Philadelphia To Welcome Plethora Of New Tourism Developments In 2017 #PhiladelphiaWorldHeritageCity

With myriad new openings planned to arrive into the city in 2017, there’s no time like the present to book a trip to Philadelphia, the birthplace of America.

Visitors in 2017 will be able to enjoy a number of new experiences scheduled to open in Philadelphia including a day trip of the city on the new Total Philly Tour, a cultural visit to the new Museum of the American Revolution and an immersive and educational experience with the latest Virtual Reality demonstration at the Franklin Institution.

Launch of Total Philly Tour

Launching in 2017, the ‘Total Philly Tour’ will take visitors through the city’s hotspots and hidden gems. Participants can relish in tasting the delicious food at Jewish delis and the famous Italian Market – the oldest and largest everyday open-air market in America – before paying homage to the unmissable sights within the historic district. This tour also includes a glimpse of public art and stunning mosaics in the Bella Vista neighbourhood and Magic Gardens, adding intricate beauty to any traveller’s photo collection. To top it all off, the tour comes to a close with a local beer expert, who will guide visitors through the booming local bar and pub scene, showcasing the city’s regional breweries and microbrews. The tour starts from outside New Image Art & Framing (601 South 9th Street) at 10am, finishing at 7pm. Strictly over 21s.

Museum of the American Revolution to Open in April

Firmly marking 2017 as a year to celebrate Philadelphia’s colourful past, the state-of-the-art Museum of the American Revolution will open its doors to the public in April next year. Taking visitors on a journey through the remarkable story of America’s founding, the stunning building will feature four floors of permanent and temporary exhibition galleries. Aptly located in the historic heart of the city, the museum is just two blocks from Independence Hall and across the street from Carpenter’s Hall, where the Constitutional Congress first met. Original artefacts, immersive settings and dynamic theatres will instil visitors of all ages with a profound understanding of, and interest in, the outbreak of conflict and ensuing new nation.

Liberty Title and Trust Building to Become Aloft Hotel by Starwood

As the only building on the block of Broad Street and Arch Street to survive the expansion of the Pennsylvania Convention Centre, the 1929 Liberty Title and Trust Building is a stalwart of historic architecture in Philadelphia. After years of being vacant, the historically-certified 21-story complex is being renovated into a 179-room Aloft by Starwood hotel – the second from the brand to open in the city. With its superb access to the city’s ancient and modern landmarks, the hotel will be a fantastic addition to the Philadelphia accommodation scene when it opens in 2017.

New Foodie Hotspots

Why not toast the start of 2017 in one of several new restaurants in Philadelphia. At the iconic Ritz-Carlton Hotel, where luxury and grand decor can be found in abundance, savour Latin-American cuisine in the stunning, newly-decorated hotel lobby restaurant. ‘Aqimero’ is bound to make any occasion special, whether diners have a reservation to stay the night or not.

For a more vintage dining experience, Chef Michael Schulson has opened ‘Harp & Crown,’ a trendy new foodie hotspot close to Dilworth Park and Philadelphia’s City Hall. Combining charm and luxury with modern sensibility and functionality, the restaurant showcases seasonal ingredients in a menu of global cuisines, as well as a comprehensive cocktail menu at the 32-seat bar. What is more, the space has been transformed to include a two-lane bowling alley in the basement, where revellers can enjoy drinks, pizza and charcuterie between strikes.

Franklin Institute Launches Virtual Reality Experience

As one of America’s oldest and most beloved museums, the Franklin Institute has been delighting visitors old and young since it was founded in 1824. Despite its age, this science museum on North 21st Street has long been paving the way for innovative displays of information and the latest new Virtual Reality initiative is no exception. Open to visitors in 2017, the VR demonstration spaces will allow visitors to try out an HTC Vice or Oculus Rift and be transported through outer space, encounter a blue whale, explore the human body, tour the solar system and even take a peek inside a brain!

Lonely Planet Declares The Skellig Ring On Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way One Of The Top Regions In The World For 2017

Dublin 10.25.2016 The Skellig Ring drive, on the southwestern tip of Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, has been named one of the top regions in the world for travellers in 2017. The region receives the accolade in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2017, the highly anticipated collection of the world's hottest trends, destinations and experiences for the year ahead. The bestselling, travel yearbook from one of the world's leading travel authorities highlights the top ten countries, cities, regions and best value destinations that Lonely Planet's experts recommend travellers experience in 2017. The Skellig Ring is a coastal drive that is an extension of the famous Ring of Kerry on the Wild Atlantic Way – described in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2017 as "perhaps Ireland's most charismatically wild and emerald stretch of coastline". Skellig Michael, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a "remote, wave-pounded hunk of rock rising out of the Atlantic like a giant triangle," made the new Star Wars location list. As the book recognises, "Glimpsed at the end of The Force Awakens, Skellig Michael will play a bigger role in this year's sequel and local businesses are gearing up for the expected visitor bump". Also highlighted in the book is Skellig Michael's sister isle, known as Small Skellig, "an even craggier outpost that hosts a colony of 50,000 gannets." Both are located on the Wild Atlantic Way, often referred to as the world's longest coastal touring route – a 2,500km stretch of glorious rugged coast along the west of Ireland. The Skellig islands are located off the coast of Kerry and while the book recognises that "nothing beats actually landing on Skellig Michael and climbing the 600 treacherously steep stone steps to reach the intriguing, behive like-chambers," when the isles are out of bounds due to inclement weather, the string of villages from which the boats depart also offer a host of distractions – from cosy pubs and Blue Flag beaches, to historic ruins. Lonely Planet spokesperson, Nóirín Hegarty, said, "The Skellig Ring should be on every traveller's must-see list. It's a spot of timeless beauty and now that it's coming to prominence on the silver screen, 2017 really is the year to get out there and see it for yourself." The Skellig Ring features tenth on the list of top regions for 2017, alongside Taranaki in New Zealand, the Azores in Portugal, Aysén in Chile, the Tuamotus in French Polynesia and Coastal Georgia in the USA. Choquequiro in Peru takes the top spot. Lonely Planet's writers and experts spend time on the road in almost every destination on the planet and each year they report which destinations are set to take off, offering travellers the best experience available. The destinations selected for Lonely Planet's Best in Travel meet specific criteria; it could be that something special is going on in the year ahead or there's been recent development and a lot of buzz about the place, that it offers travellers new things to see or do, or that the Lonely Planet team of experts thinks it's been overlooked and underrated and suggests travellers visit before the crowds do.