{"id":45046,"date":"2016-06-23T11:50:30","date_gmt":"2016-06-23T16:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orbitz.waveinteractive.com\/?p=45046"},"modified":"2018-02-27T13:51:47","modified_gmt":"2018-02-27T19:51:47","slug":"the-best-underrated-attractions-in-philadelphia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2016\/06\/the-best-underrated-attractions-in-philadelphia\/","title":{"rendered":"The best underrated attractions in Philadelphia"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Founding Fathers are hot these days (perhaps you’ve heard of a musical called\u00a0Hamilton<\/em>?). Philadelphia<\/a>, the first capital of the United States, is primed to take advantage of the craze. Wherever one roams in the City of Brotherly Love, the footsteps of the Founding Fathers don\u2019t seem all that distant.\u00a0Philly\u2019s top patriotic attractions are known far and wide. Independence Hall, where both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed, is where it started, the Liberty Bell is all it\u2019s cracked up to be and the National Constitution Center hosts interactive exhibits celebrating the American constitutional tradition.\u00a0But what about Philadelphia\u2019s lesser-known attractions? There are more than a set of fingers can count, but\u00a0here are some of the city’s best:<\/p>\n

Also: The U.S.A in red, white and blue<\/a><\/p>\n

\"The

The Franklin Court “Ghost Structure,” designed by architect Robert Venturi, commemorates the place where Benjamin Franklin\u2019s home once stood. | Photo courtesy of K. Ciappa for Visit Philadelphia<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Franklin Court<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Benjamin Franklin is, no doubt, Philadelphia\u2019s favorite Founding Father. The sites around Franklin Court honor America\u2019s first renaissance man. The Benjamin Franklin Museum helps visitors examine the various roles he filled during his lifetime, including printer, scientist and diplomat. In the Franklin Court Printing Office there\u2019s a typesetting area, two reproduction 18th century presses, a bindery and the newspaper office of Franklin’s grandson\u2014Benjamin Franklin Bache.<\/p>\n

\"The

The President’s House Site | Photo courtesy of G. Widman for Visit Philadelphia<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

The President\u2019s House Site<\/strong><\/h3>\n

George Washington did indeed sleep here, even though you won\u2019t see his bedroom. The President\u2019s House Site is actually an archaeological dig located adjacent to the Liberty Bell Center. The house where both Washington and John Adams lived during their presidential turns was demolished in 1832, but the foundations are now visible through plexiglass walls.\u00a0 Videos and educational panels shed light on the work ofthe executive branch, and tell the story of the enslaved who lived and worked here.<\/p>\n

\"Declaration

Declaration House | Flickr CC: Eric Beato<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Declaration House\/Graff House<\/strong><\/h3>\n

If Thomas Jefferson\u2019s your guy, take a gander at the Graff House. Its owner, Jacob Graff Jr., is little-known, but his generous offer to host Thomas Jefferson as he penned the Declaration of Independence gives his crib its place in history. In June of 1776, Thomas Jefferson rented two rooms on the site. The recreated home contains exhibits about the drafting of the Declaration, along with Colonial era decor. While part of the the Independence National Historic Park, The Graff House\/Declaration House is only open during the summer, and even then, hours are extremely limited.<\/p>\n

\"Betsy

Betsy Ross House | Photo courtesy of M. Fischetti for Visit Philadelphia<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

The Betsy Ross House<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There weren\u2019t any ladies floating around Philadelphia\u2019s testosterone-filled halls of power. The title of most notable colonial mother, then, likely goes to Betsy Ross, seamstress par excellence.<\/em>\u00a0She may not\u00a0have a hand in writing the Constitution, but she sewed one mean American flag…the first one, in fact. The house, originally built in 1740, is restored to the period when Ms. Ross was stitching\u00a0the stars and stripes. Costumed interpreters at Ross’s\u00a0house relate the experiences of colonial working-class women. Ross, flagmaker to the stars, gets, well, star treatment. Meanwhile, the Women at Work in Revolutionary America<\/em> exhibit focuses on domestic drudgery, and the women stuck with performing them.<\/p>\n

\"Once

At a specially marked storytelling bench at the National Memorial Arch, visitors hear Once Upon A Nation\u2019s professional storytellers. | Photo courtesy of M. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

The Storytelling Benches of Once Upon a Nation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

During the summer, specially-trained storytellers, adroit at the gift of gab, spread the continental skinny during free, five-minute chats at 13 benches located throughout Philadelphia\u2019s Historic District. Each storyteller focuses on a unique theme. Some talk about the Founding Fathers, while others focus on the tales of women, slaves and children.<\/p>\n

\"Mini

Mini Golf at Franklin Square | Photo courtesy of J. Holder for Visit Philadelphia<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Franklin Square<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Want to putt around all of Philadelphia\u2019s top attractions in less than an hour? Head to Philly Mini Golf, located in recently-revitalized Franklin Square. One of the original squares in William Penn\u2019s first design of the city, Franklin Square also has a classic old-timey carousel and a surprisingly yummy snack shack. Center City\u2019s only\u00a0 miniature golf course features models of the city\u2019s modern-day and Colonial attractions, including the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall.<\/p>\n

\"Orbitz<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hamilton may be hot, but a visit to Philadelphia is the best way to see the Founding Fathers up close.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":152,"featured_media":45132,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1884],"class_list":["post-45046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-philadelphia-vacations"],"acf":{"api_active":null,"api_title":null,"api_excerpt":null,"api_featured_image":null,"api_lob":null},"posts_api_cpm_point":[{"name":"","description":"","thumbnail":"","address":"United States","latitude":"37.09024","longitude":"-95.71289100000001","icon":"\/images\/icons\/marker.png"}],"yoast_head":"\nThe best underrated attractions in Philadelphia | Orbitz<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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