Outdoors

Northwest Philadelphia has more accessible green space than anywhere else in the city, and it is not close. The Wissahickon alone is roughly 1,800 acres with more than 50 miles of trail, and it runs right through the middle of these neighborhoods.

The Wissahickon

Wissahickon Valley Park is the reason a lot of people move up here and the reason most of them stay. Forbidden Drive — the wide, wooded gravel path along the creek — is the spine of it, and it is genuinely one of the great urban trail experiences in the country.

• Forbidden Drive — flat, wide, creekside. Good for running, biking, strollers, and dogs.
• Thomas Mill Covered Bridge — Philadelphia’s only covered bridge, reachable on foot from Chestnut Hill.
• Valley Green Inn — historic inn right on the creek, serving lunch, brunch, and dinner.
• Access points — Bells Mill Road (Chestnut Hill), Cresheim Valley and Lincoln Drive (Mt. Airy), Wissahickon Avenue (Germantown), and multiple points along the Roxborough side.

Parks and preserves

• Morris Arboretum & Gardens, 100 E. Northwestern Ave — 92 acres, 10,000+ labeled plants, a canopy walk 50 feet up, and a beloved model railroad. The official arboretum of Pennsylvania.
• Pastorius Park, Chestnut Hill — sixteen acres with a pond, old-growth trees, and summer concerts.
• Gorgas Park, Roxborough — playground, pollinator gardens, regular community events.
• Upper Roxborough Reservoir Preserve — quiet, good for dog walks.
• Pretzel Park, Manayunk — pretzel-shaped paths, a pretzel sculpture, and a weekly farmers market.
• Vernon Park, Germantown — the neighborhood’s central green space and gathering point.

Trails and the river

• Schuylkill River Trail — runs from Center City all the way to Valley Forge. From Manayunk or East Falls it is a genuine bike commute downtown, about eight miles along the water.
• Manayunk Canal Towpath — along the historic canal, just below Main Street.
• Manayunk Bridge Trail — a converted railroad bridge, six stories above the Schuylkill, with the best views in the neighborhood.
• Kelly Drive, East Falls — dedicated lanes for runners and cyclists, sweeping river views, connects into Fairmount Park.

Only in NW Philly

• The Roxborough Staircases — over a dozen public staircases connecting the Roxborough ridge down to Manayunk. More than 1,300 steps in total, and a legitimate workout.
• The Manayunk Wall — Lyceum Avenue hits a 17% grade. Professional cyclists have been suffering on it since the 1980s.
• Germantown Kitchen Garden, 215 E. Penn St — an urban farm with a Saturday farm stand, May through October.