Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, it was once the heart of the American Revolution, even serving as the nation’s capital for a period. It’s also a great place to live. Philadelphia has a thriving arts scene, including a musical culture that has repeatedly influenced American popular music. Restaurants aplenty offer food drawn from multi-cultural populations that share one thing in common: a love of good food. History and culture come together, making Philadelphia a great place to live.
The many things that make living in Philadelphia a great experience are often recognized with awards. Below, we’ve captured a few categories which we think illustrate why living in Philadelphia is living in one of America’s best cities.
Eat – Philadelphia Has Best Italian Restaurants and More
Philadelphia has a reputation for good food. Nothing illustrates this better than the Philly cheese steak sandwich, a classic often copied but very rarely done as well as the grill masters of Philly do it. Philadelphia also has a fantastic food scene that covers the full spectrum of gastronomical delights from street vendors to award winning restaurants. Just recently, Philadelphia’s Chef Marc Vetri’s restaurant Vetri was recognized by Travel + Leisure’s list of the 30 “Best Italian Restaurants in the U.S.” For great food, Philadelphians have it all, whether you’re looking for excellent pizza, true to The Boot Italian food, or authentic hand-pulled noodles in Chinatown, you can find what you are looking for in Philadelphia.
Drink – Philly Beer Scene Ranks Amongst Nation’s Best
When people talk about craft beers and microbreweries, you hear a lot about Vermont, Oregon, and Colorado, but GQ Magazine recently ranked Philadelphia as one of the America’s best beer culture cities. Philly’s annual Beer Week and dozen craft breweries were amongst the reasons for recognition. Above all, though, Philly was recognized for being “Home to the Perfect Pub Crawl” thanks to such locations as the “Memphis Taproom, Monk’s Café, Alla Spina, Tria, Yards Tasting Room, Standard Tap and Silk City.” Grab a Philly pretzel and get yourself a pint because living in Philly gives you access to a top notch beer town.
Be Merry – Philadelphia Amongst Best Cities for Holidays
Real estate site Zillow recognized Philadelphia as one of the best cities for Trick or Treating with Chestnut Hill, Manayunk, Mount Airy, South Philly and Fox Chase being the best neighborhoods for treats. Holiday traditions are a big deal in Philadelphia. Look no further than the annual New Year fireworks off Penn’s Landing and the Mummers Parade the next day, a fun, harmless tradition that has been passed through families in the region for generations. For more than 25 years, the Pennsylvania Ballet has been entertaining generations of Philadelphians with their annual production of The Nutcracker, a true holiday tradition. Living in Philadelphia comes with holiday traditions that go back generations, making holidays memorable for innumerable Philadelphians.
Go Natural – Philly Parks Recognized For Excellence
If you’re looking to get back to nature and think that’s not something that Philadelphia has to offer, you are in for a surprise. April was National Garden Month, and during that month, two Philadelphia region gardens were ranked amongst the nation’s 10 best gardens in the country. Both Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square and Chanticleer in Wayne, PA made the list. Further, Philadelphia’s Parks and Recreations Department ensures that living in Philadelphia gives you access to many public parks, ice rinks, swimming pools, adult centers, computer labs, golf courses, and even horse stables.
While most know Philadelphia for its pretzels, cheese steaks, and role in American history, living in Philly comes with an extensive amount of benefits. Add all of these together and you can easily see why living in Philadelphia is living in one of best cities in America.