For the third year in a row, the City of Brotherly Love has once again been dubbed the “Most Walkable City to Visit.” A panel of experts selected 20 U.S. cities based on pedestrian accessibility, proximity of hotels and attractions, and overall ease of exploration—and Philly won the prize.
To help maneuver your own walking journey around the city, we’ve put together a few paths to take for some scenic views, sweet surprises and other fun.
Penn’s Landing
Penn’s Landing in the summer is ripe with fun things to see and do. While walking along the water, locals and visitors alike can find activities at Cherry Street Pier, Race Street Pier, Independence Blue Cross RiverRink’s Summerfest and Spruce Street Harbor Park.
Spruce Street Harbor Park is always a fan favorite, with food and beverage vendors sprinkled throughout the eclectic oasis, along with colorful lights, comfortable hammocks, floating barges and plenty of space to unwind. Meanwhile, Summerfest mimics a boardwalk with beach-side attractions (in the form of carnival games) a rollerblading rink, and some seasonal treats. While here, visitors can also hop on a Ferris wheel, ride a double-decker carousel, play some mini-golf, jump in a moon bounce, try your luck at some arcade games, or head to the Lodge Bar.
Restaurant wise in Penn’s Landing, you have your pick of the litter with the large and expansive Liberty Point, fan-favorite Cavanaugh’s Riverdeck or Morgan’s Pier with prime views of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. For a more unique experience, diners can also head to the Moshulu for dinner and drinks on a docked boat, or opt to head on one of City Cruises’ dining sails for a traveling experience on the water.
Benjamin Franklin Parkway
A stroll down the Parkway offers a fun way to experience both art and culture that’s unique to Philadelphia. Inspired by the Champs-Élysées in Paris, the boulevard is lined with greenery and plenty of things to pop in and see—like the Logan Circle fountain and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. With the latter, visitors are able to run up the iconic Rocky steps and even snap a pic by the Rocky statue. The PMA also offers an ideal way to enjoy lunch (in the Frank Gehry-designed restaurant, Stir).
The Rodin Museum’s Garden Bar is also officially open, and will take place every Friday until Aug. 29, from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Accesible from the Parkway, this pop-up experience offers beer, wine, craft cocktails and tasty small plates, with the venue’s scenic garden acting as the backdrop to it all. The Parkway’s Oval is also back open for the season. Locals can head to the annual family-friendly pop-up to check out a custom summer food and drink menu, plus, a themed mini golf course, with the latter starting operations on July 9.
The Oval will also feature some stand-alone events this sunny season. Free outdoor performances will be sprinkled throughout the summer (with acts like Parkway Presents and the fan-favorite Philly band, SNACKTIME.) The outdoor venue will also host weekend marketplaces and festivals on select Saturdays and Sundays. Thursdays will feature free yoga organized by Yoga Habit, and Sundays will be dubbed Family Fun Days with Quizzo, while Fridays will include movie nights (8 p.m.) throughout the summer. A full schedule will continuously be updated online.
Philly parks
FDR Park and Fairmount are some of the big hitters when it comes to walking in some greenery, but every park in Philly really lights up in the sunny season with different outdoor events to entice viewers on their strolls.
For those looking to get healthy, Wellness Wednesdays will be in full swing in West Fairmount Park on select dates through August. While there, Fairmount Park Conservancy and Coach Shay of Inner Sanctuary Wellness will be hosting a meditative and reflective program the last week of each month (July 30 and Aug. 27) from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
The Second Saturday of each month will also feature free Guided Hikes, some of which will hold themes like a Tree Tour (July 12) and a Summer Hike and Meditation (Aug. 9) from 10 a.m. to noon.
Or, locals can join in on the Park After Dark activation to participate in a Moonwalk and Stargazing party (Aug. 5) in East Fairmount Park. According to a release, while there, locals can join Fairmount Park Conservancy and astronomer/educator Buddy Muhler for a one-mile guided moonwalk and telescope observation and then learn a little about the nocturnal animals that call the forest home ($15, 8 to 10 p.m.)
University City
University City offers a great way to explore two prideful Philly campuses (Penn and Drexel.) The expansive area of the city also has some hidden greenery treasures (like Clark Park) and foodie gems (like Clarkville), but there’s also plenty of culture to stop in and see, like at the Penn Museum. This summer, the Museum is bringing back its popular weekly outdoor concert series, with its kickoff performance scheduled for July 9 (featuring a performance from the West Philadelphia Orchestra.) Performances will then follow every Wednesday in July, with the line-up including Vertical Current (July 16), Philly Bomba Plena (July 23) and Malidelphia (July 30).
All shows run from 5 to 8 p.m. in Penn’s historic Stoner Courtyard, and include after-hours access to the Museum’s galleries and exhibitions.The series runs for $15 per ticket ($5 for PennCard holders and free for Museum Members). There’s also the option to opt for private tables and add-on experiences (such as pre-paid drinks) with advance purchase.
