The city of brotherly love scored a big accolade in USA TODAY and 10best.com’s Choice Awards Contest. Philly was voted the most walkable city in the US, taking the number one spot ahead of other popular destinations including Washington D.C., Chicago, and NYC.
“This award recognizes Philadelphia as the most walkable city in the country, which is exactly how we want our city to be known,” Angela Val, president and CEO at Visit Philadelphia, said in a statement. “Tourists can easily stroll from neighborhood to neighborhood, having dinner in one part of the city before walking 10 minutes to grab a drink or dessert in another, sightseeing along the way.”
Firstly, a panel of experts from both USA TODAY and 10best.com nominated Philly for the category. Secondly, the public voted propelling it to the number one slot. The most walkable neighborhoods were listed as Rittenhouse Square, Washington Square West, Fitler Square and Center City East.
And it’s no surprise. It takes less than an hour to walk from one end of downtown Philly to the other. Indeed, Center City is quite easy to navigate. It spans 26 blocks from the Delaware River on the east to the Schuylkill River on the west.
Props To Penn
Much of Philadelphia’s walkability is attributable to 17th-century city planner William Penn. Props to Penn for envisioning the grid of streets that comprise Philadelphia’s downtown. Perpendicular streets run north-south and east-west. North and south streets are numbered, whereas, east-west streets are mostly named for trees: Walnut, Locust, Spruce.
Along the way, there are many places to eat great food, shop, or hike. Not to mention, Philly is home to many gorgeous parks and historical sites within walking distance to one another.
“We are happy to see the city again receiving national recognition for its ease of access,” Gregg Caren, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, said in a statement.
Honorable Mentions
USA TODAY also named Philadelphia the No. 3 “Best U.S. Destination on a Budget,” thanks in part to visitors’ ability to thoroughly enjoy their stay in the city in a budget-friendly manner. Additionally, Philadelphia came in fourth place for “Best Place to See Fireworks”. After all, the Wawa Welcome America July 4th Fireworks show is always dynamite.