The restored carousel at the new Please Touch Museum
Photo courtesy of the Please Touch Museum
'Tis the season to be shopping! Visit gophila.com/holidays for holiday itineraries, a 25-item gift guide with nothing over $25, coupons, a contest, hotel packages that include free hotel parking and more! And be sure to visit every day through December 24 — the Great Philly Shopping Calendar will reveal a new holiday coupon each day!
View our holiday events in Philadelphia and The Countryside®!
Thanksgiving Day Parade
Philadelphia, home of the World Series Champion Phillies, has a lot to be thankful for this year! So it's only fitting that we're hosting the 89th annual 6ABC/IKEA Thanksgiving Day Parade — the oldest in the nation!
So on November 27 at 8:30 a.m., bundle up and come out to the Ben Franklin Parkway for floats, balloons and lots of special guests — including Rachael Ray, Justin Guarini from American Idol, the Eagles Cheerleaders and even Santa Claus!
Fly, Eagles, Fly!
Hey, football fans — the Eagles play the Arizona Cardinals on Thanksgiving Day at 8 p.m.! So after the Thanksgiving Day Parade, stay in town to either attend the game at Lincoln Financial Field or tune in to 6ABC to watch with your friends and family! Go Birds!
Top 10 Things to Do in November
Between the Headed to the White House exhibit at the National Constitution Center, the Thanksgiving Day Parade and Autumn’s Colors at Longwood Gardens, the Philadelphia region is full of exciting things to do in November.
Check out our Top 10 Things to Do this month — and visit our November events calendar!
What's At Steak?
Two new delicious steakhouses are now open in Philadelphia. Table 31 is a steakhouse bistro covering three floors of the Comcast Center, Philadelphia’s newly-crowned tallest building. And Butcher and Singer, a tip of the culinary hat to Old Hollywood, is the latest venture by famed restaurateur, Stephen Starr.
So move over, cheesesteaks — with Del Frisco's Double Eagle and Union Trust set to open soon, steakhouses are simply taking over in Philly.
The Chronicles of Narnia
Step into the magical world of The Chronicles of Narnia, an exhibition opening November 28 at The Franklin. Based on C.S. Lewis' Narnia books and the Walt Disney Pictures feature film, the interactive experience is a walk through the magical world of lions, witches and wardrobes — with an important message about caring for our environment.
Please Touch Museum
The beloved children’s museum has moved! On October 18, the Please Touch Museum set up shop in Philadelphia’s historic Memorial Hall, the site of Philly’s Centennial celebration in 1876.
The new museum is a complete wonderland for kids, featuring a nature center, a restored 1924 carousel and a replica of the Statue of Liberty’s torch — made completely out of toys!
Spotlight on: Philadelphia Marriott Downtown
The Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, located next to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, is one of Philadelphia’s biggest hotels. And with its newly completed, $6.3-million renovation, the Marriott offers guests a modern and interactive lobby, as well as 13, the hotel’s new signature restaurant.
Book a stay at the Downtown Marriott for convenient accommodations in the center of Center City.
Top 10 Things to Do this Fall
No doubt about it — Philadelphia loves Fall.
So when the air gets crisp and the leaves turn to hues of red and gold, we'll be outside at harvest festivals, Eagles football games and spooky Halloween tours along cobblestone streets.
Oh, and don't miss the 6ABC/Boscov's Thanksgiving Day Parade — the oldest in the country.
So check out our Top 10 Picks for autumnal activities, and we'll see you in Philadelphia!
The Comcast Center
Philadelphia's skyline just got a little taller.
At 975 feet tall, The Comcast Center is now the tallest building in Philadelphia — as well as the tallest green building in the country.
But this is no building to just admire from afar. Step inside to dine at Table 31, a steakhouse from the creators of “a Le Bec-Fin. Or relax at the food court after perusing the Center's premium shops. Or take in a 360° view of Philadelphia through the building's eco-friendly "glass curtain."
Most stunning of all is "The Comcast Experience" — a 2,000 square-foot LED screen projecting images so realistic, you'll think they're jumping out of the wall. The Experience is free and open to the public, so visit the Comcast Center and be amazed!
Hotel News
Traveling to Philadelphia? Check out our great hotel packages — you can get free parking (valued at $75) with the Philly Overnight Hotel Package or tickets to both the Philadelphia Zoo and the Adventure Aquarium with the Animal Discoveries Hotel Package!
And now, two brand new hotels give you even more reasons to stay over!
The aloft Philadelphia Airport is a modern experience with interactive lounges, iPod docking stations and the cool w xyz bar. Located just five minutes from the airport, the aloft is both fun and convenient.
And The Independent is a 24-room boutique hotel with in-room fireplaces, exposed brick walls, cathedral ceilings and/or French windows. Located in Center City, the Independent evokes Philadelphia's historic spirit.
A Weekend in Historic Philadelphia
Ready for a weekend getaway? Check out our three new Historic Philadelphia weekend itineraries — customized just for you.
So check out the new itineraries, pack your bags and see a new side of Historic Philadelphia!
Historic Philadelphia
In Historic Philadelphia, you can get your history with a side of nightlife – so you can have fun by day and by night!
In the daylight, stroll through America's most historic streets to visit attractions, shop at local boutiques and take fun- and fact-filled guided tours.
And after hours, our Founding Fathers' neighborhood gets lively with music, dancing, cocktails and incredible food. Check out what a night here has in store for you.
History Goes Mobile!
And now you can access information about Historic Philadelphia on mobile devices, including your cell phones, so you can discover historic sites, cultural attractions, restaurants, shops and more – on the go! Just type gophila.com in your mobile browser and start exploring!
New Feature! Videos + Slideshows
Now you can see and hear Philadelphia with gophila.com's brand new videos and photo slideshows! In just one click, video and slideshow overlays give you a better preview of your Philadelphia experience, without even leaving the page. You can watch a video about Historic Philadelphia, view incredible photos of Spanish tapas restaurant Amada and even go on a photo tour of a great night in Northern Liberties.
Hear Philly!
Want to know about what's happening in Philadelphia? Hear Philly! is a brand new Internet radio station devoted to keeping you informed.
Anchored by KYW journalist Krista Jasillo, the hour-long streaming broadcasts are updated daily with the latest buzz on all there is to do in the City of Brotherly Love.
You'll get the inside scoop on what's happening in Philly, including:
- events
- exhibitions
- attractions
- restaurants
- shops
- performing arts
- and more!
Philly Overnight® Hotel Package
The Popular Package is back - and it's a better value than ever!!
Get two nights for one great rate, PLUS:
- Free parking (upwards of a $50 value at most Center City hotels);
- An exclusive coupon book filled with more than 50 money-saving deals for restaurants, museums, shops and more;
- And a free gift: an adorable Philly's More Fun™ Teddy Bear.
The package is available ALL WEEK so you can book your trip to Philadelphia for a mid-week OR a weekend stay.
BOOK NOW!
Philadelphia Hotel eBuzz
Check out the inaugural issue of the new and improved Philadelphia Hotel eBuzz, brought to you by gophila.com.
A mix of hotel news and special offers, the new, bi-monthly newsletter is designed to give you everything you need to stay smart AND well in Philadelphia and the Countryside™.
Be sure to sign up to receive it in your inbox — and please let us know what you think!
Travel Reservations
Now it’s easier than ever to book your Philly trip. Visit the Travel Reservations page to book a hotel, rent a car and even purchase tickets for some of Philadelphia’s most exciting attractions!
Uwishunu - Philly. From the inside out.
Want to know what’s new and noteworthy in Philly? Uwishunu, our new insider blog, delivers the hottest, the freshest, the most secret things and places that Philly’s artists, filmmakers, writers, DJs, foodies and fashionistas know about. Check out the blog — and under-the-radar Philly favorites — at www.uwishunu.com.
New Hotel Packages
With more than 25 exclusive hotel packages exclusively available at Gophila.com, you don’t need to go far to find the best deal for your Philly trip.
You can explore Philly with an insider's perspective with the Philly Like a Local Hotel Package. Or set sail from Penn’s Landing with a Cruise Philly Hotel Package. And don’t miss the popular Philly Overnight® Hotel Package – it’s available seven days a week and includes two night’s accommodations, free parking and a free gift upon check-in.
You can check availability and compare rates at hotels across Philadelphia and The Countryside. Remember, Philly’s More Fun When You Sleep Over™, so book your package today and enjoy a great trip to Philadelphia!
Philadelphia is the place to B.Y.O.Be
Soon the BYOB (Bring-Your-Own-Bottle) restaurant will be as synonymous with Philadelphia as the cheesesteak, the soft pretzel and Rocky — after all, there are already more than 200 of them.
To help you find some of Philly’s best BYOBs, we’ve added a new Interactive BYOB Restaurant Map, which allows you to browse and find BYOBs by neighborhood and cuisine. Happy eating!
SoundAbout Philly
SoundAboutPhilly is a series of free, customizable sound-seeing tours told by "real" Philadelphians. The stories are accompanied by dynamic mapping, audio, text and vivid photography that provide a more intimate illustration of Philadelphia and can help you find your way around once you arrive.
Concentrated on insider, lesser-known Philadelphia experiences, SoundAboutPhilly combines interesting tales, fun facts and lively music to tell not only stories from the city's rich past, but also its vibrant present - check it out!
New and Improved Events Calendar
Powered by the Philly Fun Guide, gophila.com's Events Calendar has been revamped and redesigned to make finding great activities a breeze. The new calendar is loaded with special events, featured performances and information and the search feature allows for easy access to what you want to do. Also, be sure to check out our monthly newsletter for happenings throughout the region.
We’d love to know what you think about the site. Please send us your comments.