Philadelphia on a Roll By Roger Piantadosi Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, February 2, 2000

The Philadelphia skyline. By Bob Krist

In anticipation of that event--but as part of a larger rebirth that transcends the comparatively puny invasion of the 45,000 GOP delegates, guests and media expected the last week of July--Philadelphia has been very busy. Under crusading former mayor Ed Rendell, the city has grown much--in new or renovated hotel space, buttressed or budding restaurant rows, historical sites and cultural attractions and, well, trash collection. So much that if you've been away more than a decade, you'll be returning to a very different city.

Among the differences and happenings to look for, should a two-hour trip north be in your plans this winter, spring or summer:

Rooms? Yes: Over the past two years, some 7,000 new hotel rooms have opened (or will by the end of 2000) in Philadelphia and surrounding counties--including those in such innovative renovations as Marriott's 200-room expansion into the Reading Terminal Headhouse and the Ritz-Carlton's transformation of the domed, Pantheon-like Mellon Bank. Except for several big squeezes (the RNC invasion July 29-Aug. 4 and this spring's NCAA Women's Final Four--see below), available rooms are fairly easy to find. Two suggestions: The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp. (GPTMC) lists hotel package deals on its Web site (www.gophila.com/packages), and Web hotel discounter QuikBook (www.quikbook.com, 1-800-254-7188), though limiting choices, also approaches the lowest rates in town, especially on weekends (and was able to find me $109-per-night availability at a Rittenhouse Square boutique the night before the Republicans convene).

Events: The NCAA Women's Final Four makes its first East Coast appearance at Comcast Spectator's First Union Center March 31-April 2, the same venue--and with almost as many expected to converge on Philly--as the Republicans' Final Two. Other notable events include the summer's Opsail Philadelphia 2000 on June 23-27 (215-463-2407), with its flotilla of more than 200 tall ships arriving for the city's July Fourth festivities; this winter's 10-day PECO Jazz Festival, with 100 concerts and parties around town starting Feb. 12; and the city's perennial spring draw, the Philadelphia Flower Show, March 5-12 (215-988-8800).

Attractions: Philadelphia has always had an oddly European charm to it--Europe with soft pretzels and an attitude, at least. Now that there are four outdoor-cafe restaurants on Rittenhouse Square (and a Smith & Wollensky on the way at the five-diamond Rittenhouse Hotel), it's only going to get worse--or better, I mean. In March, the Philadelphia Museum of Art greets spring with an entirely relevant "Rome in the 18th Century" exhibit--and then ends the year with "Van Gogh: Face to Face" (215-763-8100, www.philamuseum.org).

And, unlike in Washington--where we prefer our museum-goers' footsteps to echo and necks to crane--Philadelphia is home to the continental, small-is-beautiful, special-interest museum: the literary Rosenbach Museum, the Philadelphia Art Alliance, the Please Touch Museum (moving in 2001, by the way, to a larger space at a redone Penn's Landing waterfront), the Barnes Foundation and, not far afield, the Wharton Esherick Museum's organic-cabinetmaking mini-wonderland and Doylestown's concrete jewel, Fonthill. Now you can add another: The small, ambitious National Liberty Museum (215-925-2800) opened to popular acclaim last month, its seven galleries offering a multimedia (oil, bronze, glass and, um, jelly bean) celebrations of founder Irvin J. Borowsky's sincere and offbeat vision of world peace through the appreciation of virtue.

Finally: Permanent, serious lighting now bathes the statue of William Penn (atop City Hall) and seven Schuylkill River bridges nightly; locals say Old City is becoming as much a restaurant draw as the North Side; the ferry to Camden (and the New Jersey State Aquarium) now runs year-round; and the Philadelphia Zoo has opened its $24 million, 2 1/2-acre Primate Reserve--where you will find Chaka, the silverback gorilla that had been relocated to Cleveland after his parents died in the zoo's tragic 1995 fire.

Chaka may have been lured back to much-improved Philadelphia digs, but don't worry about your job security. I'm told Congress is holding out for five to seven acres with a pond, and they'll never get it.

GETTING THERE: Philadelphia is about 2 1/2 hours from the Beltway via I-95 north. Amtrak (1-800-872-8745, www.amtrak.com) offers daily service to 30th Street Station, a long walk or $7 cab ride from Center City or Rittenhouse Square.

WHERE TO STAY: On a random spring weekend in up-and-coming University City, the Inn at Penn (1-800-222-8733) wanted $149 for a king-bed room with two-line phones, Internet access and coffeehouse proximity. Near Rittenhouse Square, the business-boutique Latham Hotel (17th and Walnut, 215-563-7474) has weekend doubles starting at $109. For weekend nights that start at $149, families can have a one-bedroom suite at Embassy Suites Center City (1776 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., 1-800-362-2279 or 215-561-1776).

WHERE TO EAT: Follow the leads in Details for listings of the city's many great places to eat. A few personal faves: Vietnam Palace (222 N. 11th St., 215-592-9596) for traditional but superb Vietnamese appetizers, noodle soups and reasonably priced entrees. No reservations, no credit cards--and no empty tables--at small, spare, Mediterraneanish Audrey Claire (20th and Spruce, 215-731-1222). And if you still haven't sampled some Philly traditions: the cheesesteak sandwich at Pat's King of Steaks (215-468-1546); anything soft and sweet at the venerable Tastykake Baking Co. (1-800-338-2789) and anything loose and ethnic at Reading Terminal Market (215-922-2317).

DETAILS: Contact the Philadelphia Visitors Center at 1-800-537-7676 or www.libertynet.org/phila-visitor (the GPTMC's www.gophila.com, however, is more current and easy to navigate.)

We asked you for your lists of Top Three Escapes. You sent them. We asked you to stop sending them on Jan. 28. You sent them. You can stop now. We're full.

Through February, we'll publish here as many readers' lists from the backlog as we can-and, of course, we'll be sending a gratis copy of The Washington Post's getaway guidebook, "Escape Plans," to each published escape artist.

In March, we'll begin our new regional travel trivia quiz in this space. From Kaleta Snelgrove and Richard Kendzora of Springfield, a distinctly Southern Top Three:

1. Jefferson Hotel, Richmond (1-800-424-8014): Southern hospitality at its best. The staff is superb but laid back and totally unpretentious. (I walk in wearing sweat pants and no one bats an eye.) We use their free limo service to go to Shockoe Bottom, museums. The Jefferson is no bargain but well worth the money for the charm, ambiance, delightful afternoon tea and sumptuous Sunday buffet. Richmond is more fun than Williamsburg.

2. Balliwick Inn, Fairfax 703-691-2266): Idea: Go for tea, take the tour and choose the well-appointed, worth-the-expense room you want for your next weekend out. We stayed in the Blue Room, with whirl-pool, excellent breakfast and dinner. On a nasty January weekend, we left feeling rested and refreshed.

3. Sea Ranch II, Kill Devil Hills, N.C. (1-800-334-4737): Five hours, via I-295 to Route 460 (great diner food, peanuts, barbecue joints-and no traffic). When you open the door to your condo at Sea Ranch, all you see is ocean. It's like you just got on a houseboat. Reasonable, two bedrooms, TV, king bed, whirlpool. Decor from the '60s but a timeless view-and dolphin visits!