Walk, Eat, And Drink Your Way Across Center City, Philadelphia
Rich
Application Architect
Reading Terminal Market
Start with breakfast at the Terminal Market. Take your pick: the Dutch Eating Place (for Amish breakfast with a side of butter) or Down Home Diner. Roam around the market, and pick up some chocolates or cookies or whatever. (Note: the Amish places are only open Wednesday to Saturday.)
Walnut Street Shopping
Make your way back across town--we're going to walk off lunch--with a little shopping on your way to Society Hill. Walnut Street has become an interesting mix of chains (Apple, H&M, Banana, Gap, etc.) plus local boutique-y stores. And you should stick your head in Macy's on Chestnut St., and go to the center court. (If you're lucky, they'll be an organ concert.)
city hall tower
'This is quintessential Philadelphia. City Hall is this massive granite (I think) building right in the center of town. And you can take an (admittedly a tad claustrophobic) elevator ride up to the top of the clock tower (in fact, going behind the clock) and come out on observation deck with great views of the city. Surly city employees are an added taste of authenticity! (OK, they're not all surly...)