Philadelphia Bed & Breakfast & Blooms

Jan. 31, 2013 - PRLog -- The event, started in 1829, has blossomed into a 33-acre show at the Philadelphia Convention Center. More than 265,000 people will attend the 2013 Flower Show on March 2-10.  

The extravaganza has expanded this year to include new events such as learning how to create a wristlet or fascinator in a do-it-yourself workshop. And now, for the first time, you can get tickets for the Flower Show Preview Party which gives an early look at the landscapes, lush flowers and designs before the show opens. The entire city gets involved in this pre-spring celebration of flowers and local businesses will be participating in window decorating contests and restaurants will offer event-themed beverages.

Many local inns are available to help you create a memorable Flower Show trip to Philadelphia that embraces blooms as well as Philadelphia's historic homes and neighborhoods. For instance, you can pay homage to the first US botanist with a stay in the Bartram Suite of the Spruce Hill Manor, and spend time browsing the books on flowers in the Eakins Library at the inn. All guest rooms have a kitchenette and private bathroom. If it's available, reserve the Tiffany-Parish Room and  enjoy the 1916 “Dream Garden” mural; (there's also a glass mosaic mural in the downtown lobby of the Curtis Building). Ask the concierge service for tips on more local history and sights. The bed and breakfast is located in the University City neighborhood two miles from the Flower Show and is convenient to the trolley and bus.

Immerse yourself in the Victorian era and Victorian gardens  by booking the Gables B&B. Antique furniture and oriental carpets grace the rooms of this classic home designed in 1889 by Willis Hale, a prominent Philadelphia architect. Breakfast is a treat and may include asparagus and mushroom breakfast pie, a sausage strata, or blueberry pancakes with lemon curd. After many hours on your feet taking in all the displays, return home to soak in the original tub in the Victorian Suite. Friends attending the show together may wish to request the South Room with two twin beds.

Explore the cobblestone streets of the Chestnut Hill neighborhood and the landscapes of Fairmount Park near the inn from Silverstone Bed and Breakfast. Silvery stones from the Appalachian Mountains decorate the façade of the Victorian Gothic mansion. The innkeepers promote sustainable agriculture and local farmers in their breakfast creations. Attending the show with a future botanist? Families with children are welcome and you can walk together to restaurants and shops in a neighborhood considered to be one of best suburban areas in the country.

Discover the Tulpehocken Station Historic District when you stay at the Burbridge Street Bed and Breakfast. Many of Philadelphia’s captains of industry once lived in the large stone and brick homes in this area of town. The resident cats are eager to welcome you to their Victorian home where you can choose to stay in a unique eight-sided Octagon Bedroom with a vintage mahogany sleigh bed, or relax in the light-filled Parlor Bedroom. The inn, on a brick-paved street, is  two-and-a-half blocks from public transportation.

Another good choice is an inn with panoramic views of the Schuylkill River from the rooftop deck at Manayunk Terrace. Breakfast is prepared daily for all guests, and in the evenings, if you choose the two-room suite, you can sit by the rustic gas fireplace. Even the closet has sunlight thanks to a sky light tube if you stay in the Master Suite. This neighborhood feels like a small town but has all the amenities of a big city including two nearby SEPTA stations.