Kyle Stein, Senior Marketing Project Manager, Visit Philly

I probably won’t be the first person you’ve heard this from, but Philadelphia is having a moment. Coming on the heels of another successful Super Bowl run, Philadelphia has been thrust into the national spotlight, a place we were not typically accustomed to in recent memory.

Most people watching TV or scrolling on their phones cannot escape a meme of Jason Kelce or one of the many TV shows now taking place in Philly. A quick look at Google search trends will tell you that the number of people searching the word “Philadelphia” has steadily increased over the past five years.[1]

Philly has gone mainstream, and the city’s future has never been brighter.

Currently, multiple projects are underway, which only spell positives for residents and signify the city’s appetite for growth.

On the Delaware River Waterfront, construction is underway to develop a park in Penn’s Landing. The park will cap I-95 from Chestnut to Walnut Street, giving pedestrians and bicyclists in the area direct access to the Delaware Riverfront. I’m hopeful that improving access to the Delaware will give this beautiful and underrated riverfront the attention it deserves.[2]

On the other side of the city, the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation office, the Parkway Council, and the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability have proposed strategies for improving the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. These measures include connecting Eakins Oval to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, making way for better and safer pedestrian access to the area.[3]

These projects are key indicators of a city-wide effort to improve the way of life for residents and attract more visitors to Philadelphia.

It’s high time for residents to embrace our newly anointed status as one of the best cities in America. Or as I like to call us, Top Dog.

As a Philadelphian myself, I acknowledge this may be an unnatural feeling for us. For years, the city has embraced our role as the underdog.

Philadelphia has often played second fiddle to cities like New York and Boston, suffering from the perception that we do not have as much to offer as those cities.

For years, the city’s teams have clawed their way through rivalries with New York and Boston, with the Eagles finally reclaiming victory in February.

Our city’s restaurants have long been under-appreciated. But, the national media is finally starting to take notice, as evidenced by the many James Beard awards that chefs and restaurateurs have recently won.[4]

With those mental hurdles broken down and Philadelphia finally getting the recognition it deserves, as evidenced by the increased popularity and appetite for improvement, it’s time for people to shift their thinking.

No longer is Philadelphia a little brother to its East Coast siblings.

The world has begun to take notice of the many treasures and hidden gems we’ve known make this city special. With 2026 around the corner, all eyes fall on Philadelphia again for the World Cup, the MLB All-Star Game, and the country’s Semiquincentennial.

The moment is here for Philadelphians to let people know: We’re back, better than ever, and here to stay.

[1] Google Trends. (n.d.). Philadelphia Retrieved April 25th, 2025, from https://trends.google.com/trends/explore?q=Philadelphia

[2] Aaron Moselle “Construction has started on Penn’s Landing park over I-95 highway trench,” WHYY (2023): 1, https://whyy.org/articles/penns-landing-park-i-95-construction/

[3] “Reimagine the Benjamin Franklin Parkway” phlparkway online, accessed April 25th, 2025, https://www.phlparkway.com/

[4] Melissa McCart “These Are Philadelphia’s James Beard Restaurant and Chef Semifinalists for 2025,” Eater Philadelphia (2025): 1, https://philly.eater.com/2025/1/22/24349384/james-beard-semifinalists-2025-philadelphia-restaurants-and-chefs