Philadelphia Overview

William Penn founded the City of Brotherly Love with his band of Quakers in 1682. But it was Ben, not Penn, who laid the foundations for the metropolis it is today. Benjamin Franklin, the ingenious American ambassador, inventor, and womanizer, almost single-handedly built Philadelphia into an American colonial capital; his likeness is ever-present in the city’s museums and landmarks, and his name graces a park, a highway, and a bridge, among many other prominent features. Sightseers will eat up Philly’s historic attractions, world-class museums, and architectural accomplishments along with the famous cheesesteaks and endless culinary choices within the city’s ethnic neighborhoods.

Orientation

Penn planned his city as a logical, easily accessible grid, though the prevalence of one-way streets can cause a migraine behind the wheel. Whether you are walking or driving, the maps and arrows pointing ...more

By clicking submit you agree to the terms of the Let’s Go Privacy Policy

For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.