Now's the time to visit Philadelphia

Visit Philadelphia’s latest promo video says it all: the fifth most populous city in the United States is walkable, memorable, adorable, unforgettable and, in its own words, “stay overable.”

What more can be said about the culture-rich city, which some prefer to simply call “Philly?”

“Philadelphia loves Canada,” Paula Butler, vice-president of communications at Visit Philadelphia, told PAX at a media night hosted by the city’s tourism board at the University of Toronto’s Hart House on Tuesday (April 12).

The event, aptly named “With Love, Philadelphia,” briefed a room full of approximately 50 travel journalists on the historical city’s latest arts, culture, food offerings, as well as upcoming events for 2016.

And organizers didn’t shy away from expressing their love for Canada’s contribution to Philadelphia’s tourism scene.

“Our number one international market is from Canada – Toronto particularly,” Butler told PAX, adding that roughly 600,000 Canadians visit Philadelphia annually.

A 90-minute flight from Toronto and 90-minute drive from New York City, Philadelphia – Pennsylvania’s largest city – is known for its historical sites, notably the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed) and other sites from the American Revolution. 

Those iconic steps that led Sylvester Stallone’s triumphant run in the classic film "Rocky?” Yup, that's in Philadelphia, too, notably at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 

“We’re seeing lots of people travelling for Philly’s food scene as well,” said Butler, noting staples such as the classic Philly's cheesesteak, pizza, good beer and sandwiches with “pulled pork that people go crazy over.”

Tourists in Philadelphia are encouraged to take advantage of the city's "Philly Overnight" package, which allows guests to park their car for free at their hotel and take advantage of the city's bike share and flash bus systems. 

Roaming the room that night was a Benjamin Franklin impersonator (actor Bill Robling), who led an 18th century-inspired toast and took selfies with guests upon request.

Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, and famous Philadelphian, whose legacy is preserved in Philly’s Benjamin Franklin Museum, which is now open following a two-year revitalization.

Among other VIPs in attendance was Thom Collins, executive director and president of the Barnes Foundation, an educational art and horticultural institution in Philadelphia that holds prized collections of impressionist, post-impressionist and early modern paintings by Paul Cézanne,  Pierre-Auguste Renoir,  Pablo Picasso, among other greats.

“Philadelphia boasts a visual arts institutional ecosystem, almost unrivialed in the United States,” said Collins, one of the night’s keynote speakers. “Of course, we don’t boast because it’s a Quaker city. But we know…”

Also at hand was David B. Devan, general director and president of Opera Philadelphia, who delightfully shared details about Opera Philadelphia’s "O" – the company’s urban opera festival, set to debut in September 2017.

The much-anticipated festival will take place over twelve days across six venues in the city, involve seven operatic happenings, host three world premieres, and boast one superstar Festival Artist.

“This is the Netflix of opera people,” Devan said, generating a laugh from the crowd. “You can binge-watch your opera as much as you want.”

In between binging on those classic cheesesteaks, of course. It wouldn’t have been a Philadelphia party without touching on the city’s vibrant food scene, which is led by many chef-owned businesses and includes some 300 venues that offer BYOB options. 

Just ask chef Kevin Sbraga, owner of Philly-based restaurants Sbraga and The Fat Ham, and winner of Bravo’s Top Chef Season Seven. Sbraga, who is slated to be a guest judge on Fox's MasterChef, spoke at the event and, no doubt, generated a few grumbling stomachs.

“There’s no pretention when it comes to food [in Philadelphia],” Sbraga told the crowd in between Powerpoint slides depicting his restaurants’ mouth-watering fare, in addition to Philly’s local markets.  “The food is authentic. It’s real.”

The takeaway? Go to the City of Brotherly Love to experience top-tier art, music and American history, but whatever you do, go with an appetite.

For more information, and for a complete list of events coming up in Philadelphia, go to visitphilly.com.