Week 1 Philly/Wash Road Trip - Advice and Tips (1 Viewer)

[Atomic Punk]

My wife and I are planning our next road trip and have landed on the week one combo of Eagles/Browns on Sunday, followed by Redskins/Steelers on Monday night. We're also going to try for the Springsteen concert on the Friday before the game. It looks like we'll be doing four days in each city and will be getting a rental car to drive from Philly to DC before we head back home to Winnipeg, Canada.

FBG's has helped me out on our last road trips to NO/Nashville and SF/Oak, so I'm throwing this out again for your advice. I'm looking for anything and everything - hotels, restaurants, places to see in the cities, any hidden gems to see in town or nearby.

Thanks in advance!

 

[IMAX 3D]

Get some water ice

 

[eoMMan]

Get some water ice

And cheesesteaks...

Kind of depends what you are in to. Philly definitely has a lot of historical exhibits/museums and what not. Manayunk is also a neat area to walk around and bar hop. Along with center city Philly....which I think has a casino now....been a few years since I've been there.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Philly: Get a cheese steak wit wiz. My favorite is Jim's on South Street. Lots of people love Pats and Geno's.

Liberty Bell is meh IMO, but Independence Hall and the Constitution Center are worth it IMO. 

Reading Terminal Market is great for lunch.

If you can go to a Marc Vetri restaurant, do it.

The art museum is a fantastic building and a very good museum.

A double decker tour bus is a great way to see a bunch of the city and learn a lot of the history at once. 

Betsy Ross house not worth it IMO.

 

[GroveDiesel]

For DC, you HAVE to do the Smithsonian museums. They're fantastic. Especially the Air and Space and Natural History ones.

If you can get a tour of the Capitol building, it's worth it. Absolutely fascinating building.

 

[E-Z Glider]

Reading Terminal Market is great for lunch.

Get a Tommy Dinic's Roasted Italian Pork w/ sharp provolone and broccoli rabe. You pretty much have to get a cheese steak while in Philly, but truth be told, this is the best sandwich in town. There will be a long line, but its worth it.

Liberty Bell isn't that exciting, but at least you don't need a ticket to see it. The Independence Hall tour is quick and interesting, but you need to pick up advance tickets at visitors center.

Even if you don't go into the Art Museum, you need to at least run the steps and pose with the Rocky statue. Oh, and don't believe the homeless guy when he tells you he doesn't want money to snap your picture for you, he really does.

 

[Don Quixote]

If you are in no hurry in driving between Philly and DC, you could skip 95 through Delaware, and instead go through the Brandywine Valley part of PA.  It will take you a lot longer, but it is a much more scenic drive -- you could also stop at some place like Longwood Gardens.

For DC... The Smithsonian museums, monuments, and Capitol building are main places to hit, and all downtown.  You could get out of the city a bit to go to Mount Vernon.

 

[Jaysus]

Philly: Monk's Cafe

DC: RFD

 

[Buddy Ball 2K3]

Cheeses Steaks - Stay away from Genos & Pats (they aren't even close to being the best) - Go to John's Roast Pork

You may be there right around when the Spruce Street Harbor Fall Fest starts. If you have a free evening it might be worth checking out. It's along the waterfront with gardens, food trucks, live music, beer, beer and some more beer. decorative lighting, hammocks, and what not. Makes for a decent evening with some great photo ops.

What sort of restaurants are you interested in?

 

[nittanylion]

We have plenty of time between now and then. I will craft you a dining itinerary for DC as we learn more about yours.

From a culinary standpoint, Philadelphia is like my home away from home. An upgrade from Baltimore, and beats the crap out of what I've got in my own back yard. I will help out there, too, with a very respectful nod to the locals.

A quick comment about Philadelphia sandwiches, cheesesteaks and otherwise:

Pat's/Geno's: agreed - don't bother. Time has passed them by, and they are more of a tourist trap than anything $-worthy at this point.

Very sorry to have to say the same about Tony Luke's. Years ago, that was the first experience I had outside of Pat's/Geno's that opened my mind up to the sandwich glory Philly has to offer. Unfortunately, I think TL's is fast approaching the same graveyard.

Jim's is a step above Pat's/Geno's/TL's. I would settle for a steak from Jim's. Dalessandro's near Manyunk is my personal favorite. http://dalessandros.com/

John's Roast Pork is very good. So is DiNic's.

Reading Terminal is a very cool place to graze at lunch.

Do any of you old school Philly guys remember Shank and Evelyn's off 9th St.? They've moved to Rittenhouse/Center City, and I've heard it's different now, but back in the day, that was the only place to go for a Roast Pork/Beef Sandwich with real aged provolone, peppers, onions and broc rabe. F'ing amazing.

Anyone want to talk about Tacconelli's Pizza? I could wax poetic, but a native will probably do it better.

...but when I really want a sandwich, a really great sandwich, the place at the top of my list is Chef Peter McAndrews' Paesano's http://www.paesanosphillystyle.com/index.html

There's a newer one in the 9th St. Italian Market, but go to the original dirty hole-in-the-wall on Girard, near Fishtown.

I'm a huge Vetri/Michaud fan/disciple. I have learned a s-ton from those guys, and respect the heck out of them. They recently partnered with Urban Outfitters. I don't have a problem with that, now that the hubbub has died down. They're still a great bet. I'm a bigger fan of Restaurant Vetri and Osteria over their other shops, but they're all good in the niches they occupy.

I'm pretty tight with DiBruno Brothers. If you're looking to do something food-related in Philadelphia, the 9th Street store is a must-see, and so is the newer location in Center City. Right around the corner from Center City DiBruno's is an absolutely fantastic wine/beer bar that serves some excellent food too, called Tria. They now have multiple locations, but I like the original, near DiBruno's, the best.

More on Philly, and plenty on DC, to follow...

ETA: Brandywine Valley area is no joke. Well worth checking out.

The Frank Lloyd Wright home, Fallingwater, is a very cool thing to check out, if you're into architecture: http://www.fallingwater.org/

 

[GroveDiesel]

DiBruno Bros is amazing. I'm ecstatic that they now sell some of their cheeses in our local Acme.

 

[John Bender]

I second visiting Reading Terminal market.

Try the gyro's they sell. Best I've had. But save room for the hundreds of other things they offer.  If you are into cheese, there is a small vendor that sells the funkiest stuff you can find and they'll let you sample it all.

 

[fred_1_15301]

I used to live right around the corner from Dalessandros.  I don't know if it's the best in the city but it's simply divine.  The chicken cheese steak is also very good.

 

[Jaysus]

I used to live right around the corner from Dalessandros.  I don't know if it's the best in the city but it's simply divine.  The chicken cheese steak is also very good.

Chubby's chicken steaks FTW

 

[E-Z Glider]

There's a newer one in the 9th St. Italian Market, but go to the original dirty hole-in-the-wall on Girard, near Fishtown.

The Frank Lloyd Wright home, Fallingwater, is a very cool thing to check out, if you're into architecture: http://www.fallingwater.org/

Forgot about the Italian Market. I consider this another must-see in Philly. Great place for paisan watching.

Fallingwater is very cool, but its a 5 hour drive from Philly  

 

[nittanylion]

Forgot about the Italian Market. I consider this another must-see in Philly. Great place for paisan watching.

Fallingwater is very cool, but its a 5 hour drive from Philly  

Yeah, I don't know why I referenced that. Waxing poetic about culinary delights in Philly must have gone to my head...

ETA: kind of like you're avatar's ya-ya's...

 

[fred_1_15301]

Chubby's chicken steaks FTW

I went to Chubby's once about 8 years ago and didn't really think their cheesesteak was on the same level as Dalessandros.  However, I never tried their chicken cheese steak.  

 

[dgreen]

If you can get a tour of the Capitol building, it's worth it. Absolutely fascinating building.

The usual way to get tickets for a Capitol tour is to call your congressman. But the OP is from Winnipeg, so that may not work very well.

Washington Monument tickets go on sale online (only $1.50 each, I think) two months in advance. They go quickly, so you should reserve them as soon as you can if you are interested in going to the top of the Monument.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Forgot about the Italian Market. I consider this another must-see in Philly. Great place for paisan watching.

Fallingwater is very cool, but its a 5 hour drive from Philly  

yeah, but from there he can just shoot over to Chicago for some deep dish pizza.

 

[dhockster]

We have plenty of time between now and then. I will craft you a dining itinerary for DC as we learn more about yours.

From a culinary standpoint, Philadelphia is like my home away from home. An upgrade from Baltimore, and beats the crap out of what I've got in my own back yard. I will help out there, too, with a very respectful nod to the locals.

A quick comment about Philadelphia sandwiches, cheesesteaks and otherwise:

Pat's/Geno's: agreed - don't bother. Time has passed them by, and they are more of a tourist trap than anything $-worthy at this point.

Very sorry to have to say the same about Tony Luke's. Years ago, that was the first experience I had outside of Pat's/Geno's that opened my mind up to the sandwich glory Philly has to offer. Unfortunately, I think TL's is fast approaching the same graveyard.

Jim's is a step above Pat's/Geno's/TL's. I would settle for a steak from Jim's. Dalessandro's near Manyunk is my personal favorite. http://dalessandros.com/

John's Roast Pork is very good. So is DiNic's.

Reading Terminal is a very cool place to graze at lunch.

Do any of you old school Philly guys remember Shank and Evelyn's off 9th St.? They've moved to Rittenhouse/Center City, and I've heard it's different now, but back in the day, that was the only place to go for a Roast Pork/Beef Sandwich with real aged provolone, peppers, onions and broc rabe. F'ing amazing.

Anyone want to talk about Tacconelli's Pizza? I could wax poetic, but a native will probably do it better.

...but when I really want a sandwich, a really great sandwich, the place at the top of my list is Chef Peter McAndrews' Paesano's http://www.paesanosphillystyle.com/index.html

There's a newer one in the 9th St. Italian Market, but go to the original dirty hole-in-the-wall on Girard, near Fishtown.

I'm a huge Vetri/Michaud fan/disciple. I have learned a s-ton from those guys, and respect the heck out of them. They recently partnered with Urban Outfitters. I don't have a problem with that, now that the hubbub has died down. They're still a great bet. I'm a bigger fan of Restaurant Vetri and Osteria over their other shops, but they're all good in the niches they occupy.

I'm pretty tight with DiBruno Brothers. If you're looking to do something food-related in Philadelphia, the 9th Street store is a must-see, and so is the newer location in Center City. Right around the corner from Center City DiBruno's is an absolutely fantastic wine/beer bar that serves some excellent food too, called Tria. They now have multiple locations, but I like the original, near DiBruno's, the best.

More on Philly, and plenty on DC, to follow...

ETA: Brandywine Valley area is no joke. Well worth checking out.

The Frank Lloyd Wright home, Fallingwater, is a very cool thing to check out, if you're into architecture: http://www.fallingwater.org/

Totally Agree on Dalessandro's and the Reading terminal market. Reading Terminal Market is a must do, and if you get to Dalessandro's, you're right next to Manyunk so you can check that out.

 

[pandora]

Holocaust Museum

 

[Smack Tripper]

I would scrap a day in philly and maybe one in DC and spend some time in Baltimore.   Inner harbor and fells point great walking areas. Good bars and good people in Baltimore. Visit Camden yards if you can even if you hate baseball.   

DC has/had these open air bus tours. Forget their name but they can get you around pretty good. It's a lot of walking in DC if you want to get out to the Jefferson memorial (which is underrated and awesome IMO). Also love the fdr one myself. 

Philly, you ARE a tourist. Go to pats and genos and go at night. Cheesesteak is cheesesteak, it's not high art so it's about the experiment as much as anything. 

 

[Nigel]

Annapolis is also worth spending an afternoon.

 

[Atomic Punk]

And Mrs. Punk gives me a hard time about all of the time I spend on FBGs ..Not anymore! Awesome tips so far, please keep them coming.

I'm certain we'll be doing quite a few of the typical tourist spots. I'm a bit of a history buff so am really looking forward to all of the historic sites. We thought about spending a day in Baltimore but don't know much about it. We are open to the idea, as well as Valley Forge or Gettysburg if it's worth the trip. The eight day spilt between the two cities is open to change as well if you guys think time is better spent in one location over another.

I'm half Italian and half Portugeses but food wise we lean toward the Italian half and love our pastas, pizza and red wine. Otherwise, we love our good pub food and craft beers, and typically are pretty open to local fair, so we are all yours for dining advice. Typically our trips revolve around the games and eating out, so the dining advice is welcome. I'm also hoping I get some tips on decent hotels or B and B's that are still within walking or easy transit, so tips on that would also be helpful.

 

[Don Quixote]

And Mrs. Punk gives me a hard time about all of the time I spend on FBGs ..Not anymore! Awesome tips so far, please keep them coming.

I'm certain we'll be doing quite a few of the typical tourist spots. I'm a bit of a history buff so am really looking forward to all of the historic sites. We thought about spending a day in Baltimore but don't know much about it. We are open to the idea, as well as Valley Forge or Gettysburg if it's worth the trip. The eight day spilt between the two cities is open to change as well if you guys think time is better spent in one location over another.

I'm half Italian and half Portugeses but food wise we lean toward the Italian half and love our pastas, pizza and red wine. Otherwise, we love our good pub food and craft beers, and typically are pretty open to local fair, so we are all yours for dining advice. Typically our trips revolve around the games and eating out, so the dining advice is welcome. I'm also hoping I get some tips on decent hotels or B and B's that are still within walking or easy transit, so tips on that would also be helpful.

Gettysburg is one of my favorite places to visit -- lots of good stuff for a history buff.  It is definitely worth going to.  You could spend days there between the visitor center, touring/walking the battlefield, visiting Eisenhower's farm, and some of the kitschy stuff in town.  You could probably use either Philly or DC as the base for that one.  

Valley Forge is worthwhile and is a shorter trip for you from Philly, but it is definitely a step below Gettysburg.  Museum is decent at telling the story, but there's not as much to see/do on the grounds.  I bought the CD for the auto tour, and there's some stops along the way for monuments, re-created camps, Washington HQ's, etc.  It's interesting and a solid use of a half-day, but not much more than that.

If places like that are of interest, you could also check out Bull Run Battlefield about 45 minutes outside DC.  Antietam is about 90 minutes away from DC, which is another great one to visit.  And I mentioned Mount Vernon in my post above; I'd make sure that gets on the list, if it's not already.

No offense to Baltimoreans, but you can skip it.  Fort McHenry is interesting and the aquarium is nice, but nothing worth a special trip.

 

[Atomic Punk]

Flights just booked so any additional tips for decent hotels or B&Bs near the main sites would really be appreciated.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

Is show n tell strip bar still in philly. Went there once. Crazy place

 

[Atomic Punk]

One more shameless bump for last minute advice. Springsteen, game tickets and hotels are booked and heading out Thursday. We are looking for a good sports bar downtown (we are staying at Lowes) to catch the opening game and maybe get a cheese steak or pizza on day 1.

 

[Mr. Ected]

For DC, you HAVE to do the Smithsonian museums. They're fantastic. Especially the Air and Space and Natural History ones.

If you can get a tour of the Capitol building, it's worth it. Absolutely fascinating building.

Best part of Smithsonian Museums is the fact that they are FREE. You can wander in and out of the museums along the Mall all day, choosing whichever suits you.

Haven't been in forever, but @nittanylion how does Georgia Browns rate? If so, good taste of southern food.

 

[belljr]

One more shameless bump for last minute advice. Springsteen, game tickets and hotels are booked and heading out Thursday. We are looking for a good sports bar downtown (we are staying at Lowes) to catch the opening game and maybe get a cheese steak or pizza on day 1.

For where you are staying. Try Field House. It's right next to reading terminal.

I've never eaten there so not sure about the food but have hung out there.

AlsoFox and The Hound has ton of tv's. The food is not the best as it is "chainy" but it is huge 

 

[Polish Hammer]

Punk, I just spent last weekend in Philly (and do an anniversary weekend there almost every year).  Depending on what your budget is (time and money) I can give you some good recommendations.  Based on the hotel you are in, it is a nice refreshing walk to Federal Donuts on Sansom Street.  (Maybe 5-6 blocks.)  They do fresh fried chicken and donuts there, owned by the same people that own Zahav, a perennial top restaurant in the city.  Get the chicken with your choice of seasoning of the day - usually about 2-3 options - and it comes with a honey wheat donut included.  My wife and I think that's actually their best donut but they'll have other flavors available as well.  Your location is also pretty close to the Reading Terminal Market everyone mentioned, and it is hard to go wrong there.  If you want a great brunch spot (I would recommend reservations) go to Bud and Marilyn's.  Again, not a far walk - about three blocks.  Their cinnamon roll to share/start is great and they have solid drinks and very good brunch food.  Green Eggs Cafe is another excellent brunch option about the same distance in the same direction.  Good Dog Bar might be a solid spot close by for you to watch an early game with some food without it being a chain.  Coming in the night before if you want some really good and unique cocktails with some solid bar food, try Charlie Was A Sinner - again same distance - you are in a good area for options if you haven't figured that out already.  If you want, PM me and I can give you some more recommendations depending on what you want to do, what you like, etc.  

Oh, the other easy/lazy option for games if you are going to the stadium for the game anyway is to go down early and go to Chickie's and Pete's across from the Linc.  It is a HUGE sports bar with wings, pizza, mussels, etc and about 8,000 TVs with football on.  Sometimes the waitresses can bring their A game as well, which is nice.  And I'm not good with this, but you are pretty close to being able to hop onto the Broad Street Line (subway) that will take you all the way down to the sports complex.  It will be crowded on game day, but in a fun atmosphere kind of way.  Sure you'll be jammed in with a bunch of goofballs already half drunk, but that's half the fun.  Plus it is a lot cheaper/faster (most likely, assuming traffic) than a cab or an Uber.  Uber is pretty good in the city, and UberX is often cheaper than the cabs.  If you want to do the subway, just ask the hotel concierge to point you in the direction and tips on where to pay, etc.  

 

[Polish Hammer]

For where you are staying. Try Field House. It's right next to reading terminal.

I've never eaten there so not sure about the food but have hung out there.

AlsoFox and The Hound has ton of tv's. The food is not the best as it is "chainy" but it is huge 

The food here kind of sucks, from the last time I was there at least.  But yes, plenty of TVs.  The description of Fox & Hound is spot on.  

 

[belljr]

The food here kind of sucks, from the last time I was there at least.  But yes, plenty of TVs.  The description of Fox & Hound is spot on.  

That's why I made the disclaimer I never ate there I've heard mixed things.

But those were the only 2 sports bars I thought of based on location for a Thursday game.

 

[eoMMan]

If you make your way to AC for gambling, go to the Borgata. Don't bother with the other casinos. 

 

[mquinnjr]

Is show n tell strip bar still in philly. Went there once. Crazy place

Place is amazing. BYOB, so people just wheel in kegs in trash cans wrapped in a trash bag with ice. Last time that I went there I saw a "Cat Dog" show. Let your mind wander with that once. Definitely the D line on the hockey team in terms of the talent, but a fun place nonetheless.

 

[Polish Hammer]

Sorry, other things keep popping into my head so I may as well share them with you.  If you are going to do the Art Museum thing (and not just the steps, the museum is world-class) go early and walk down Kelly Drive as well.  It takes you along the river, is very scenic as that is where Boat House Row is, and as long as it isn't too hot out, you'll see dozens of women out exercising in proper attire to remind you of the Yoga Pants thread...just tell the wife you wanted a romantic walk by the river.

The city has been permitting a number of pop up beer gardens as well.  Some are better than others so I would do some googling to see what's up there if it is interesting to you.  Also apparently the rooftop bar scene in Philly has been really good lately so that warrants a search if you are into that.  There is a good beer bar with TVs near the Embassy Suites hotel not far from the Art Museum as well.  City Tap Room, maybe?  

If I have any more stream-of-consciousness stuff I'll just edit/add onto this post so I don't flood the thread any more.

Just reread your posts above and saw you are coming down Thursday - that's great as it gives you plenty of time in the city.  Weather should be great/hot and there is a ton to do.  First weekend post-Labor Day, so if there is any place you really want to go for dinner, make reservations.  Can't stress that enough - things will be busy.  Saw that you like red-gravy Italian, it seems.  There are TONS of good Italian in Philly, not just in South Philly either.  A pretty unique place with a neat story behind it is Victor Cafe.  Not expensive, well executed "traditional" Italian with a cool twist that you get opera sung to you about every 15 minutes or so.  Plus it was in the two recent Rocky movies as the restaurant he owns.  Take a look here:  Victor Cafe.  If you really are into food and want to see the best the city has to offer, check this out (I've been to a handful of these so let me know if you want any specific call-outs).  

If you are just a little twisted and into some weird stuff, look up the Mutter Museum (of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia).  Also noticed you said touristy stuff will be on the docket, so here are some things to do on/near South Street (which isn't quite as dingy as it used to be).  Bob and Barbara's is a cool dive bar on 1509 South Street, plus you can get your Jim's Steak there and a slice from Lorenzo's (cash only, plain only, gigantic slice that is called out in Will Smith's Summer time "or in your Nissan sitting on Lorenzos").  South Street also has Brauhaus Schmitz which is a very good German restaurant that used to be in that top 50 list with a great selection of German beers.  Percy Street BBQ is also on South Street, and they were a former top 50.  

 

[Atomic Punk]

Thanks guys! These last couple of posts are gold. The touristy stuff is easy to find but it is these hidden gems that typically make the trip. I'll definitely take in the art museum so the walk down Kelly sounds like it will fit in perfectly. I'm thinking day one, we will get our bearings, grab a cheese steak and head to a sports bar for the game. Looks like South Street will be in the plans for Friday before the Springsteen concert and then wide open for Sat. That's the day I figure we will be doing a nice dinner so I guess I better get my reservations in asap.

Thanks a bunch for the tips.

 

[Polish Hammer]

Thanks guys! These last couple of posts are gold. The touristy stuff is easy to find but it is these hidden gems that typically make the trip. I'll definitely take in the art museum so the walk down Kelly sounds like it will fit in perfectly. I'm thinking day one, we will get our bearings, grab a cheese steak and head to a sports bar for the game. Looks like South Street will be in the plans for Friday before the Springsteen concert and then wide open for Sat. That's the day I figure we will be doing a nice dinner so I guess I better get my reservations in asap.

Thanks a bunch for the tips.

What kind of place were you looking for?

 

[Atomic Punk]

We love anything Italian and love our red wine so I would be leaning in that direction. We have done these trips before SF/Oak, NO/Ten, NY and pretty much walk anywhere, so we would love to just wander through town to a decent Italian restaurant and then wander back to our hotel, possibly making a few stops for drinks, music on the way. If the decent Italian joints are farther away, we are always game for a nice steak dinner. We are pretty open to anything really - Thai, Indian, American. I checked out the top 50 list and didn't realize what a wide spectrum there was in Philly, when all you ever hear about is the cheese steaks. I'm open to suggestions.

 

[Bushead]

if you like Italian - i would recommend Ralphs

http://ralphsrestaurant.com/

 

[Polish Hammer]

We love anything Italian and love our red wine so I would be leaning in that direction. We have done these trips before SF/Oak, NO/Ten, NY and pretty much walk anywhere, so we would love to just wander through town to a decent Italian restaurant and then wander back to our hotel, possibly making a few stops for drinks, music on the way. If the decent Italian joints are farther away, we are always game for a nice steak dinner. We are pretty open to anything really - Thai, Indian, American. I checked out the top 50 list and didn't realize what a wide spectrum there was in Philly, when all you ever hear about is the cheese steaks. I'm open to suggestions.

I also heard Ralph's, mentioned by Bushead, is very good for traditional Italian.  From the top 50 list, I have heard good things about Tredici Enoteca and Brigantessa and have eaten at Amis and really liked it a lot (definitely walking distance).  If you want to try some Spanish reds and tapas (and some amazing Iberico ham) try Jamonera, also nearby.

 

[Billy Bats]

If you want to head into South Philly towards the stadiums try L'Angolo's for real good Italian. A small local BYOB.  

http://www.langolo-restaurant.com

 

[Ned]

Place is amazing. BYOB, so people just wheel in kegs in trash cans wrapped in a trash bag with ice. Last time that I went there I saw a "Cat Dog" show. Let your mind wander with that once. Definitely the D line on the hockey team in terms of the talent, but a fun place nonetheless.

 OMG some awesome fricken memories there.

 

[Polish Hammer]

Recap of the weekend?