Welcome to Philadelphia, a historical city full of culture, fun and food! Founded in 1682 by William Penn, the city is the location of the first and second Continental Congresses as well as the original capital city and home to Presidents George Washington and John Adams. While the federal and state governments left the City of Brotherly Love in the early 1800s, it remains full of life, with numerous famous historical and cultural sites as well as many exciting activities and delicious food and drink.

Visitors of the ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO will find the weather with highs in the mid 60s and lows in the low 50s. As long as one wears the proper layers of clothing for the weather, there is no reason to avoid all of the fun activities and locations that are offered in Philadelphia.

Events at the ASLA Show are scheduled from October 19-22. However, you will have plenty of chances to check out all of the places that make Philadelphia such a great city to visit.

History and Art
Due to the city's central role in the birth of America as a nation, it is no wonder that there are several museums and attractions recalling the days of the founding fathers. Of course, the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall are excellent pieces of history to admire and learn about. Representing important parts of the founding of the United States, they are certainly worth a visit. The Liberty Bell Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Independence Hall keeps the same hours. Admission to both sites is free. To learn more about the Liberty Bell, visit https://tinyurl.com/zckbs9h. To find out more about Independence Hall, visit https://tinyurl.com/yd2kkgnd.

If you are looking for more unique offerings of American history, stop by the Museum of the American Revolution. It houses artifacts from the first American war that have been preserved since the battlefields of the Revolution, as well as items own and used by George Washington, Patrick Henry, Marquis de Lafayette and others. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and general admission tickets are $19. www.amrevmuseum.org

You could also enjoy a fresh look at history in the fresh air at the President's House: Freedom and Slavery in the Making of a New Nation. In view of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, the open-air Independence National Historical Park is located at the site of the first executive mansion that housed the first two U.S. presidents. The exhibit is free and is open 24 hours, allowing for quiet contemplation and reflection as visitors explore the paradox and American slavery and freedom while viewing illustrated glass panels, timelines and video re-enactments. The site features structural fragments of the home where Presidents Washington and Adams lived during their terms that were unearthed at the location in 2007. https://tinyurl.com/y85xg5pg

Philadelphia has a long artistic tradition, and is home to several premier art collections. The Philadelphia Museum of Art has holdings of Renaissance, American, Impressionist and Modern art. If you wish to get a two-for-one deal, you can also snap a picture of yourself on the steps of the museum - the very same steps featured so memorably in Rocky when Sylvester Stallone reaches the top as "Eye of the Tiger" plays.

You do not have to stay inside to enjoy some of the art offered by the museum. The Philadelphia Museum of Art hosts a one-acre sculpture garden, which is divided into five sections: the Upper Terrace, the Lower Terrace, two graveled galleries and a paved plaza. Designed by OLIN landscape architects and featuring works from artists such as Scott Burton, Claes Oldenburg and Gordon Gund, the Sculpture Garden was built in order to strengthen the bond between the museum and the city.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is open Tuesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and until 8:45 p.m. on Fridays. General admission is $20. www.philamuseum.org

If you simply cannot get enough of the landscape, even while attending the ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO, the Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill is showing a "Pennsylvania Landscape in Impressionism and Contemporary Art" exhibit during the dates of the show. The museum opens Tuesday through Sunday at 10 a.m. and closes at 8 p.m. on Fridays, 6 p.m. on Saturdays and 5 p.m. on Sundays. General admission is $10. www.woodmereartmuseum.org

The Music Scene
If you are looking to learn about Philly's music culture, the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts offers daily free tours that highlight the history of the center, architectural features and the Dorrance H. Hamilton Garden. There will be a demonstration of the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 20. You can also catch performances by the Pennsylvania Ballet, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and orchestrator and arranger Benjamin Wright with the Philly POPS Orchestra during the week of the ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO. To view the performance schedule and to purchase tickets, visit www.kimmelcenter.org.

As the birthplace and hometown of Billie Holiday, John Coltrane Dizzie Gillespie and more, Philadelphia has developed a reputation for good jazz. There are several great clubs to visit when you want to hear some jazz, such as South, located on N. Broad Street, and Warmdaddy's, found on S. Christopher Columbus Blvd. www.southjazzkitchen.com www.warmdaddys.com

However, DownBeat Magazine has listed Chris' Jazz Café as one of the "100 Great Venues Around the World to Hear Jazz." During your trip you can stop by the Caf????????(R)???AE???(R)???(C) at 8 p.m. or 10 p.m. on Friday or Saturday to hear saxophonist Eric Alexander with the Larry McKenna / John Swana Quintet, while sampling reasonably priced cuisine. To buy tickets to see Eric Alexander and to check out the menu, visit www.chrisjazzcafe.com.

Getting Outside
Philadelphia is home to several parks, such as the often-photographed JFK Plaza (also known as LOVE Park), Franklin Square and Independence Mall. The Mall is located in the middle of several historic sites, allowing people to relax in a green space in between visiting museums and engaging in other activities.

If you are looking for some hiking destinations, there are several just a short car ride outside of the city. Valley Forge National Historical Park boasts beautiful views and historic structures dating back to the Revolution. It can be found only an hour outside Philadelphia. Find out more at www.nps.gov/vafo. Ridley Creek State Park, another National Historic Landmark, includes over 2,500 acres of trails and is also only an hour away. Learn about the park at https://tinyurl.com/ydyvg7u9. Even closer (by 30 minutes) is John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. You can traverse 10 miles of flat trails, and you may potentially see some animal life while you are there. The diverse habitats located in the area support a variety of wildlife, including more than 300 species of birds, as well as many mammals, fish, amphibians, reptiles and insects. www.fws.gov/refuge/john_heinz

Food and Drink
If you have never eaten a Philly cheesesteak IN Philly, you should probably try one on this trip. Head to Geno's Steaks or Pat's King of Steaks, both located on 9th Street. They serve the hungry public 24 hours a day, so stop by whenever you want for a bite of the sandwich that was made famous in the city by Italian immigrants. In fact, rumor has it that the original "Pat" of Pat's King of Steaks was the first to produce the Philly delicacy. Regardless of its origins, if you want to sink your teeth into the heart and soul of Philadelphia, get yourself a Philly cheesesteak. www.genosteaks.com www.patskingofsteaks.com

If you are looking for a place to engage in the recent history and culture of the city, Philadelphia is well known for its beer gardens and breweries. One such location is Independence Beer Garden. Offering American fair and games like Ping-Pong and giant checkers, it is located right across from the Liberty Bell Center. The Independence Beer Garden is open from 11:30 a.m. until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and until midnight on Sundays. www.phlbeergarden.com

The Watering Hole Beer and Wine Garden gets you a two-for-one, if you want to see some animals while wining and dining. Located at the Philadelphia Zoo, you can watch creatures roam in their enclosures while sipping a drink. Admission to the beer garden is free after regular zoo hours. The zoo is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.philadelphiazoo.org

Other local beer gardens include Morgan's Pier, which offers views of the Delaware River and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, and Skygarten. Located on top of Three Logan Square, the rooftop beer garden overlooks downtown Philly. This is a spot you do not want to miss, as 2018 will be Skygarten's last season in the city. Skygarten is open Wednesday and Thursday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. www.skygarten.com

If you want a behind-the-scenes peak at the brewing culture of Philadelphia, visit the Philadelphia Brewing Company on Saturday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. for a free tour of the facility with free tastings included. The tours are informal, so there is no need to call ahead unless you have a large group. Simply show up during the tour hours, and you will be placed on the next available tour. Because the Philadelphia Brewing Company is a production brewery with no kitchen, the facility does not serve food. www.philadelphiabrewing.com

What Else is Happening?
While there are slim pickings during the weekend of the Show for sports fans, if you get into town early, you can watch the 76ers play their home opener against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, October 18. Unfortunately for those who rejoiced at the Eagles' victory last year at the Super Bowl, there are no home games around or during the Show.

The ASLA Annual Meeting and EXPO coincides perfectly with Octoberfest. You can celebrate Philly-style at Dilworth Park. Their Octoberfest celebration lasts from October 18-21, and includes live music, food and, of course, beer. https://tinyurl.com/y9ggxx6s

If you are looking to celebrate Halloween a little early, you can catch The GLOW: A Jack O' Lantern Experience. This event takes place every night in October in West Fairmount Park. Walk through a beautiful, glittering trail of over 5,000 hand-carved pumpkins of varying sizes. www.theglowjackolantern.com

If you prefer the spookier side of Halloween festivities, the Eastern State Penitentiary, a historic prison that has been transformed into a museum, has daily tours that run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.easternstate.org However, after dark, things get creepy. From 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., the museum transforms into a giant interactive haunted house called Terror Behind the Walls. The event is only on select evenings in September, October and November, and luckily, it is running during almost all of the days of the Show as well as the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before. www.easternstate.org/halloween

These sites and activities are only part of what Philadelphia has to offer; there are just too many to fit in these pages. With hundreds of museums and historical sites as well as countless other cultural events and experiences, Philadelphia has something for everyone.