was the city bank/exchange which it remained until 1984. The building was built with 9,000 pounds of marble from Italy which was also used in Michelangelo’s statue of “David”. The building reopened in 2000 as the Ritz Carlton. The hotel has done a remarkable job at preserving the history and aesthetics of the property. The staff, like at every Ritz I’ve been to, was so friendly and helpful; it’s always nice to experience such hospitality at a large hotel.
While in Philadelphia, be sure to check out Reading Terminal Market; the oldest farmers market in America. A combination of an indoor farmers market/city restaurants with the best food and chocolate you could ever imagine. The market is a quick 5 min. walk from the Ritz Carlton and downtown Philadelphia.
WHAT TO SEE
- Reading Terminal Market
- Independence National Park
- The Liberty Bell
- Independence Hall
- Valley Forge National Park
- Peddler’s Village
- Longwood Gardens
- The Franklin Institute
- Museum of Art
- The Betsy Ross House
- Penn Musem
- Independence Seaport Museum
- Museum of the American Revolution
