Rittenhouse Square.

Originally a pasture for livestock, the park became one of five open-space areas designated by city father William Penn. In the 1880s, wealthy families recognized the neighborhood as a residential gold mine and began peopling the surrounding streets with elegant mansions and homes, many of which still stand. Rittenhouse Square’s legacy as the home of Philly’s elite remains true today, as little else can compete with views of and proximity to the stately park.

The Lifestyle.

Walk along Walnut and Chestnut Streets for the best clothes the city has to offer. Ladies who lunch and dandies swear by designer boutique Joan Shepp, while post-grads swarm Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie, which were both started in Philadelphia. Award-winning chefs and world-class cuisine establish Rittenhouse Square as one of Philadelphia’s premier dining destinations. We recommend trying Parc a French brasserie, Barclay Prime the best steakhouse, and the contemporary restaurant a.kitchen+bar.

You’ll Fall in Love.

The famous urban activist and writer Jane Jacobs hailed Rittenhouse Park as one of the great examples of what a city could be at its best, noting that it “possesses an intricate sequence of users and uses.” Walking north up 18th Street, the city’s narrow blocks seem to open up, offering glimpses of the towering oak and maple trees of the park ahead. No other part of Philadelphia manages to feel quite so intimate and grand at once.

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