Welcome to Philly!

Full page version of this post.
SSAWW 2009 "Getting Around Philadelphia" Brochure
On behalf of the SSAWW Local Arrangements Committee, Welcome to Philly! We have prepared a booklet that will be available at the Conference; in the meantime, we wanted to give you a “heads up” on activities you may want to plan before arriving at the Conference.
If this is your first visit to the City, you’ll probably want to take in “The Biggies”: Independence Hall National Historic Park, the Liberty Bell, and the Visitor’s Center. Please be aware that tickets are required for entrance to Independence Hall and may be pre-ordered at www.recreation.gov or 1-877-444-6777. Tickets are free, but get yours early so you can schedule a tour time.




Our brochure will list more museums and activities of interest; in the meantime, the Philly Visitors and Convention department offers a comprehensive overview of the city and ongoing events at http://www.philadelphiausa.travel/

One of our favorite special October events is The Eastern State Penitentiary’s “Terror Behind the Walls,” the largest haunted house in the U.S. and the only haunted attraction held in a prison. Tickets are required and the tours fill up quickly, so it’s recommended that you order tickets before arriving at the Conference. The Penitentiary, a fantastic gothic pile of rubble built in 1829, is also open daily for regular daylight tours, and those admissions can be purchased at site. http://www.easternstate.org.

Philadelphia has an efficient, multi-modal public transportation system; moreover, attractions such as Independence Park are within pleasant walking distance of the Sheraton. The train/subway/bus system is called the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) and covers all of Philly proper as well as suburban areas. SEPTA trains also provide access to Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C. and New York City trains.

To plan your trip using any combination of bus, rail and walking, use SEPTA’s step-by-step electronic planner: http://airs1.septa.org/bin/query.exe/en

The Philly Phlash, an above-ground bus system, is also a good (and inexpensive) way to get around the
City Center and tourist attractions. For $2.00 you can get on and off at convenient stops throughout the area. To plan your Phlash route go to: http://www.gophila.com

Taxis can be hailed from any urban street, or you may call for a pick-up from a fixed address:
All City Taxi (215) 467-6666
City Cab (800) 829-4222
PHL Taxi (215) 789-9361 (215) 789-9361
Yellow Cab (215) 333-3333

Please let us know if you have questions about local attractions and arrangements and we’ll be pleased to help you in any way we can.

Jenn Diamond
Local Arrangements Committee
Diamondj@bucks.edu or Diamondj@tcnj.edu
(215) 504-8666