When you've moved beyond the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and are ready for the forest cave of America's first doomsday cult or the vintage jewelry shop so elusive it has no sign, this ultimate insider's guide to Philadelphia will lead the way. Expect barstools with built-in bathrooms, real graves for fake people, a cockroach kitchen, and the only Sesame Street you can actually visit, plus plenty of powerful firsts that changed the nation and the world.

Autorentext

Brandon Schultz is a world traveler, author, writer, and water ice lover who grew up in Greater Philadelphia. He currently travels year-round but is based in Brooklyn, New York.

Lucy Baber is a Philadelphia-based photographer and small business owner. In addition to photography, Lucy is also a Mindset Coach, podcast host of Midlife Plot Twists, and mom to two boys. Known for her social justice photo project, "100 Black Dads”, Lucy uses photography to capture meaningful connections and to give back to the local community.

Inhalt

Adrian Balboa’s Grave A real grave for a fictional character | 10 Albert Einstein’s Pipe You’ve seen it in photos, now see it in person | 12 America’s Best Bathroom It’s just outside Philadelphia, and it’s alive | 14 Assembly The swankiest rooftop in town | 16 Baleroy Mansion Maybe a little too haunted | 18 Barnes Foundation Black culture among the impressionists | 20 Bartram’s Garden Colonial America’s first garden | 22 Batalá Philly Philly’s most inclusive musical act | 24 BioPond A shockingly secluded secret garden | 26 Black Vulture Gallery Art for your skin, art for your walls | 28 BOK Vintage cheese, anyone? | 30 Buist Sophora A beloved tree that defies destruction | 32 Burlesque Academy Get your Gypsy Rose Lee on | 34 Carmen’s Where Obama went for a cheesesteak | 36 Cave of Kelpius Where America’s first mystic cult awaited Doomsday | 38 Charles Dickens’ Desk Not his only, but his last | 40 Cherry Street Pier An abandoned space turned community inspiration | 42 Cherry Street Tavern Is that a urinal trough along the bar? | 44 Cira Green A complete park in the sky | 46 Circadium School of Contemporary Circus The first state-accredited program for circus arts | 48 The Clay Studio Learn, create, and “clay it forward” | 50 The Colored Girls Museum A curated collection in a private home | 52 Congress Hall Move over, Independence Hall | 54 Curtis Institute Free education and free concerts | 56 DeLong Building A stunning model of urban fire history | 58 Dirty Franks Eye-popping dive with serious heart | 60 Discovery Center From forgotten reservoir to city treasure | 62 Dream Garden A masterpiece nearly lost | 64 Earliest US Serial Killer The devil in the white city met his end in Philadelphia | 66 East Market A full community in a single block | 68 Edgar Allan Poe’s House Three stories and one creepy basement | 70 Eiffel Tower of Philly It’s a milk bottle, but close enough | 72 Emmy the Mannequin A local celeb hawking inside jokes | 74 Eternal Performance Some seats come with an extra show | 76 Fairmount Groot An enduring fixture in an evolving garden | 78 Fairmount Water Works A hands-on learning center in a historic location | 80 FDR Skate Park Where community and government agree | 82 First Antislavery Protest An early petition against hypocrisy and injustice | 84 First Person Arts Where Philadelphians take center stage | 86 Fitler Square Farmers Market A delicious secret in a picturesque square | 88 Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club Philly’s urban Black cowboys | 90 Four Seasons Total Landscaping A political disaster and a business boon | 92 George Washington’s Apron For ceremony, not for kitchen messes | 94 Germantown White House America’s oldest surviving presidential residence | 96 Giant Otters Philadelphia’s cutest “first” | 98 Giant Wood Slide Big fun for the little ones | 100 Graffiti Pier Philly’s most photographed illegal art | 102 The Gross Clinic So gross it couldn’t be displayed | 104 Halloween Find the store, find a treasure | 106 Hamilton Garden A rooftop within a rooftop | 108 Insectarium The only cockroach kitchen you’d pay to see | 110 Irish Memorial A waterfront homage to those who came and went | 112 Jazz Attack Lindy Hop or Philly Bop, it’s your call | 114 Jim Loewer Glass Blow your own masterpiece | 116 John E. Freyer Marker A small testament to a monumental shift | 118 King’s Highway Bridge Built for Penn, used by Washington | 120 LGBT Community Center A local resource of national proportion | 122 Lydia Darrah School Moderne building honoring a Revolutionary spy | 124 Magic Gardens There’s a secret among the murals | 126 Maillardet’s Automaton The future, according to the past | 128 Manayunk Canal Towpath Recreation among the remnants of industry | 130 Mask and Wig Clubhouse A long tradition of musical-comedy wit and whimsy | 132 Mount Moriah Cemetery Is Betsy Ross still in this unowned cemetery? | 134 Mummers Museum Your chance to be a Mummer, if only for a moment | 136 Neon Museum Representing the “Workshop of the World” | 138 Octavius V. Catto Memorial Enormous impact from a short life | 140 Ohio State House The last state house from the first World’s Fair | 142 Old St. Joseph’s Church A hidden church, then and now | 144 Oneida Debate Two revolutions in one | 146 Original Pumpkin Spice Philly was into pumpkin spice before it was basic | 148 Painted Bride Incubating a city’s underserved communities | 150 Patti LaBelle Way A permanent home for a Philly legend | 152 Philadelphia Independents Philly-centric, Philly-made, Philly-proud | 154 Philadelphia Stars Memorial Park A small tribute to a major contribution | 156 Prison Synagogue The first in the nation | 158 Pulse Fountain The train timetable you didn’t know existed | 160 Quince Street The most charming, among alleys | 162 Rail Park It’s even greener than you think | 164 Random Tea Room Shopping, sipping, and co-working in serenity | 166 Rittenhouse Chess Make your move, make a friend | 168 River Hammocks Beach vibes at the riverfront | 170 The Rosenbach A literary wonderland | 172 The Rotunda A literal arts sanctuary | 174 Sedgley Woods Disc Golf An older course for a newer sport | 176 Sesame Place The country’s original Sesame Street theme park | 178 Shrek Box Leave an ogre, take an ogre | 180 Sidewalk Pretzel A beloved symbol of the city | 182 Singh Center An architectural jewel | 184 Sister Cities Park Where Philly is the center of everything | 186 Skew Arch Bridge Better below than above | 188 Southeast Asian Market An enormous market you’ve somehow missed | 190 St. Albans Place From Devil’s Pocket to romantic courtyard | 192 St. John Neumann’s Body A holy body permanently on display | 194 Star Doors Philly’s most coveted glass | 196 Surgical Amphitheater You’ve seen them on TV, now see one in person | 198 Taller Puertorriqueño The cultural heart of El Barrio | 200 Tea for Few at Stenton The hot drink wasn’t for everyone in early Philly | 202 Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial Smallest national park site, big dose of history | 204 Thirsty Dice Eat, drink, play, and propose? | 206 Thunderbird Salvage Bargaining for local treasures | 208 Tomb of Empress Ana María Final resting place of Mexico’s first empress | 210 Urban Fishing Country fun in the city | 212 W Hotel WET Deck Bar Have a drink with a couple of legends | 214 Wagner Free Institute Free science lessons in a Victorian museum | 216 West Laurel Hill Where America’s best came to rest | 218 Whispering Benches Share your secrets in public | 220 Wildlife Refuge Go birds! | 222 William & Letitia Still House Harriet Tubman stood here – and slept here, too | 224 Wonderspaces A nearly indefinab…