East Falls: Nature-Soaked & Culture-Packed

Can’t-Miss Experiences

1. Discover your next hobby

Get out of your head with fun, hands-on activities, like rooftop yoga with Mishana Yoga at the Preston Falls Center or glass blowing at East Falls Glassworks.

Or let your inner child out to play at a trampoline class at BeautiFitStrong, a hula hoop class with Tanooki Twirls, or a game of paintball at Mark It Up.

2. Experience live music at The Fallser Club or play at Old Academy Players

Sit back, relax and enjoy the show at the silent-movie-house-turned-intimate music venue The Fallser Club or the Old Academy Players community theater, which has been staging productions for 100 years.

Fun fact: Grace Kelly — Hollywood actress, East Falls native and the Princess of Monaco — made her debut on the Old Academy Players stage.

The Fallser Club   — Photo courtesy The Fallser Club

3. Savor the local lineup of restaurants, cafes and bars

East Falls dishes out everything from alfresco brunches to moonlit dinners, so take your pick from neighborhood favorites like Le Bus East Falls (American), Major’s deli (hoagies), In Riva (Italian), Fiorino (Italian), Boutique River Falls (American) and Taqueria Cresta (Mexican).

Those looking for a pick-me-up can enjoy fresh roasts at great coffee shops like Thunder Mug Cafe and Vault + Vine (both Black/woman-owned) or craft brews at Wissahickon Brewing Company or Billy Murphy’s Irish Saloon.

Plus, visitors can also whip up their own creations with fresh ingredients from the East Falls Farmers Market.

Wissahickon Brewing Company   — Photo courtesy Wissahickon Brewing Company

4. Take a stroll through the great outdoors

The neighborhood’s riverside trails — the Schuylkill River Trail along Kelly Drive, Martin Luther King Drive and the Falls Bridge — are some of Philly’s most popular routes for walking, running, biking, skating and more.

The nature-filled bliss continues with hikes in lush Wissahickon Valley Park and hangouts at smaller parks like Inn Yard Park, McMichael Park and the East Falls River Landing.

Wissahickon Valley Park   — Photo courtesy Friends of the Wissahickon

5. Tour the historic Laurel Hill Cemetery

Historic Laurel Hill East evokes a bygone era when scenic cemeteries welcomed the living as much as the dead.

Check out the grounds’ wondrous architecture, peaceful landscapes and stunning vistas. Learn about history with a tour of the famous cemetery’s full-time residents — the site offers both self-guided tours using its free app and expert-led excursions (registration required). Or settle in among the tombs for live performances and events.

  — Photo courtesy Laurel Hill Cemetery

Visit Philly staff says...

Start your East Falls day with — what else? — coffee. Pick between Vault & Vine (greenhouse vibes) or Thunder Mug Cafe (comfy living room).

Then hit the trail. Keep it flat with a walk over the Falls Bridge to amble along the trail on MLK Drive, or gain some elevation in Wissahickon Valley Park, heading up to Kelpius Cave, the Hermitage Mansion and Lover’s Leap.

For lunch, grab pizza and views of the Schuylkill River on the patio at In Riva, then walk up Ridge Avenue to explore the tombs of Laurel Hill Cemetery.

Dinner’s at Fiorino, a rowhome-living-room-turned-Italian-restaurant. Wrap the night up with a mini-bar crawl at Billy Murphy’s Irish Saloon and Wissahickon Brewing.

Dan Wisniewski,
Web

Where to Stay

Staying over? The ROOST Kelly Drive is a great option in the neighborhood.

There are also plenty of hotels nearby along City Avenue, like the Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue, the Courtyard Philadelphia City Avenue and the Homewood Suites by Hilton Philadelphia, City Avenue.

One Bedroom at ROOST Kelly Drive   — Photo courtesy ROOST Kelly Drive

Local Tips

Ready to experience the area firsthand? Here are some tips to get you started:

• Located just five miles from Center City, East Falls is super-easy to get to on public transportation using SEPTA’s Manayunk/Norristown Regional Rail line and multiple buses. (Bonus: Snap a selfie with the It’s Always Sunny in East Falls mural near the East Falls train station.)
• Driving? Public parking is available throughout the neighborhood, including at a lot at 4100 Ridge Avenue.
• Want to connect with Hollywood and real-life royalty? Catch a glimpse of the Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly’s childhood home at 3901 Henry Avenue and her mural on the side of the Artist Haus building at 3401 Conrad Street.
• East Falls is full of hills, but keep an eye out for “hidden” staircases, creating secret pathways from street to street.
• Love pizza? Sign up for In Riva’s emails for hidden passwords to half-priced pies.