Grim Philly, Philadelphia

Though Philadelphia has ceded its place as the capital of the United States to Washington, DC, it remains a bustling metropolis rich with American history. Grim Philly's tour guides—all of whom have at least a bachelor's degree in history—dredge up past centuries' landmark events, scandals, ghosts, and colonial pirates, on walking tours that have made the Philly Hot List four years in a row. Tour-goers can witness the sites where Benjamin Franklin conducted his electrical experiments, or see the film set where _National Treasure_'s Benjamin Franklin Gates orchestrated one of the great fictional heists in American history. The guides' narration illuminates the flip side of American history by blending historical facts and local insight while making stops at shadowy spots such as a theater that was once a mecca for ladies of the night, the site of the city's first bank robbery, or historic watering holes.