Getting Acquainted with Philly Tour

Thought of as the city’s most prestigious and desired real estate, the Rittenhouse Square area centers around a gorgeous open-space park at 18th and Walnut streets. Its park benches, flowing fountain, greenery, and classic architecture make the park one of downtown’s most popular meet-up and people-watching destinations. Rittenhouse is also seen as the heart of the city’s business district, with over 300,000 people employed in the area.

Old City is a unique pairing of The Old and The New, presenting a combination of art galleries, boutiques, theatres, restaurants, and historical attractions. The majority of Philadelphia’s colonial landmarks can be found here, including Independence Park, the National Constitution Center, the Liberty Bell, and the Betsy Ross House.

Dilworth Park, which sits at the foot of City Hall, serves as a public meeting plaza, event space, and transportation hub. Known for its unique water fountain, which shoots dancing streams of water into the air, the park also hosts the city’s most picturesque ice-skating rink in the winter months.

The park also features a grand, glass-enclosed entrance to the intersecting Broad Street and Market-Frankford transit lines that lie below, making it an energetic and bustling location at all times of the day.

Since its opening in 1812, the Academy of Natural Sciences has been famous for its exhibits of fearsome dinosaurs, live butterflies, and historic dioramas. Recognized as the oldest natural sciences institution in the Western Hemisphere, the Academy is a leader in research and education, presenting world-class exhibitions and interactive events. It also offers free admission to Drexel students, along with reduced rates for special exhibits, and is considered a favorite among local co-op opportunities.

Encompassing the city’s busiest and most vibrant cultural and historical neighborhoods, Center City is the heart of our forward-thinking city, and home to many eclectic restaurants and eateries, museums and art galleries, and a variety of theaters and playhouses.

Located just a few blocks from campus, 30th Street Station is Philadelphia’s largest transportation hub and one of the busiest in the nation. Serviced by more than 100 daily SEPTA, Amtrak, and New Jersey Transit trains, along with numerous Megabus and BoltBus lines, the station puts Philadelphia easily within reach of destinations up and down the East Coast and throughout the West. The station also serves as a major connection point for inner-city travel via SEPTA buses and the Market-Frankford Subway Line.

Boathouse Row, which consists of 15 historic 19th-century Victorian boathouses lined along the Schuylkill River, serves as the heart of rowing for the Philadelphia community. Outlined in lights that dance across the water, this stretch of buildings has been designated as a National Historic Landmark and is listed in the United State’s National Register of Historic Places, ensuring it will be preserved and enjoyed by generations to come.

The Ben Franklin Parkway stretches from City Hall to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Parkway is lined with an incredible array of museums and collections containing world-class artifacts and exhibits, including the Franklin Institute Science Museum, the Rodin Museum, and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.