I'm driving down to Philly for the weekend in a couple weeks and I'm wonder if any of you locals have any tips on parking, getting around, can't miss, etc. I'm staying at the Old City Hostel and will be arriving in the city pretty late Friday night. I plan on using the car a little on Saturday (I want to visit Tired Hands, maybe Capones and a few other spots), but then be back in the city to do a little bar hopping on foot for the night. Sunday I'll probably be on foot until I leave (I'm considering Blue Dog's PtY event, but I have to be back at the Kimmel Center for 2pm so I'm not sure that's doable. I'll probably go to City Tap House event and take the bus). Is there any metered parking that is free at night? I've thought about maybe parking at one of the commuter rail/bus stops that have free parking, but that might be a pain. Anyone have any suggestions for bottle shops, breweries, etc that I should visit? I'll probably stop by Yards and there's a long list of Bars that I might try to pop in. (Monks a definite, Tria, Good Dog, Bru Craft, Bierstube, Khyber all within reasonable walking distance of the Old Philly House).
When you get here, park your car and forget about it until you head home. Take the train to/from Tired Hands. Unless they have something you have to have, skip Capone's; the drive from Tired Hands to Capone's and back to the city isn't worth the time you could be spending in any number of great bars in the city itself, IMO. Your list of Philly bars is a great starting point. If you haven't already, familiarize yourself with phillytapfinder dot com, as it is THE source to see what's on tap around the city. And don't be deterred if something that peaks your interest is far from your home base; this is a remarkably easy city to get around for the most part. Your best options as far as bottle shops would be Hawthornes, Beer Heaven, the various Foodery locations, Northern Liberties Beer, and Monde Market. Prepare yourself now for the sticker shock. If you do decide to drive out to Tired Hands and other spots in the burbs, you might want to hit Wegmans or Whole Foods. You'll find better prices there. Parking in Old City and Center City as a whole can be a pain. If you're willing to park a few blocks north or south of where you're staying, though, you should be able to find a free spot. Just pay attention to the signs, as the PPA shows no mercy when it comes to ticketing. The easiest thing to do would be to park in a lot or garage, but it's definitely not the most cost-effective solution. Take a look at philadelphia dot bestparking dot com, which lets you punch in your arrival and departure times and shows you prices in and around specific neighborhoods. If you have other questions, feel free to PM me. This is a fantastic beer and food city. Enjoy it.
I'm guessing you're talking about the hostel in the alley that's called Bank Street. Unfortunately that's quite possibly the hardest part of the city to find parking in, even if you're willing to pay - and especially on a Friday night! I haven't lived in Old City for well over a decade now, but I know there's still some free parking on the streets if you follow 3rd street north around where the Vine Street expressway crosses the city. The walk isn't that bad, and your car would be about as safe as it is anywhere, but if I were you I'd keep researching cheap parking - or just get tickets and throw them away like most residents do! Just be careful of tow-zones 'cause then you're screwed. As for places to visit, I agree with TambaTime on everything, especially bottle shops. I wouldn't even bother with Tired Hands myself, but for some reason I must be "missing it", however there is a bottle shop right there that you could hit (The Beer Shoppe - 2 block walk), and.... you might be able to find a friendly BA to pick you up and drive you out there; I've done it before but I'm not sure if I'll be available. My only other suggestion is that if you hit Monk's (and you should), go early or it'll be busy and you won't be able to enjoy it.
