Why You Should Attend College in Philly

Lily Winn
All Things Philly
Published in
5 min readDec 14, 2017

There is multiple options for colleges and universities in the Philly area, whether your looking for a four year institution or just a two year program. There is:

Drexel University

Chestnut Hill College

University of the Sciences

La Salle University

Temple University

Thomas Jefferson University(formally known as Philadelphia University)

Saint Joseph’s University

University of Pennsylvania

Community College of Philadelphia

The list could go on and on. All of these colleges hold great opportunity to further your education. Philly is a great place to attend college, there is endless nightlife, opportunities for internships and so much more. Philly is also home to unique food trucks and shopping, war meuseums and memorials which makes it full of culture and a great place to live.

We all know a huge part about college culture and lifestyle is going out and partying with friends. Philadelphia is known for it’s rooftop bars, and nightclubs, and also is one of the best places to find cheap food and drink specials. If you’re 21 keep reading because I’ve found the 16 best places for drink specials in Philadelphia.

1. One Shot Cafe

217 W George St (at American St), Philadelphia, PA

Café · Northern Liberties — Fishtown

2. La Calaca Feliz

2321 Fairmount Ave (btwn 23rd St & 24th St), Philadelphia, PA

Mexican Restaurant · Fairmount — Art Museum ·

3. Bike Stop

206 S Quince St (btwn Walnut And Locust), Philadelphia, PA

Gay Bar · Washington Square West

4. Clarkville

4301 Baltimore Ave (at 43rd St), Philadelphia, PA

Pizza Place · Spruce Hill

6. Union Transfer

1026 Spring Garden St, Philadelphia, PA

Concert Hall · North Philadelphia

7. Wrap Shack on The Square

120 S 18th St (at Sansom St.), Philadelphia, PA

Bar · Center City West ·

8. The Couch Tomato Bistro

102 Rector Street (Upstairs) (Main Street (Manayunk)), Philadelphia, PA

Tapas Restaurant · Manayunk

9. Graffiti Bar

124 S 13th St (btwn Walnut St & Sansom St), Philadelphia, PA

Bar · Center City East

10. El Camino Real

1040 N 2nd St (at Liberties Walk), Philadelphia, PA

BBQ Joint · Northern Liberties — Fishtown

11. Strangelove’s

216 S 11th St (btwn Walnut St & Locust St), Philadelphia, PA

Bar · Washington Square West

12. Jamonera

105 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA

Tapas Restaurant · Center City East

13. The Institute Bar

549 N 12th St (at Green St), Philadelphia, PA

Gastropub · North Philadelphia

14. El Rey

2013 Chestnut St (at 20th St), Philadelphia, PA

Mexican Restaurant · Center City West

15. Lucky Strike Philadelphia

1336 Chestnut St (btwn Juniper St & Broad St), Philadelphia, PA

Bowling Alley · Avenue of the Arts South

16. Bayou Bar & Grill

4245 Main Street Philadelphia, PA 19127

Manayunk, Roxborough

SO grab your friends and head on over! Philly is also home to multiple more touristy destinations that can make for fun day trips with your friends.

South Street

South Street is one of the most famous streets in Philadelphia, and makes a great free day on the town for college kids.. It is known for its shopping, music, and art pieces. There are multiple theatres and music venues that often times hold free events. The shops include record stores, hat shops, and contain lots of unique items. South Street Is located near multiple college campuses and is definitely one of the more popular college hangouts.

Rittenhouse Square

Rittenhouse Square is known as a place to get together with friends, or family if you have any close! From shopping to dining and even sightseeing, there is a lot to do in this area of Philadelphia. The stores and restaurants are unique. The Square has a homey feeling even though you’re actually in the middle of Philadelphia. There is a nice view of various buildings, and the Square is decorated with lights and a tree around the holidays, my favorite time to visit!

Spruce Street Harbor Park

Spruce Street Harbor Park is located on the Delaware River and is a great spot to just hangout and walk around. Along with a ton of drink and food options, visitors can enjoy the full of life, colorful lights that hang down from the trees to light the park at night and a packed schedule of entertainment set to unfold through every season. First appearing this year is a Sunday movies series. On the second Sunday of the month, the park screens one film and one TV show.

Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens

Covering an indoor and outside space proportional to a large portion of a full city block, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens shimmer with imagination, and a trace of craziness. Isaiah Zagar, a nearby craftsman who started tiling South Street in the 1960s, built the space out of bond, bike spokes, bottles, clay shards and other random objects creating a beautiful work of art. This is a great place to boost your Instagram game of course with the multiple picture options. There is even a student discount so make sure you bring your school ID!

Yoga Classes for free!

All that studying can really stress you out, but throughout the year there are plenty of options for free yoga classes in the Philly area, more than 15 to be exact! Here are a few options:

Yoga On the Pier

When: Monday-Friday at 7 a.m.; Monday-Thursday at 6 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday at 9:30 a.m

Where: Race Street Pier, Race Street & North Columbus Boulevard

Yoga on the Banks

When: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Saturday-Sunday at 11 a.m

Where: Schuylkill Banks, 2501 Walnut Street

Rooftop yoga at Whole Foods South Street

When:Thursdays at 11 a.m.

Where:Whole Foods Market, 929 South Street

Yoga at Franklin Square

When:Mondays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m., through August

Where:Franklin Square, 200 6th Street

Twilight Yoga at Race Street Pier

When:June 20, July 19, August 18, September 18 and October 16 at 8:30 p.m.

Where:Race Street Pier, Race Street & North Columbus Blvd

Yoga At The Oval

Wednesdays at 11 a.m. & 6 p.m.; July 20 — August 17, 2016

Where:Eakins Oval

Along with an array of cheap food and drink options, Philly has plenty of free events and so much culture making it a great place to live during your college years. For more information about the Philly area, check our your college of interest’s web page!

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Lily Winn
All Things Philly

Digital Communications Major at Chestnut Hill College