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Philadelphia is a winning city, raking in awards and accolades on the regular.
Case in point: Philly was recently named one of Lonely Planet’s best cities in the world to visit in 2024. In 2023, the city’s culinary scene brought in more James Beard Awards than any other city.
On the entertainment front, Philly’s own Quinta Brunson just scored an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for Abbott Elementary.
And it was a golden year for Philly at the Oscars, with Philly’s Da’Vine Joy Randolph taking home an Oscar for outstanding actress in a supporting role for The Holdovers and Montco’s Jennifer Lame winning big for her editing work on Oppenheimer. (Shoutout to local legends Colman Domingo and Bradley Cooper who were also nominated).
Which brings us to The Liberty Bells. In honor of awards season, we’re celebrating the things, people and places that Philly loves the most. We’re talking about the inspiration for your morning commute, the mouthwatering meal on your Instagram feed, the top-secret space that may soon lose its hidden-gem status, and all the things that make Philadelphia a must-visit destination right now, next year and beyond.
Over the last few weeks, you voted (nearly 30,000 of you!) for your Philly faves in 10 categories. Now, it’s time to announce the winners.
In addition to Philly bragging rights, they’ll score a custom Liberty Bell award, a photo shoot with Visit Philly’s photo and video team, and some special coverage on our social channels.
Yo, Adrian! He did it. The iconic statue of the Italian Stallion beat out fellow finalists Swann Memorial Fountain, The Thinker and the LOVE Sculpture to take home the Bell. A near-constant flow of people arrive daily at the bottom of the stairs at the Philadelphia Museum of Art to snap a picture with the Rocky statue, originally created for a scene in Rocky III.
An architectural wonder hidden in plain sight, the Masonic Temple’s cathedral-like stone towers rise high above the city streets, much like many of the city’s historic churches. Inside, visitors are greeted by a grand staircase lined with portraits of past and present Freemasons. Located just across the street from Philadelphia’s City Hall, this hidden gem is a must-visit for architecture types and history buffs. Congrats to our other finalists in this category: the Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Franklin Institute.
Rich in history, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is where the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and where they convened in 1787 for the Constitutional Convention to lay the foundation of the young United States. Today, guided tours of Independence Hall, led by National Park rangers, begin in the first-floor courtroom where lawyers from opposing sides shared tables and law books. We all know Philly is full of historic sites, so we want to acknowledge the Liberty Bell and the Giant Heart at The Franklin Institute for making it to the finals in this category.
It’s tough to beat this dish from Zahav. It’s beautiful, tasty and 100-percent swoon-worthy. Honorable mentions go to garlic butter chicken at Honeygrow and French toast at The Wayward for being finalists. Great — now we’re drooling.
The hype is real for this South Philly spot, which routinely lands on lists of the best cheesesteaks in Philly. Pro tip: Keep it simple with Cooper Sharp and fried onions. Shout out to our other finalists, Middle Child Clubhouse and the roast pork from DiNic’s, for making our mouth water.
Incredible views and delicious drinks at Skyhigh Bar made the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia at Comcast Center a winner here. What’s not to love? The property narrowly beat out two other hotels with gorgeous views: The Notary Hotel Philadelphia Autograph Collection and Hyatt Centric Center City Philadelphia.
Old City’s charming cobblestone streets and 18th-century charm helped it out claw out a victory over two of Philly’s proudest ’hoods in Fishtown and East Passyunk. This was a close one, y’all!
Our first two-time winner! We mentioned it earlier, but the Masonic Temple really is a hidden gem. But maybe not for long? It sounds like the cat may be out of the bag on this one. Cheers to our other finalists: PingPod, the Science History Institute, the Fishtown Choir and the Curtis Institute of Music.
Located in Chester County, Longwood Gardens showcases more than 9,000 species and varieties of plants spread out across more than 1,000 acres of gardens and elaborate horticultural displays. This celebrated botanical garden attracts visitors from around the globe thanks to outdoor and indoor gardens, fountain shows, and picturesque meadows and woodlands. It beat out two other deserving finalists: Fonthill Castle and the Brandywine Museum of Art.
The legendary Philadelphia Eagles center brought tears to our eyes when he announced his retirement earlier this month. But it’s the work that Jason and wife Kylie do off the field in our community that makes us most proud. It’s been a pretty big week for Jason. Have you seen that billboard on I-676? A round of applause to the other nominees: Mayor Cherelle Parker, Harriett’s Bookshop and Instagram user @Photolope.
Full Announcement Video
Check out our full announcement video below, starring Visit Philly’s own Farah Farag and Daecia Borgia:
The only way to fully experience Philly? Stay over.
Book the Visit Philly Overnight Package and get free hotel parking and choose-your-own-adventure perks, including tickets to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Franklin Institute, or the National Constitution Center and the Museum of the American Revolution.
Or maybe you’d prefer to buy two Philly hotel nights and get a third night for free? Then book the new Visit Philly 3-Day Stay package.
Which will you choose?