In the City: Philadelphia

Philly Cheesesteak, a thriving street art scene, and recently named one of the 14 best cities for beer around the world by Frommer’s – Philadelphia is the newest city to be added to the Travel Massive family. We first got to know Philadelphia as a must-see destination at the April meet up in Toronto. This week, Philadelphia Travel Massive will host its very first event and what better way to get to know our new addition than through a local. We caught up with Kae Lani, co-organizer of Philadelphia Travel Massive and travel writer behind A Travel Broad to find out what makes this city so unique.

Tell us about yourself. What is your connection to the travel industry?

I’m a Philadelphia-based travel writer funding my vagrant lifestyle through a myriad of tricks and trades I’ve learned over the years.  My work has been featured in Viator, The Culture-ist, Matador, Where Magazine and Long Weekends Magazine and I have worked on campaigns for Cheap Flights, Expedia and American Express Travel. My blog is a humorous journal of real-life encounters from my travels and helps ambitious, young travelers plan their escapes while encouraging them to collect raw experiences along the way.

You are launching the first ever Travel Massive meet-up in your city. Why should people attend Travel Massive in Philly?

Philadelphia is the perfect place for a meet-up like Travel Massive – it’s home to a plethora of well established travel writers, bloggers and industry movers and shakers. So you can expect lots of insightful panel discussions, workshops (travel photography, how to pitch a press trip and more), as well as networking with local and international travel brands and tourism bureaus at the events. We created a Facebook page to keep everyone updated.

What is the travel industry like in your city? 

Tourism to Philadelphia has grown exponentially. In the past 15 years, leisure travel to the City of Brotherly Love grew by 45%, day trips increased by 28% and over night trips increased by 66%.  With growth comes new opportunities in travel and tourism in Philadelphia!

What surprises people most about Philly?

Philadelphia has a notorious history of being the birthplace of America but there’s more to this city than the American Revolution.  Philadelphia has a rich history in shipping, horticulture, television and film and let’s not forget Philadelphia’s incomparable beer and food scene.

Best travel tip for visiting Philly?

Philly is a walkable city so wear comfortable walking shoes. There’s something to see at almost every corner! Also, we have cobblestone all over the place and I’ve certainly been the girl to get her heel stuck in between the cracks!

Best local festivals people should experience in Philly?

Trenton Arts Festival and Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby (they happen on the same day). The Derby is one of the most absurd yet exciting events I’ve ever seen.  Teams create kinetic sculptures, which are float-like vehicles. They are not powered by motors – it’s mostly bikes.  After a parade through Fishtown and Kensington, teams take turns biking through a mud pit.  Most people slip and faceplant into the mud, but some make it through. People get pumped for day drinking and watching the more adventurous people attempt to bike through mud.

Best spot to get off the beaten track?

Head north for the trendy neighborhoods of Northern Liberties and Fishtown for a very local experience.  It is somewhat residential but I like it because there are plenty of unique places to eat, trendy local boutiques and the most casual bars that are very “come as you are”.

Best cultural tradition?

The 4^th of July in Philadelphia is like no other Independence Day celebration.  Celebrating in the city where it all happened is exciting.  The entire city shuts down, there are parades, reenactments and speeches everywhere and each year it tends to draw crowds from all over the world.

Best local drink?

Beer! Philadelphia is home to several great breweries but I recommend two local breweries. The first is Yards Brewery – they’ve taken the original beer recipes of our founding fathers and recreated them for the palates of today!  Try Thomas Jefferson’s Tavern Ale, Ben Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Tavern Spruce Ale and George Washington’s Tavern Porter.

The second brewery is the Philadelphia Brewing Company.  They have a wide variety of tasty concoctions with hilarious local puns like Broken Bell IPA, Kenzinger and Kilty Pleasure!

Best local food?

Philadelphia is more than just cheesesteaks.  We’re home to legendary eats such as the hoagie, hot roast beef sandwich and scrapple, the haggis of Philadelphia! In fact, I recently wrote about what to eat in Philly in an article for Viator.

Best time of year to visit?

Anytime of year!

Are their any specific words or lingo travellers should know when visiting your city?

Philadelphia has it’s own lexicon.  The best reference is this Facebook page called How to Speak Philadelphian.  Here’s a few phrases to get you started:

Hoagie – certainly not a sub.
Didjaeet – Did you eat?
Woulder – Water
Chock-lit – Chocolate
Wit or wittout – with or without.  Mostly referring to whether or not you would like cheese on your cheesesteak.
Jimmies – the colored candies you put on ice cream. Most people call them “sprinkles” but those people are wrong.
Jawn – a filler word that can take the place of any object.  A replacement for the word “thing”

Any weird laws in Philly?

In the state of Pennsylvania it’s illegal to sing in your bathtub, you can’t catch fish with your hands, and there’s a special ordinance that bans housewives from hiding dust and dirt under rugs.

Are there any misconceptions about Philadelphia or the people there?

People are under the impression that Philadelphia is a dangerous city.  It might have been in the 70’s and 80’s but it is certainly much safer now.  Cities evolve!  Philadelphia has spent decades reinvesting in infrastructure, revitalizing historical buildings and creating programs that promote artists and their works.  As a result, we have a city that is buzzing with artistic expression and teeming with cultural events that celebrate the past, present and future.

Is there a must-have app you recommend for travellers to your city?

Yes! Food Truck Philly – it helps you track down Philly’s top food trucks.  Also the Philadelphia Urban Adventures app which highlights some of Philadelphia’s local favorites.