Need a break from the serious gentrification of University City? Northern Liberties - the core of Philly's art and music scene - is only a SEPTA ride away. Take the Market-Frankford line to Spring Garden or Girard for a weekend in hipster paradise.
Start your adventure at Liberty Lands Park (913-961 N. 3rd St.), the only large public park in NoLibs. Get your climb on at a children's jungle gym, score a one-of-a-kind piece at the flea market or pack a picnic and snag prime park real estate with a view of the sculptures or garden plots. Make sure to get comfortable in this bohemian scene because it gets better at night; Liberty Lands moonlights as a concert spot.
If you'd rather try your fancy at a bar and not in the grass, hit up The Standard Tap (901 N. 2nd St.) which redefines just how happy your happy hour can be. Serving only beers on tap, this bar dishes out the usual suspects with some local flavor. If you're craving classic bar food (think burgers and fries), this completely unpretentious eatery and pub is the place to get it.
Chase your beer with a bite from Rustica (903 N. 2nd St.), NoLibs' favorite pizza joint right next door. Hailed by locals and tourists alike for its fresh ingredients and crispy crust, Rustica caters to both the classic pepperoni-and-cheese crowd and the more adventurous with specialties like truffle oil or cheesesteak pizza.
Get your night going at the North Bowl (909 N. 2nd St.). This retro bowling alley is more like a restaurant and bar - bring your ID (or your shitty fake), because after 9 p.m. it's 21 to enter. Once you get in, take advantage of the $2 drink deals. If you can't get in, no worries; come back on a Wednesday from 6-9 when DJ Steven Bloodbath [Ed. note: real name] rocks the place with a set that's heavy on the hair metal and arena jams.
You're not going to want to head back to campus after dinner - this is a neighborhood that lights up after dark. Every weekend at the 700 Club (700 N. 2nd St.), this narrow two-floor bar is packed with locals and students down for a night of drunken dancing. The DJ spins out of an old shower stall and is especially stellar on Saturdays. Squeeze into your skinny jeans and accessorize with only your best (American) apparel; be ready to get loose with an eclectic crowd until 4 a.m.
If you're not in the mood for partying with the masses and just want to grab a beer with your friends and hear live music, check out The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.). Alt rock and folk are the dominant sounds, and you can BYO music at Monday open mic night.
