If you’re a travel nurse looking to spend some time in Philadelphia, or you’re just passing through for the weekend and don’t plan on doing any Philadelphia nursing, check out this guide our very own Trusted Nurse, Courtney Jones, put together!
I was born and grew up half of my childhood in the suburbs of Philadelphia, so Philly has always felt like home to me! After returning for college, I later started my nursing career here and haven’t left since! I love exploring all this city has to offer and have lived in five different neighborhoods within the city!
Others are jumping on the Philly band wagon too- Pope Francis hosted the World Meeting of Families on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway a couple years back, the NFL draft was here recently, and the Fab 5 from Queer Eye just finished filming here for their upcoming season!
There is so much to love about the “City of Brotherly Love”: countless restaurants, affordable rent, outdoor activities, pride for our sports teams, and not to mention the multiple healthcare systems to work at (whether you’re getting your nursing degree at Jefferson College of Nursing, studying to become a nurse practitioner at UPenn, or just exploring different healthcare setting)!
As the birthplace of our nation, there are so many historic places to see within the Old City neighborhood: Liberty Bell, the Betsy Ross House, Constitution Center, Independence Hall, and Penn’s Landing. Hop on a segway tour or wait in line to see the Liberty Bell- it is well worth it! If you find yourself in town on the first Friday of the month, the art galleries in this part of town open their doors for First Friday!
The best view of the city in my opinion is from Bok Bar- a seasonal rooftop bar at a closed school. They also offer yoga classes, and on Sunday you can bring dogs and kids!
Philly is known for great BYOB restaurants (there are over 300!) Tucked away right in neighborhoods, you get the local feel without breaking the bank on a delicious meal! Some of my favorites are: Audrey Claire, Isot, Giorgio on Pine, and Ambrosia.
To get all your Philly staple foods such as cheesesteaks, pretzels, and famous Beiler’s Doughnuts you have to head over to Reading Terminal Market, which opened in 1892 and has over 80 vendors! There are so many great local breweries, more are popping up each year! Many of them have great outdoor spaces, local food trucks, and TVs to watch games at! Some of my favorites include Love City Brewing, Goose Island, Evil Genius, and Dock Street!
One of my favorite things about living in Philly are the day trips you can take! Only 2 hours from NYC, you can hop a bus for $10 and pop up for the day! Within an hour drive from Philly you can be toes in the sand on the Jersey Shore! If you are more into mountain scenery, the Pocanos are just a couple hours drive from the city to ski and snowboard! Elk and Blue Mountain are popular!
On a day off, my favorite activity is biking or running along the Schuylkill River Trail or hiking with my dog in the Wissahickon Park, which has over 57 miles of trails within Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park system. They’re popular for biking, hiking, and horseback riding--and are only 15 minutes from downtown!
I am a big fan of music and love going to the many different-sized venues throughout the city such as Union Transfer, Johnny Brendas, and Boot and Saddle! I recently discovered Sofar Sounds Philadelphia and have enjoyed exploring new neighborhoods and watching diverse lineups in an intimate show environment in unconventional venues! I’d highly recommend!
One of my recent favorite forms of exercise is with November Project Philadelphia, a grass root workout group that meets at the Art Museum and encourages all fitness levels to #justshowup!
Whether you are just visiting for the weekend or have been living here for years, I think you will gain an understanding for the pride people have for their city! People from Philly sure do love their sports teams! Pretty sure I will never forget when the whole city swarmed Broad St. after the Eagles beat the Patriots in the 2018 Super Bowl!
There is so much to do in Philadelphia whether you have a strict itinerary to follow or you simply spend the day meandering the many different neighborhood shops, restaurants, and sites! If you’re considering it for a travel nurse assignment, a nursing program, or even a staffing position, you should definitely give it a look!
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