Philadelphia sports fans are infamous as some of the meanest and most die-hard in the country, so if you’re heading to an Eagles (football), Sixers (basketball), Phillies (baseball) or Flyers (hockey) game, consider yourself warned not to root for your local team too loudly. The city is the proud home of two new stadiums: Lincoln Financial Field, where the Eagles earned the 2004 NFC Championship, and Citizens Bank Park, where the Phillies...well, let’s just say it’s a beautiful stadium. All the sports venues are located in South Philadelphia—or South Philly, if you want to sound local—where you’d be missing out if you didn’t visit Tony Luke’s for a pregame cheesesteak.

For a less plebian side of Philadelphia, head to a cultural event at the spectacular five-year-old Kimmel Center and its predecessor, the circa 1857 (and no less spectacular) Academy of Music, a block away. You might find the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Pennsylvania Ballet, Broadway shows like Wicked or The Lion King, or legendary jazz performers. Visit kimmelcenter.org for information on both venues.

Since you have to eat, you’ll be glad to know that Philadelphia has an incredible array of restaurants, from high-end steakhouses to checker-table-clothed, Old World Italian joints and trendy sushi spots. The biggest name in restaurants is Stephen Starr, who owns 12, and you’ll be hard-pressed to get a good table in a timely fashion at any of them if you don’t plan ahead. Best are the succulent steaks at Barclay Prime on Rittenhouse Square and Japanese at Morimoto (co-owned by Masaharu Morimoto of Iron Chef fame).


Quick lunches are available at the six Marathon Grills (marathongrill.com) strewn throughout Center City; but those who prefer to linger (and possibly imbibe) head to Rouge, one of the see-and-be-seen spots in Philadelphia. For a weekday breakfast meeting, you’ll be happy at Four Seasons or the new and popular XIX (that’s 19) at the Park Hyatt at the Bellevue. XIX also has an astonishingly good $40 Sunday brunch, so if you’re lucky enough to stay in town for the weekend, head there. A quirkier weekend brunch with the locals can be found at Standard Tap, where you’ll be encouraged to order a local beer or bloody Mary with your chicken pot pie.