Hard Rock Philadelphia

There’s no better way to see a city than by foot. That’s why my East Coast Adventure Pal Nichola and I are happiest taking long walks on our trips.

This is how you can stop to admire an alleyway mural. That’s how you notice the flower in a sidewalk crack or the nifty little architectural detail on the windows of an old building.

As a matter of fact, we are the kind of people who will set out on a walk and then find ourselves six city blocks in the wrong direction all because someone said “hey, look at that!”

It’s truly amazing we get anywhere at all considering how pleased we are to stop and study the odd and quiet things that others drive right past.

Most folks do, however, notice the Hard Rock Cafe in Philadelphia. We didn’t go in but I did enjoy seeing the massive 36 foot guitar on a historic building that might otherwise have been lost. That’s the historic Reading Terminal which dates to the late nineteenth century.

I didn’t even know the place existed until we went wandering on our last morning in town and found ourselves looking at murals and art installations around the neighborhood. That guitar is certainly a conversation piece and so is the building.

I’m grateful anytime someone chooses the historic instead of tearing it down to make way for the new.

Nooks And Crannies In Old City Philly

During your trip to the historic areas of Philadelphia, be sure to explore as much as possible on foot.

We did not have a car for this trip and that was by design. Traffic can be terrible and parking is an expensive, often challenging endeavor in a city like Philly. However, being on foot means you will see things that you would otherwise never notice or stop to enjoy if you had to look for parking.

This is true of most towns and cities but Philadelphia has some truly charming nooks and crannies.

There are alleys and pathways that are literally centuries old. We strolled through this little neighborhood that we only found because we decided to take a different route back to the hotel and I said “this looks like something.”

Isn’t it charming? 

It’s very Parisian with fleur de lis architectural accents, cobblestone and bistro tables surrounded by flowers galore. An occasional Canadian flag next to an American one alerted us that our instincts were correct.

If I ever return to Old City, you can bet that time will be dedicated to finding more places like this. There are also tons of what my friend calls “pocket parks” and sweet little spots with murals and fountains or statues with markers letting you know that so and so lived here or that an important event once took place on this site.  

I have several more of these spots to show you but this was my very favorite. I hope you like it too.

Street Art

There’s an amazing alley in Rapid City, South Dakota where graffiti artists can legally leave their mark.

It’s a brilliant method to tamping down on graffiti around the city and one of those most surreal places I’ve seen.

There were several pieces that caught my eye. Here’s just one.

Incidentally, I don’t recall reading about this in any brochures. We found it because we parked the car and walked around. When you visit a new place, get out and explore. You never know what you’ll find!

Once In A While…

Stockgrowers Association sign

Once in a while a road warrior will turn a corner and find themselves looking up at the coolest thing they’ve ever seen. For me, that coolest thing is often a barn, a bend in the road, an old building or a sign. That’s exactly what happened to me while walking around Rapid City, South Dakota with my pal Johnna last summer.

The building is a little nondescript but the sign is amazing. We just don’t make advertising signs with this kind of character anymore. And in case you’re wondering, it does light up. We went back after dark and it looked stunning.

Cedarville

Cedarville coffee shop.jpg

On a recent drive through Cedarville, it occurred to me how many neat buildings and views there are in this little village. I made a mental note to go back this fall and walk around a bit.

I always look forward to seeing this building – it’s on the corner at a traffic light so there’s usually time to admire it. Today it’s called Beans-N-Cream, serving as a coffee shop and cafe. The building began life as a bank and has been all sorts of things over the years including a barber shop. It looks like the place to be so I’ll stop by for a veggie wrap or maybe just a scone and some hot chocolate when I visit.