Most underrated thing in Philly

[raider.adam]

Just to make some people twitch: The stadium district

I also agree SEPTA is underrated (not to say there aren't a bunch of easy things they could do to improve).
The housing stock and development potential
Roast Pork sandwiches
It's geographic location

and... it's overall potential.

[borntochill]

The relatively affordable cost of living for a decent quality of life for the middle class as compared to the other major East Coast cities. We leave New York, Boston and DC in the dust.

Housing. For what a broom closet costs in New York, you can have a nice home in Philadelphia.

Beer. Excellent local craft brews are usually available for what a PBR costs in those other cities.

And like others said, Fairmount Park, the world's largest urban park at 9200 acres. The Schuylkill River waterfront. The rustic beauty of the Wissahickon.

[Hospitalitygirl]

Our higher education network.

[ShoshTrvls]

Although maybe not Philly-specific (or rather, maybe not intra-Philadelphia), but its accessibility. Within 2 hours or less, you can be: seeing a show in Manhattan, reading the inscriptions on the Lincoln Memorial in DC, sailing on the Chesapeake Bay, rolling the dice in AC, getting a tan on LBI, skiing in the Poconos, searching for the perfect handmade quilt in Lancaster County, or browsing the antique and art galleries in Bucks County.

[radiocolin]

At the risk of getting flamed... SEPTA.

I agree with this. Specifically, the bus routes. I relied on them almost 100%, and very rarely had a serious issue.

The relatively affordable cost of living for a decent quality of life for the middle class as compared to the other major East Coast cities. We leave New York, Boston and DC in the dust.

Housing. For what a broom closet costs in New York, you can have a nice home in Philadelphia.

...

The Schuylkill River waterfront. The rustic beauty of the Wissahickon.

Seriously! Studio apartments in Center City can be found under $700 if you look hard enough. A 2 bedroom at Parkway House with dogs is under $1500. Hell, there are up and coming neighborhoods and established ones where you can get a house, WITH A (small) YARD, for less than apartments in other cities.

San Francisco has studios for $3000+. ****. That. ****.

And yes, the Schuylkill waterfront is incredible. Fill a thermos with wine and go people watch at sunset.

[OldMama]

Its Density. And by that I mean that within a very small, maybe 2 mi. by 2 mi. area, you have the best of almost everything the city has to offer -- in less than 1/2 hour, you can walk to and from almost any of the city's historical sites, museums, finest restaurants, loveliest public squares, and best shopping. Not to mention the fact that you can do so from your front door without spending $1,000,000 on your home.

Definitely this. My friends in other cities are amazed at what I paid for my little, but beautiful, house in Bella Vista. We can walk everywhere. Just walked to dinner at Cochon. Good thing because my friend and I killed a bottle of wine. Night all.

[cewillm]

San Francisco has studios for $3000+. ****. That. ****.

It still just boggles my mind that ANYONE but high net worth individuals can afford that. Surely they're not sharing a studio with 3-4 people. What do you even do for a living to be bringing in 250k?

[Gladys]

To try and put some good karma spin on the "most overrated thing", here's the contra-thread.

Me of course. I am grossly underrated.

[3rd&Brown]

Definitely this. My friends in other cities are amazed at what I paid for my little, but beautiful, house in Bella Vista. We can walk everywhere. Just walked to dinner at Cochon. Good thing because my friend and I killed a bottle of wine. Night all.

Good. You deserve it.

Maybe you'll see your popularity increase now that you are in a more central location and word gets out. I love hosting out of town friends. Granted, I'm a good host (my friends call me Mr Philadelphia), but I don't think I've ever had a single guest who didn't come away from a visit with me with anything but a very good impression of the city. And I even do things like take them on Septa when they're here

[OffenseTaken]

Fairmount Park, the whole thing. Way underutilized. Even people that use Kelly Drive don't realize what an awesome waterfront we have and just want to bitch about the Delaware.

I half-agree. I think the park is underrated only in that the best parts by far are the ones that seem to be least visited: specifically, above the East Falls Bridge. There's really nothing quite like Forbidden Drive, or the Henry Avenue or Walnut Lane bridges. Not even going over/under the bridge in Luxembourg after which they're modelled comes close.

Below the East Falls bridge, and particularly below Girard, I find it really mediocre. Kelly Drive makes it awkward to get around unless you're driving (thus the bottleneck of everyone getting into the park via Boathouse Row), and the landscaping on both sides of the Schuylkill is in lousy shape. (The Schuylkill itself is truly "awesome.") I still go there pretty much every day, but I often feel like moving to EF or 'Yunk just so I can live on the "good" side of the park. Maybe I'm just missing more of the good parts? I don't know.

[supersupper]

Kelly Drive makes it awkward to get around unless you're driving (thus the bottleneck of everyone getting into the park via Boathouse Row), and the landscaping on both sides of the Schuylkill is in lousy shape. (The Schuylkill itself is truly "awesome.")

MLK drive when it's closed for recreational purposes.

If it were more appreciated it would be turned into 2 lanes motor vehicles / one lane dedicated recreation (with a physical protection barrier of some sorts to protect users from motorists)

[radiocolin]

It still just boggles my mind that ANYONE but high net worth individuals can afford that. Surely they're not sharing a studio with 3-4 people. What do you even do for a living to be bringing in 250k?

Tech bubble. Gonna go boom. No one starting out can afford to live roommate free, or they have to live in the Tenderloin which is full of halfway houses. 10-15 people mumbling to themselves or shouting or ****ting themselves on every block, and that's not an exaggeration. My favorite was the two dudes that got in a fight and one flung a boombox at the other. But I digress...

I'm 10 minutes north of the city and paying near-city prices just to have dogs.

Can't wait to move back home to affordable downtown living that I own. A few years. Sigh.

[funk]

Fairmount Park, the whole thing. Way underutilized. Even people that use Kelly Drive don't realize what an awesome waterfront we have and just want to bitch about the Delaware.

^ +1

[raider.adam]

The Mummers Two Street after party. It's probably one of the best kept secrets in Philadelphia.

[five apples]

MLK drive when it's closed for recreational purposes.

If it were more appreciated it would be turned into 2 lanes motor vehicles / one lane dedicated recreation (with a physical protection barrier of some sorts to protect users from motorists)

I think MLK is underrated closed or unclosed. It is one of the nicest drives in the city and when the traffic is flowing the path is a nice walk and much less crowded than the one along Kelly Drive. The views of the city skyline are just breathtaking.

I would also add the Mann which doesn't get the love it used to.

[Smooth Sailor]

1. Rittenhouse, Fitler Square, Society Hill and Washington Square West, particularly in the fall
2. Pizza... the best of Philly can hold their own with NYC
3. Live music venues

[supersupper]

Rodin's The Gates of Hell.

[Naveen]

The whole town.

+1.

But if I have to point to something specific, as Barry and others said, Fairmount Park. A drive up/down N. 33rd St. is mind-boggling. How is Strawberry Mansion not one of the most expensive parts of the city (or at least revitalizing)???

[Swinefeld]

Germantown. Seriously.

[five apples]

University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Archaeology.