OutsideJul 3
The Ultimate Guide to Getting Outside in Philadelphia
Sure, it's the birthplace of American democracy and the home of the cheesesteak. But our editorial director's guide to Philly is all about its numerous green spaces—including its expanding river trail—and the best bites to refuel and picnic this summer.
29 things in this story
- Fairmount ParkParkone of the country's largest landscaped spaces
- Schuylkill RiverParkIt flows for 135 miles (217 km) from Pottsville southeast to Philadelphia, the sixth-largest city in the US, where it…
- Bartram's GardenParkoldest botanic garden in the country
- SchuylkillNeighborhoodriver embraced by the city
- East Coast GreenwayTrailpath connecting Maine to Florida
- Kelly DriveSightlocation of iconic boathouses
- Belmont PlateauSightarea in Fairmount Park with city views
- Boxers' TrailTrailfour-mile wooded loop used by Joe Frazier
- ShofusoGarden17th-century-style Japanese house and garden
- Forbidden DriveTrailfive-mile car-free gravel path along a creek
- Valley Green InnRestaurantbreakfast pit stop in Wissahickon Valley Park
- Benjamin Franklin ParkwayParkarea with museums and art
- Philadelphia Museum of ArtMuseummuseum at the end of Benjamin Franklin Parkway
- Rodin MuseumMuseummuseum with Rodin sculptures
- Calder Sculpture GardenSightoutdoor space dedicated to Alexander Calder
- Rocky StepsAttractionsteps leading to the art museum
- The Sporting ClubPlaceStep into The Sporting Club at The Bellevue: timeless elegance, modern amenities, 100,000+ sq ft reimagined for…
- BellevueHotelhistoric Gilded Age hotel on Broad Street
- John BartramSightSwedish botanist and taxonomist Carl Linnaeus spoke of him as the "greatest natural botanist in the world." Bartram…
- Schuylkill Banks and River TrailTrailpaved path linking South Philly to suburbs
- Wissahickon Valley ParkNeighborhoodvalley park with car-free gravel path
- The Sporting Club at the BellevuePlaceathletic club inside a historic hotel
- Ebba Sparre Sauna CollectivePlacethree cedar barrel saunas open in winter
- American Swedish Historical MuseumMuseummuseum with a collection
- Bok BuildingPlaceconverted vocational school, hub for artists
- Tufas Boulder LoungePlaceindoor bouldering gym in Kensington
- Irwin’sRestaurantrestaurant on the 8th floor of the Bok Building
- PicnicRestaurantrestaurant in a former brewery boiler house
- Benjamin Franklin PkwyPark