Philadelphia lived for long in Big Apple’s overwhelming shadow, but recently, it begun showing its true heart, gaining popularity as a travel destination. It’s here where the roots of the American Independence began, and you’ll see traces of this glorious past in Philadelphia’s oldest historic quarter, the Old City. Add to your Philadelphia travel guide the Center City (West and East) as well, with their Chinatown, Washington Square West, the gay-friendly Gayborhood, art museum district, Rittenhouse Square, and the shopping and dining opportunities on Chestnut and Walnut Streets.