Romantic New Year’s Weekend Itinerary

Grab a loved one and have a romantic New Year in Philly

New Year's weekend is perfect for a romantic getaway in Philadelphia. Credit: G. Widman for GPTMC

Description

Turn off your cell phone, and start 2013 with a long romantic weekend in Philadelphia. New Year’s weekend is packed with activity so you can join in the fun or sneak off together for some quality couple time.

Choose from the popular Philly Overnight® Hotel Package or additional holiday weekend hotel specials, making a mini-vacay easy and affordable. Check out some of our most romantic ways to celebrate the New Year below.

Sunday, December 30 3 p.m.

Light Up the Holidays

The whole city is aglow with holiday sparkle. Stroll hand-in-hand through Rittenhouse Square, which is all decked out in holiday style. Or, cozy up together at the Comcast Center to see The Comcast Holiday Spectacular, featuring festive images of the season set to the lush sounds of a 64-piece orchestra and shown on the 2,000-square-foot, 10 million-pixel LED wall in the building’s lobby.

Comcast Center
17th Street & John F. Kennedy Boulevard

Sunday, December 30 5 p.m.

Hit the Ice

Bundle up, lace up and show off you triple axle at the Blue Cross RiverRink at Penn’s Landing.

RiverRink
Market Street and Columbus Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215) 925-RINK

Sunday, December 30 7 p.m.

Quality Cuisine

Find out what the buzz is about at Barbuzzo, where locally sourced Mediterranean-style cuisine keeps foodies coming back again and again. At Fork, the contemporary American menu is as stylish as the setting, and over at Bistrot La Minette, both the authentic menu and the charming setting are reminiscent of an evening in the French countryside.

Barbuzzo
110 S. 13th Street
(215) 546-9300

Sunday, December 30 9 p.m.

Late-Night Cocktails

If you’re looking for a nightcap, head to the Center City’s Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company. Cocktails are king at this underground speakeasy and the drink menu changes often. One options: the Fairmount Park Swizzle a gin-based cocktail with Cardamoro, John D Taylor’s Velvet Falernum, fresh lemon and lime juice and a house-made ginger syrup. Be careful with cocktails here, they are not for beginners!

Franklin Mortgage & Investment Company
112 South 18th Street
(267) 467-3277

Monday, December 31 10 a.m.

Sleep In

It’s going to be a late night, so sleep in an enjoy breakfast in your hotel room, then pop into the National Constitution Center.

If you’re feeling lucky, treat yourself to champagne brunch at SugarHouse Casino.

National Constitution Center
525 Arch Street
(215) 409-6700

Monday, December 31 12 noon

Know Your History

If you haven’t been to Historic Philadelphia lately, you haven’t been to Historic Philadelphia. Take your pick from a trio of new options: the National Museum of American Jewish History, complete with lively exhibitions, collections and videos that celebrate sports, fashion, art, immigration and other topics; The President’s House: Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation, recounting the lives of the enslaved who resided in the home of President George Washington; and the newly reopened Philadelphia History Museum, complete with interactive exhibits highlighting the Philadelphia story.

National Museum of American Jewish History
101 S. Independence Mall East
(215) 923-3811

Monday, December 31 1:30 p.m.

Cozy Comfort Meal

Slip into a nearby restaurant for an indulgent late-lunch. Warm up by the cozy fireplace with a hot spiced cider and comfort food while sitting at McGillin’s Olde Ale House, or step into Stephen Starr’s British pub-inspired eatery The Dandelion.

The Dandelion
124 South 18th Street
(215) 558-2500

Monday, December 31 6 p.m.

Explosive Celebration

Cocoa for two and a dazzling display of fireworks over the Delaware River sets a romantic scene when SugarHouse Casino presents Twice the Fireworks! Twice the Fun! show at 6:00 p.m. (If you’re a night owl, plan to see the second show at midnight.) Watch from the viewing areas at the Great Plaza, or join the party at the Independence Seaport Museum or aboard the Battleship New Jersey.

Penn’s Landing
Columbus Boulevard at Market Street
(215) 925-RINK

Tuesday, January 1 9:30 a.m.

Brunch with the Best

Feast on a menu featuring locally sourced home-cooked favorites at Dutch Eating Place in Reading Terminal Market. Or, brunch at Sabrina’s Cafe in the Italian Market, where you’ll meet other locals who line up for hearty omelets, fruit-topped waffles and other homemade specials. Another option is Di Bruno Bros. in Rittenhouse Square, where the casual second-floor cafe features many of the gourmet items they sell in the upscale first-floor grocery.

Sabrina’s Cafe
910 Christian Street
(215) 574-1599

Tuesday, January 1 11:30 a.m.

Strut with the Mummers

Start the New Year like a native and join in the famous, feathered festivities of the Mummers Parade. The merriment begins with the Comics and Fancies stepping off at Broad Street
and Washington Avenue at 10:00 a.m., and the String Bands get started an hour later at Broad and
Shunk Streets.

The Mummer’s Parade
Broad Street and Washington Avenue

Tuesday, January 1 5 p.m.

Getting Fancy

It’s time for the Fancy Brigade Finale at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. With elaborate scenery, professional choreography and costumes drenched in sequins and feathers, the Fancy Brigades give it their all as they vie for prizes and bragging rights.

Pennsylvania Convention Center
11th & Arch Streets
(800) 298-4200