Boathouse Row

The 26 Best Things to Do in Philadelphia

"You'll find the Schuylkill-hugging Fairmount Park in the heart of the city. But this isn’t your typical city park: At more than 2,000 acres, it's home to miles of trails, biking and hiking paths, a Japanese garden and house, the country’s oldest zoo, historical mansions, and the city’s iconic Boathouse Row. Those with young kids in tow should explore the interactive Please Touch Museum, as well as the Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse, with its century-old wooden slide." - Regan Stephens, Devra Ferst

Fairmount Park — Park Review | Condé Nast Traveler

"What’s this place all about? Fairmount Park hugs the Schuylkill River, in the heart of the city. But this isn’t your typical city park with a small playground and a few benches. At more than 2,000 acres, the park is home to miles of trails, biking and hiking paths, a Japanese garden and house, the country’s oldest zoo, historical mansions, and the city’s iconic Boathouse Row. Any standout features or must-sees? Since the 19th century, Philadelphia rowers have stored their boats along Kelly Drive, behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art . Today, the boat houses, which are illuminated with twinkling lights at night, are synonymous with the city. If you take the train into town from New York or Boston , make sure to keep an eye out your window for them. If you’re already in town, head out to Kelly Drive, which offers excellent running and biking paths along the Schuylkill River Trail. If you're hoping to explore other parts of the park (like the 12- by 44-foot wooden slide at Smith Playground), a smidge of planning goes a long way, as this park covers a lot of ground—not to mention two sides of a river. Anything else we should know? Those with young kids in tow should explore the interactive Please Touch Museum , as well as the Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse, with its century-old wooden slide." - Devra Ferst

"Sports and scenery on historic Boathouse Row Anyone visiting Philadelphia who plans to include the Museum of Art and/or the Fairmount Water Works in their itinerary should consider taking a little extra time to stroll along nearby Boathouse Row. The adventurous who have a bit more time can consider renting bikes and riding the recreational path that runs alongside the banks of the Schuylkill River. Many of the historic boathouses date back to 1860, and the last house on the row at #15, Sedgeley Club, is Philadelphia's only operating lighthouse, built in 1887. The Schuylkill River and rowing are inextricably linked and the first recorded regatta on the Schuylkill took place in 1835. There is a regatta scheduled nearly every weekend from March through November, and to view the races you'll need to venture a little further north on Kelly Drive, past the Girard and Columbia Bridges. For anyone who'd like to view or photograph the iconic illuminated boathouses after dark, the closest viewpoints would be either of the elevated gazebos behind the Art Museum, or the riverfront gazebo adjacent to the Water Works complex."