All of the work on this site – the writing, the pictures, the graphics – were all done by me, the Administrator.  So who am I?  I’m just someone who gets out the house a lot.  But that’s not important.  What is, is that while I find it unnecessary to include a section about myself, I realize that my personal tastes and opinions have a significant impact on the material found on this site.  Various aspects of traveling, including the most preferable places to visit, to eat, to stay, are all a matter of opinion and personal taste.  Therefore, many of the things I enjoy most are going to be things others would not appreciate, and vice versa.

For instance, I do not like guided tours.  When I’m at a museum and the tour group approaches, I go out of my way to avoid it.  While I do not enjoy having a tour guide metaphorically hold my hand, I recognize that for others, that’s a vital part of the experience.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying having a tour guide is always bad.  There are several places that I believe would be more interesting with a guide (the Battleship New Jersey is the first to come to mind), but it’s almost always something that I try to avoid.

There are other aspects of my personal travels – which are those the information here is based on – that would not be relevant to some others.  For instance, my walking pace is very quick.  I once walked across the Ben Franklin Bridge and back in 40 minutes.  I realize that not many people could do that (and even fewer would want to).  I also don’t eat a lot.  Many of my travels are on long days with no food.  Also, my preferred method of travelling around Philadelphia is the subway, which tourists mostly do not ride.

And, of course, there are my personal interests, some of which are evident in my rankings and articles.  Architecture, art, maritime places, not necessarily in that order.  If I were to make a list of my top 10 personal favorite attractions in Philadelphia, I guarantee the Independence Seaport Museum would be there, and Adventure Aquarium would probably be as well.  And the Masonic Temple would probably be in the top 5.  Penn’s Landing would be listed as the best under “Parks and Monuments.”  The Art Museum would probably remain number one, however.  That being said, I do try to judge places in all fairness, not just catering to my own personal interests.  The purpose of the guide is to show what people in general like, not what one person likes.

That being said, it may be worthwhile to remind you that this is a travel guide.  It is meant for you to be able to construct your own travels based on what I have experienced on mine.  The rankings and lists you see here are the product of my own opinion.  If you disagree with me, feel free to share your own rankings and lists.  You’re entitled to your opinion.