Ben Franklin Bridge
This is one of those Philly activities you always mean to do but never actually get around to doing. It's worth it: Once you reach the apex of the near-two-mile span, you'll be treated to the best view of the skyline in the entire city
Middletown Archery
You could pay for therapy, or you could head to this archery club, which has a 70-meter outdoor range and an 18-meter indoor one, plus coaches who'll teach you the ropes and leave you feeling like a Katniss-level badass. We'll let you choose. 127 Barren Road, Media, PA 19063, middletownarchery.com.
Cira Green
Visit this new park, sandwiched between the two glass high-rises at Cira Centre South, for a thrilling, optimism-stoking panorama of Philadelphia. Eleven stories up, you'll take in sweeping views of Center City and the Schuylkill while lounging in the lush runways of grass. Fifty bucks to the person who manages to not Instagram it. 80 South 30th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, ciracentresouth.com.
Jack's Famous Bar
The term "dive bar" gets tossed around a lot to describe bars that aren't even all that dive-y, but Jack's Famous Bar is the real deal. It's been open since the end of Prohibition and seems to have been only slightly updated since then. Drinks and food are truly cheap: A mug of Lager will set you back just $1.75, and you should eschew the average cheesesteak for the lip-smacking-good $4.50 hot roast beef. 853 East Allegheny Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19134, .
Philadelphia Salvage Company
Wear closed-toed shoes and prepare to digas you navigate this heralded salvage company's new location, a 30,000-square-foot warehouse crammed with reclaimed lumber, light fixtures, doors, windows, mirrors and more. Or skip the hunt and ask the pros here for help; they'll custom-build you something from their reclaimed materials, then deliver and install it. 2234 West Westmoreland Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140, philadelphiasalvage.com.
Pageboy Hair
Helmed by industry veteran Nikki LaRussa, this two-year-old salon pairs stylish cuts with fit-for-a-princess vibes (giant chandeliers dangling from the ceiling; mirrors at every turn of your head), sans hefty price tags: Women's cuts start at $45 and men's at $30. 12 West Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003, pageboyhair.com.
Kirna Zabête
Come for the Gucci frocks, Marc Jacobs blouses and Saint Laurent jackets; stay for the tucked-away accessory room and endless outfit inspiration, courtesy of the shop’s trendy staffers. So cool, you’ll think you’re in SoHo. 915 West Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010, kirnazabete.com.
United by Blue Sample Sale
Easy navigation (boxes are clearly labeled), rock-bottom deals ($25 canvas weekenders, $20 button-downs, $5 tees), and credit-card compatibility (a rarity on the sample-sale scene) make this annual shopping event (at the Old City location only) the ultimate stock-up occasion. 144 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, unitedbyblue.com.
Jason’s Toridasu
The owners of Jason’s say they’re like a grocery-store sushi counter except that they use fresh fish. That about sums up this quirky, tiny spot that’s so fast and polished, you’d think it was a chain. While it’s mostly takeout, we’ve seen some Main Line moms commandeer the few tables for girls’ nights out—prosecco in hand, of course. 40 Rittenhouse Place, Ardmore, PA 19003, jasonstoridasu.com.
Debreaux’s
Be sure to call and place your order ahead of time, because as the menu says, Southern food is not fast food. 2135 North 63rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19151, facebook.com/pages/Debreauxs/113321682034313.
Pica’s
Tiny Fey loves the pizza—for good reason—but that’s just the start of this stalwart’s appeal. The pastas are all made in-house, the escarole soup cures illness, and the meatballs are as good as any made in South Philly. It’s the plate of roasted peppers the waitress plunks down at the start of every meal, though, that entices you back again and again and again. Multiple locations, picas-restaurant.com.
La Maison
There’s something about rustic French cooking that’s just so comforting. It could be the simplicity in a cuisine built on rigid rules and regulations. Or maybe it’s the sense of calm that comes from recipes perfected across generations. And in the hands of chef Martin Gagne, in this 300-year-old farmhouse/24-seat prix-fixe BYOB, you taste all of that and more. 1470 Old Ridge Road, Coventryville, PA 19465, martinskitchen.com/wp/cuisine-du-marche.
Rival Bros.
Rival Bros. coffee (and its snacks) was already a cut above. But this second location, with its high ceilings, gilded flourishes and retro-chic aesthetic, makes it the Le Bec-Fin of coffee shops. 1528 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102, rivalbros.com/coffeebar.
Blue Corn
Really, any of Blue Corn’s cold seafood—be it the shrimp cocktail or the octopus—is a great way to start a meal. They’ve made something that has become so fancy wonderfully casual: simply dressed, meant to be spooned onto the salty-sweet plantain chips, and even better with a splash of La Bruja, the spicy vinegar served on the side. 940 South 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147, facebook.com/pg/BlueCornRestaurant/about.
Life Time Athletic
Child care? Check. An exhaustive group-workout schedule? Check. An in-house spa? Check. A cafe that serves up salmon salads and smoothies? Check. Waterslides? Check. Everything else you could ever want in a gym? Check. You’ll find these mega-clubs in Fort Washington, Mount Laurel and Wayne, with another planned for Ardmore early next year. Multiple locations, lifetimefitness.com.