Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/79688
and local boutiques. Some of the top shopping areas are: Franklin Mills Mall, Macy's Center City, King of Prussia Mall, Philadel- phia Premium Outlets, Readi-ng Terminal Market and Khmer Art Gallery. Jewelers' Row on Sansom Street between 7th and 8th streets is the nation's first, and second-largest dia- mond district. Looking for things to do with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Family Activity nessmeeting? Well there is no need to sit in a hotel room, at least not in Birmingham. Birmingham is a city with a little something for everyone from dining, shopping, and culture to sports and recreation. Looking for places to include on your itinerary? Try the Birmingham Zoo, Alabama Adventure, Riverchase Galleria, McWane Science Center, the Barber MotorSports Park and the world famousTalladegaMotor Speedway. Great food is a way of life in Birmingham, so much so that the Alabama Department of Tourism declared 2012 the "Year of Alabama Food." Visitors can't go wrong here whether it's for a romantic dinner or you have the kids in tow. Birminghamis known for its vibrant nightlife with live entertainment and live theater throughout the city. Nothing evokes culture and history like Birmingham thanks to its promi- nent role in the Civil Rights Movement. Rather than run from its painful past,Birmingham has put it on display for all to see through the many museums andmonuments in the city. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, the Sixteenth Baptist Church andKelly IngramPark should definite- ly be on your itinerary. It's a chance to learn, and share in a cultural and his- torical experience that doesn't exist anywhere else in theUnited States. 38 To learn more about Birmingham log on to www.birminghamal.org or call (800) 458-8085. And if you have a specific interest in Civil Rights there is a link on the site to lead you to guided tours and other attractions such as the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, and the FourthAvenue BusinessDistrict. The birthplace of American PHILADELPHIA, PA democracy with its myriad attractions and things to do is also one of America's top meeting destinations and business centers. The newly expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center (PCC) is the 14th largest in the country. This state-of- the-art high-technology center makes it one of the more adaptable conven- tion centers in the nation. The PCC features 700,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including the largest contiguous meeting space in the northeast. Located in the heart of downtown Philadelphia, there are over 11,000 hotel roomswithinwalking distance of the PCC, many directly across the street. Need to expand your wardrobe? You'll want to do that right here in Philadelphia as clothes and shoes can be purchased tax-free. Tax-free shop- ping has proven such a draw that many conventioneers plan their work and leisure time schedules around a visit to the many name brand stores Black Meetings & Tourism July/August 2012: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com kids while your spouse is away from the hotel on business? Philadelphia's six must see attractions are The Franklin Institute, Adventure Aqua- rium, Phila Trolley Works Tour & The Big Bus Company, Philadelphia Zoo, The National Constitution Center or Academy of Natural Sciences and the Eastern State Penitentiary or Please Touch Museum. For a distinctly African-American experience try the African American Museum of Philadelphia or combine a visit to the museum with a Black History Tour. And of course no trip to Philly would be complete without a histori- cal journey through the city starting with Independence Hall and a stop by the Liberty Bell. The Liberty Bell