Why We Love Philadelphia (And You Should, Too)
Why We Love Philadelphia (And You Should, Too)
Over 1.5 million people call Philadelphia home, and it’s no surprise…Philly is a pretty incredible place to live! We (basically) invented the soft pretzel, the cheesesteak, and wooter ice. We boast acres and acres of green space and trail, a stellar lineup of concerts and events, not to mention, a pretty diverse mix of awesome human beings. We’re centrally located making travel between New York, Baltimore, Boston, and Washington, D.C. a breeze. And, did we mention that you can be at the shore sunbathing or skiing down the side of a mountain in about an hour?
While narrowing down the list wasn’t an easy task, we managed to nail down the most compelling reasons why Philly is such an awesome place to live. Here are the top 5 reasons why we are absolutely smitten with the City of Brotherly Love….and why we think you should be, too!
- Philly has the most amazing restaurants! Due to the city’s proximity to Manhattan, Philadelphia offers a top-shelf culinary experience seldom found outside of the Big Apple; in search of an affordable storefront, many young chefs head slightly south to open their restaurants here. (Oh, and who could forget about the city’s jaw-dropping number of corkage-fee-free BYO’s?)
- Philly is home to some of the most prestigious schools in the world. When it comes to respected institutes of higher education, University City is, perhaps, the first area that comes to mind. But, in addition to the Ivy League’s University of Penn, other Philly universities are starting to shake things up a bit. In fact, three other Philadelphia universities made the list of the world’s best colleges! In addition to UPenn, the top spots went to Thomas Jefferson University, Temple University, and Drexel University.
- Philly is a hub of history and culture! According to Politico.com, “Philly is home to the nation’s first hospital (Philadelphia Hospital, co-founded in 1751 by Benjamin Franklin), first university (University of Pennsylvania in 1740) and first zoo (Philadelphia Zoo in 1874).” Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin walked these streets, the Declaration of Independence was adopted here on July 4, 1776, and the U.S. Constitution was drafted and signed here in 1787. Today, on almost any downtown block, you can simply bask in the history all around you…or head to one of the city’s incredible museums!
- Philly is easily navigated via public transportation! If you’re living in Philadelphia proper, you’ll likely learn to navigate the subway system in no time. With two branches running north-to-south and east-to-west, you can catch an affordable ride almost anywhere you need to go. For those who live in the suburbs, Philadelphia’s train system makes commuting downtown for work a breeze, or catch a car-share at one of the city’s many borrowing-friendly locations. And if all else fails, get walking! We have the largest comprehensive pedestrian sign system in North America.
- Philly has some of the nation’s very best apartments! Whether you’re looking for a new construction condo or a colonial townhome, Philadelphia’s real estate market is booming. With so much historical architecture and a surge of new and modern apartment buildings, you’re bound to find the perfect home that suits your style, location, and budget!
