Rittenhouse Square Park is one of the original 5 parks planned by William Penn and Thomas Holme. It can be found in the heart of Center City right by all the retail stores, making it a great place to take a break from pounding the pavement and wearing out the credit cards with your favorite shopping buddy. It is also THE place to people watch. It has lots of benches, low walls, and grassy spaces to meet all of your sitting down needs. There are hipsters, street performers, and my Mom and I even found a cowboy to observe. It hosts concerts, crafts fairs, and flower shows. During weekends when the weather is nice the park seems to lure half the city out to soak up the sun. And with them come.... PUPPIES!
Watch them sniff the grass, frolic in the fountain, and generally make mischief for their owners. Lure them to play by speaking in the "puppy voice" (if that doesn't make sense ask someone with a dog) or, if you want to be really sneaky, a gyro from the nearby Pita Pit.
And speaking of Pita Pit, Rittenhouse
is surrounded by shops and eateries so you can grab some lunch to-go or a magazine from Barnes and Noble before picking out your ideal park spot. That way even if there is nothing good to watch you'll have great company, a tasty meal, and new fashions to browse.
