Ben Franklin Parkway

Visiting Philadelphia? Don't just run up the "Rocky steps" of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and call it a day in the neighborhood. Check out these attractions nearby:

1. Eastern State Penitentary on Fairmount Ave-"Opened in 1829 as part of a controversial movement to change the behavior of inmates through "confinement in solitude with labor," Eastern State Penitentiary quickly became one of the most expensive and most copied buildings in the young United States. It is estimated that more than 300 prisons worldwide are based on the Penitentiary's wagon-wheel, or "radial" floor plan." http://www.easternstate.org/history/--Now a historical site with a fantastic audio tour by Steve Buscemi, the former prison is a great spot to tour. Creepy and educational at the same time.

2. Fairmount Park, Kelly Drive, BoatHouse Row-walk behind the art museum and you will find bike paths and walkways along the Schuykill River that extend up into the northern parts of the city. On a nice day, there will be rowers on the river. The boathouses at the start of Kelly Drive are used by local colleges and universities as row-out points for their crew teams. Don't miss the underground Schuykill River museum next to the brand new Waterworks Restaurant. The museum offers history of the river and the Waterworks that used to function as a source of water for the city of Philadelphia.

3. Rodin Museum-Technically an extension of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Rodin museum houses many works of sculptor Auguste Rodin famous for his "Thinkers." Just a short walk from the museum, this small museum is worth the visit for the lovely garden and gated entranceway that hide the main building from view.

4. Philadelphia Public Library-The main branch of the Philadelphia Public Library System inhabits one of the austere looking buildings on Vine street just several blocks down from the Rodin Museum. Resembling the main hall of the Philadelphia museum of art in its interior, the reading rooms are bi-leveled and gilded. Worth a walk around!

5. Moore College of Art-A women's art school located across the street from Logan Fountain has exhibits of student work and local artists. Also has a neat outdoor sandwich, coffee bar that's great for lunch.

6. Academy of Natural Sciences- Most people will visit the Franklin Institute because it's a large musuem that has larged, nationwide exhibits. Most people will not visit the smaller, more intimate Academy of Natural Sciences across the street from the Franklin Institute. Often the home of very interesting and traveling shows of its own, this museum has a neat "touch me" portion of the museum filled with snakes, bugs, and other creepy crawly creatures sure to delight young children (or scare them).

7. The best way to get around the Parkway is to walk. However, the city has a great shuttle service called Phlash which will take you to most tourist points around the city including the Parkway for $1.00 a ride. They sell special all-day passes that allow you to hop on an off the bus wherever there's a Purple Phlash sign. Many people will choose to do double-decker buses but these tend to be expensive and it's really no fun to sit in traffic.

8. While the subways will not take you to the Parkway and really, won't take you very far, there are a few bus lines that go towards the Parkway from Center City. The 32 and the 17 have stops all along the Parkway. Be sure to ask the driver or another bus rider if you're going in the right direction. Fare is $2.00 a person without a token or $1.30 in token form but they on;y come in packs of two and can only be purchased in the subway stations or selected stores throughout the city. Cabs start at $2.70 at flag drop and are not required to take debit/credit cards without a minimum!