5 Ways to Enjoy the Outdoors in Philadelphia

From local parks to outdoor attractions, Philadelphia offers plenty of ways to connect with nature and unwind outdoors without leaving the city.

Explore Philadelphia’s gigantic park

With 2,000-plus acres,  Fairmount Park is a vast urban outdoor playground. Made up of dozens of individual parks, visitors will find an impressive collection of public art,  the country’s first zoo, and Boxers’ Trail, where Muhammad Ali went to challenge Joe Frazier.   Fairmount Park Conservancy’s Digital Guide is a helpful tool that will aid your exploration of the parks.

A great place to start your park tour is the Fairmount Water Works, a National Historic Landmark along the Schuylkill River. In the 1820s, the city began adding public gardens around the groundbreaking pumping station as a way of protecting the water system and preserving green space. Today, the iconic Greek Revival buildings that also marked the old pumping station provide excellent views of picturesque Boathouse Row, the river and the Philadelphia skyline.

History and architecture buffs will enjoy the many 18th and 19th century homes found throughout the park. These houses once served as summer villas for wealthy Philadelphians. Perfect for families is Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse, an East Fairmount Parkmansion-turned-playhouse for kids featuring a 60-foot wooden slide that is free to enjoy.

Public art is scattered throughout Fairmount Park with works by Alexander Milne Calder, Frederick Remington, William Rush, and more. Also located within the western section of the park is the tranquil Shofuso Japanese House, a replica of a traditional 17th century Japanese home. Highlights include a pond garden with tiered waterfall, koi fish, and a tea garden with a traditional tea house. Perfect for a quiet afternoon stroll.

West Fairmount Park is also home to the Horticulture Center. This beautiful exhibition hall and greenhouse — popular for weddings and special events— was built in 1979 on the historic grounds of the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition. Generally open daily and free to the public, the center features stunning tropical and succulent plants, demonstration gardens, and a vibrant butterfly garden. Also, in West Fairmount Park stands the grand, original Memorial Hall from the 1876 Centennial, protected by Pegasus and other sculptures of Greek mythology. Walk down the promenade and tell a secret at Smith Memorial Arch’s whispering wall.

Hit the trails

An extensive system of trails winds throughout the Philadelphia region, making it easy to get out and get around. Popular with bikers, runners, and walkers is the section of the Schuylkill River Trail that cuts through the city. The trail journeys through the Manayunk Towpath, Kelly Drive, Boathouse Row, and the Schuylkill Banks. Ambitious cyclists can continue on the trail 25 miles west to Valley Forge National Historical Park, the site of a notable Revolutionary War encampment.

Go off the beaten path to find hidden gems popular with locals. The 4-mile Trolley Trail loop follows a former trolley route, winding through tunnels and other cool structures, like the Stone Arch Bridge. You can also run the route of Philadelphia’s most famous boxer — not Rocky — Joe Frazier. The aforementioned Boxers’ Trail, a 3.8-mile gravel and dirt path, owes its name to “Smokin’” Joe, who frequently trained on it.

Head deeper into the woods along the 50 miles of rugged trails in  Wissahickon Valley Park, located in the northwest section of the city. Trails range from easy to challenging, with hidden landmarks located throughout. Landmarks include artist Jody Pinto’s Fingerspan pedestrian bridge and the 1883 Toleration statue of William Penn that sits high above the trail. Visitors can also stroll for more than 5 miles along Forbidden Drive, taking breaks to head down to the adjacent Wissahickon Creek to skip stones or sit by the water.

Discover William Penn’s original city squares

When Pennsylvania founder William Penn laid out the plan for Philadelphia in the 17^th Century, he famously included five squares, one at each of the city’s cornerstones and one in the middle. These squares, each with their own identities, remain vital to the city to this day. And the best part is that visitors can walk between all of them in one day without needing to break a sweat.

Rittenhouse Square   is named for David Rittenhouse, a famous astronomer and first director of the U.S. Mint. Lined with al fresco restaurants, it’s known for its fountains, public art, pop-up events, and a seasonal farmers market. Adornedwith wooden park benches, t’s an ideal locale for people-watching while sipping a coffee on a nice day.

Lower-key Washington Square — located diagonally across from Independence Hall — is named after George Washington and is home to the Tomb of the Unknown Revolutionary War Soldier. The square is part of Independence National Historical Park and is surrounded by charming restaurants and historic buildings.

Dilworth Park, named after former city Mayor Richardson Dilworth, is on what was Centre Square, the center of the city. The square became the home of City Hall, with the construction of the famed Beaux-Arts building starting in 1871 and lasting 30 years. Today, Dilworth is a social hub, with an ice-skating rink in the winter, dancing fountains in the summer, and seasonal pop-ups year-round.

Cross diagonally toward the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to experience LOVE Park and snap a selfie with Robert Indiana’s famed sculpture. Visitors can then stroll up the parkway to Logan Circle (it was once a square), easily identified by the majestic Swann Memorial Fountain. Alexander Stirling Calder designed the fountain to honor Philadelphia Fountain Society founder Dr. Wilson Cary Swann. Originally called Northwest Square, the city renamed the area after statesman James Logan in 1825. Keep walking and visitors will enjoy the stunning Museum District.

Family-friendly Franklin Square, named after Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, attracts kids with its history-themed mini golf course, classic carousel, and extensive playground. At the centerpiece of the square is a large fountain featuring water shows set to lights and music. The square annually hosts the Chinese Lantern Festival, which lights up summer nights.

Survey the Delaware River

The Delaware River Waterfront is a vibrant destination for outdoor fun. Blue Cross RiverRink is a great attraction featuring fantastic food and craft beer. The RiverRink features ice skating in the winter and roller skating in the summer, along with carnival games, mini golf and a Ferris wheel. In the spring and summer, experience the colorful Spruce Street Harbor Park, with local food vendors and floating barges surrounding a hammock-filled urban oasis.

Cherry Street Pier, a mixed-use public space converted from a historic pier, is open year-round. The space is always hosting something new, from pop-up markets to art installations and sometimes features food at its open-air garden under historic steel trusses. For picturesque views of the towering Ben Franklin Bridge, head further north to Race Street Pier, perfect for lazing on the spacious lawn while enjoying river views.

The bikeable or walkable Delaware River Trail connects the entire Penn’s Landing Waterfront. At the southern end, Washington Avenue Pier honors the waterfront’s shipbuilding heritage and historic port-of-entry for immigrants. A path brings visitors to the tip of the pier and Land Buoy, a climbable 55-foot spire by artist Jody Pinto that offers additional city and river views.

Philadelphia in bloom

The Japanese government gifted Cherry Blossom trees to Philadelphia in 1926, as a symbol of international friendship and in honor of the United States’ sesquicentennial celebration.  The Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia (JASGP) continued this legacy from 1998-2007, planting an additional 1,000 trees throughout the city, with more trees added in recent years For a century of springs, beautiful cherry blossoms, magnolia blooms, and other spring flowers wow visitors as they fill Philadelphia’s parks and charming residential streets with color.

These colorful hues of the spring season can be found brightening up Philadelphia’s most popular sites, including around the Philadelphia Museum of Art, at the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden, and of course, at the Fairmount Park Horticulture Center. However, you don’t have to go to an attraction to see the bursts of pink and white. Cherry trees are abundant across Philadelphia, including on resident streets in the Fairmount neighborhood, near Washington Square Park and along the Schuylkill River.

True to its name, the Magnolia Garden in the Society Hill section features a collection of magnolia trees that make it a must-visit during the early spring months. Dedicated in 1959, the park was donated by the Garden Club of America in honor of the founders of the United States. It was also inspired by George Washington’s enjoyment of magnolia trees.

For more outdoor inspiration, including tips on what to explore in Philadelphia’s countryside, check out our guide for discovering the outdoors in Philadelphia.