T+L: You, Too, Can Visit Philly Like a Celebrity

Travel + Leisure recently ran a story on “How to Visit Philadelphia Like a Movie Star.” We all know that Philadelphia is making a mark on the national map, what with the Pope’s September visit and the upcoming Democratic National Convention being held here this summer. But did you know that Philadelphia also features numerous ties to Hollywood? Not only have scores of movies been filmed or set here, but it has also become a low-key hangout for celebrities. How can you visit the City of Brotherly Love the same way that the rich and famous do? Read on to find out.

Rocky is, of course, the most famous movie about Philadelphia.

Movies featuring Philadelphia are plenteous. The most obvious, of course, is the Rocky series, which is pretty much a love story to Philly’s blue-collar neighborhoods. To get in touch with your own inner Rocky, the thing to do is to scale the 68 steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art (preferably while listening to the Rocky theme, “Gonna Fly Now”) and pose for a victory selfie with the statue of the famous fictional boxer at the bottom. But there’s also Philadelphia, a critically-acclaimed classic; Mannequin, Trading Places, Twelve Monkeys, and In Her Shoes. You also can’t forget about The Sixth Sense (although it’s unlikely that you will see any dead people during your visit) and The Silver Linings Playbook.

To get in touch with your inner celebrity, visit Philly the way that they do. T+L reports that the famous don’t stay in hotels: “They stay in upscale, contemporary apartments where they have the room to entertain their entourage and don’t have to worry about being photographed as they grab their morning coffee.” That’s not to say that Philadelphia’s upscale boutique hotels don’t see Hollywood royalty pass through! The Ritz Carlton, the Logan, and the Rittenhouse Hotel are the best spots for celeb-sighting.

Then there are the in-town hangout for the rich and famous. SliCE Rittenhouse is known as a favorite of celebrities including Bradley Cooper, Nikki Minaj, and Ed Sheeran. Then there’s Sabrina’s Cafe, where Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal have dined. French bistros Parc and Rouge have each seen their share of famous clientele, including Denzel Washington and Jamie Foxx at Parc, and Justin Timberlake and M. Night Shyamalan at Rouge.

As you can see, doing Philadelphia like a star is surprisingly attainable!