Museums Franklin Institute- Like Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry, but different. Fun place. Philadelphia Art Museum- Nice, small (compared to Metropolitan) Rodin Museum- Sound familiar. This one is smaller than the one in Paris, but still well worth a visit Barnes Museum- Unusual collection of art displayed in collector's home. Some very good stuff.
Restaurants Thu Fri Sat... (very good, unusual, casual but suits acceptable; open 7 days; moderate prices) Gatsby's (Bogart's?) - Dressier: Incredible Dessert: Bannanas Foster (prepared Tableside) (moderate-exp) Society Hill Hotel (Cafe): Casual; very good; fun. White Dog: Very good food, casual-dressy; moderate Victor's: Italian food with opera-singing servers Gino's: Traditional Philadelphia cheese steak
In Old Manneunk: Several very good restaurants (Not sure of names but I think: Jake's, Jamie's Enoteca)
Street Food: Soft Pretzels (really good-all the German heritage, etc.), water ice.
There's someplace that is very good that specializes in homemade ice cream and desserts and I think it's called "The Ice Cream Factory" but that may be totally wrong.
Beer: Sam Adams brewery/restaurant on Samson Street.
Jazz Zanzibar Blue: Restaurant and club; very popular; somewhat dressy but wide range Ortleib's: Former brewery; food (good casual food); good music in close quarters _________ (can't remember the name but it's off South Street on a wide plaza) Casual but not cramped (Mrs._____ or Mama_____ or something like that).
Movies: Art House The Ritz: Old movies, foreign films, etc.
Areas to see/visit Rittenhouse Square: Ritzy neighborhood, some good shops.
Old Manneunk (neat town/neighborhood on the water): Good pool hall, many bars, several good restaurants, etc.
South Street: Young, seedy at night; also has very good gourmet store with prepared foods, etc.
Chestnut Hill: Edge of town; trolley still runs; very pleasant; several good restaurants (inc. Blue Moon); nice shops; IMPORTANT: White chocolate ice cream at Noodles (they make it there; not always in stock). Noodles is a good restaurant for breakfast or lunch and they sell homemade pasta and ice cream. Owned by the same people who run Blue Moon and Rollers (gourmet store at top of hill with affiliated restaurant). There's also a good restaurant with some sort of American Indian name.
Valley Forge: Where Washington fought, etc. Big historic park outside Philadelphia.