National Student Symposium 2010: Visiting Philadelphia

Philadelphia is a wonderful place to spend a weekend, independent of the Symposium. The following are suggestions for ways to make the most of your visit:

Museums:
Philadelphia has a number of distinguished museums. The Philadelphia Museum of Art (www.philamuseum.org/) is one of the city's best-known landmarks. The National Constitution Center (constitutioncenter.org/) is a perfect destination for visiting lawyers, and is within short walking distance from both the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Also, note that the Franklin Institute (www2.fi.edu/) is hosting the Body Worlds 2 exhibit during the Symposium.

Restaurants:
The city enjoys one of the most vibrant culinary scenes in all of America, and not just because of its cheesesteaks. Celebrity chefs such as Stephen Starr (starr-restaurant.com/) and Jose Garces (www.grg-mgmt.com/) operate a wide array of successful and highly regarded restaurants, across a variety of cuisines. Philadelphia is famous for its array of BYOB (bring your own bottle) restaurants, to which diners may bring their own bottles of wine or other alcohol. Finally, Reading Terminal Market (www.readingterminalmarket.org/) and the Italian Market (www.9thstreetitalianmarket.com/) host dozens of local vendors, making them the perfect places to enjoy lunch.

Nightlife:
Both the Rittenhouse Square and the Old City areas host a variety of bars to visit. Eulogy (eulogybar.server101.com/) and Monk's Cafe (www.monkscafe.com/) specialize in Belgian beer and offer an astoundingly diverse collection. Or, visit microbreweries like Yards (www.yardsbrewing.com/) and Dock Street (www.dockstreetbeer.com/). Tria (www.triacafe.com/) and Vintage (www.vintage-philadelphia.com/) are two choices for local wine bars. Finally, a number of cocktail bars serve up distinctive drinks, from The Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co. (www.thefranklinbar.com) to Continental (www.continentalmartinibar.com/).

Shopping:
There are plenty of opportunities to pick up unique gifts for friends and family. The Rittenhouse Square area, particularly Walnut Street, is the core of the city's shopping district. South Street is one of the city's most eclectic neighborhoods; the area between 9th and 2nd streets on South Street is packed with local stores. And for those willing to make the commute, Philadelphia is a short 30-minute drive away from the King of Prussia mall (www.kingofprussiamall.com/), the largest mall on the East Coast.