Why you should send clients to….Philadelphia

If it was good enough for the Pope, Rocky Balboa, Hall and Oates, Will Smith, Joe Frazier and Bradley Cooper then TravelMole MD decided Philadelphia was definitely good enough for him.

"Good enough for Bruce Springsteen and Elton John to write songs about it? Then it was definitely going to be good enough for me.

Philadelphia is a very interesting fun destination and the fact that it is not more popular with UK and European holidaymakers is somewhat surprising. Let me tell you why I think it’s a great place to visit.

It’s easy to get to with lots of direct flights from the UK.  I travelled in a very comfortable Delta 757 and paid a little extra to sit in a Comfort Plus seat which was well worth the investment. The aircraft had very swift Wi-Fi the entire journey and a comprehensive entertainment system. So comprehensive that one of the films on offer was ‘Heaven Adores You’ which was made/filmed/directed by former TravelMole cameraman Nickolas Rossi. So a comfortable relatively short flight with no hassle and the added benefit that Delta fly from the forgotten terminal at Heathrow, number 4, so no crowds and more importantly no queues.

Philadelphia is full of history. The home of the liberty bell,the birthplace of the independence of the USA are facts many people know but less known is that it is where newspapers began in America, hospitals, theatres, medical schools (one in six doctors in the US come from Philadelphia) , zoos and the city has more impressionist paintings than any other city other than Paris.

Sport is a big aspect of everyday life in the city with a full spectrum of the major sports represented. They have the Phillies for baseball, Eagles in NFL, 76’ers for basketball, Flyers for ice hockey and last but not least the Union for soccer. Almost wherever you go in the city you are aware of the sporting heritage and whenever you are there at least one of the sports is in full swing.

Philadelphia has its own food. Apart from the delicious and ubiquitous Philly Cheesesteak, served with onions and cheese whiz (almost like liquid cheese spread) it is a delight, the city is inundated with high quality restaurants and cafes who nearly all adhere to the farm-to-table principles of local food. In some cases the level of service, attention to detail and uniqueness of offering would lead one to use the term artisan for the people who run and generally own the establishments. They are so enthusiastic about their business that they go that extra mile to make it the best around.

A 20-minute drive outside of the city will take you to the countryside where agriculture, art and history dominate. It could not be more of a contrast from the big village city to a true rural experience. If you could just imagine what small town America looks and feels like, then here you have it. Small buzzing communities serve up some amazing art, wildlife, heritage and bizarrely one of the largest shopping malls in North America – the King of Prussia – and there is no sales tax in Pennsylvania.

Many people would require the beach when having a break. Well fear not, it’s close at hand as well. Driving by car using the express way or letting the train take the strain you can be at the seaside in little more than an hour when you arrive at Atlantic City. The famous boardwalk is just one of many attractions here but above all the sandy beaches and accessible bars make it an entertaining place to come not just for the day but for an overnight stay.

Philadelphia – It should be good enough for anybody."

Graham flew with Delta

and stayed at the Downtown Sonesta