American Holidays - Philadelphia, Phil Your Bags Shopping Trip

Philadelphia Shopping

From €449 per person sharing


Philadelphia

When you think of Philadelphia, chances are it's the "freedom images" that come to mind: The Liberty Bell. Men dressed in powdered wigs debating Revolutionary War strategy. Wise old Ben Franklin saving his pennies. True, history does drive tourism in Philadelphia, but it's only the backdrop for this diverse, fast-moving city, where a great cheesesteak gets as much respect as a Five-Star restaurant, and neighborhood galleries are as popular as nightclubs among young singles.

Visitors, some 30 million each year, come as much to experience Philly's Fringe Festival of experimental and performance art as to view its revered Flower Show. It's the hometown of actor Kevin Bacon, tenor/movie star Mario Lanza, and singer Chubby Checker. How much more diverse could a town be?

Philadelphia is definitely not a city where the sidewalks roll up after dinner. All bars may stay open until 2 am, and private clubs -- many of which are known as "bottle service clubs," which sell memberships for the privilege of patrons bringing and opening $200 bottles of booze - stay open much later.

Where the action is sometimes depends on your age. Those in their 20s and 30s have revitalized Old City, where the hottest new restaurants and clubs are located. On the younger side, clubs in the Northern Liberties neighborhood are emerging as places to hit on the weekend. The more sophisticated, over-40s crowd gather at the see-and-be-seen spots around Rittenhouse Square -- especially Rouge, where being beautiful is almost required -- and the sexy Alma de Cuba.

No one could have predicted the hottest trend in Philadelphia's restaurants: the BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) eatery. It's a new custom, developed out of necessity: The city's acclaimed chefs are known for mentoring their proteges, who naturally wanted to open their own restaurants, but only a limited number of liquor licenses are available in each neighborhood. And when a license is available, it can cost $300,000 or more, far beyond the budget of a young entrepreneur. So, young chefs have been opening BYOBs for the past several years, and they've built loyal, enthusiastic clientele.

Visitors come to Philadelphia the first time for the history, but they come back for the shopping. On the front edge of every emerging East Coast trend, Philly's entrepreneurs are the first to offer the season's hottest trends in clothing, jewelry, and home decor. The biggest concentration of shops is in the city itself, with some communities, such as Manayunk, known as shopping destinations in themselves. In the suburbs, towns along the Main Line and in West Chester and Bucks County are shopping draws, as are the mammoth, 450-store King of Prussia Mall and the outlet stores at Franklin Mills.

From South Street to Rittenhouse Row and Jewelers’ Row, Philadelphia is a bona fide shopper’s paradise. The city offers incredible shopping complexes and one-of-a-kind specialty stores. And as added incentive to loosen those purse strings, clothing and shoes are tax-free.

The Crowne Plaza Downtown

Located in the heart of downtown Philadelphia the hotel is just blocks from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, Amtrak's 30th Street Station, Rittenhouse Square and Philadelphia's historic sites and attractions. Number of rooms is 445. Room amenities include cable TV, in house movies, internet access, iron/ironing board, coffee maker, hairdryer, telephone and AC. Leisure amenities include outdoor heated pool & fitness centre. For your convenience the hotel has a restaurant and bar.

Business travelers are treated to unrivaled functionality while vacationers revel in elegant luxury when they choose the hotel's premier rooms and suites. Enjoy the perfect blend of comfort and convenience in every hotel room at the Crowne Plaza Downtown. Whether you are looking to relax with a movie and dinner delivered by the first-class room service team or need to prepare for your shopping venture with its generous work space, high-speed Internet access and 24-hour business center, this hotel can oblige.

Experience Sleep Advantage
Thanks to the Crowne Plaza Sleep Advantage Program, with special features developed by Dr. Michael Breus, Ph.D., to ensure peaceful slumber, you'll sleep well when you choose this hotel. For work or play, the luxurious accommodations in Philadelphia Downtown offer the stunning service and amenities that make the Crowne Plaza stand out from other hotels in Philadelphia.

They offer 445 elegantly decorated guest rooms.