Philly Ranked 7th Best Vacation Spot for the Health Conscious
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When out-of-towners think of Philly, the first thing that comes to mind is usually a gigantic, greasy Philly Cheesesteak. Delicious? Yes. Healthy? Not so much. So imagine our surprise when we heard that Philly came in seventh on a recent list of Best Vacation Spots for the Health Conscious. I’m not complaining, but … huh?
The study, conducted by Nerdwallet Health, looked at the country’s 50 largest cities to determine which spots would make for the best health-conscious and budget-friendly getaways. The study ranked the cities based on four qualities, the first being weather. Vacation-worthy weather was measured by the number of predicted rain days in the month of July along with the chance of sun exposure—cities with the least rainy days and lower risks of sun exposure ranked higher. Next, the study measured access to fresh food, which they determined by the number of farmers’ markets within 10 miles of the city. Then they factored in each city’s walkability, based on its Walk Score. And last, the study looked at the average price of hotels in each city during the month of July. Based on this criteria, our lovely city came in at a very high number seven, beat out only by New York City, San Francisco, D.C., Portland, Los Angeles and Baltimore.
Here’s what they wrote about Philly:
7. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philly may be your winner if you’re worried about sunburns this summer, with the lowest chance of catching rays among our top 15 cities. Vegetarians can rejoice, with great restaurant options like Vedge and HipCityVedge. Fit in with the locals and stop by FlyWheel to try out an indoor cycling class, then grab some dinner ingredients at the Rittenhouse Square farmers market. If you want to get a bit more touristy, consider a bike tour from Wheel Fun Rentals.
Okay, true enough, but what the study doesn’t take into account is the actual temperature of each city in July. I mean, I love you Philly, but let’s be real: Your 95-degree and hellishly-humid July days don’t really encourage much walking and outdoor fitness. And I’m all for a good farmers’ market, but is it really realistic to assume folks staying in hotels, probably without kitchens, would be stocking up on fresh fruits and veggies?
Don’t get me wrong—I’m totally happy to call the city I live in one of the “best vacations spots for the health conscious.” But I’m just wondering: Are these the qualities—least rainy days, walkability, farmers’ markets and hotel prices—you would look for in a health-conscious getaway?
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