A new way to tour Philadelphia involves more than just stops at Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.
SoundAboutPhilly.com, a site launched last month, allows users to listen to short segments that discuss the lesser-known and more unusual aspects of the city.
Users can download clips to their iPod or other Mp3 player, or they can listen to the segments from their computer - all free of charge.
In addition to the individual segments, the site has compiled the soundbytes into three tours, each of which contains a series of segments on Philadelphia history, dining and recommendations from locals.
The concept reflects an effort to keep up with advancing communication technology, said Anthony Malerba, a spokeswoman for the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, which co-operates the site with the Pew Charitable Trusts, a public-interest group.
"The audience that is blogging and listening to podcasts is increasing," he said. "This is what the audience wants, and you have to give it to them."
It has plans to add four new tours in the coming months, featuring Philadelphia's African American experience, the Historic District, vintage shopping and the city's religious history, said Suzanne Biemiller, senior officer at Pew Charitable Trusts.
And Biemiller said SoundAboutPhilly was created with young people in mind.
One of the site's tours, called MyPhilly, features 11 segments that discuss Philadelphia hotspots and that are narrated by young Philadelphians, she said.
She added that topics for tours were chosen based on surveys of native Philadelphians, who shared anything from what they like to eat to what they do on a rainy day in Philadelphia.
Ron Stephens, visitor-services manager at Independence National Historical Park, said it is important to cater to different age groups when it comes to tourism in the city.
He said young visitors' first stops in Philadelphia are the Art Museum steps - a la Rocky - and South Street. The rest of the city, meanwhile, goes unexplored.
The site is also in collaboration with Google Maps, so users can match the segments with a customized map of the city.
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