New York City and Philadelphia would like to see visitors roam a little beyond their traditional haunts, and have rolled out programs to encourage just that.
NYC & Company, the city’s official tourism organization, is focusing its new Neighborhood x Neighborhood program this month on the South Bronx, home of the new Yankee Stadium.
It’s also the neighborhood of the Grand Concourse, Melrose, and Mott Haven, and home to unique Art Deco architecture and a variety of cultural institutions and restaurants.
Accessible via the B, D, and 4 subway trains, the South Bronx is a convenient destination for an afternoon trip from Manhattan.
"The Grand Concourse in the Bronx is one of the City’s busiest thoroughfares, always bustling with events and excitement," said NYC & Company CEO George Fertitta.
Among the area’s attractions are Heritage Field, a 10.8-acre ballpark on the site of the old Yankee Stadium, where visitors can play ball, watch local high school teams compete, or see the original diamond, outfield, and paving stones etched with dates commemorating historic Yankee moments.
The Bronx Culture Trolley, a replica of a turn-of-the-century trolley car, offers free rides on the first Wednesday of every month, making stops at cultural attractions, restaurants, and entertainment venues.
The Bronx Central Post Office also serves as an art gallery, with 13 murals depicting the American working class, painted in 1938-39 by Social Realist artist Ben Shahn and his wife, Bernarda.
The Philadelphia Neighborhoods campaign, meanwhile, is highlighting 14 areas within a 15-minute walk or ride from Center City hotels via a website.
On the Philadelphia Neighborhoods section of visitphilly.com you can click on any one of the neighborhoods for a list of "Can’t Miss Venues" and top five locations to visit.
