Philly Cheese Steak

Will be in Philly next week and want to try a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. Seem to be several cheeses to choose from. Which cheese would be considered to be the one for a ';Genuine'; Philly Cheese Steak?

Philly Cheese Steak

Cheez Wiz was the original cheese that was used and some people insist that it%26#39;s the only authentic type of cheese. Most places offer American and Provolone as options - either of those is perfectly ';genuine'; and (in my opinion) quite a bit tastier than cheez wiz. Whatever you do, don%26#39;t ask for Swiss cheese or you will be mocked. :)

Philly Cheese Steak

Cheese Whiz

What part of Philly will you be in?

If you are in center city I would try Jim%26#39;s Steaks at 4th and South street.

Everyone who has tried both Jim%26#39;s and Campo%26#39;s says Campo%26#39;s is definitely a better sandwich. However, if you want history the place to go is Pat%26#39;s on Passyunk Ave. in South Philly. The sandwich isn%26#39;t the best, but the atmosphere is unique.

Lynn

';Wiz wit'; is the way to order it. That will get you Cheese Whiz and fried onions. I agree, however, that American or provolone is also authentic. But ';wiz wit'; is more authentic :)

and how do you get one without peppers???

Staying at Radisson Warwick. Will be heading up to Reading Terminal Market at some point

Will be arriving at 30th Street Station and taking the subway to Citizens Bank Park for the ballgame next Thursday afternoon. Not sure at this point what we will be doing after the game. Maybe try to find Chickie%26#39;s and Pete%26#39;s for some late afternoon libations, perhaps.

Where is Pat%26#39;s in relation to the ballpark? Is it anywhere near Chickie%26#39;s and Pete%26#39;s?

Rick%26#39;s has the cheesesteak concession in the ballpark. Rick is the grandson of Pat.

Dalessandro%26#39;s...if you have a car, it%26#39;s about 15 minutes from Downtown, less if you knew the area well, and worth the trip. You%26#39;ll never have so many quality combinations offered in filling up a cheese steak. The bread, (roll), is very good as well. Amazingly enough, the prices range from about $5.25 to $6.50 each, and the sandwich is about 12';, cut in half and served in a plastic deli style basket. Cold soft drinks, (Pepsi/Coke, etc), were served in the bottle, along with a glass with ice. Counter space is very limited. Lots of locals coming in for take out, and families with kids at the counter before the Philly game. The day we were there the waitress at the busy counter, knew who was first to get the next available seats in the crowded but small deli. The service was great too.

I found parking to be very easily available in the residential neighborhood. (Right in front of Dalessandro%26#39;s in fact). I was not familiar with the area, and if you%26#39;re not either, Mapquest it, and have a detailed city map with you. The place is a ';hole in the wall'; as good as it gets. No frills! 5 star recommended on Philadelphia Citysearch (40 reviews). All ages in my family gave it a unanimous two thumbs up.

Spa?

I have never been to a spa, and not sure if I should start...Not sure if I feel comfortable parading around and eating lunch in a robe...Are people naked underneath? The scrubs, and cocoa baths sound great, but do you do these things in privacy, or are you naked while they smather you in scrub and wrap materials...I know I sound naive, but not sure if Im comfortable with strangers touching me..Anyhow, Do they sell any cocoa spa products I can use in the privacy of my own home?

Spa?

I am a spa junkie and understand your concerns completely - it can be very intimidating the first time. Let me try to set your mind at ease, because having spa treatments are SO WORTH IT...

For massages, you keep your underwear on. You are given a robe and a private place to change, and you are NEVER exposed during the massage - the only part of your body that%26#39;s exposed is the part that%26#39;s being worked on (leg, arm, back, etc.) - the rest of you is covered with a sheet at all times.

For ';wet'; treatments - i.e., scrubs, baths, wraps - you have the option of being naked (some people like that!) or you can always wear a bathing suit. Believe it or not - I am NOT making this up, and try not to laugh - spas are equipped with disposable paper underwear you can use if you don%26#39;t have a bathing suit. I%26#39;ve had 2 different baths - for one, the bath was already drawn for me when I was lead into the room, and the technician showed me how to adjust the temp if I needed to, then she discretely closed %26amp; locked the door and I was left in privacy. She simply knocked when my time was up and I was allowed to get back in my robe before she entered a few minutes later. The other bath was combined with a head-neck-shoulders massage, but again, I was securely in the tub before she entered - she sat on a stool behind me and administered the massage, and the whole time, I was covered with the black water (it was a mud bath) and no one saw a thing.

As for the robes, keep in mind that everyone you see during your spa experience is either also in robes or is a techician, who sees people in robes all day long - and are usually very highly trained, very professional people. Unless you try it for yourself, you won%26#39;t know that it truly is a comfortable experience - you won%26#39;t be sorry, and I%26#39;ll bet you begin to look forward to your next spa visit!! You really should try it.

One thing to consider - do you have a preference between female/male technicians? This is something you%26#39;ll want to request when you make your appointment. Good luck!

Spa?

Thanks!!

I love the Hershey Spa. You will be so relaxed. They keep you covered during treatments and only expose the area they are working on. If you can afford it get a package deal, you save money in the long run. I had the best pedi there with a pariffin wax dip in a private room overlooking the grounds while eating a bowl of hershey kisses. They do have various chocolate treatments as well as lotions to buy. The problem with things that smell like chocolate is I am hungry for chocolate all day long.

If you want a chocolate treatment book way in advance, those are very popular.

loss of control in hands

Any good places to eat/ places just off I-95 near Philly?

We are driving from DC to New York starting this Thursday evening (around 6pm) and plan to spend the night along the way. We hope to make it to somewhere beyond Wilmington, hopefully closer to Philadelphia, before it gets to late (have a child with us).

Can anyone recommend a decent place to eat and a decent but cheap motel in that general area? We want to stick pretty close to the highway since we don%26#39;t want to lose a lot of time the next morning. Thanks!

Any good places to eat/ places just off I-95 near Philly?

The Days Inn Philadelphia International airport has a hotel that day for $77 on hotels.com. I%26#39;ve stayed there before, it%26#39;s not bad. There is a diner attached that has decent and cheap food. It%26#39;s right off the I95 exit at the halfway point of Wilmington and Philadelphia.

Friday rush hour traffic isn%26#39;t too bad during the summer, so I wouldn%26#39;t factor that in when choosing a hotel.

Cherry Crest Farm, Strasburg RR... advice for young family?

My husband and I will be vacationing in Hershey, in late August, with our children ages 5, 3, and 1. (Might try to leave baby with grandparents.)

We%26#39;ll definitely be going to Dutch Wonderland, Hershey Park, and Chocolate World.

Can%26#39;t decide about Strasburg train ride, Cherry Crest Farm, or an Amish homestead/store/restaurant.

I%26#39;m a notorious optimist and an over-planner, so I would appreciate straight advice. ;o)

Thanks!

Cherry Crest Farm, Strasburg RR... advice for young family?

The train ride was great fun for our 5 year old.... very roomy, large windows, a great chance for kids to get out of the car and stretch....

Cherry Crest Farm, Strasburg RR... advice for young family?

Dutch Wonderland, Cherry Crest, Strausburg Railroad %26amp; Chocolate World are all supper choices for your little ones. Don%26#39;t forget ZooAmerica in Hershey as well.

Hershey Park might be a bit much for the little ones as it really is geared to bigger kids. The are the perfect ages for Dutch Wonderland.

While in the Lancaster area, they would probably really enjoy one of the many Buggie Ride operations available. While these are obviously not run by the Old Order Amish, they do use tradional buggies and the ride is what the kids would be most interested in anyway.

Hope this is some help. Any other questions you think of let us know.

Dan

We just came back from a 10 day trek across PA with our 5yr old. We went to Pittsburgh, Mill Run, Hershey, and Strasburg.

Hershey: Chocolate World is fun but expensive with little one%26#39;s if you let them do the interactive stuff. Our 5yr old LOVED the ';free'; chocolate tour...we had to do it a few times. Hershey Park is geared towards older kids, but there are plenty of rides for the little ones too. The only complaint I had was that they were spread all over the park rather than in a kiddie section. We decided not to pay the full admission to watch our son ride kiddie rides and got in for $22 at 5pm. We still had plenty of time for him to ride a lot of rides, but not go to the zoo. We spent that morning at Hershey Gardens which was fabulous and our son loved it too. They have a wonderful interactive children%26#39;s garden and butterfly house, plus a lot of space to run and romp. There%26#39;s also a fabulous antique car museum about 2miles from Chocolate World. We stumbled across it because it was next to our hotel, SpringHill Suites. It was really nice and had several interactive areas for kids.

Strasburg: This was the crown jewel of our vacation for our train loving 5yr old. It really depends on how much time you have. We stayed 2 days, but would have been better off with 3. We stayed at the Red Caboose Motel, made of actual cabooses rented out as rooms(petting zoo, Amish buggy rides, movie on the barn at night, shaking dining car restaraunt, etc). It%26#39;s not the Hilton, but it%26#39;s fabulously kid friendly and the new owner has made HUGE improvements. It%26#39;s located next to the Toy Train Museum which is the largest model train display around. We all enjoyed the steam train rides, although they%26#39;re pretty much 20 min each way, but at least the scenery is Amish farmland rather than highways and industrial parks. There are countless packages for train rides. It really depends on your kids. We decided that 2 rides would be MORE than enough(for mom/dad), so we did the dining car (a little expensive, but what%26#39;s new?) and then the first class car later in the afternoon timed just right for a needed rest/snack. In between, we walked across the street to the RR Museum which was really nice and highly reccomended, especially with boys. We didn%26#39;t plan to visit Cherry Crest Farm, but ended up spending an afternoon there the 2nd day because our son saw the ';jumping pillow'; from the train the 1st day. As it turns out, this is a fabulous place for young kids. There are endless activities for them. We were there 4 hrs and only covered about 60%. We tried the corn maze, but had to give up after 1.5hrs due to another schedule (I%26#39;m an overplanner too). The maze is fun, but not good for those with young kids. It takes a long time and gets tiring for little feet. We didn%26#39;t have time for Dutch Wonderland but heard it%26#39;s great for little ones. Instead, we reserved tickets to Sight %26amp; Sound Theatre. They perform fabulous stage shows based on Biblical stories. The tickets are fairly expensive and sell out weeks in advance, but it%26#39;s worth it if you enjoy this kind of thing. Currently the story is ';In the Beginning';. Our son was spell-bound for 2 solid hours with the stage, live animals everywhere, etc. We didn%26#39;t explore the PA Amish because we have plenty here in Ohio and spend a great deal of time in that area.

Just down the street from the Strasburg Railroad is the Choo Choo Barn, They have a model trian dispaly the kids will love, plus you can eat at Isaac%26#39;s Deli. In the center of town is the General Store and Creamry (a not to miss waffle-type cone filled with ice cream). South of town on Rt 896 is the Amish Home and Farm. The kids will love to roam about the farmland. Do Hershey when the kids get older.

I entirely agree with going to Hershey Park, Chocolate World and Dutch Wonderland. The little kids will definitely enjoy all three attractions. I would not recommend Cherry Crest Farm. You will be baking in the sun with 2 or 3 impatient kids. The Strasburg train ride will be fun, as would Choo Choo Barn - a model train display just down Rt. 741.

Last time we went we did the Strasburg train - and I thought at least one of them actually stopped at Cherry Crest Farm and picked you back up on the way back. We did not take that option so I am not really sure - but it should be on the website. Both the Strasburg railroad/museum and Cherry Crest Farm are worth it. Dutch Wonderland would probably be better for your younger kids - but ZooAmerica is great, so personally I would go for Hershey!! We also go to Chocolate World EVERY visit to the area. I think I must have been there at least a dozen times.

Choo Choo Barn is fantastic -we visit every time we visit area. Amish Farm and House was good too - but I havent been in years so it may have changed. I will be in the area next week for a family reunion.

Is the Outlets at Hershey worth going to?

I am planning on a trip to Hershey at the end of the month with a few friends. We are staying at the Springhill Marriott. Probably arriving Hershey close to 4PM. Just wondering if the Outlets are worth going to and if you have other suggestions for activities. Our stay at Hershey is from monday to wednesday, going to the park on tuesday. Thanks! :)

Is the Outlets at Hershey worth going to?

They are o.k. Some of the stores are: Liz Claiborne, Nautica, Tommy HIlfiger, Hanes/Bali, Carter, Children%26#39;t Place, Aeropostale. If you drive 45-60 minutes to Lancaster, there are much better ones there. You may want to go see the Hershey Gardens. They are very nice. There is also the museum. All of those things, the outlets,gardens,and museum are right near each other.

Is the Outlets at Hershey worth going to?

You can spend a couple of hours at the outlet. Remember, there%26#39;s no sales tax on clothes in PA. There is also the spa at the hotel hershey, I love it. If that%26#39;s out of you budget, consider going to the circular dining room for their lunch buffet. It%26#39;s awesome with a wonderful variety and setting. I would get reservations. If that%26#39;s still out of your budget you could walk around the grounds and get a drink on the terrace.

Thanks :)

Go to Christmas Tree Hill. I love that store!

foundation makeup

4 days in Philadelphia....

Your suggestions welcomed!

I will be traveling witha group of 6 adults to Philly in late August. We all havent been to the East Coast. We are first timers. Our base (hotel) will be in Philly and planning to see as much as we can in the 4 full days. I have been reading that DC and NYC are a mere 3 or so hours away driving. Although I know that these will be full and long days,

-can day trips be done to these cities?

- Do you recommend taking public transportation or renting a van?

- Eteries that serve the best Philly Cheesestake or NYC pizza are a must visit also- can you please recommend.

-can someone suggest an itinerary? We really want to experience the tourist sites, such as Liberty Bell, White House, Statue of Liberty! Not really there for clubs or partying - more so for the sight seeing...

Any advice will help. Thank you in advance.

4 days in Philadelphia....

You really can%26#39;t do any of the cities justice in the time allowed. DC and NYC can both be done as day trips from Philadelphia. I would suggest AMTRAK. It would be expensive, but it is the most efficient way to get from place to place. Driving can be difficult, as there is a lot of traffic as you get near (and in) NYC and DC. Also, if you don%26#39;t know your way around DC, you will get lost.

I prefer DC to NYC. It%26#39;s much prettier, most attractions are free, and it%26#39;s fairly easy to get around by metro (subway). You will need reservations to get in to see The White House. Contact your Congressman%26#39;s or Senator%26#39;s office.

NYC is NOT the pizza capital of the world, BTW. Cheesesteak- you have two or three choices:

Campo%26#39;s, 2nd %26amp; Market; Jim%26#39;s 4th %26amp; South, and a possible new addition if the plans go as advertised- Tony Luke%26#39;s in Reading Terminal Market (11th %26amp; Market).

Itinerary (others will have different lists) :

In Philadelphia:

Independence Hall

Liberty Bell

Constitution Center

Betsy Ross House

Reading Terminal Market

Lights of Liberty Show (Evening)

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Ride The Ducks and/or Big Bus Tour

(don%26#39;t take horse carriage ride)

DC

Depends on your interests:

Required: Vietnam Memorial (bring tissues)

The Smithsonian would easily take a week to see each museum.

The main ';don%26#39;t miss'; is the Air %26amp; Space Museum.

Museum of American History (if it is open)

National Gallery (new wing, if not all)

National Archives

Lincoln Memorial

NYC

Times Square (at night)

Empire State Building

Statue of Liberty (don%26#39;t know if you can get to it from NY)

If you like small but excellent art museums, The Frick

Central Park (South End)

Upper West Side (Columbus Avenue around 82nd Street) - good food in this area

BTW, August is the hottest, most humid, and most uncomfortable month in each city. The term ';oppressive'; is often used. Carry water.

4 days in Philadelphia....

Driving 3 hrs each way is 6 hrs on the road each day which doesn%26#39;t leave much time for sightseeing. You would probably be better off lodging in each city as you hop around. Although DC and NYC should be separate vacations, this would give you some exposure to each location. Also, you can lodge outside the cities at lower rates. Parking will always be an issue, so you%26#39;ll need to pick parking options for each day%26#39;s itinerary.

The other option is to stay in Philly:

1 day for historic area

1 day for Franklin Museum and Tut exhibit or other attractions

1 day drive west to Lancaster, Gettysburg, or Hershey, PA

1 day to other historic locations (Valley Forge, etc) or to Atlantic City or more Philadelphia....

See Lights of Liberty show one evening.

';Once Upon a Time'; has other activities.

For historic area, go to visitors%26#39; center when it opens, get timed tickets for Independence Hall, take guided or self-guided Constitutional Walk, then go back to enter selected buildings.

Seems like every other post for philly includes discussions on cheesesteaks. Search cheesesteaks here or see:

tripadvisor.com/鈥?891480

I thank you both for your immediate response. Most likely, we will pick either NYC or DC to do for a day or two so we are not all over the place. Thank you for the tips, they will sure come in handy.

I think that the AMTRAK to DC is a great idea -but since you obviously drive in Los Angeles, if you decide to drive to DC it will be okay. You can park your car at Union Station and take the metro all over town from there. I would make sure you see the Vietnam Memorial, the World War II memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Lincoln Memorial. This is a full day but all within walking distance of each other. As for museums, see a Smithsonian(any that interest you) and possibly the new National Portrait Gallery. It is great. DC is a beautiful city and if you have never been there, I think it would be a fun day. If you take the train or drive, Union Station at the end of the day will provide plenty of food options before heading back to Philadelphia. BUT...it will be very hot and humid so dress properly and take water.

Owlyn and LG covered the ';things to do'; list very well. Although I normally advocate mass transit, for purposes of the six of you getting from here to DC or New York, for a day trip, I would suggest driving as it would be less expensive and a ';walk in the park'; compared to stereotypical LA commutes. :)

Then again, there are other options to get to NYC. Check this out:

tripadvisor.com/GoListDetail-i1506-Getting_I鈥?/a>

Owlyn listed the consensus here on the best cheesesteaks. I happen to be partial to Campo%26#39;s. But even one served by a street vendor will be better than 98% of what you will find outside the city.

Tony

Two suggestions:

- use one or more days to hang out in the Historic/Olde City/SOuth Street area - visit Independence Hall, the Constitution Center, the Liberty Bell, and whatever other core Historic Area buildings/attractions you want to see (Carpenter%26#39;s Hall, Betsy Ross House, etc.) and walk the area (which is lovely), shop/eat in Olde City, etc.

- use one day to take one of the guided tours - the doubledecker bus, the trolley, etc. or one of the specialty tours (murals, etc.) for an overview of the city, and check out the Parkway museums.

Regarding day trips to either NY or DC: although I love Washington, I%26#39;d advise choosing NY if you%26#39;ve never been there. Partly because well, it%26#39;s NY, partly because in late August it%26#39;ll be a little more bearable than DC, and partly because it%26#39;s closer - a little over an hour vs. almost 3 hours travel time. And if you choose NY, you have a ton of transportation options. Take an early morning Greyhound out of Center City for $30 and you%26#39;ll be in Manhattan by the time the tourist attractions open. One note - the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island tour takes up a considerable chunk of time for a day trip. It%26#39;s a great choice and well worth the time, but it will leave you less time for other options.

Thank you to each and every single one of you. We are all getting very excited for our trip. We will take lots of pictures and hope to post them here.

I think alot of it depends on your interests. If your a history fan moreso than the fast paced glitz and glamour of NYC, I%26#39;d choose the DC daytrip instead. I don%26#39;t find the metro DC area quite as bad to drive as I do NYC. And there are lots of tourist spots to hit for the history buff. Personally my one don%26#39;t miss down there is the Holocaust Museum. It%26#39;s an experience, not just an attraction. You won%26#39;t come out of there the same as you went in. It%26#39;s not thrilling or exciting, but it%26#39;s moving in a way that few things I%26#39;ve ever experienced are. Not for the faint of heart though.

Being from LA, I don%26#39;t see you needing to see the Jersey beaches at all, they%26#39;re no different than yours. And Atlantic City is a low rent version of Vegas.

In Philly, make sure to have a drive by Boathouse Row at night, it%26#39;s fabulous! Penn%26#39;s Landing in the summer is quite lively as well. And South Street and Old City are great places for after-the-sun-sets activities.

When you do get to DC, all those museums close at 5 pm. And most of the rest of the city it seems.

The Smithson. Amer. Hist .one is closed right now for renovations but some of their fave sights are elsewhere (the Ruby Slippers eg). Visit their websites.

The Lincoln Mem is open till late in the night %26amp; it is very moving, and quieter, at night. I%26#39;d go there after dark. Vietnam Mem also open all night--it%26#39;s all outdoors---but you can%26#39;t see it as well.

DC a solid 3 hr from Philly.

Excellent pizza can be had in nearly any NJ or eastern PA town---don%26#39;t drive to NYC to get a pizza! Ask around %26amp; be prepared for the thin crust vs thick crust debate. NJ also has the best subs in the world. Not ';hoagies';.

Statue Lib./Ellis Is. is nearly a full day trip if you give it justice. You%26#39;ll be happier if you drive to Lib. St Park on the Jersey side %26amp; take the ferry to both Liberty %26amp; Ellis Islands. Easier than from NYC side of river. Use the NJ Turnpk., takes you straight there. Print yourself Google Maps in advance of your trip for everything %26amp; you will find all much easier.

When in Philly don%26#39;t miss stuff like the (reconsructed) house Jefferson wrote the Declaration in, and try lunch at the City Tavern--also rebuilt to be just as when the Cont. Congr. ate there.

DC is a far drive from Philly for a day trip - and there is plenty to do here to fill your days. If you feel you must go somewhere else - I would recommend Baltimore. It%26#39;s a very easy and not-too-long drive and there is plenty to see in Inner Harbor. I would not be too concerned with Atlantic City - we live here and spend 5 hours flying to Vegas every year - what does that tell you about AC?

Hershey Park is a great day trip as well - a great park for kids and adults and choc-o-holics of all ages.

Looking for a place to stay Aug 18-20

I%26#39;m looking either for a hotel or b+b, ideally around 100/night max 125. I prefer the city center just because I heard it is safe and close to stuff. Are there other safe regions close to stuff people would recommend.

The only B+B with availability I have found is Bella Vista (bnbphiladelphia.com/philadelphia/center-city鈥?/a>), but I can%26#39;t find any reviews. Is that a good place?

I am checking to see if seventh st. B+B on 702 S 7th Street is available (hometown.aol.com/lu722/myhomepage/index.html)

My priceline attempts had failed so far, but I was just looking in city center (Downtown Philadelphia). I am not sure which of the other areas meet my criteria (eg university area or city line).

Thanks!

Looking for a place to stay Aug 18-20

Downtown is the area you want to stay in. Give this link a look. It%26#39;s called Bidding for Travel and will give you an idea of what folks are paying for their priceline hotels in Philly. You will see my latest winning bid (Hilton Garden Inn, $55) near the top of the board.

鈥zboard.com/fpricelineandexpediabiddingfrm99

Looking for a place to stay Aug 18-20

Try the Latham Hotel. Good location and clean, right in the middle of things. Near Rittenhouse Square. Should be reasonably priced.

we stayed at the Bella Vista b%26amp;b in Philadelphia in June. It was a decent enough place. Not traditional in that she doesn%26#39;t serve breakfast. Each room is decorated in a different theme. We stayed in the Bohemian Room. She has taken a couple of row houses and subdivided them into b%26amp;b%26#39;s. They each have private bathrooms and a little area with a microwave and small fridge and a coffee pot. Our room had a little round table for two. She set out nice dishes and provided cereal, muffins and some fruit. There was milk, and juice too I t hink. It was a decent place. Clean. My husband said that he thought the bed was the most comfortable one we stayed in on our vacation. We only stayed one night. I think we paid $125.00 night and I think I booked it through a website called something like ';B%26amp;Bs in Philadelphia'; Something like that. Good luck, I hope you find something you like. This is a nice place though. Oh, some of t he rooms are up a flight of stairs, no elevator, so if you can%26#39;t climb stairs you might want to check that first.

I checked Hotwire for your dates and there are several good options in Center City within your price range. You can check the Hotwire hotel list on www.betterbidding.com to identify the choices. Choose a hotel in Center City East or what they call Olde Town (really Old City, the historic district) and you%26#39;ll be close to the action.

We just stayed at the Westin in Center City in late June for $99/night by using the ';name your own price'; feature on Priceline. Just keep in mind that Priceline will not guarantee a room type, so if you absolutely have to have two beds for example, you may end up getting a room with one king bed instead. We have always been fortunate enough to get the room type that we needed, and we will continue to use Priceline. The room that we got at the Westin has a rack rate of $299/night!

human hair