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I grew up just oustide of Philadelphia, PA. I spent much time in various parts of the city, and Philadelphia is unique among American cities for many reasons.  It has a truly diverse set of neighborhoods and a rich history that is expressed in the architecture and layout of the city, but also less tangibly in the pride of those who live there.  Philadelphia is often overlooked--its close proximity to New York means that people do not visit it as often as they should.  As the first capital of the United States, the place where the Declaration of Independence was signed and the Constitution was written, it is a thoroughly American city.  While the Liberty Bell is not a particularly exciting sight, in my opinion, (and I confess that I only saw it for the first time about 6 months ago), it is surrounded by beautiful brick buildings in which some of the most important conversations in our nation's history took place.  I have visited Independence Hall and the surrounding buildings countless times, and am still in awe of the importance of those spaces, despite the unassuming buildings that house them.  Being in the room where in many ways our nation as we know it today took shape is an experience every American should have, and it is certainly an experience in which citizens of most other countries cannot participate.

Despite the fact that Philly is an entirely planned city (it was planned to be on a grid by William Penn, with a square park in each of the four quandrants created by the two main streets, Broad Street and Market Street), it does not feel arbitrarily laid out when one walks around the various beautiful neighborhoods there.  It is easy to get immersed in the grid, as well as the tiny alleys--there are many streets that are so narrow a car cannot fit on them.  Despite the great architectural elements in Philadelphia, from modern skyscrapers to City Hall to colonial buildings, what is interesting to me is that these are not what make people proud to be from Philadelphia.  When people ask me about Philly, it isn't about Independence Hall, it's about where the best cheesesteak place REALLY is (as there are many strong opinions on this subject, and for the record, it is definitely Pat's Steaks), and what Philadelphians really mean by the term "water ice." 

Philadelphia is an ignored place, and not just by those who are tourists who select to visit New York or DC instead.  People who live in Philadelphia rarely appreciate the history and architectural beauty that surrounds them, as well as the fascinating neighborhoods that are always dynamic. 

~Lise Rahdert