Philadelphia is blessed with not one, but two large, fantastic parks. And not "city" parks like a Central Park, but a real legitimate, get lost in the woods, type of park. Fairmount and Wissahickon Valley are technically two separate parks, however, where the one ends, the other begins. Fairmount Park starts at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and runs along both banks of the Schuylkill River up to Manayunk.
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WISSAHICKON VALLEY PARK
In Manayunk across Ridge Avenue is the start of Wissahickon Valley Park that runs all the way up to Chestnut Hill. The parks contain various attractions and iconic Philadelphia experiences, however, as I stated in the second line it's the fact that these parks are truly parks is what makes them so great to Philadelphians. Wissahickon's "showpiece" is the Forbidden Drive, a wide walking, running, biking path that runs along the creek and pulls the other areas of the park together. There's various access points to the Forbidden Drive, some with plenty of parking vs. others where parking is at a premium. |
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Wissahickon is a four seasons park - the only time I hesitate on going here is when the ground is wet from either rain or snow. The park changes throughout the seasons, with fall being the clear favorite. The Valley Green Inn is always a great destination to walk to, there's always a lot of people around and a couple of places to sit and enjoy the creek, although it'd be nice if it was easier to grab a coffee here. You may need to stop at Ultimo or High Point Cafe before beginning your hike.
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Trails run off the Forbidden Drive leading to various sites like the William Penn Toleration statue. If you are interesting in seeing one of the Wissahickon's sites it's worth parking near the site - for example, you wouldn't want to park along Bells Mill Road or Northwestern Ave then hike to the Toleration Statue - that's a long, long hike.
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When I lived in Northwest Philadelphia, I picked various points in the Wissahickon to walk to from Hermit's Cave, to under Henry Avenue to Rittenhouse Town (which is a bit underwhelming - still a great hike though).
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The Devil's Pool may be Philadelphia's worst kept secret. The Devil's Pool is a sinkhole where the Chresheim Creek flows into the Wissahickon. Social media took a once hidden swimming spot and turned it into a popular destination to cool off on hot summer days. On a warm Saturday/Sunday this area becomes a huge picnic spot with a bit of a spring break vibe. There's BBQs. There's people swining from vines into the Wissahickon. Jumping from rocks. It's a bit bonkers.
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I always loved entering the park from the Gorgas Run area. On the backside of Roxborough this access point has a nice stroll leading to the Wissahickon and drops you off in a quiet area at a Forbidden Drive midpoint.
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LAUREL HILL CEMETERY
Laurel Hill is easy to miss - the cemetery sits on a bluff overlooking the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia's East Falls neighborhood. I never considered cemeteries as a tourist destination until I lived in Hong Kong and gained an appreciation for how cultures handle death. Laurel Hill Cemetery was the second major garden cemetery in the United States. Most cemeteries I drive past seem to be the garden variety and Laurel Hill was one of the pioneers of this trend. The cemetery has over 33,000 monuments ranging from simple, flat placards to mausoleums the size of a small house. In between are obelisks and statues. Laurel Hill's historical impact and monument collection helped the cemetery receive a National Historic Landmark designation in 1998. The cemetery is open 8:30 am (9:30 on weekends) to 4:30 pm and offers tours and the occasional special event. See the cemetery's website for additional information.
Laurel Hill Ridge Avenue Gate House Entrance:
Laurel Hill is easy to miss - the cemetery sits on a bluff overlooking the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia's East Falls neighborhood. I never considered cemeteries as a tourist destination until I lived in Hong Kong and gained an appreciation for how cultures handle death. Laurel Hill Cemetery was the second major garden cemetery in the United States. Most cemeteries I drive past seem to be the garden variety and Laurel Hill was one of the pioneers of this trend. The cemetery has over 33,000 monuments ranging from simple, flat placards to mausoleums the size of a small house. In between are obelisks and statues. Laurel Hill's historical impact and monument collection helped the cemetery receive a National Historic Landmark designation in 1998. The cemetery is open 8:30 am (9:30 on weekends) to 4:30 pm and offers tours and the occasional special event. See the cemetery's website for additional information.
Laurel Hill Ridge Avenue Gate House Entrance:
Laurel Hill has monument after monument. The eastern side of the cemetery, near the Hunting Park Drive entrance, has the more impressive larger monuments. It seems as though families have been competing with one another for the size of their obelisk. There are also several massive mausoleums near the Hunting Park entrance. There's another group of mausoleums on the southern side of the cemetery. These mausoleums are built into the side of a hill and have great views of the river below.
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[CLICK OR TAP IMAGES TO ENLARGE]
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The William Warner memorial is a highlight of the park.
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Laurel Hill Cemetery is the final resting place for several notable Philadelphians. The grave site with the most local appeal is probably that of Harry Kalas, the longtime Philadelphia Phillies broadcast announcer. His grave is on the south side of the cemetery and easily identifiable from the blue ballpark chairs that standout from a distance. Up close, the microphone monument is a worthy cap to a Philadelphia icon. Nearby is George Meade's grave.
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STRAWBERRY MANSION BRIDGE
Parks on Tap is a pop up beer garden that rotates to Philadelphia parks during the Spring, Summer, Fall outdoor drinking period. The week at Strawberry Mansion is the best rotation spot and always a highlight of summer.
Parks on Tap is a pop up beer garden that rotates to Philadelphia parks during the Spring, Summer, Fall outdoor drinking period. The week at Strawberry Mansion is the best rotation spot and always a highlight of summer.
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