For Philadelphia, I like Locust and Spruce Streets. Running parallel and south of Walnut Street, Locust and Spruce aren't very commercial but they do contain some of the city's most elegant buildings.
Starting from Society Hill, the pair of streets touch IM Pei's
Society Hill Towers and super
charming townhomes, including the
James Madison House on Spruce Street. The streets continue into the
Washington Square West neighborhood, with Locust taking you
right to the park itself. The streets then become a bit more commercial through
Jefferson Hospital's campus and into the
Gayborhood. Getting to Broad Street, you'll find yourself near the heart of the city and in the middle of the
theater/arts district. After crossing Broad into the west side of Center City, the streets, especially Locust, get
a little busier. Locust takes you right to
Rittenhouse Square Park before both streets return to
quieter/residential settings. In Center City, Locust terminates at the
Schuylkill Banks Trail while Spruce ends at the
adjacent park.
Both streets reappear in University City across the river. Locust Street becomes
Locust Walk through Penn's Campus and Spruce is a
major thoroughfare. West of Penn's campus, Spruce and Locust once again take on a more a residential character as they meander through the leafy
Spruce Hill neighborhood. Where Spruce Hill gives way to
West Philly is where this tour little ends.
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