We took the first trip to Philadelphia on a whim. We’ve all heard of the area in one way or another. May it be from Rocky or the food channel or more.

We visited at night to enjoy the lights and avoid the heavy crowds of tourists and the auto show that was ongoing.

Driving around, we were able to take in the various oddities from our norm. There were traffic lights that sit a top poles on the ground like lamp posts. There are the intersections with six lanes of alternating traffic with those aforementioned traffic lights on corners passed the light itself to make it “interesting”. Lastly, there are the intersections that are all curved like highway ramps: none of which was the normal perpendicular intersections some of us are used to navigating daily.

Due to this wonderful pattern of confusion and one way streets, we enjoyed a wonderful time of circling the city enjoying the sites. The cobblestone streets and the historical landmarks were exciting to experience and the people were extremely friendly. However, getting lost and crisscrossing or well, due to the traffic patterns and streets, serpentine navigating the city, allowed us to experience Archer and 22nd streets about five times in a half hour, eek.

In an effort to see the sites, we discovered that what we had read in our research was in fact true, it is the walking city because there were no open spots anywhere and the only option was to park in one of the paid municipal lots. A good note to take is the pricing varies by time and day.

Walking around a bit on our way to the famous steps, we came across a statue of The Thinker as we strolled down Benjamin Franklin Parkway. It was an interesting sight and something that we should all take some time away from the daily to do now and then. Then, continuing along the parkway, each of the poles contain the names and flags of many of the countries around the world along with some unique architecture and statues. For more information, you can read the information on the flags of the parkway and more.

The last stop before the steps was the Washington monument unveiled in 1897. It was quite the surprise with great detail. It depicts Washington atop his horse and below it, he is surrounded by moose and bears and a man laying on an alligator and more. It’s absolutely a spot to spend a moment to admire if that’s something that interests you.

The Steps…

Finally, we arrived at the steps after crossing another set of four lanes on the intersection of the circle traffic and incoming street traffic.

After reaching the sidewalk, not but a short couple of yards away, we come to the iconic statue of Sylvester Stallone from the Rocky movies. Again, this is something that may only appeal to those who were fans but we did enjoy being there and interacting with a piece and a place only known through a screen to us before.

Continuing around the bend, we came to the famous steps from the movie that lead up to the Museum of Art. They do actually look a bit formidable from the base, but yes, we did run up and down them a few times. Another group was playing the music and it gets your juices flowing and it is as though you’re compelled to act.

At the top of the steps, there are the footprints of where the statue stood in the movie and behind them is a large open space leading to the steps of the museum with beautiful architecture and art at the top of the facade. It is absolutely something to be taken in and possibly moreso in the daylight. So wear your running shoes and up your cardio and go take a look.

If you’re a lover of things from the past, you may want to walk around the side of the museum on the street and enjoy a view of the old water works building and what was once the longest dam in the country. Watching the smooth water drop off into the whitewater below is mesmerizing.

Cheesesteak…

Now, we couldn’t visit Philly without getting our first taste of the ubiquitous Philly cheesesteak. We would call it a hero, but they call it a hoagie. We don’t want to offend so we’ll go with the locals and say we tried a hoagie. There are tons of places, but in an effort to follow the locals, we didn’t try it at the famous Pat’s or adjacent bright light cladded Geno’s. We ate down the street at SQ Philip’s steaks. The options are voluminous but we kept it low key with the provolone and onion as well as the American and onion (cheese wiz must be an acquired taste). If you’re new to ordering like we were, just listen to the locals in front of you ordering and follow their lead.

Now, I’m not a foodie but the sandwiches were delicious and satisfying. They were not too greasy or juicy and the bread was not too dense with dough. They were enough to fill without overindulging. The steak was tender and the onions gave it the caramelized flavor. If you’re in town and want a filling meal with the locals without waiting on the lines of tourists, you might want to give it a try.

Thank you for continuing to read and support.

-Chris & Ola