Local information

Map Overview of Campus Locations

 

Workshop Locations

First day:

Second day:

 

Internet access
We can get internet access through eduroam on campus. Alternatively, you can use AirPennNet-Guest (you just need to input your email account to use it)

Lunch/Snacks/Conference breaks
Here’s a few spots convenient for getting lunch and other quick stops during the day. They’re between 2 and 10 minutes away (walking distance) from the conference venue. Note that this is by no means an exhaustive list: the area around campus features a wide range of cafes and restaurants. Feel free to explore around for further options.

Houston Hall (groceries; sandwiches; Pret-a-manger; Starbucks)
3417 Spruce St #307 Map

Franklin’s Table Hall (pizza; burgers; falafel; sushi; sandwiches)
3401 Walnut St Map

Food trucks (Mediterranean; Mexican; Asian)
All along Spruce street, 34th Street and 38th street

Wawa (convenience store; sandwiches; mini-market)
3724-3744 Spruce Street Map

Further dining options within a short walking distance are available along Spruce Street and 40th Street. (Also see this overview article in the Daily Pennsylvanian)

Accommodation
You have a lot of different options for accommodation, as Penn is centrally located in Philadelphia. You’ll probably want to look for best prices on travel websites rather than directly through hotel websites. There are several hotels on campus, though they’re mostly pretty pricey. The Homewood Suites University City likely is the one with the lowest price amongst those. Other options include the Sheraton University City, The Inn at Penn, The Study at University City, and Niche. All of these are within 15 minutes walking distance from Levin Hall.

But you may also find good offers on AirBnB if you’re open to that. In terms of location, for either that or other Hotels, we recommend looking at University City (though maybe not quite at the very outer Western or Norther edges, apart from Powelton Village; feel free to double check with us if in doubt) or Center City. One hotel downtown that often has relatively affordable options is Club Quarters Philadelphia.

If you are traveling by car, you may be able to find cheaper hotel options closer to the airport, which is only a 15-20 minute drive from Penn. (There is a train from the airport to Penn Medicine Station as well, but you’d have to find a way to get over to the airport train station from these, unless staying directly in the Airport Marriott, which may not be much cheaper than options close to campus.) Not the most charming environment, but a lower budget option with reasonable commute by car. (Obviously there are other areas away from downtown areas with more affordable hotels within reasonable driving distance as well.)

Public Transportation
Philadelphia has a public transit system with subways, trolleys, and buses, which you may want to consider using if you’re staying in Center City. (Although if you’re up for longer walks, you can in principle walk from at least some Center City locations, too, e.g., 38 min walk from Club Quarters Hotel). The closest stop to the Levin Building is 37th street station (4 min walk), where Routes 11, 13, 34, and 36 stop, coming from both Center City (and 30th Street Station, Philadelphia’s main train station) and different places in West Philadelphia. Bus lines 40 and 42 also stop at 38th& Spruce Street (2 min walk). 30th Street Station, Philadelphia’s main train station (Amtrak and Regional Rails) is a 25 min walk; some of the regional lines also go to the slightly closer Penn Medicine Station (15 min walk). The 34th Street Station on the Market-Frankford Subway line is a 15 min walk. To ride on any SEPTA line, you’ll need to purchase a SEPTA Key Card.

Parking
Parking is not easy to come by around campus, but there is a garage at 40th & Walnut that’s the closest option to the Conference (10 min walk). See general parking information here. With a little luck, you may also be able to find some free on-street parking on Woodland Avenue or west of 40th Street between Walnut and Baltimore Ave. But beware of signage for duration restrictions, as many blocks are 2 or 3-hour parking only.

Travel to Philadelphia
Philadelphia International Airport is a major airport with many direct national and international connections. You can take a train from there to Penn and Center City for $6.75. There also is a $28.50 cab flat rate from there to Center City. In some cases, especially for international travel, it may also be worth looking at Newark International Airport, as Amtrak has direct train service from there to Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station(~1 hour ride from Newark), which is adjacent to campus (25 min walk to venue) – a direct flight into Newark + Amtrak can often be more convenient than having a layover somewhere else in the US. 30th Street Station also will be your destination for train travel from any other location. If you plan to travel here by car, beware that Philadelphia traffic can be quite bad, and that parking can be sparse and expensive, especially in Center City and around campus.