One of the joys of visiting Philadelphia is the chance to experience any of the four seasons — including, yes, winter.
And while some may prefer to keep warm inside one of the region’s great museums and attractions or cozy up with heaping plates of comfort food at an acclaimed restaurant, many also enjoy safe, outdoor fun — especially right now — throughout the region when the temps drop.
The main attraction: classic winter activities, which abound throughout Philadelphia and the Countryside. That includes ice skating at Winter at Dilworth Park, fire pits at Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest, and skiing and snowboarding at Spring Mountain Adventure. (Maybe it should be called Winter Mountain?)
The region’s trail systems and parks call to active types doing their best Rocky impressions (and might be slightly less trafficked than usual), while self-guided tours highlight everything from iconic public art to Revolutionary War encampments to — wait for it — very cool barns in Bucks County.
On the events front, residents and visitors can toast with some of the best craft beer around at Kennett Winterfest and Founders Philly Freeze-Out, or cheer on the region’s Major League Soccer team when the Union kick off their season in late February.
If you’re out and about this winter, keep health and safety top of mind:
Read on for a guide to outdoor fun in Greater Philadelphia for winter 2022.
Through Sunday, January 30, 2022
The holiday season is still going strong at this Bucks County farm, which continues its three-million-light Holiday Light Show through the end of January. Visitors drive or, if weather permits, ride in wagons past after-dark displays. Expect illuminated tunnels and just about every imaginable Christmas icon rendered in tiny bulbs. Afterward, guests can cozy up around a campfire with hot cocoa, s’mores and drinks.
Where: Shady Brook Farm, 931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley
Through Sunday, February 27, 2022
A temporary, full-size ice skating rink has popped up in Delco, complete with a lounge area with food and beverages, as well as themed nights offering 50% off skating sessions (Tuesdays), buy-one get-one-free skate sessions for couples (Thursdays) and more. Season passes are available, and a portion of the proceeds support local veterans.
Where: Flight on Ice, 4894 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square
During Winter in Franklin Square, presented by Citizens, the Electrical Spectacle Light Show presented by PECO makes this historic square twinkle, with free shows featuring more than 100,000 lights (more than ever!) dazzling viewers through the end of February 2022. In between shows, visitors can play a few rounds of mini-golf on the appropriately themed Chilly Philly Mini Golf course or take a spin on the Parx Liberty Carousel.
Where: Franklin Square, 200 N. 6th Street
Through Sunday, March 6, 2022
Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest — one of Philly’s favorite winter traditions — once again brings the holiday spirit to the Delaware River waterfront. The winter wonderland offers guests a chance to go skating at the city’s largest outdoor ice rink, cozy up at one of the warming cabins and fire-pit stations (plus, s’mores kits!), and gaze at the twinkling lights and holiday tree — all while overlooking the Delaware River. Also on site: a 60-foot-tall Ferris wheel, carnival games and new-this-year food offerings from Black Iron BBQ.
Where: Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest, 101 S. Christopher Columbus Boulevard
Through April 3, 2022 (dates vary by attraction)
Outdoor pop ups abound in Center City’s Dilworth Park each winter. This season, folks can:
Where: Dilworth Park, 1 S. 15th Street
Did you know you can hit the slopes just 45 minutes from Philadelphia’s City Hall? Spring Mountain Adventures offers the winter trifecta of ice skating (new for 2022), skiing and snowboarding, with seven main trails available for those heading up the mountain. Warm up in the Powder Pig Pub between runs.
Where: Spring Mountain Adventures, 757 Spring Mount Road, Schwenksville
The horticultural minds at Longwood Gardens prove winter is more than stark, bare trees with their annual Winter Wonder exhibit. The gardens’ 400 acres pop with yellow and orange witch hazel, while winter grasses provide texture to the landscape. Those who want to venture inside the Conservatory find Streptocarpus, Saintpaulia and Clerodendrum schmidtii filling up the space in purple and white while hundreds of orchids bloom magnificently.
Where: Longwood Gardens, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square
A 19th-century summer estate is now the 92-acre official Arboretum of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Admission offers gardens (see what’s blooming now), natural meadows, sculptures, champion trees and a walk-on treehouse that’s 50 feet high.
Where: Morris Arboretum, 100 E. Northwestern Avenue
Located on 50 acres along the Schuylkill River in Southwest Philadelphia, Bartram’s Garden is a free public park and National Historic Landmark. Named for Quaker farmer and botanist John Bartram (1699–1777), Bartram’s features a botanic garden and 18th-century estate, along with a reclaimed meadow, riverfront recreation trail, urban farm, natural tidal wetlands, a public dock for fishing and boating, and significant historic trees, including the oldest ginkgo tree in North America.
Where: Bartram's Garden, 5400 Lindbergh Boulevard
In search of trails, waterfalls and winter sports? Our guide to the best parks in Philadelphia and the Countryside for outdoor adventure has you covered. Major spots like Delaware Canal State Park and Valley Forge National Historical Park may be some of the most well-known spots for adventure, but don’t sleep on areas like Ridley Creek State Park and Core Creek Park, where visitors can hike, bike, ride horses, fish and kayak, all within a short drive from Center City. And offbeat spots like Bucks County’s Ringing Rocks Park showcase interesting and strange outdoor phenomena. (Pro tip: Don’t forget a hammer!)
Where: Various locations including Fairmount Park
Lively urban parks and re-imagined recreational landscapes give Philly a city-in-a-park feel, even during winter. Our guide to the city’s 24 coolest parks offers famous public squares, waterfront vistas and day-trip-worthy destinations for relaxing, picnicking and playing.
Where: Various locations including FDR Park, South Broad Street & Pattison Avenue
Ask any runner or biker, and they’ll have lots of good things to say about getting out and being active in the winter — and lots of good things to say about the Philly area’s trail system too. Our guide to 23 great trails in the region highlights trails that pass by historic attractions, weave around rivers and wind through parks. Just choose the distance and scenery, and get moving!
Where: Various locations including the Schuylkill River Trail
Through March 31, 2022
2022 marks the 200th anniversary of Harriet Tubman’s birth, and Philadelphia — the city where the famed abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor found her freedom — is celebrating her exceptional life. The months-long celebration of Tubman includes the temporary installation of an evocative, nine-foot sculpture, entitled Harriet Tubman – The Journey to Freedom, on the north apron of Philadelphia’s City Hall. More than 30 in-person and virtual events are also on the docket.
Where: Philadelphia City Hall, 1400 John F. Kennedy Boulevard
Through October 2022
The latest public art exhibit from Group X at the repurposed military base in deep South Philly is a “wonderland of immersive spatial artworks” to encourage escapism and imagination, courtesy of London-based artist Morag Myerscough.
Where: The Navy Yard, 4747 S. Broad Street
The thousands of sculptures, murals and statues throughout Philadelphia make the city one big (and free) outdoor gallery. This winter, use our guide to cool public art and set out on an exploration of iconic Philly works (LOVE sculpture, Rocky), spaces for reflection (A Quest for Parity: The Octavius V. Catto Memorial, Horwitz-Wasserman Holocaust Memorial Plaza) and destinations with lots of art to take in (Fairmount Park, South Street).
Where: Various locations including Octavius V. Catto Memorial, South Broad Street & South Penn Square
Chestnut Hill transforms into a winter wonderland during this weekend festival, where visitors can find a synthetic ice skating rink, ice-sculpting demonstrations, a bonfire encased in ice, a Yurt Village for chic glamping inspiration, vodka tastings and chili specials at participating restaurants.
Where: Germantown Avenue between Rex Avenue and Willow Grove Avenue
If you can’t escape the cold this winter, embrace it — with a beer in hand — during the Founders Philly Freeze-Out. Founders Brewing Company transforms Manayunk into a winter wonderland with ice sculptures, live ice carving, a three-mile fun run, Founders specials in neighborhood bars and restaurants, and in-store promotions and discounts at select boutiques.
Where: Main Street
Lagers, stouts, hazy IPAs, hard ciders and more are available for endless (responsible) sipping at the annual Kennett Winterfest, an afternoon-long celebration of beer in Chester County. Tickets include all-you-can-drink brews from breweries like 2SP Brewing Company, Cape May Brewing, Levante Brewing Company and more. (In search of more Philly-area craft beer? Right this way.)
February 26 & March 12, 2022
After a heartbreaking loss in the MLS playoffs against NYCFC in December, the Philadelphia Union are already back in Chester come late February, taking on Minnesota United FC in their 2022 home opener. Another winter home game is scheduled for March 12. Bundle up, and cheer them on! (Plus, you can’t beat that view of the Delaware River from Subaru Park.)
Where: Subaru Park, 2501 Seaport Drive, Chester
The Visit Philly Overnight Package — booked more than 190,000 times since 2001 — comes with free hotel parking (worth up to $100 in Center City Philadelphia), overnight hotel accommodations and choose-your-own-adventure perks.
The world premiere of Harry Potter: The Exhibition, the Philadelphia Auto Show, Jurassic Quest,...