‘Explore America’ With Adventure-Themed Dining At The PHS Flower Show


This year, the PHS Philadelphia Flower Show is celebrating the centennial of our National Parks with their “Explore America” theme–which is especially exciting if you’re a huge National Park nerd like me. Or if you just love the Flower Show.

Aside from the awesome sounding entrance to the show, Big Timber Lodge (you’ll be greeted by park rangers!), and the dozens of flower displays inspired by the parks, it looks like there’s going to be an adventurous selection of food, too. Here’s what we have to look forward to:

Start off your trip through the show by stopping at the Trail Mix Bar near the exhibit hall entrance to make your own bag of trail mix with choices of nuts, raisins, cranberries, chocolate, and granola.

After going through Big Timber Lodge and exploring the show for a while, you can grab a free-range bison sloppy joe and corn on the cob at Smokey Mountain Café or go to Death Valley Chicken Strip to munch on some wings and turkey legs. If you feel like a cheesesteak, The Declaration of Cheesesteaks is serving their twist on a Philly cheesesteak called “The Franklin.” For something a little fancier, stop at the Denali Café for some roasted turkey with sage stuffing.

For a snack or two, Glacier Trading Post has a wall of candy, as well as ice cream and pretzels, and Rita’s Water Ice Ranger Shack will honor Grand Teton National Park with “themed peaks” of fruity water ice (I’ve never been so excited for water ice in my life).

If the crowd gets overwhelming and you need a drink, go get your glamp on among the gardens at Glamping with Stella Artois, or trek to Base Camp in the Grand Hall to chill at the PHS Pop Up Beer Garden where you can indulge in drinks, s’mores brownies, and musical entertainment.  Also at Base Camp, Fine Wine & Good Spirits will offer free tastings. For some alcohol-free tranquility, have a seat at Garden Tea to enjoy some soothing music, tea, and a light menu of little sandwiches, pastries, and fruit at 12:30 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.

I’d say that if you can’t make it to a National Park this year, the Flower Show might be about as close as you can get to the real thing. A percentage of the proceeds from the food and beverage sales will  go towards PHS programs, including City Harvest. The show runs from March 5th to the 13th, and you can get your tickets here.

PHS Flower Show [Official]