Philadelphia Picks Up 14 More Accolades In 2011

PHILADELPHIA, June 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Greater Philadelphia is a hot topic among the national press in 2011, with an additional 14 buzz-worthy accolades awarded to the area in the past few months for its top-notch historical attractions, dining options and sports scene. Noted as "best" and "trendsetting," Philadelphia created applause amongst the likes of Budget Travel, forbes.com, Grub Street and many other reputable media outlets. Travelers should get out their bucket lists and add these must-dos to their Philly itineraries:

Touring Around:

1-2. In March, Budget Travel said that Independence Hall is one of "15 Places Your Kids Should See Before 15." The following month, the magazine paid homage to the entire Independence National Historical Park, noting the many attractions that make it an "Iconic America" destination.

3.  Part of its 2011-2012 Best Vacations section, U.S. News & World Report ranked Philadelphia #9 in its list of the 15 "Best Family Vacations in the USA" and #14 in the list of the 19 "Best Affordable U.S. Destinations."

4.  At the request of cnbc.com, bestplaces.net ranked the top 10 walkable cities, and Philadelphia took the #7 spot.

Dining & Nightlife:

5.  Travel + Leisure called Penn's Landing's Screening Under the Stars series one of "America's Best Outdoor Movie Theaters."

6.  New York magazine's Grub Street included 10 Greater Philadelphia spots in its article entitled "Pasta Porn: 101 of America's Most Delicious Noodle Dishes." The restaurants: Osteria, Vetri, Village Belle, Marra's, Amis, JG Domestic, Le Virtu, Paradiso, Restaurant Alba and Avalon.

7.  Midtown Village dining hotspot Barbuzzo claimed a spot on Frommer's "10 Best New Urban Restaurants" list.

8.  Paesano's made it onto US Airways Magazine's list of the "14 Most Trendsetting Restaurants in the U.S."

9.  Esquire's Eat Like a Man blog called the refreshing Summer Love Ale—a partnership between   the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation and Victory Brewing Company—one of the "Best New Beers of Spring (and Summer)." The highly anticipated brew hits 29 states and approximately 200 taps in late May 2011.

10.  Airport Revenue News (ARN) named Philadelphia International Airport the "Airport with the Best Concession Management Team" in its annual Best Airport & Concessions Awards in March.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game:

11.  Forbes.com named the Phillie Phanatic #1 on its list of "America's Favorite Sports Mascots."

12.  People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) announced its annual "Top 10 Veg-Friendly Major League Ballparks," ranking Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park as the second-best vegetarian and vegan-friendly ballpark in the country.  

13.  The Brand Keys Sports Loyalty Index ranked the Philadelphia Phillies fans the most loyal of all teams in professional baseball and the Philadelphia Flyers fans the second-most loyal in professional hockey. Factors taken into account included tickets sales, merchandise and local traditions and history.

14.  The Daily Meal™ wrote about "Best (and Worst) Stadium Food Around America," calling Tony Luke's cheesesteaks at Citizens Bank Park one of the best.

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 visitphilly.com or uwishunu.com, where you can build itineraries; search event calendars; see photos and videos; view interactive maps; sign up for newsletters; listen to HearPhilly, an online radio station about what to see and do in the region; book hotel reservations and more. Or, call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Historic Philadelphia, at (800) 537-7676.

SOURCE Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation