Philadelphia Escape

Welcome to the cradle of America! As the largest colonial city in the 18th century, Philadelphia served as the capital of the US in the 1790s, during the presidencies of Washington and Adams. Aside from being the birthplace of American independence, Philadelphia is a city of many other firsts. It is home to the nation’s first university (University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1749), first hospital (Philadelphia Hospital, co-founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1751), first daily newspaper (Philadelphia Packet and Daily Advertiser, founded in 1784), and first zoo (Philadelphia Zoo, founded in 1874). It also houses the nation’s first medical school, the Perelman School of Medicine, founded in 1765. Even today, one out of every six US doctors is trained in Philadelphia.