19 Fun Things to Do in Philadelphia That Don't Involve Drinking

Let your inner artist run free. Local pottery studios hold classes where beginners can learn the basics of wheel throwing and take home their very own work of art. At Yay Clay! in Port Richmond, couples (or groups) can take a two-hour class to mold and craft a piece. Similarly, The Clay Studio’s uber-popular date nights offer artistic instruction and access to the potters’ wheel. Want more? Sign up for the studio’s classes, held year-round, in wheel throwing, hand building and more.

Whip up a restaurant-quality pan-seared steak or knead your own pasta dough while under the tutelage of professional chefs. Hands-on culinary classes are held at Old City Kitchen, La Cucina at the Market, Hudson Table and Doylestown’s Conquering Cuisine, where all materials, food, instruction and moral support are provided.

Do you have any idea how good it feels to hurl blades at plywood targets? This deceptively difficult full-body activity has grown in popularity in the Philly area, with multiple ax-throwing outposts opening in recent years. Bury The Hatchet has locations on Washington Avenue and also in Horsham and King of Prussia. West Chester’s Tilted Axes also features pool tables, air hockey, foosball and ski ball for a multi-sport evening. And with three Splitting Edge Axe Throwing locations — Malvern, Pottstown, Coatesville — the Philadelphia’s countryside is covered with hatchet-tossing options. The stress release that comes with your game is just a bonus.

Exotic adventures await right in our own backyard. Harness up and zip line through the trees at any one of the area’s adventure parks. In Fairmount Park, guests can navigate more than 60 elevated obstacles and ziplines at Treetop Quest. Out in Trevose, TreeTrails Adventures offers six aerial trails, as well as the opportunity to race your pals on a zip line. And West Chester’s Treehouse World Adventure Park features 10 treehouses to explore, plus three zip lines. Remember to wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes.

How does 2,000-degree molten glass sound to you? Find out during a beginner’s glass workshop at East Falls Glassworks, and walk away with a self-made drinking glass, dish or stemless wine glass. Each class features an intro to glass blowing and shaping and includes all materials.

Take aim at Callowhill Archery, an indoor archery range. Intro training classes include safety essentials and basic form. After you’ve taken a base course, the range is available for walk-ins if you feel a spur-of-the-moment desire to shoot an arrow. Plus, the spot hosts birthday parties and other events.

Weather-proofing the mini-golf experience, Libertee Grounds offers nine holes of Philly-themed indoor putt putt. Make a day out of it with pan Asian fare and giant Jenga, darts and board games. (They do have a bar, if you’re into that sort of thing.)

Class is now in session. Pull out your notebooks for these informative (and tasty) cheese-pairing classes ranging from mocktails and cheese to cheese and cookies. Learn everything there is to know about the process of making cheese and why certain flavors pair better with others.

Step away from the essential-oil aisle. Select from more than 75 fragrances at Wax + Wine, and create your own custom candle in cozy Wash West digs. No experience required. As for the “wine” part, feel free to bring your own wine and snacks to enjoy while you create.

Go for a turkey at two of Philly’s most popular bowling lanes, the NoLibs-located North Bowl and South Philly’s South Bowl. With retro vibes, lanes that hold up to six people and delicious tater tots at both locations, it’s a winning outing even if you lose your game. Just be warned: Neither spot takes reservations, so you may have a bit of a wait on weekends.

Sure, The Franklin Institute is fun for all ages, but when the sun goes down, the museum offers adults-only programming during Science After Hours. The semi-regular event features access to the museum, live music, food and drink, and more.

There are few better ways to experience the city than to eat your way through it. The expert guides at City Food Tours planned a number of tasty routes based on your culinary interests. Want to try every local delicacy? Hop on the Flavors of Philly tour. Have a high-end palate? Decadent Gourmet is for you. Make sure you’ve got your walking shoes tied and your elastic pants on.

As the “Mural Capital of the World,” it’s little surprise that Philly is home to thousands of murals. Get a glimpse of a selection of these beauties on a public tour hosted by Mural Arts. Offering walking, trolley, train and segway tours, art appreciators are treated to legendary works in Germantown (Growing Up In Germantown), Center City, (Water Gives Life), Spring Garden (Wide Open), Bella Vista (Autumn Revisited) and more.

A speakeasy but for cookies? Heck, yeah! Tucked behind a secret passageway disguised as a bookcase is the CookieLab, where you can customize your own cookie or eat confections — including extravagant milkshakes topped with cookies — off of the secret menu.

Channel your inner child and hone your rock-climbing skills at any of the five Philadelphia Rock Gyms locations. With spots in Fishtown, Malvern, Wyncote, East Falls and Oaks, adventurers learn (or strengthen their skills) bouldering, top rope, handwork and so much more.

Whether you consider yourself a coffee connoisseur or want to up your caffeine game, Function Coffee Labs offers private coffee-tasting sessions where groups of up to four people can learn about different coffee varieties and processing methods. Better yet: Book a private pourover or espresso class to master the art of the styles.

Jumping out of a plane is not for the faint of heart. Save yourself the terror and hop into a wind tunnel instead. iFly Indoor Skydiving gives visitors the simulated experience of skydiving without leaping into the void. Suit up, learn the proper body movements and let the wind hoist you a few feet above ground.

You never know: You may be the next high-flying trapeze artist. Classes, ranging from introductory to advanced-level at the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, cover specialities like trapeze, wire walking, fabric, pole, handstands, parkour and more.

A farm exclusively for pet pigs (sold!), Ross Mill Farm has cute piggies up for adoption, but if your life isn’t equipped to take on a farm animal, you can tour their grounds. Make a reservation in advance, and the farm’s owner will show you around the property, meet the snort-y residents and hear about the farm’s history.