Arielle Ettinger and Greg Wasserson

Explore Philly

The Philadelphia Art Museum is one of the most stand out sites of the city. The main building, which sits at the end of Benjamin Franklin Parkway, was established in 1876 as part of the city’s Centennial Exposition, the first World’s Fair in the U.S. The museum’s collection holds over 240,000 artifacts, objects, and works of art, including everything from sculpture and paintings to armor, and decorative arts. Check out the view of the Schuylkill River and Boathouse Row behind the museum and, the steps

that Rocky made famous. Don’t miss the museum’s other two buildings, The Perelman Building, and Abbe’s favorite, the Rodin Museum.

Independence Hall is where both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and signed by America's Founding Fathers. Across the street sits the Liberty Bell. Both of these sites are free to the public but Independence Hall does require timed tickets. Further down Independence Mall is an open-air recreation of the President’s House, the nation’s first executive mansion, where George Washington and John Adams lived during their terms, and the National Constitution Center, a museum devoted to the Constitution. Also nearby: the Betsy Ross House, Elfreth’s Alley (the nations oldest residential street), the African American Museum in Philadelphia, Carpenters’ Hall, the Museum of the American Revolution, the Merchant Exchange Building, the National Museum of American Jewish History, and Ben Franklin’s grave.

Head to the Schuylkill River Trail, a 30-mile recreational path that runs from Center City Philadelphia, through Valley Forge National Historical Park and ends in Parker Ford, PA. The Schuylkill River (pronounced SKOO-kill), Dutch for Hidden River, is where the American, Industrial and Environmental Revolutions were born. The trail, which was recently named one of the best riverwalks in the nation by USA Today, is a great place for pedestrians, runners, and cyclists. Don’t skip the Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk, the 2,000-foot trail extension that runs from South to Locust Streets and allows users to walk or ride over the river, while taking in some of the best skyline views around.

During this weekend celebrating *our* love, check out Robert Indiana’s iconic LOVE sculpture in John F. Kennedy Plaza. Indiana initially lent the aluminum artwork to the city in 1976, in honor of the Bicentennial. It was removed two years later but after a public outcry, was reinstalled. Snap a selfie with the sculpture, then walk over to City Hall, which is topped by a 27-ton statue of William Penn designed by Alexander Milne Calder. Arrange to take a tour of the interior and exterior of the building!