Press Release

BACKGROUNDER
Philadelphia’s “Gayborhood:” History, Culture, Dining And Nightlife

PHILADELPHIA, October 11, 2007 - Philadelphia continues to come out as one of the nation’s top gay-friendly travel destinations. As reflected in its high-profile ad campaign, Philadelphia – Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay®, the region has become the place to learn about America’s past by day and to experience a little of the party life by night. Here, visitors will find all the ingredients for a fabulous weekend getaway: a hot restaurant scene, great shopping and rich cultural attractions and historic sites, as well as lively bars, clubs in a nine-block “Gayborhood,” where the street signs are marked with rainbow flags.

Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building

Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC

Arts, Culture and History:
History buffs, art aficionados and culture mavens, be warned: The Philadelphia region is a cultural paradise. Famous for its preeminent role in the founding of the country, the city is the ultimate history classroom. Within the recently redeveloped Independence National Historical Park stands Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed and the U.S. Constitution was ratified. Independence Hall was also the site of some of the nation’s first gay rights demonstrations, held here for four years beginning in 1965. An official state historic marker—the first in the nation to mark a GLBT historical event—commemorates the landmark protests.

Just across the street is the Liberty Bell Center, which provides a more contemplative experience than ever before for this venerable symbol of freedom. Anchoring the northern end of Independence Mall is the National Constitution Center, a major museum celebrating the U.S. Constitution, including its impact on the rights of gays and lesbians.

For art lovers, there’s no better place to begin than the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where an impressive array of Renaissance, American, Impressionist and modern art lives. The museum’s recently unveiled Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building offers a stunning, new home for its costume, textile, contemporary design and photography collections. Nearby is the Rodin Museum, home to the largest collection of Rodin sculptures outside of France. The Philadelphia Art Alliance on Rittenhouse Square frequently showcases gay and contemporary artists, while the Rosenbach Museum and Library houses the original manuscripts of James Joyce’s Ulysses and Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, as well as letters between lesbian writer Mercedes de Acosta and Hollywood legend Greta Garbo.

Cultural experiences can extend well into the evening along the Avenue of the Arts, where exciting performances range from opera to world music and from Broadway to local theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Academy of Music, Wilma Theater, Prince Music Theater, the soon-to-open Suzanne Roberts Theatre and other venues.

Just outside the city, the art institutions may be smaller in size than their urban counterparts—but the caliber of the work on display here is equally impressive. The Barnes Foundation in Merion showcases an unparalleled collection of post-Impressionist works, while its arboretum is home to many rare and mature plants not usually found in this region. The Brandywine River Museum in scenic Chadds Ford specializes in works by the Wyeth family, and the James A. Michener Museum, with facilities in Doylestown and New Hope, focuses on artists from Bucks County and Pennsylvania.

Restaurants:
While in town, a soft pretzel with mustard and a famous Philly cheesesteak are musts, but visitors should realize that there is a vast world of culinary options beyond Philly’s favorite comfort foods. In Washington Square West, affectionately known as Wash West, Knock features an American menu with global touches and a lively bar scene; Mixto serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner Latino-style; More Than Just Ice Cream lives up to its name with yummy burgers, salads and sandwiches; lesbian-owned, bring-your-own-bottle (BYOB) establishment Lolita wows crowds with its nuevo Mexican focus; Raw presents sushi in an uber stylish setting; Valanni tempts the taste buds with creative Mediterranean fare; and its sister restaurant Mercato provides a market-driven take on Italian cuisine. For lighter fare, two wine bars, Tria and Vintage pair unusual wines by the bottle or glass with artisanal cheese plates, salads, pressed sandwiches and other snacks. The star of the city’s dining scene is restaurateur Stephen Starr, owner of 12 trendy eateries. Options among his empire include the Mexican El Vez; the comfort food of Jones; the pan Asian Buddakan; and the dramatic, Havana-inspired Alma de Cuba.

Bars And Clubs:
Most of the city’s gay and lesbian bars and clubs are conveniently located in the “Gayborhood,” which runs from 10^th to Broad Streets and from Chestnut to Pine Streets. Best known are the always-packed Woody’s, which has several bars and a pulsating dance floor; Shampoo, a sprawling complex that is gay on Friday nights with drag queens, go-go boys and the latest club music; Pure, an after-hours club where the dancing continues well after 2:00 a.m.; The Bike Stop, a land of leather and its fans; Bump, a luxe-lounge and restaurant; and Sisters, a bar-restaurant-dance club mostly for women.

Shops:
Wash West fittingly offers a discriminating “Queer Eye” for furniture and home goods, from traditional outlets on Antique Row to a new generation of stores selling more contemporary items along the same stretch. Also in the neighborhood is the 30-year-old Giovanni’s Room, one of the nation’s most successful gay, lesbian and feminist bookstores; and Midtown Village, a shopping district on 13^th Street between Walnut and Chestnut Streets, featuring the latest menswear, handmade soaps and bath products, men’s clothing and accessories, housewares and furniture and mouthwatering gelato. Best of all, there’s no sales tax on clothing in Pennsylvania.

More great shopping awaits along Rittenhouse Row, a tony shopping district on Walnut Street, from Broad to 20^th Streets; in Old City, home to dozens of galleries and boutiques; and on funky South Street, where trendy clothing shops and piercing and tattoo parlors rule.

On the outskirts of Philadelphia is the Franklin Mills Mall, a massive outlet mall; and the King of Prussia Mall, complete with eight department stores and more than 400 upscale specialty shops.

Events:
The city hosts several major gay events throughout the year. Favorites include OutFest, the National Coming Out Weekend held in October; Equality Forum, one of the nation’s largest gay and lesbian symposiums and festivals in April; the LGBT Pride Parade and Festival held in June; the Philadelphia Gay and Lesbian Theatre Festival, also taking place in June; and the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in July.

Hotels:
Philadelphia and The Countryside® offer a range of gay-friendly accommodations, from large, full-service hotels to smaller boutique properties to intimate bed-and-breakfasts and inns. Visitors can log onto www.gophila.com/gay to plan their visit and book their stay.

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside® a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit www.gophila.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676.

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit our Photo Gallery. On the pressroom, you can also subscribe to RSS feeds to receive updates on topics that are specifically of interest to you: What’s New, Dining, Events, Seasonal Travel, Hotel Packages and Tourism Research.

CONTACT:

Jeff Guaracino, GPTMC
(215) 599-2290, jeff@gptmc.com

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