A sneak peak at MORE Fun in Philly

Tuesday, June 21, & Thursday, June 23 - meet in the Loews Hotel Lobby, 7pm on Tuesday, 6:30pm on Thursday.

Join us for an evening stroll through the streets of Philadelphia on your way to a fabulous dinner! Three different themed options on both Tuesday and Thursday evenings offer you a chance to see some of the city’s most famous landmarks and sample some of the locals’ favorite bars and eateries. For more details click here. 

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Featured stops

Old City Life Elfreth’s Alley is known as our nation’s oldest residential street. It has been occupied by residents and business owners since 1702. Today the Alley looks much like it did in the 18^th Century thanks to the Elfreth’s Alley Association who helped secure its spot as a National Historic Landmark District. Thirty-two houses built between 1728 and 1836 line the alley forming one of the last intact early American streetscapes in the nation. We will take a stroll down this street to get a sense of what life might have been like in the city where our nation was founded.

Photo credit: E. Savaria

 Out in the Gayborhood 13^th Street Shops & Restaurants. Philadelphia has a notable history involving the gay rights movement. The 1965 march in front of Independence Hall was one of the earliest public protests for equal rights. The city’s 1982 Fair Practices Act was one of the country's earliest gay civil rights measures. Today Philadelphia is home to a vibrant gay community and 13^th Street is at the heart of it all. This lively street is chock-full of bars, restaurants and shops to tantalize the senses. We will meander in and out of the numerous gay-owned stores that line two blocks that make up the Gayborhood.  

  

 Image credit: visitphilly.com

Puttin’ on the Ritts Rittenhouse Square is the final stop for this evening stroll. This picturesque park is one of the five original parks planned for Philadelphia by William Penn in the late 17^th century. In the latter half of the 19^th century Rittenhouse became the most fashionable neighborhood to live in and home to the “Victorian aristocracy”. Today it remains one of the most glamorous areas in the city, surrounded by luxury hotels, fine-dining restaurants and the most desirable addresses in the city.

 Photo credit: Stephen Weber

MORE fun in Philly….

With all of the sessions and tours happening at the APGA Conference this year in Philly, we can see how you might be feeling dizzy. The Social Committee is here for you! We are currently organizing casual outings on Tuesday and Thursday evenings to introduce you to Philly nightlife at its finest.

What’s MORE? You can pick and choose! Join in on one of three groups strolling to Old City, Rittenhouse Square, or the Gayborhood. Mingle with other horticulturally inclined attendees hailng from near and far as you learn about classic Philly icons and monuments on your way to dinner and drinks. These three tours are open Tuesday and Thursday nights. Further details to come…

Option 1: Old City Life

It’s not every day you get to stroll past the Liberty Bell on your way to dinner! This walk will take you down the Independence Historic Mall, past the Liberty Bell Pavilion and the iconic Independence Hall building. We’ll continue on through the parks that surround the beautiful historic buildings of Carpenters Hall and the 2^nd Bank of the United States.

Walk past the Betsy Ross House and along Elfreth’s Alley, referred to as America’s first residential street. Wander the alley before strolling into City Tavern, known as the informal meeting place of the first continental congress. In the late 1700’s you would have been rubbing elbows with the likes of John Adams and George Washington, so it’s okay to pretend you're Ben Franklin while you are enjoying your drink.

A view of Independence Hall

Option 2: Puttin’ on the Ritts…

Tour the good life in Rittenhouse Square. We’ll stroll past City Hall, then onto LOVE Park for a chance to take a photo beside the famous sculpture. We’ll walk along the scenic Benjamin Franklin Parkway pointing out some of Philadelphia’s most famous sites such as the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul, Swann Memorial Fountain, the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Our final destination: Rittenhouse Square, one of the five original open-space parks planned for William Penn’s “Greene Countrie Town”. Here restaurants abound; we’ll dine at one of the Square’s delightful bistros and enjoy a drink at Parc, a restaurant with a French flair.

You too could be enjoying Rittenhouse Square this June...

Option 3: Out in the Gayborhood

You don’t have to go far to get OUT and about in Philadelphia. On our short stroll we’ll first visit the Wannamaker Building, the US’s first Department Store. We’ll wander through the building’s grand central court to see the Wannamaker organ, one of the largest organs in the world. It still graces the store with music and if we are lucky we may be treated to a special concert. We’ll head down 13^th street, through the heart of the Gayborhood, also called Midtown Village.

We’ll stop at Verde a specialty shop that sells fresh flowers, gifts and is home to a wonderful chocolatier. Dinner will be at one of the many great gay-owned restaurants in the area. Then on to Woody’s the oldest and most established gay-bay in the city for a drink.

Philly’s 13^th Street

Photos from awesomestories.com, iirraa @ Flikr.com, and GayPASG.org