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The Westin Mount Laurel

  • 555 Fellowship Road
  • Mount Laurel,
  • New Jersey
  • 08054
  • United States
  • Map

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See room terms and details for information about rollaway and/or extra person charges.

Age Requirement Policy

Guests must be 21 years or older with photo identification to reserve a room.

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What’s happening in Philadelphia?

Overview

Learn more about this great destination and what it has to offer. Choose a section below for information on the area, including history and transportation details.

Philadelphia Guide

The first thing visitors discover about Philadelphia is that it's a walking town. You'll find most places are within a mile of City Hall. Stroll on pleasant, tree-lined streets that display a rich mix of architecture ranging from Colonial to Victorian to Bauhaus, sometimes all presented within the same block. Each street connects to smaller and smaller streets and alleyways that hide small groups of houses, clever gardens, footnotes to American history and good coffee spots to take a rest. Downtown Philadelphia is referred to as Center City, but within this area there are even more neighborhoods.

Society Hill

Start your visit with the neighborhood around Independence Hall. This is where the Liberty Bell rang out and where the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the Bill of Rights were written and signed. Sit under a tree in the gardens. Mail postcards home from Benjamin Franklin's Post Office (besides everything else, he was the first Postmaster General). This area is Society Hill, where you can tour Independence National Park, then do some shopping and have a cocktail at an intimate bar; then head up the block to a play, concert, or movie; then discuss the show over a late dinner and head out again to hear live music, all within a few blocks.

Old City

North of Market Street is Old City, which is Philadelphia's version of New York's Soho, with wonderful restaurants like Chlöe and Cuba Libre, small art galleries like Gallery Joe and a growing number of theaters and performance spaces like Painted Bride; this is the fashionable young hip scene in all its shades.

Penn's Landing

East of Old City, along the Delaware River, Penn's Landing is a backdrop for outdoor festivals and free summer concerts, as well as fireworks on holidays. Or you can take a ferry across the river to the aquarium. In the summer, open-air clubs north of the Ben Franklin Bridge (such as Dave and Busters or the River Deck) take advantage of the breathtaking view.

Chinatown

West of Old City, between 8th and 13th Streets, is Chinatown. These days Chinatown is about half Chinese and half a combination of Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Burmese and Pan-Asian, and rivals any Chinatown in the country. It's also home to the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the Reading Terminal Market.

Rittenhouse Square

On the west end of Center City is the fashionable Rittenhouse Square district, where you can buy great clothing and then wear it to dinner at the place next door (possibly Monk's Cafe or Alma De Cuba). Lovers of the offbeat might venture into the Mütter Museum, a veritable cavalcade of creepy medical mysteries.

Avenue of the Arts

Broad Street, south of City Hall, is the Avenue of the Arts. The orchestra, the ballet and the Wilma, Gershman, and Prince theaters all reside here, interspersed with great restaurants and jazz clubs. Modeled on Parisian boulevards, the Ben Franklin Parkway presents a wonderful, tree-lined walk past Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, several expensive hotels, the main Library and several museums. At the end of the Parkway, atop a hill, is the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

South Philly

This is where rich Italian history and new communities of Vietnamese and Thai are just the tips of the iceberg when it comes to great dining. Cantina El Caballito brings the spice, Horizons caters to forward-thinking vegans, and the old Italian Market has got a little something for everyone.

West Philly

Across the Schuykill River in West Philly, the University of Pennsylvania and six other major schools are the centerpiece of a deep blend of students, immigrants and old neighborhoods. Take in some art at the Institute of Contemporary Art and then take in some grub at White Dog Cafe.

Northern Liberties

And north of Old City, this is the "new frontier" of the hip scene. The Standard Tap will take care of your eating-and-drinking needs, and Johnny Brenda's will keep you entertained into the wee hours with its packed concert calendar. For dancing, head for Transit or the Barbary. After that, Silk City Diner at 5th and Spring Garden is the place to go for a grilled cheese sandwich at 4am Sunday morning or the best huevos rancheros for breakfast.

Historical Background



When the American colonies were founded in the 1600s, the guiding principle for the New England colonies was freedom to practice religions not popular in England; for the southern colonies the aim was agricultural development extending the holdings of British landowners. There were two exceptions. New York, established by Dutch companies, has always been a place for trade. The other exception was Pennsylvania, and the town of Philadelphia.

William Penn (1644-1718) arrived in 1681 from a London that had recently burned and was just discovering sanitary plumbing. He wanted Philadelphia to be "a green country Town, which will never be burnt, and always be wholesome." Founded on Quaker principles of tolerance and harmonious living, Philadelphia had a religious foundation like its New England neighbors, but welcomed other beliefs and races. Like its southern neighbors, it started with an agricultural economy, but slave auctions were banned early. A community of ex-slaves grew, centered around the Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, the cornerstone of the A.M.E. movement. By 1790, there were 300 slaves in Pennsylvania and 7,579 free blacks. By 1860, there were 22,185 free blacks and Philadelphia was an important stop on the Underground Railroad, the secret network that helped slaves escape from southern slave states.

Instead of sprawling mindlessly, streets were laid out on a grid system with five public squares (the present day Washington, Rittenhouse and Franklin Squares, Logan Circle and City Hall). The town was built with no fortifications. Native Americans were welcome. Even the name of the town demonstrated peace; while most other colonial towns were named for founders or expedition sponsors, Philadelphia is Latin for "City of Brotherly Love."

Of course, when you invite everyone in, there's the likelihood of disagreement. By 1690, scarcely nine years after the first Quaker Meeting House went up, arguments over the direction of the city had turned into formal ideologies. Philadelphians have been arguing ever since.

Penn had originally envisioned his colony as a "wholesome" farming community, but the port quickly became one of the most important trading spots in America, rivaled only by New York. The rising merchant class wasn't terribly interested in the simple Quaker lifestyle. Pubs, theaters, circuses, dances and races soon entered the scene. The tolerant attitude attracted many immigrants. British Quakers were followed by German immigrants as early as the 1690s.

In 1723, Benjamin Franklin arrived from Boston. He eventually started his own publishing house, producing several newspapers and an annual farm guide, Poor Richard's Almanac. In his spare time, he invented the Franklin stove, the glass harmonium and bifocals. He helped write the Declaration of Independence. He was a founding member of the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Hospital, the first public library, a fire insurance company, the Post Office and the Constitutional Congress. His 1751 book, Experiments and Observations in Electricity, was considered the most important scientific work in the world in its time. His name is on everything here.

The city is filled with reminders of the colonial period. Fairmount Park is dotted with colonial homes that were moved there as museums. Elfreth's Alley is the oldest continually occupied neighborhood in the country. Old Swede's Church offers a perfect example of the "public" architecture typical at the country's founding. Delegates to Congress were astounded at the wealth and beauty they saw here. Because of the active seaport, food and fabrics from the Indies and China were readily available, even with the difficulty of getting past British warships. There were some of the finest examples of colonial silversmith, textile work and furniture in the homes.

In 1800, the nation's capital moved to Washington, DC. New York began to overshadow Philadelphia as a financial and cultural center. Also in the 1800s, Irish, Polish and Italian immigrants came in waves, drawn by employment on massive projects like the new turnpike system, the canals and the railroad. Coal mining upstate created more jobs and the coal provided steam power for the factories of the Industrial Revolution that made Philadelphia a major manufacturing center. The Centennial Exhibition of 1876 brought 100,000 people to Fairmount Park to see the wonders of industrialism.

By the end of World War II, things were looking up again. While heavy industries moved out, the economy stayed robust. Always known for its hospitals, medical schools and research facilities, Philadelphia is now leading bioengineering research and development, and the city has become a popular film location thanks to innovators like M. Night Shyamalan.

The Philadelphia of the present has achieved what previous generations had thought impossible: New Yorkers come for a quick visit, fall in love, and decide to look for a house, hearkening back to the year 1776, when Congressional delegates were bowled over by the quality and comfort of this city.

Getting Around

Getting There

Air

Philadelphia International Airport ( PHL )
http://www.phl.org/

PHL is seven miles from downtown Philadelphia.

Air Jamaica (+1 800 523 5585/ http://www.airjamaica.com )
Air Canada ( +1 800 776 3000/ http://www.aircanada.ca )
Air France ( +1 800 871 1366/ http://www.airfrance.com )
British Airways ( +1 800 247 9297/ http://www.british-airways.com )
Delta ( +1 800 221 1212/ http://www.delta.com )
Lufthansa ( +1 800 645 3880/ http://www.lufthansa.com )
Southwest ( +1 800 435 9792/ http://www.southwest.com )
United ( +1 800 241 6522/ http://www.ual.com )
US Airways ( +1 800 428 4322/ http://www.usairways.com )

Airport Map & Information: http://www.airguideonline.com/WIDirports/WIDirport_phl.htm
Airport Services: http://www.airguideonline.com/WIDirports/WIDirport_phl2.htm
Airport Transportation: http://www.airguideonline.com/WIDirports/WIDirport_phl3.htm

From the Airport

Car Rental: Alamo ( +1 800 327 9633/ http://www.alamo.com )
Avis ( +1 800 831 2847/ http://www.avis.com )
Budget ( +1 800 527 0700/ http://www.budget.com )
Dollar ( +1 800 4000/ http://www.dollar.com )
Hertz ( +1 800 654 3131/ http://www.hertz.com)
National ( +1 800227 7368/ http://www.nationalcar.com )
Payless (+1 800 729 5377/ http://www.paylesscarrental.com)

Another attractive ground transportation option is Zipcar, which operates in certain U.S. cities. This new breed of rental car allows you to rent on an hourly basis rather than a daily basis. Be sure to register online before your trip. Zipcar (+1 866 494 7227 / http://www.zipcar.com)

For reliable car hire service in and around the city, contact A&C Transport Car service. (+1 609 573 5163/ http://www.actransportonline.com)

Train

Amtrak services Philadelphia daily ( +1 800 872 7245; in PA +1 800 562 6960/ http://www.amtrak.com ) and is located on 30th Street.

Bus

Greyhound ( +1 800 231 2222/ http://www.greyhound.com ) accesses Philadelphia daily.

Highway

Philadelphia can be reached from any direction on I-95 and I-76.

Getting Around

This was the first major city to be designed on a grid system, which means that directions make sense: You can walk from the east end of Market Street to the west end in a straight line. The streets running north to south are numbered from two to 69. On-street parking is generally limited to two hours and some streets have their own peculiar restrictions, so read the signs carefully. There is a lot of construction and street repair going on, but generally these are small projects that only disrupt the traffic flow for a few days at a time in any one spot. There are ample parking garages with rates lower than New York and discounts for all-day parking. The local public transportation, SEPTA, has routes that cover the whole region, including a light rail from the airport. SEPTA passes are available at day, weekly or monthly rates. Cab drivers here are as peculiar as they are anywhere, but they are all licensed and generally very reliable. In Center City, the wait for a cab should be no more than five minutes.

Public Transit

SEPTA - Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is in charge of the metro area. The High Speed Rail Line costs $5.50 one way and serves five downtown locations. It also runs to the Amtrak station and Greyhound bus terminal (+1 215 580 7800/ http://www.septa.org/). SEPTA also operates a local bus and subway system and both the Owl bus and subway run 24 hours a day.

Taxi

There is a $20 flat rate on cabs to Center City Philadelphia. A few of the cab companies include:

Academy (+1 215 333 1111)
Airport Express (+1 215 651 7757/http://www.magicyellow.com/)
Avistar Avistar (+1 800 763 6845/ http://www.pnfnetwork.com/)
PHL Taxi (+1 800 936 5111)
City Cab Co. (+1 215 492 6500)
Liberty Cab Co. (+1 215 389 8000)
Victory Radio Dispatch Association (+1 215 225 5000/http://www.victorycabco.com/)

A.C. Taxi and Blue Car Service ( +1 609 645 2583/ http://www.acblue.com/ ) offers a variety of transportation needs with a fleet of taxis, minivans and stretch limos. Service is offered to Atlantic City (one hour) and New York (two hours). One day prearranged reservation via phone or email for pickup in Philadelphia or New York City.

Atlantic City Airport Taxi & Lou's Luxury Car Service (+1 609 383 1457/ http://www.limolou.com/) serves riders to and from Atlantic City to the region's major airports, Philadelphia, New Jersey and southern New York.

Traffic Information

For up-to-date traffic information, go to: http://www.traffic.com/Philadelphia-Traffic/Philadelphia-Traffic-Reports.html

If traveling overseas, take the safety precaution of registering your trip at https://travelregistration.state.gov and for helpful, practical advice about traveling technicalities and safety standards check out http://travel.state.gov/ .

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and should not be considered a recommendation. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., is not responsible or liable for any errors or inaccuracies with respect to the information contained on this page.

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