Photo courtesy of HuffPost Travel

 
Not quite sure what my title means exactly? I felt the same way … until I read this entire article.

When we think of “destination cities,” we think of places we would like to visit and/or potentially move to. That’s really what makes these places destinations. There are lots of things to see/do, the population is increasing, there are job opportunities, and the culture is cool.

That’s why I would want to visit/move-to a new city, wouldn’t you?

Well, Philadelphia just cracked the Top 10, and for very valid reasons. Here is a breakdown of why we made the list:

– “Philadelphia is a multi-faceted destination:” As stated in the report, “Philadelphia fuses colonial American history with contemporary charm.” For those who have never been, 2014 Philadelphia is a healthy mix of both “old” and “new.” When referring to the “old,” our city has tons of history, established businesses, eclectic neighborhoods, and generations of locals. It’s what separates Philadelphia from a majority of other US cities. When referring to the “new,” our city is experiencing a real estate development boom, population increases, new city residents from all over the world, and a culinary scene that can only be matched by a few other US cities. That is what makes Philadelphia multi-faceted, and keeps us competitive with other US cities. That is also why we had 39 million visitors in 2013, with a sizable increase in international travel.

– “Philadelphia is compact and easy to navigate:” I don’t think anyone would argue with this one. As for overall city population, Philadelphia currently ranks 5th (behind NYC, LA, Chicago, and Houston). As for city population density, Philadelphia also ranks 5th (behind NYC, San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago). The fact that we fall in the same spot for both means that we have a large, dense, and urban city; not to mention that our public transportation infrastructure is expansive and far-reaching. In other words, the average Philadelphian can get from Point A to Point B fairly easily, and at a reasonable cost. This not only adds to Philadelphia’s overall quality of life, but it makes our city an attractive place to live. As many have said before, including myself, Philadelphia is a very manageable big city.

– “Center City is packed with museums of all stripes, as well as historic monuments:” Every city has its focus area. This is a city’s lifeblood, and it feeds into other aspects of the surrounding metro area (e.g. jobs, tourism, etc). For Philadelphia, this area is Center City. Not only is CC the cultural and entertainment hub of Philadelphia, it’s also the most popular place to live in the city. Neighborhoods like Rittenhouse Square and Old City offer Philadelphians the option to live in a low-rise, historic neighborhood, but still be within walking/biking distance to jobs, restaurants, shopping, and public transportation. On top of that, Philadelphia’s best museums and historic sites are located within the Center City area as well. This means that both visitors and residents interact on a daily basis, which adds to our city’s charm and appeal.

From someone who’s job involves working with clients from all over the world, Philadelphia’s current reputation far surpasses what some locals recall from years past. We are a city on the rise, and the future is bright.