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About Philadelphia

Philadelphia skyline from above

Philadelphia. The city where it all started. City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection. Our home.

One of the most vibrant and historic cities — and one of only two UNESCO World Heritage Cities in the U.S. — Philadelphia is everything you expect from a major city and still leaves plenty of room to surprise you. And it’s all right outside your doorstep here at Drexel University and the LeBow College of Business.

History

If you’re a history buff or a politico, see where “The Great Experiment” started at Independence Hall. Just across the street is the Liberty Bell, and within a five minute walk are also Franklin Court, Betsy Ross House or the National Constitution Center.

Arts

Crowning the city’s Parkway Museum District, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is home to one of the world’s most vibrant collections as well as visiting exhibitions (and, yes, you can recreate Rocky’s run up the steps if you really want to). Just steps away are the Rodin Museum — second only to France for the largest collection of Rodin artwork in the world — and the world-famous Barnes Foundation. Of course, there are also the not-to-be-missed exhibitions at the Fabric Workshop and Museum, the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History or even the Portrait Gallery in the Second Bank.

Music fans appreciate Philly’s vast music scene. From intimate venues (Kung Fu Necktie, Johnny Brenda’s) to clubs (Underground Arts, TLA) to theaters (Franklin Music Hall, The Met) to performance halls (The Academy of Music, Kimmel Cultural Campus) to arenas (Wells Fargo Center), Philly will be singing your tune.

Food

More than a town of cheesesteaks, Philly’s vibrant, nationally recognized food scene has what you’re hungry for. We have James Beard Award winners and nominees (Cheu Fishtown, Kalaya, Fork, South Philly Barbacoa), we have global restaurateurs (Stephen Starr’s Buddakan, El Vez; Jose Garces’s Amada, Distrito), names you know (Chipotle, Shake Shack) and the names you should know (Federal Donuts, Tom’s Dim Sum), we have vegan and vegetarian options (Vedge, Charlie Was a Sinner), pricier icons (Zahav, Parc) and a food truck scene that rivals any American city (check out “Food Truck Alley” behind Drexel’s Main Building or along the 3300 block of Market Street). And, yes, we also have cheesesteaks (Joe’s, Pat’s, and Angelo’s are all good choices, and if you’re looking for a good vegan cheesesteak, try the ones at The Tasty or Tattooed Mom).

Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia

Parks

Originally, when the city was founded, there were five main public squares: Rittenhouse, Logan, Franklin, Washington and Center (City Hall). As the city grew, so has the number of parks. Fairmount Park occupies more than 2,000 acres on the east and west sides of the Schuylkill River and is home to Shofuso Japanese House, the Philadelphia Zoo, the Please Touch Museum and Boathouse Row. There are more than 58 other parks spread across the city, so there is no shortage of green spaces outside of Drexel.

Diversity

In a city that symbolizes freedom and independence, it’s no surprise that Philly is also one of the most diverse cities in the nation.

The African American Museum in Philadelphia was the first museum of its kind built to interpret the life and work of African Americans, and the Marian Anderson Historical Residence & Museum spotlights the opera star and prominent racial equality activist. More than 500,000 people attend Philly’s annual Odunde Festival, the largest African American street festival in the country.

Our annual Puerto Rican Day Parade and Pulaski Day Parade bring tens of thousands to the Ben Franklin Parkway each year to celebrate Puerto Rican and Polish culture.

Chinatown boasts some of the best food in the city and is one of the only traditional Chinatowns in the U.S. that continues to grow in size and ethnic Chinese population.

Philly’s rich history of LGBTQ+ rights predates the Stonewall riots, and our vibrant Gayborhood continues to open its arms to hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

Hotels

In a city so popular with tourists, there is no shortage of hotel options. Drexel has even negotiated discounted rates with some of the hotels that are just steps away from campus.

Transit

With Drexel’s main campus in University City just two blocks from Amtrak’s William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, we’re in the heart of the northeast, centrally located between New York City and Washington, D.C. Philadelphia International Airport welcomes millions to our city each year, and you can take SEPTA’s Regional Rail (the Airport Line runs every 30 minutes and stops at 30th Street Station and Penn Medicine Station on South Street) or a Lyft/Uber/taxi to campus. The Market-Frankford line stops at 30th and 34th streets on campus, as do trolleys at the 33rd Street Station. We’re also just blocks from a Megabus stop, so cheap daytrips to dozens of cities are right outside your door.

Explore more about Phliadelphia at Drexel.edu

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