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Neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Photo: Axcordion, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
West Philly is a mostly residential section of Philadelphia west of the Schuylkill River, which represented the western boundary of William Penn's original plan for the colonial city. West Philadelphia is a vibrant, diverse, multi-cultural urban area, home to three excellent and world-renowned universities. Tourists may be more interested in the neighborhoods near the campuses than the working-class that lie further west. Even farther out, at the very edge of the city, West Philadelphia gradually gives way to newer, and often larger housing in neighborhoods like Overbrook and Wynnefield, the latter of which is home to half of the Saint Joseph's University campus.
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It is a small enclave outside the University City section of Philadelphia, from 34th to 40th streets between Market and Haverford. It remains visually identifiable, an oasis of tree-lined streets, porch-fronted suburban houses interspersed with a few mansions and their commercial support buildings dating from the second half of the nineteenth century. Large, well-cared-for homes from the early 20th and late 19th century line several streets. This area is a collection of Philadelphia natives, college students and professors.
Roughly speaking, University City begins at 30th Street anchored by the historical 30th Street Station, extends west just beyond 40th Street, and north to Spring Garden Street. The area includes two of Philadelphia's major universities, Drexel University and University of Pennsylvania, and a teaching hospital. The neighborhood is undergoing gentrification and is a rapidly growing, heavily policed, student-friendly enclave within the larger predominantly working class West Philly. It also includes the prestigious culinary school The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College at 43rd and Walnut, and the private university University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. West Philadelphia also includes the residential areas of Powelton Village, Spruce Hill and Cedar Park, all of which have large student populations. Locust Walk, a part of Locust Street that has been made pedestrian-only through the University of Pennsylvania campus, is a particularly nice place for a stroll.
The first zoo in the United States, opened in 1874 (after a 15-year delay due to the Civil War). Home to nearly 1500 animals and attractions such as camel and pony rides, a bird safari, and a Victorian-era train.
Theater and dining complex.
The Japanese House, as it is informally known to Philadelphians, was built in 16th century style on the grounds of the Horticultural Center in the West Philadelphia section of Fairmount Park near the intersection of Belmont Avenue and Montgomery Drive.
A fantastic place to take young children. As the name says, everyone is encouraged to touch the exhibits. It is located in Memorial Hall, a striking Beaux-arts building of granite, glass and iron, which is only major structure to survive from Philadelphia's 1876 Centennial Exposition.
Section of Fairmount Park with a great view of center city. The lower plateau has locations for grilling, baseball, and other activities. Climb to the upper plateau for the view.
Historic mansion built in 1745, located at the top of the Belmont Plateau. Mansion now includes the Underground Railroad Museum.
Clark Park is an outdoor music and arts festival area in West Philadelphia.
Located on the border of Philadelphia and Tinicum Township, the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum is the first urban National Wildlife Refuge in the United States and preserves the Tinicum Marsh along the Darby Creek, which is the largest freshwater tidal marsh remaining in Pennsylvania. The refuge is a stop for birds along the Atlantic Flyway and is home for a variety of wildlife including deer, fox, raccoons, butterflies, fish, ducks, geese, osprey, and eagles. The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum features a 10-mile network of trails that allow for viewing of wildlife. You can also fish in the Darby Creek of travel through the marsh in a canoe. Also located at the refuge is the Cusano Environmental Education Center.
An anthropology and archeology museum run by the University of Pennsylvania. Houses an impressive collection of Egyptian and Greco-Roman artifacts. It also houses two of the Six Steeds from the mausoleum of Emperor Taizong of China's Tang Dynasty, which were controversially stolen and smuggled out of China in 1914.
Philadelphia is known for its rich college basketball history, and the Palestra, located on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania, is a museum of the Philadelphia Big 5 programs (La Salle, Penn, Saint Joseph's, Temple, and Villanova). The arena serves as the home court for the Penn Quakers basketball team and is the court for many basketball games between the city's colleges.
The Bridge de Lux
The Bride, as it is known, was founded in 1969 and is dedicated to producing and showing works generated by points of view that are "outside the mainstream," according to the center's website. The center contains a gallery and a 250-seat theater, where shows such as "Jazz on Vine," Philadelphia's oldest continuously running Jazz series, are performed. The Bride also hosts innovative dance and world music performances. A Philadelphia treasure.
The Philadelphia Dance Company. Events often take place at the Kimmel Center in Center City.
It also offers lessons for children.
A modern art museum.
Runs cultural events.
Just west of the city boundaries in Merion, the former Barnes residence features a 12-acre arboretum, with over 3,000 species of woody plants and trees. The art collection moved to a new building in Center City West in 2012.
A registry of historic buildings in the University City area.
A more "laid-back" version of Old City's 1st Friday.
Crossroads organizes world music concerts at various venues in West Philly.
Dive bar with live music or comedy most nights of the week. Arrive early on weekend nights as the rooms are small and fill quickly, the building is a converted Victorian Twin.
Offers an eclectic offering of concerts, from jazz to rock, from locally and nationally-renowned artists.
Studio 34
A 5,000-square-foot healing and creative arts space in vibrant, diverse West Philadelphia. It offers yoga, Pilates, healing, creative arts events, and community programs 15 minutes from City Hall on SEPTA's Route 34 Green Line trolley.
Penn campus can be a place to appreciate greenery.
Good, affordable Ethiopian food, if you can stand the poorly rated service and long wait times. Vegan friendly.
Cross between fair trade coffee shop and Ethiopian restaurant. Vegan friendly.
Food truck that's immensely popular amongst college students, because it's cheap, tasty, extremely fast, and is one of the few food trucks that feels like it's always open.
Cheap Vietnamese food.
Mediterranean restaurant.
Some of the best burritos and tortas in the area actually come out of this tiny, blink-and-you'll-miss-it taco truck on traffic-heavy 38th Street. Unfortunately, there will be quite a long wait—about a half hour or so—during the lunch rush, and despite their popularity, their presence is not always reliable (though you can now follow their Twitter account for updates).
A staple of the college student's late-night delivery repertoire.
Economical Ethiopian/Eritrean fare, one of the original and best east African restaurants in the neighborhood. Lovely traditional decor.
Greek food.
Pakistani restaurant.
Locally-based artisan bakery with several stores throughout Philadelphia.
Vegan friendly.
Local and organic coffee shop.
Vegan friendly.
Thai/Laotian restaurant. Vegan friendly.
One of the pioneers of the "buy local" movement in Philadelphia, the White Dog uses products from local farmers, and serve beers from local breweries. As a result, prices are higher. The food is mostly American/Continental style, with pub grub served at the bar.
Ethiopian restaurant with a resident DJ that plays Friday and Saturday after 10PM.
Good food and a large selection of craft beers, both local and from around the world. Although the name evokes the all-powerful Philadelphia labor union, the crowd reflects this West Philly neighborhood of young professionals and graduate students.
An Irish themed pub owned by the same people as New Deck and with a similar but less collegiate feel. Draws more of a business crowd but has good inexpensive bar food and beer.
On a scenic bluff above the Schuylkill River and 45 minutes to downtown Philadelphia's cultural and historic attractions. Curfew at 2AM, daily lockout between 11AM and 4:30PM. (No longer accepting individual reservations, for groups of 20+ only).
A four-diamond Hilton property hotel on the University of Pennsylvania campus.
Sheraton Philadelphia University City hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania features luxurious rooms, meeting space, and a restaurant near city center.
Connected to Terminal B of the Philadelphia International Airport via the skybridge. Has event space for meetings and weddings.
Takes up the first 2 stories of a former Victorian house on Penn's Campus. Good selection of academic subjects, the place is overpacked with narrow walkways but fairly well organized.
By car
In addition to the network of city streets, West Philadelphia has easy access to Interstate 76 (usually referred to as the Schuylkill Expressway, after the river along which it was built) on its…
By bike
West Philadelphia cyclists count on one of the more extensive networks of bike-friendly streets in the city, many of them with designated bicycle lanes.
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