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Philadelphia boasts a remarkable array of outdoor activities for those seeking adventure, exercise or relaxation.
Whether you’re visiting from afar or a tried-and-true local, the city offers a bevy of experiences in the out-of-doors for avid hikers eager to explore a hidden trail, water enthusiasts embarking on a boating adventure or nature lovers enjoying an afternoon of birding.
Philadelphia’s parks offer varied activities like camping, mountain biking and bouldering in spots like Wissahickon Valley Park or Tyler State Park. Its urban pathways along the Delaware River Trail and Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk are great for cyclists and runners alike. Sporty types can find everything from archery to skateboarding, and even stargazers can discover a dark haven on a secluded lakeside.
Let this guide point you toward the best spots in Philly and the Countryside for enjoying over 30 different essential outdoor experiences.
Note: This guide covers outdoor experiences in Greater Philadelphia, which includes Philadelphia as well as Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties.
No matter how you get around on two feet, Philadelphia has a wooded park or riverside path ready for you to pound the pavement, carve up a trail or tread lightly through nature clad in sneakers, traipsing in hiking boots or up on your bike.
Between expansive state parks, rolling rivers and a variety of terrain, the Philadelphia region is one of the best spots in the northeast for hiking. The area offers a plethora of locales up rocky trails, along waterways and across elegant landscapes past local beauty and some of the nation’s most historic natural urban areas.
One of the most beautiful hikes in the city can be found along the Wissahickon Gorge North Loop Trail at Wissahickon Valley Park, well known by horseback lovers but equally as enjoyable on two feet. Alongside the 1,800-acre gorge, this moderately challenging year-round 5.2-mile loop gains 670 feet in elevation as you climb, with rocky spots, water crossings and “gorge”-ous views of the park’s waterfalls.
Wissahickon Valley Park — Photo courtesy Friends of the Wissahickon
For a relaxing hike along the water, river lovers can trek the serene 3.5-mile John Heinz Lake Loop trail amid the tidal marshes at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. And among many fantastic trails in the countryside are Skippack Creek Loop Trail’s 5-mile circle at Evansburg State Park on the banks of the creek, and the 3.8-mile Mount Joy Trail to Mount Misery Trail Loop among the 35 miles of trails at Valley Forge National Historical Park.
Philadelphia is a city known for running. (We have to burn off all those cheesesteaks somehow.) It runs deep, from scores of movie fans bounding up the Rocky Steps’ 72 stairs to the 40,000 people who race the Broad Street Run each year. But runners of any ilk can find the perfect spot among the city’s expansive trail, road and path network.
One of the top spots for runners in the city is the 5.5-mile extended FDR Park Loop in South Philly. The paved, relatively flat path at the south end of Broad Street loops around the park’s tennis courts, ball fields and lakes — within a surprisingly tranquil green space just steps from the South Philadelphia Sports Complex — before crossing under I-95 to circle around the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
Other popular trails include the 8.7-mile Schuylkill River Trail (Kelly Drive) & Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Loop; the 3.8-mile East Fairmount Park Boxers’ Trail, a favorite training spot of beloved late Philly boxer Joe Frazier; and 3.1-mile Centennial Loop at West Fairmount Park which winds past sites like the Please Touch Museum and Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center. History buffs will enjoy the nearly n9-mile paved loop of Joseph Plumb Martin Trail around the center of Valley Forge National Historical Park, which connects a number of the park’s historic sites.
Joseph Plumb Martin Trail at Valley Forge Historical National Park — Photo by R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia
Between wooded trails in massive parks like Fairmount Park and Wissahickon Valley Park and expansive riverwalks like the Schuylkill River and Delaware River trails, beautiful walking opportunities abound around Philly.
Wissahickon Valley Park — Photo by Visit Philadelphia
No walking path in the region is more inviting than the 2.5-mile portion of the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT) along the river from Girard Avenue Bridge to Schuylkill Banks, across the water from West Philly. This section of the eastern bank path wanders between scullers and kayakers chugging down the river and famous Philly sites like Boathouse Row and the Philadelphia Museum of Art and past Center City before jutting out over the river for 2,000 feet at Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk.
Further north along the SRT is the Manayunk Towpath beside the trendy neighborhood’s famous canal and downhill from its main drag. For a woodsy ramble in the city, explore secluded seven-mile Forbidden Drive in the heart of Wissahickon Valley Park (including across the Thomas Mill Covered Bridge). And for incredible views, stroll the 1.5-mile Benjamin Franklin Bridge Pedestrian Walkway 135 feet above the river from Old City to Camden.
Philadelphia is the most walkable city in America, with scores of relaxing routes to pound the sidewalk along bustling and historic streets. Pick most any block in the city or main street in the countryside to meander with your friend group with maybe a nice latte in hand for a perfect afternoon.
To many, no stroll is more Philly than a rove through the chic Rittenhouse Square neighborhood and its gorgeous eponymous park. The Beaux-Arts style French garden fills its wheel-and-spoke diagonal walkways and central oval with ample benches, manicured lawns, shady trees, sculptures and plenty of views under the shadows of high-rises and opportunities for people-watching.
Germantown Avenue in Chestnut Hill — Photo courtesy Chestnut Hill Pa
There are innumerable places to go for an urban Philly stroll, but other favorites include a walk down leafy Germantown Avenue in upscale Chestnut Hill, a window shopping excursion along Main Street Manayunk (with great spots to grab a bite on a patio) and the 2.2-mile promenade across town on Spruce Street between Penn’s Landing on the Delaware River and Schuylkill River Park.
Philly’s famous grid system interspersed with a plethora of parkside paths and accessible roadways makes for a fantastic recreational road biking city. Numerous publications list Philadelphia as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country, including the nation’s most bikeable downtown.
Schuylkill River Trail — Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia
The best spot for recreational road biking is the Schuylkill River Trail (Kelly Drive) & Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Loop on the Schuylkill River. The route takes a nine-mile lap along both shores of the Schuylkill River Trail, from Falls Bridge to behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art, past Laurel Hill Cemetery and Boathouse Row. Spread out into the roadway on weekends and holidays April through October when MLK Drive is closed to vehicle traffic.
Up the Fairmount Park hills is paved Centennial Loop (a/k/a Centennial 5K Route) which weaves through the Centennial District past cherry trees and landmarks from the 1876 World’s Fair. Along the Schuylkill River in Southwest Philadelphia is compact Bartram’s Mile Trail through flora-filled Bartram’s Garden at Grays Ferry Crescent. Further north is the challenging 26-mile Ardmore Rose Glen/Barren Hill Loop straddling the Schuylkill in the region between the Main Line and Roxborough.
Bartram's Mile — Photo by R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia
You don’t have to go far to find great spots for off-roading and trail-hugging on your mountain bike. Most of Philly’s best hiking paths are equally enjoyable on a mountain bike (where permitted), but some in particular have been called out specifically by bike enthusiasts.
One of the longest straight-ahead routes for speedy or leisurely mountain biking is the expansive Pennypack Trail. The mostly linear pathway runs from the Bucks/Montco border in Huntingdon Valley (where it connects to the new Newtown Rail Trail) for 14 miles south to the Delaware River in Holmesburg, carving through parks like Pennypack and Lorimer as well as Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust along a former SEPTA line aligning Pennypack Creek.
Other fantastic spots to mount up and get dirty include the 10-mile Yardley to New Hope Section of the Delaware Canal Towpath, 10 miles of trails around and along Lake Nockamixon (divided into northern and southern loops), 7 miles of pathways at Harmony Hill Nature Area in Chester County and the 5.5-mile Springfield Trail loop at Smedley Park in Delco.
With two major rivers, large creeks and numerous park lakes, Philadelphia offers a variety of spots perfect for aquatic activities as a refreshing escape from urban bustle. From tranquil river tubing excursions to serenely casting a fishing line to relaxing poolside, there’s a chill adventure for every water enthusiast.
With the plethora of flowing waterways enjoyed around the region, a day or weekend of kayaking, canoeing and paddlesporting doesn’t require a long trip. There are a number of great spots in Philadelphia and its countryside to get out on the water with your paddles.
The best spot for dropping your rig in isn’t some suburban state park, but on Darby Creek, which runs through South Philly’s 1,200-acre John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum adjacent to Philadelphia International Airport. The refuge’s 4.5 miles of tidal segment offers water trails for visitor-supplied canoes and kayaks through the largest freshwater marsh in Pennsylvania, with a boat launch near the Visitor Center.
Bartram's Garden Dock & Community Boathouse — Photo courtesy Bartram's Garden
If you don’t own your own, Core Creek Park in Bucks County rents kayaks, pedalboats and more for a dip in their creek. A more urban experience, Independence Seaport Museum rents out paddlecraft for tooling around the basin with Paddle Penn’s Landing and offers Kayak Excursions at various waterfront destinations. Bartram’s Garden’s Dock & Community Boathouse features a public dock on the Schuylkill, and Philadelphia Canoe Club in Manayunk offers public trips, training and events (for a fee).
If you’re gonna need a bigger boat, Philadelphia is a surprising hotspot for boating and sailing. Mostly thanks to fantastic state parks and a major river navigable 30 miles upstream, there are plenty of opportunities to get out on the water.
Upper Bucks County’s 1,450-acre Lake Nockamixon is a haven for boaters, offering five public launch areas for sailboats, catamarans, motorboats and inflatable watercraft. Nockamixon State Park features docking facilities for over 600 boats plus dry storage and trailer spaces. Rentals of pontoon boats, electric motorboats, stand-up paddle boards and more are available all spring and summer. There are even two club options for boating enthusiasts: Nockamixon Sailing Club and Nockamixon Pontoon Club.
Lake Nockamixon — Photo by R. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia
Closer to the city, paddle and rowboats can be rented through Independence Seaport Museum’s Paddle Penn’s Landing for use around the basin. Also based at Penn’s Landing, Latina-owned Sea Philly is a private picnic boat offering Delaware River excursions and picnic cruises with perks like charcuterie service and swimming expeditions. And for an experience on the water that’s a little more hands-off, the Spirit of Philadelphia has been offering lunch, dinner and moonlight moonlight cruises on the Delaware filled with dancing, entertainment and incredible views for four decades aboard their 200-foot yacht.
Sometimes you want to just kick back and let the water take you away. The Delaware River, which splits Pennsylvania and New Jersey, is one of the northeast’s most accessible and beautiful recreational waterways, particularly along Bucks County’s eastern border 70 or so miles downriver from the Delaware Water Gap.
Choose raft, tube, kayak or canoe and make your way down the flowing Delaware during an excursion with Bucks County River Country, offering all-ages two-to-four-hour float trips since the 1960s. Rafting and paddlecraft rentals carry you from a starting point in Point Pleasant down the river about six miles, while tubing trips travel around 3.5 miles. Make it a stayover at one of several nearby campsites.
Other great spots along the Delaware to launch tubes, rafts and non-motorized boats include Delaware Canal State Park’s Virginia Forrest Recreation Area in New Hope and the Canoe Launch at Washington Crossing Historic Park (near the Visitor Center). For tubing and rafting fun on the other side of the region, Northbrook Canoe Co. has offered rental excursions along the Brandywine River in Chester County since 1977.
With its bevy of tidal marshes, scenic lakes, crystal streams and flowing rivers, Philadelphia makes a great locale for sport and recreational fishing. Fishing in the area offers a variety of species including catfish, shad, perch, carp, walleye and a variety of bass, with all season opportunities to cast your line.
The top spot for fishing in Philadelphia is windy Wissahickon Creek at Wissahickon Valley Park, particularly the stretch along Forbidden Drive from Valley Green Inn to East Falls. Perfect for both spin and fly fishing, the creek is heavily stocked each spring with rainbow and brown trout. But anglers can also find bass, sunfish, catfish, minnows and more. While fishing season technically starts in April, it remains open year-round within extended season regulations.
If lakes are more your speed, the southern section of the creek at Ridley Creek State Park in Delco is designated only for catch-and-release fly fishing. Closer to Center City, Pier 68 at the south end of the Delaware River Trail is a popular urban catch-and-release location open every day all year long. Media’s Linvilla Orchards provides gear and bait with a paid catch-and-release pass (or take home by-the-pound) at Orchard Lake, which is stocked regularly with trout and catfish.
Whether cooling off after a long day of activities or just lounging poolside, there are plenty of public spots to go for a swim in Philly. While there are few locations authorized for natural lake or stream swimming, there are scores of places to take a dip in a publicly accessible pool.
Among dozens of public pools across the region, the top spot might just belong to Marsh Creek Swimming Pool at Downingtown’s Marsh Creek State Park. The half-acre ADA-accessible “L”-shaped pool has a 5.5-foot deep end and is surrounded by a splash area and sprayground, open space to sunbathe, large bath houses, a concession stand and a pavilion with charcoal and electric grills — all just 280 feet from the gorgeous creek. The pool offers daily admission or season membership.
Marsh Creek Swimming Pool — Photo courtesy Marsh Creek Swimming Pool
In Bensalem, 4.5-foot deep Neshaminy State Park Pool sits steps from the Delaware River and offers slides, a spray pool and splash park, snack bar and restrooms with showers. In the city, take your pick among over 50 free public pools from Lackman Playground in Bustleton to Barry Playground in South Philly. (Kelly Pool is a staff fav.) Or make it a resort day at one of the city’s amazing outdoor hotel pools (most require a stay), including the heated rooftop spot at W Philadelphia.
When you need a break from city life, Philadelphia offers a multitude of magnificent wooded areas, campgrounds, environmental centers, and city and state parks for a nature adventures. Campers, birders, picnickers, rock climbers and conservationists alike have scores of great experiences to discover in the heart of the city or out in the countryside.
A day or weekend of camping or backpacking doesn’t require a literal hike to the Poconos when there are so many great spots around Philadelphia. Most larger local wooded parks in the region offer bucolic accommodations, a tent clearing or a comfy cabin.
Throw up your tent at French Creek State Park Campground at the eponymous park in Chester County, which surrounds Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. The 7,730-acre park offers nearly 230 campsites plus cottages, yurts and cabins with modern amenities at the large campground, open 10 months a year. The three-mile Six Penny Trail loop is connected directly to the site.
Among a myriad of more great camping locations, Oaks Picnic Area at Evansburg State Park contains over two dozen cleared tenting slots, the rustic year-round camping area at Fort Washington State Park accommodates over 200 campers, and furnished and electrically heated cabins are available on the south side of Lake Nockamixon at Nockamixon State Park. For a vacation resort experience, Tohickon Family Campground in Quakertown offers a swimming pool, playground, recreation barn, café and general store surrounding 200 campsites.
Birdwatching in Philadelphia has deep roots in birding thanks to early local ornithologists like John James Audubon, John Bartram and Alexander Wilson. The region is a hotbed for birding communities with an abundancy of parks and green spaces, and 350 bird species have been seen in the city.
The favored spot in the city for birding is 1,200-acre John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum in South Philly. The largest freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania and designated Important Bird Area is well-known among birdwatchers, as 80 different species nest here and over 300 have been recorded. Boardwalks and observation blinds offer platforms to spot ducks, herons, warblers, swallows and more. The highlight is the opportunity for eagle watching (Go Birds), a most Philadelphian birding activity.
More roosts for birders include Pennypack on the Delaware, a crucial habitat for migrant birds as well as gulls and shorebirds, and the lakes and restored wetlands at FDR Park in South Philly, home to over 220 species, among the most in the city. Peace Valley Park features more than 250 avian species that can be experienced through guided nature tours and free bird walks.
Philly’s birding community runs deep, and includes many groups that offer guided birding tours — including In Color Birding Club, Philly Queer Birders and Feminist Bird Club Philly — for both beginners and experts around the city and region.
Pack your blanket and fill your basket (or grab hoagies to-go) and set out for a relaxing afternoon of picnicking at the park. Whether a romantic wine-and-cheese alfresco lunch with your special someone or a day of burgers and hotdogs with the fam, distinctive spots around the region offer accommodations for the perfect picnic.
A favorite for generations in West Philadelphia, Clark Park is the most beloved picnic spot in the city. The nine-acre Baltimore Avenue meadow has plenty of ideal spots including beneath 300 giant shade trees, at tables around the rim or down the centrally located grassy bowl. Cook out on one of the charcoal grills or grab something fresh at the year-round farmers market every Saturday. Bring the pupper to the dog bowl area, toss a Frisbee or catch a Shakespeare in Clark Park performance.
Race Street Pier — Photo by M. Kennedy for Visit Philadelphia
Other locales for park-style picnics include Belmont Plateau at the top of Fairmount Park or along the Delaware River waterfront at Penn Treaty Park. For different takes, find a shady spot in the shadow of history at tree-lined Washington Square Park near Independence Hall, among the gorgeous flora at Bartram’s Garden, up on the beautiful hillside lawn at Schuylkill Banks or 600 feet out into the river under the Ben Franklin Bridge at Race Street Pier.
Rock climbing? In Philadelphia? Why, yes. Cragspeople and rock-jocks from around the country know Philadelphia as a great place for urban climbing, particularly the subcategory of bouldering. Get ready to rock in Philly with some of these fine places to get stoned. (Sorry.)
The best scaling spot in the city, Wissahickon Valley Park features several surfaces nearby each other. South-facing 180-foot Livezey Rock (known as Rock Climbers Rock) has been a favored bouldering site since the 1950s and offers several permanent eyebolts and anchors. Climbing boulders at peaceful Revolutionary Ridge near Henry Avenue Bridge include formations like Drunken Fish Boulder, Pride Rock and Coward’s Boulder. Or head to the 100 Steps Area, where you’ll find Danger Dam, Funky Slab, Ivy Overhang and the Nose.
Kelly Drive Bouldering Wall — Photo by H. Gartner
The most famous climbing spot in Philly is Kelly Drive Bouldering Wall, a beginner’s rock at just 38 feet but right above the Schuylkill River Trail. Abington’s Lorimer Park offers a number of problems with a roof at Lorimer Cave right along Pennypack Creek. And Pennypack Park features climbs along Boss Rock, The Cove and Geocache Boulder at the south end of the Northeast Philly park.
Hiking in a Philly park under the shade of trees is great, but what about up in the trees? A number of tree climbing and ziplining facilities have sprung up around Philly, ready for great climbs for both beginners and experienced acrophiles.
Family friendly Treehouse World in West Chester features a handful of outdoor activities, including rockclimb-style tree climbing (as high as five stories) and three zipline courses. Along with the 200-foot long dual-rider Canopy Zipline and kid-sized Buccaneer Zipline, the 14-acre site’s newest attraction is Valley Creek Ziplines, with lines that send riders over 420 feet at a speed of over 35 miles an hour 50 feet in the air.
TreeTop Quest Philly — Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia
Fairmount Park’s TreeTop Quest Philly aerial adventure park features nearly 20 ziplines from 30 to 200 feet in length, some high as 60 feet, with four levels of difficulty. Up in Bucks County, TreeTrails Adventures offers six aerial trails with over 50 elements like bridges, netted tunnels and swings surrounding zip courses, beginner to advanced, over 50 feet high and 1,000 feet long.
If your day plans are more of a peaceful and educational sort in the out-of-doors, there are a number of nature centers dotting the region for a day of enjoying environmental excursions and nature conservation.
Just off of Pennypack Trail in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennypack Environmental Center was originally established as a bird sanctuary. Today, the spot is an interactive museum and nature sanctuary dedicated to environmental education and exploration. Along with fun interactive programs, the center offers a natural museum, amphitheater, campfire and picnic areas, bird blind, and a native fish aquarium, all promoting a more sustainable urban environment.
Offering educational environmental programming, Churchville Nature Center in Northampton is a 65-acre wildlife preserve featuring hiking paths, butterfly house, botanic gardens and Lenape Village — an outdoor museum showcasing early indigenous life. Peace Valley Nature Center at Lake Galena focuses programming on streams, meadows, ponds and forest across its 15 miles of trail. And highlights at 340-acre Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Roxborough include outdoor sculpture installations, organic sensory gardens and the region’s only wildlife clinic.
Sometimes a relaxing day in nature requires a little less meandering and a little more adventure. Immerse yourself in diverse outdoor recreational experiences that punctuate a Philadelphia outside day with hot air ballooning, stargazing, alfresco museuming and more.
The Philadelphia region is home to over 25,000 native species, including nearly 70 mammals. Outside of two major zoos, including the nation’s oldest, the city offers a slew of wildlife-viewing opportunities at a handful of preserves and refuges in the area.
For the largest and most varied view of nature’s creatures, take a walk to one of several Wildlife Observation Platforms at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum. Along its 10 miles of trail, the refuge features a number of ecosystems including tidal and non-tidal freshwater marsh and creek, coastal plain and riparian forest where keen eyes can observe deer, beavers, muskrats, foxes, shrews, voles, coyotes, otters, minks, woodchucks and more, not to mention abundant bird life (see above).
The 1,800 acres of habitat at Wissahickon Environmental Center, known as The Tree House, offer a central hub to view wildlife around Wissahickon Valley Park. East Fairmount Park’s The Discovery Center is an urban wildlife sanctuary along the 140-year-old, 37-acre East Park Reservoir also offering educational programs. For hands-on observation, get up close with rescued and rehabilitated billys, does and kids under the care of the Philly Goat Project, housed at The Farm at Awbury Arboretum.
The Discovery Center — Photo courtesy The Discovery Center
Tiptoeing through the tulips or stopping to smell the roses, there’s a reason Philadelphia is known as both the “Cradle of Horticulture” and “America’s Garden Capital.” When you feel the need to immerse, the region is plentiful with gardens, wildflower preserves and arboreta from the heart of the city to the outlying countryside.
In a city internationally known for its flora, one stands out by standing above. Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve in New Hope features 134 acres of forests, meadows, wetlands and hillsides blanketed by 700 native plant species. Extend your experience by heading up the century-old, 12-story Bowman’s Hill Tower overlooking the preserve. Take the 124-step spiral staircase to the top and gaze at stellar views for 14 miles over the Pidcock Creek Valley.
Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve — Photo courtesy Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
The spot for hardcore rosarians is the Rose Garden at Morris Arboretum & Gardens, displaying nearly three-dozen rosy varieties. For a colorful ramble, the Flower Garden Walk at Longwood Gardens — the oldest section of one of the nation’s top botanical gardens — shows off 125,000 tulips, daffodils, bluebells and more along 600 feet of pathway. And the preserve at Roxborough’s Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education blooms a stunning display of wildflowers each spring.
If you aren’t an agoraphobe, one of the best ways to spend a day outdoors in the area is from high above in a hot air balloon. An activity not on most people’s radar, hot air balloon rides are indeed available from several organizations around Philadelphia.
One of the best trips in the area are the ballooning adventures offered from Lancaster Balloon Rides. The Amish Country-based organization features two hour-long, mile-high excursion — one launching from Glenmoore, Chester County and one from New Hope, Bucks County — soaking in breathtaking views of mountains, valleys, rivers, vineyards, farmland and even the Philly and New York City skylines on clear days.
— Photo courtesy Lancaster Balloon Rides
Other full-of-hot-air organizations taking passengers up are Adrenaline Hot Air Balloon which launches 60-minute rides from near Lahaska in Bucks County, Endless Mountains Hot Air Balloons departing from Bucks County’s Wrightstown Township, Air Ventures Hot Air Balloon Flights in Glenmoore and Sky Riders Balloon Team of Paoli, Montco.
Philadelphia is one of the best cities in the nation to head inside and explore a great art, science or history museum. But all the action doesn’t have to take place indoors. Philly has some great museums and exhibits outside to enjoy under blue skies.
Part museum and part urban art installation, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens Museum is a large-scale indoor/outdoor found-item mosaic structure made from discarded materials like broken mirrors, glass, tiles, bicycle parts and urban waste. Spanning half a city block along South Street between 10th and 11th streets, the walk-through mixed media display is the largest work from local artist Isaiah Zagar, who has created more than 100 mosaics around the city.
Magic Gardens Museum — Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia
The inside contains the largest Rodin collection outside of Paris, but don’t miss the Outdoor Gardens at Rodin Museum collection, which includes eight sculptures including The Thinker, The Gates of Hell, and The Age of Bronze (as well as the Rodin Garden Bar). Also offering alfresco sculptures: Woodmere’s Outdoor Wonder at the eponymous museum in Chestnut Hill. The President’s House, next to Liberty Bell Center, is an open-air exhibit and archeological site where Presidents Washington and Adams lived during their terms.
From spectacular rocky landscapes and rolling flower fields to stunning parks and striking historic areas, Philly has every setting you ever wanted to click a shutter at.
One remarkable locale in the region is High Rocks Vista at Ralph Stover State Park in Pipersville. The 45-acre Bucks County destination’s High Rocks region — a well-known rock climbing site donated by author James A. Michener — features one of the most cinematic and photogenic views in the region, overlooking Tohickon Creek Gorge and its horseshoe valley below.
High Rocks Vista at Ralph Stover State Park — Photo courtesy Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance of Climbers
From its 90-foot elevation, Spruce Hill offers scenic views of Center City over West Philly’s stately historical residences and tree canopies. Two-century-old Laurel Hill Cemetery is a photographer’s dream for its gardens and timeworn headstones, but also panoramic views from Kelly Drive Overlook beyond the Schuylkill over Belmont Plateau. And climb 124 steps to the top of Bowman’s Hill Tower in New Hope for spectacular 14-mile shots over the Bucks County countryside and 134-acre Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve.
Wandering a bustling farmers market stocked with fresh fruits and veggies, homebaked pastries, organic produce, craft coffee and more delights makes for a great outdoor afternoon. Philadelphia is known for its high-quality ingredients and fantastic tasting foods and beverages available fresh from the farm right to your shopping basket.
The covered pavilion along 2nd Street in the historic Headhouse District (a block off South Street) known The Shambles is America’s oldest Colonial-era marketplace. Each Sunday the spot comes to life with with more than 40 vendors at Headhouse Farmers Market year-’round. Established in 2007, the market is stocked with fresh items including fruits and vegetables, prepared foods, bread, cheese, mushrooms, soup, baked goods, coffee and international staples.
Among dozens of other markets region-wide are The Food Trust’s Clark Park Farmers Market (the city’s largest) and Northern Liberties Farmers Market at The Piazza, as well as Farm to City’s Chestnut Hill Farmers Market along Germantown Avenue and Bryn Mawr Farmers Market at the Main Line hamlet’s train station. A cozy summer market in Bucks County is independent Yardley Farmers Market at Buttonwood Park.
There are many spots and activities for adult fun outdoors, but sometimes you gotta get the kids out into the fresh air as well. While a long hike might not be up their alley, you can be assured an afternoon at one of Philly’s awesome playgrounds will surely be.
One of the oldest playgrounds in America, Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse in Fairmount Park is known for its circa-1899 Ann Newman Giant Wooden Slide — 60 feet in length, 12 feet in width and 10 feet high — which can fit a dozen kids at a time. The park also offers kids a free, safe place to play, jump, swing, climb and learn about nature, including a Tot-Lot for children 5 and under.
Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse — Photo courtesy Smith Memorial Playground
A large wooded soft-floor playhouse with water misters, a sand area and homages to Philadelphia icons highlights Freedom Playground at Haverford Reserve. Tree-canopied Three Bears Park playground (named for its famous statue) near the Historic District makes for a calming reprieve from a day of constitutional sightseeing. And Kids Castle Central Park is a 30,000-square-foot Doylestown landmark centered on a massive eight-story wooden play structure with labyrinthine passages, drawbridges, tube slides and kids’ elevator.
After a busy day (and evening), sometimes you just want stare skyward into the night. Whether you’re a lifelong astronomy buff with telescope in tow or a casual starchild wanting some quiet time in the dark, Philly has several lightless locales to satisfy your stargazing desires.
Stargazing aficionados single out Hopewell Lake at French Creek State Park in Chester County for having optimal conditions to observe the stars. As the largest block of contiguous forest between New York City and Washington, very little light pollution invades the park. Check out the open field trail along the lake’s secluded north bank away from the entrance. An alternate site in the park is Scotts Run Lake a mile and a half north.
Another great stargazing spot in the suburbs is the north side of Valley Forge National Historical Park along Pawlings Farm Trail, offering a chance to peer up at the same dark sky General Washington did 250 winters ago. Discover more views from Lemon Hill Rim Trail in Fairmount Park (one of the highest points in the city) or the Pennsylvania/New Jersey State Line at the midpoint of the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge pedestrian walkway over the Delaware River.
Everyone knows Philadelphia is the best city in America for spectator sports (just ask any of us). But Philly has long been a hub for outdoor recreational sports since Ben Franklin went kiting one stormy night. Around every corner is a great spot for golfers, tennis players, skiers, skaters, equestrians, yogis or anyone!
The Philadelphia area has hosted 11 major golf championship tournaments in its history (an even dozen with the 2026 PGA Championship), helping make the region a golf hotbed. But with a grand selection of sites and four seasons of playtime (even winter), it’s also a fantastic spot for recreational golfers to hit a round on great public courses.
One of the highest rated in the entire state is The Golf Course at Glen Mills in Delaware County, ranked third on Golf Advisor’s Top Courses in Pennsylvania. The 6,646-yard, par-71 course rivals any private club, with 18 challenging holes, almost 170 hazards, and a setting of open fields, forested uplands, streams and wetlands. It also features an outdoor vocational program where underprivileged teens can learn agronomy, landscape management and more.
Ranked second among Pennsylvania’s public courses by the PGA’s Next Gen Golf, Broad Run Golfer’s Club in West Chester is a 6,751-yard par-72 with dramatic elevation changes and clever features. A top site in diverse Northeast Philly is Juniata Golf Course (adjacent to Tacony Creek Park), a shorter 5,275-yard, par-66 range opened nearly a century ago. And for affordable links in the countryside, two-time National Golf Course Owners Association’s Pennsylvania Golf Course of the Year winner Five Ponds Golf Club in Warminster offers five water features along its 71-par 6,672 yards.
Tennis has been a favored Philadelphia pastime since the days of Bill Tilden, Ora Washington and Vic Seixas, with its apex during Billie Jean King’s tenure with the Philadelphia Freedoms. But recreational tennis has been popular since the Racquet Club of Philadelphia was established in 1889, continuing today with scores of public courts and the rise of pickleball.
Seger Park takes up a full Center City block with a slew of sport and play opportunities, including two lighted tennis courts that double as four pickleball courts. The courts are first-come, first-served (changing on the hour), but pickleball also has structured meetups three days a week during warm-weather months. Organized matches and partner-finding are also available through the Seger Park Tennis Club (which requires a membership).
The 15 public tennis courts at South Philly’s FDR Park — two of which also feature lines for four pickleball courts — are free for leagues and friendly matches, with free lessons during select times of the year. Out in Chestnut Hill, Water Tower Recreation Center maintains four free outdoor tennis courts, but has also become a prominent pickleball spot with six dedicated courts with permanent lines and nets. And Temple University Tennis Courts have seven fully lighted outdoor courts (with equipment rental), free and open to anyone — when the Owls aren’t playing.
A whopping 18 million Americans participate in recreational archery, a sport not widely talked about. But as a cheap and relatively uncomplicated sport, most Philadelphians live within a short distance from a facility to learn to nock an arrow and hit a target or to hone those old summer camp skills.
Pennypack on the Delaware (not to be confused with Pennypack Park) stretches 65 acres along the river in the Holmesburg with hiking trails, ballfields and an environmental center. In partnership with Riverfront North and Friends of the Wissahickon, nonprofit Let’s Go Outdoors offers archery instruction at the park, a first-come, first-served free program where aspiring archers shoot targets on pop-up ranges (after a brief lesson in safe bow and arrow use).
On the south end of the city, Let’s Go Outdoors also offers free basic archery instruction and pop-up range programs at FDR Park, plus a more intensive (and not free) Try Archery course. Mason’s Mill Park by the north end of Pennypack Trail in Willow Grove has a free, permanent and open-to-anyone (with single-day permit) haybale range at three distances. For bow and arrow hunting enthusiasts, check out the deer hunting ranges in the appropriately named Hunting Hill area of Ridley Creek State Park.
Disc golf (or Frisbee golf) is one of the most popular recreational park sports in the nation, invented in the 1960s and coming to wide recognition in the 1980s. And with its outdoors-loving populace and extensive park system, Philadelphia ranks as one of the top disc golf cities by UDisc with numerous creative courses dotted with pin baskets.
Known around the disc world, the free Sedgley Woods Disc Golf course in East Fairmount Park is not only one of the oldest permanent disc golf pole hole courses in America, but also the most played course east of the Mississippi, with nearly 22,000 rounds annually. The dedicated course features 27 holes (experts find the back nine most challenging) which wind through wooded areas and meadowlands with three tee locations per hole.
In West Fairmount Park, similarly named Edgely Disc Golf Course is a nine-hole range surrounding Edgely Ultimate Fields, for beginner to advanced players. Out in the countryside, Bucks County offers two fantastic courses: Tamanend Park Disc Golf in Southampton is a free woodsy 9-hole course along the new Newtown Rail Trail, and massive Tyler State Park Disc Golf Course in Newtown Township with 36 holes (split into east and west), ranked in the top 150 in the nation among over 10,000 courses.
Saddle up, equestrian lovers. There’s nothing like mounting up and hitting a trail, and there are plenty of opportunities around Philadelphia to hop aboard and get out for a great horseback ride in nature.
A popular free ride spot for those with their own mount (or access to one) is Cooper Trail at Tyler State Park. A feature in the park a century ago were Tyler Stables (now housing Tyler Center for the Arts), where the Tyler family first plotted riding trails, including this three-mile bridle loop east of Neshaminy Creek. The park also offers two additional horse-friendly trails (a total of over 10 miles), three trailer lots, hitching posts and a mounting platform by Schofield Ford Covered Bridge.
Historic 140-mile Horse-Shoe Trail runs between Valley Forge National Historical Park and the Appalachian Trail near Harrisburg, but among its most accessible are eight miles that run through French Creek State Park. If you are in need of instruction (and a horse), Red Buffalo Ranch offers hourly guided rides (by reservation) through 15 miles of horseback riding trails at Evansburg State Park. And for city folks, Chamounix Equestrian Center in West Fairmount Park (among six stables in Philadelphia parks) offers riding lessons, polo camps and farm-based equestrian programs.
Ask anyone who ever grabbed a board: Philadelphia is one of the most respected cities in the nation for skateboarding (and its cousin rollerblading, or inline skating). In the 1980s, LOVE Park became a hotspot, culminating when the X Games descended on the site in 2001 and 2002. (The park was also featured in multiple editions of Tony Hawk’s video games.) LOVE Park closed to skaters in 2016, but the city helped open a number of other sites.
Just up Ben Franklin Parkway, Paine’s Park opened in 2013 along the Schuylkill River Trail by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, built with boarders and bladers in mind. Its 30,000 square feet of rails, ledges, transitions and quarterpipes were designed with fewer ramps and more air and grinding features meant to mimic street obstacles, including original repurposed City Hall and LOVE Park benches.
Paine's Park — Photo by M. Edlow for Visit Philadelphia
In South Philly under I-95, FDR Skatepark, touted as “for skaters, by skaters,” offers soaring quarterpipes, gnarly transitions and ramps of every size and steepness. Along Schuylkill Banks in Southwest Philly, Grays Ferry Skatepark is a small-flow pocket park under the Grays Ferry Avenue Bridge. A top spot out in the suburbs is Ambler Skatepark, with a mix of plaza style features and transition elements.
Fitness workouts and wellness activities just hit differently when they’re taken outside in the fresh air and sunshine. Whether you’re hitting a park fitness course, taking a group jump-roping class or getting some Zen with yoga, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy getting and staying in shape outside in Philly.
The 1.5-mile stretch along the Schuylkill River known as Schuylkill Banks is a hotspot for organized health and wellness seekers, particularly the embanked berm at Schuylkill Banks Lawn. Yoga on the Banks offers pay-what-you-can community classes several days each week, with online registration and BYO mat and towel. Body Rock Bootcamp gym holds outdoor workout and fitness programs under the Walnut Street Bridge.
Yoga on the Banks — Photo by J. Fusco for Visit Philadelphia
Each summer, Three Queens Yoga holds free morning and evening Wellness on the Waterfront yoga and mat Pilates sessions on Race Street Pier 600 feet out into the Delaware River in the shadow of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The AARP FitLot at Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center in North Philly has a new outdoor fitness area with free classes. And it wouldn’t be a workout in Philly without a brisk climb up the 72 Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where the view from the top makes it worth the burn.
The human urge to get outside doesn’t end when winter starts. Yes, the Philadelphia region is close to a bevy of great ski areas and winter sports parks elsewhere in Pennsylvania, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a handful of wintertime outdoor experiences in the Philly countryside.
The closest slopes to Philadelphia are at Spring Mountain Adventures Ski Area in Schwenksville, Montgomery County, which offers 45 skiable acres, eight trails, and six lifts for skiing, boarding and tubing. The peak tops out at 528 feet with a vertical drop of 420. The resort also has a full-sized outdoor skating rink plus a 2.4-mile trail for cross-country and snowshoeing with an elevation gain of 406 feet.
Cross-country skiing is available, well, most anywhere it snows, including Philly parks like Wissahickon Valley, Pennypack and Tacony Creek, as well as at state parks like the 3.5-mile trail at Benjamin Rush State Park in the city and the 1.7-mile loop at Fort Washington in the countryside. Plus, check out trails at Norristown Farm Park and Washington Crossing Historic Park.
Philadelphia is a progressive city for wheelchair and mobility aid accessibility for travelers and visitors.
One of the most wheelchair-friendly historic sites in the region is Valley Forge National Historical Park. Many landmarks in the park are accessible, including National Memorial Arch, Washington’s Headquarters, Artillery Park and Washington Memorial Chapel. Several of the park’s trails, like Joseph Plumb Martin Trail and River Trail, are paved, and all picnic areas and restrooms are accessible.
For a great urban constitutional (and no cobblestones), hit up the Schuylkill River Trail by Schuylkill Banks as it winds along the river for a sunny stroll, or Forbidden Drive for a woodsy amble (mostly pavement or packed gravel) with gentle grades and wide widths at the northern end. Horticulture fans can visit Morris Arboretum, with paved ADA-approved paths, mild grades and plentiful benches.
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