Hi, my name is…
Mimi
I’m from…
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
My hometown is known for…
Being the birthplace of America. The Declaration of Independence was signed there on July 4, 1776. It’s also where the American Constitution was written.
My favorite thing about my hometown is…
The sports teams! Philadelphians are famous for being passionate sports fans, whether cheering for the Eagles (football), Flyers (ice hockey), Phillies (baseball), or 76ers (basketball). Don’t make the mistake of wearing any New York Giants or Mets gear on game day—Philly fans will be sure to let you know what they think of your team.
If you came to visit me, I’d take you…
Shopping at the King of Prussia Mall, the second largest mall in the US located half an hour outside of the city. And then on to Hershey, Pennsylvania, the headquarters of the Hershey company and Hershey Park, the “sweetest place on earth.” I used to go every summer growing up. The town’s streetlamps are in the shape of Hershey’s Kisses and after a day of rollercoasters, you either relax at the spa or take a free tour of the Hershey facilitywhere you get a special Hershey’s treat at the end.
Things you have to try before you leave…
A Philly cheesesteak for lunch and a water ice for dessert. True Philadelphians know to order a cheesesteak with Cheez Wiz and call it “wooder” ice.
For more information about visiting Pennsylvania, check out Discover America.
Hi, my name is…
Brian
I’m from…
Florida.
My home state is known for…
Beaches, retirement, Lebron James, and of course, DISNEYWORLD, the original home of the mouse. We’re also known for our delicious orange juice, beautiful sunsets, and hurricanes.
My favorite thing about my home state is…
There’s no state income tax!
If you came to visit me, I’d take you…
I would take you to Gatorland, a 110-acre alligator home and wildlife preserve. We would drive around on fan boats through the swamps, and look for the most feared resident of Florida—the massive alligator! We would also keep an eye out for the invasive python, which is not an indigenous species in Florida, but which has presented itself as a major problem for the everglades and the wildlife there. On occasion, photographers will catch epic battles between gators and pythons, and I would take you to the swamp to let you try to capture that moment!
Things you have to try before you leave…
Fried gator tail (tastes like chicken), South Beach in Miami, walking on the white beaches on the Gulf Coast, Epcot Center, and the space coast, where one of NASA’s main headquarters is situated and where a large museum to U.S. space exploration is located.
My favorite place in the U.S. is…
Portland, Oregon, because they have an incredible micro-brewery culture, laid-back attitude, and beautiful dark, rainy weather.
You’ll have to take home…
A bag of Florida oranges!
For more things to do in Brian’s home state, visit Discover America.
Have you checked out the U.S. Embassy Manila Facebook page recently? If you have, you may have noticed our “Fifty States in Fifty Days” campaign, where each day we showcase one of the many states that make up the U.S. To give our readers a local’s perspective on what to do on a visit to the U.S., we’re launching “Hometown America,” a series of guest posts by Embassy staff who will provide their personal recommendations for things to do on a visit to the U.S.
For more information about cool places to visit and interesting things to do in the U.S., visit the Discover America website. Or stay tuned for posts tagged “My Hometown Your Destination.”