Variously known as "The Cradle of Liberty," "The Birthplace of America," and "the City of Brotherly Love," Philadelphia was one of the birthplaces of the American Revolution and has been vital to American ideals and history ever since. Founding Father Ben Franklin ran his printing business out of this city after running away from Boston in his teens. His legacy is all around the city, particularly at the Franklin Institute, where a 20-foot statue occupies the main memorial hall. Other famous founding citizens with monuments/historic homes here are George Washington and Betsy Ross. Historic attractions include the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Philly has more to it than historic monuments, though. Its Fairmount Park is one of the largest metropolitan parks in the nation—bigger than Central Park, by far. South Street is a hip corridor of chic shops, café dining, and people on parade. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is famous not as much for what's inside as for its "Rocky Steps," so nicknamed because they appear in several Rocky movies, and because a larger-than-life statue of Rocky Balboa (donated by Sylvester Stallone) stands to one side of them.