Schuylkill Banks

Schuylkill Banks is a prime example of urban revitalization, transforming the Philadelphia waterfront into a vibrant and welcoming space for all. Its well-designed pathways and green spaces encourage outdoor activities, offering a refreshing escape from the city’s hustle and bustle. The integration of nature and city life here exemplifies the potential for urban areas to provide residents with a balanced and healthy lifestyle. As a place that promotes community engagement and appreciation for the environment, Schuylkill Banks stands out as a successful model for urban parks.

Amazing place to have a nice walk .

What a beautiful trail and a wonderful kayaking experience. We did the kayak moonlight tour, and it was absolutely amazing. Great scenery.

So fortunate to have this artery running through the city. Just fantastic river side to run walk or bike. You’ll see people exercising from early morning to late at night. They have events during the summer like movie nights and you’ll see groups of people hanging out and enjoying the evening time. Not the entire length is lit up at night so you do have to be mindful about that. I would be nervous walking by myself and having dark corners here and there but that’s more a night thing than anything else. When the river gets flooded parts get impacted but the city does a good job maintaining the length of the park and it’s a great way to get to Kelly drive and the art museum!

Beautiful oasis of nature,hidden in a land that's a concert jungle with skyscrapers for trees. Visit a lesser known attraction in the city of brotherly love, frequented mainly by adult couples on a romantic stroll, dogwalkers, and the occasional folk fishing off the railings. Tonight, by the closed visitor center, there was a group of well behaved young adults hanging out and doing what people their age do.... And that is talking about nothing of any significance, in a high pitched, over emphasized voice. A great, spread out, quiet time to be had if you want to visit a place that represents the opposite of what Philadelphia is mainly known for.

I love this park, it is a long walk with lots of sights and people going about working out or socializing. You can sit on the grass for a picnic and chat with friends. Went there first in 2019. It is ine of my fav parks..... although I wish they the restrooms were cleaned on a daily basis, my only complaint.

Absolutely a beautiful place. We ride our road bicycles along the paved path and we stop and enjoy the beautiful scenery. I just love the smell of a fresh water river. It's quite refreshing. I highly recommend this area. Especially in the summer 🌞. I'll take some photos and update asap.

Lovely by the water. Set up a hammock and you’re ready to go. Love the views so peaceful. Lots of joggers, bikers, and walkers.

Omg - I absolutely love this walking path! I'm a huge walker, and discovered SB while exploring outside during a training lunch break. You see fellow walkers, bikers, others pushing babies in strollers, and adorable doggos! My heart broke for a few probable homeless people in tents - our country needs to help our OWN!!!

We walked from South Street Bridge to the Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk that extends to the Schuylkill River Trail. The boardwalk is a 2,000-foot-long pathway with views of the river and Philadelphia skyline. I didn't walk the length of it since it was hot and unshaded, but I did enjoy the views.

The riverside greenway is fairly extensive here. It's definitely a case of the city working with what it has, as the river is built up and not especially scenic, and the trail has to manage going under, over, or around various other things. In my search for restrooms and water fountains, I found one small building containing the former, which was locked. No water was evident anywhere on the main stretch. Kind of a slap in the face to anyone who possesses a normal human physiology. If you wander around the city you can find something eventually. At least the trail here was somewhat cleaner than the rest of the city, and due to the overpasses was relatively uninterrupted by traffic.

What a great idea! I enjoy taking yoga classes outdoors and I really liked the location of this most recent class on the Schuylkill River! There are so many activities happening in the area (biking; jogging; walking and yoga) to say the least! The areas views inspires you to want to do something healthy for yourself! I enjoy all the access points of the Schuylkill Banks..so great!

Decent running, walking paths along the meandering Schuylkill. Construction on the west side. Benches, boats. 3

I can't believe it was only just recently that I visited here for the first time. It was truly lovely! We had a nice little walk which we started by The Waterworks. Over there it's free 2 hour parking. We walked almost the entire way down the clean, well kept boardwalk watching the rowers in the water, the trains and the moms club stroller crew on a weekday morning while admiring the city skyline. The journey totaled just over 3 miles round-trip. The path crosses under South Street Bridge. There's a little plaque describing the history of the original bridge and the details they mimicked on this newer one. You can rent kayaks for a decent price here. They also host Parks On Tap yearly and movies under the stars in the summer! So fun! Great place for a family day outside! I can't wait to come back and enjoy a sunset, as I know how gorgeous they can be here from strolling the bridge above.

There's little I love more than urban hiking trails. Us city kids once in a while like to pretend that we commune with nature, and this trail is a lovely place to do so. I really like trails with little surprises along the way. Schuylkill certainly has that, with cool little outposts for photo ops and bridges and statues and benches and whatnot. Also worth noting, people who hike seem to be nicer people. Lots of cool kids hanging out on the trail which helps set the scene for a lovely stroll. I also appreciate the utility and ambition of this trail. Along the trail there are signs delineating the plans for the path. When it's completed it will be awesome-as it will connect the western suburbs all the way down to Fort Mifflin. The trail is such a wonderful highlight of our city and should be enjoyed by everyone!

It's nice to know that even in the claustrophobic city, there along the river lies a piece of heaven. There are so many cool spots along the trail. There's an extension bridge which lies on the water, a few Kayak drops, Art Installations and more. This area is used for just about everything. You can Fish, Paddle Board, Kayak, Run, Walk, and when it comes to biking this trail definitely peaks as one of the best. Makes you feel like your in a stage of the Tour de Schuykill (Tour de France). The trail is apart of the East Coast Greenway. In theory, you could use the entire trail from Maine to Florida. Hopefully one day soon I'll add my name to the end-to-enders list. For now I'll keep training.

Nice little park under a bridge. Couple of round corners, a hump and a table top pyramid. Watch out for a plethora of spotted lantern flys, all seeming to play king of the hill. Don't bother if it's raining, the bridge leaks and the concrete is deathly slippery when wet. Lots of transition and pool coping. Parking is a long block off the bridge next to a bus parking depot.

A great trail for working out or taking walks whether you go during the day or at night (but run with a friend if you're going at night, there are sometimes muggings). The banks stretch from the South Street bridge up until Wissahickon park. There are always tons of people on that stretch (during the day), but it's still relatively calm/relaxing, not at all like the crowds in center city where people are all rushing to be somewhere. The trail runs along the river and is beautiful during the day, and just as beautiful at night when the city is all lit up. A great place to find some calm and beauty in the heart of Philly!

Philadelphia should be proud of the Schuylkill Banks, which is not pronounced anything like it's spelled. The trail is paved, well-maintained, and populated, and its curving path along the Schuylkill offers nice river views. I walked the trail on a Saturday morning and there were all kinds of cyclists, runners, walkers, and rollerbladers out getting some exercise, so be prepared for company. I took the trail from the entrance across the bridge from 30th Street Station to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which was an easy mile plus walk. If you rely on pubic transportation I can tell you that this route to the art museum is MUCH easier and more scenic than walking from City Hall, which looks short and doable but in actuality seems to go on and on until the ends of time. The trail takes you right up to the museum itself, and the grassy area behind the museum is a really ideal spot for a picnic lunch before the walk back. So whether you're a tourist taking in a leisurely walk or the avid cyclist zooming by, the Schuylkill banks will be there, clean and pretty, to suit your needs.

I love their free movie Thursday nights - it's the perfect recession time date! 7/9 was Back to the Future 7/23 The Goonies 8/06 Indiana Jones Perks: everything is FREE - popcorn, non-alcoholic drinks, pretzels & a raffle (gift prize last time was a basket full of Ikea stuff); you're outdoors; you're utilizing the Schuylkill river front; Pitfalls: Completely my fault, I sat too close last time and the speakers were blasting. My ears rang for the rest of the night. Tips: Show up early, bring blankets and a bottle (or two) of wine. Movies play after dusk (after 8:15) but to get a square of lawn up front you should plan to arrive around 7:30-7:45.

You can always me or my family here for a good workout. The stretches for miles and miles and there's always some type of event going on when the weather breaks. This place is kid friendly and has public restrooms. If you can't swim stay on the path and away from the water.

Free entertainment that can't be beat. Especially now with social distancing. Good place to take the whole family to unwind and get a break in nature. Vtrainers personal training studio

Philly has done such a fantastic job with the Schullykill, and I don't think it's any secret. But I do think less people know about the boardwalk southern end since it is newer. It's a bit wider and flatter than the northern parts of the trail, and has a wonderful view of the water.

If you're looking for a place to walk and enjoy a great view of center city + the schuykill? this is it. Def has improved with time. If you're bored of just kelly dr or mlk dr then change it up by heading over here...it all connects by waterworks. Love all the wrought iron trimmed paths leading down from the art museum connecting it all. Even though 76 runs parallel and 676 crosses over, the traffic isn't loud and the trail is quieter than you'd expect considering the proximity. It gets pretty busy when it's nice out but so does everywhere else. There's more bike riders/runners/joggers than walkers but everyone gets to enjoy. And of course it looks like if you have a dog? This is the place to be. Note: it does get pretty windy over here compared to other areas along the river...so be prepared on cooler days. If you get bored of just the trail? You can head on up any of the ramps/stairs or street openings available and wander the city instead.

Cool new addition expands the length of the trail and takes it out over the water for really interesting overlooks (I was surprising fond of the dog park when viewed from above, so entertaining!) They take good care of the park, hardly any litter or graffiti.

Free movie nights outside! Bring some wine and snacks and this is the perfect date night. Right alone the river. The ambiance is perfection.

For some reason I couldn't find this on Yelp when I was trying to check in on 7/23/16. The boardwalk is really nice. You see the city skyline once you walk up the steps. You also see the Schuykill River. It's connected to the park which is ok but it's relaxing for the most part.

What an amazing asset Schuylkill Banks is to Philadelphia. This park along the eastern side of the Schuylkill River, with views of the University City skyline and 30th Street Station, is an amazing place to relax in the middle of the city. You can rest in the green space that goes right to the river, you can take your dog to the dog parks (one for big dogs and one for small dogs), or you can ride your bike or jog along the Schuylkill River Trail that runs through the banks. You do have to enter the park at certain points, since an active freight train line runs between the neighborhood and the park, but the city deserves credit for figuring out a creative solution to get the park built with that line there in the first place. This is definitely one of my favorite urban public spaces in a city full of them.

When it comes to new-to-me places, I can be as bashful as a child, refusing to go it alone for the first time, hiding behind my mom's pant leg while I assess the situation. Even though I've been living in the city for almost six months, it took that long for me to check out the Schuylkill River Trail. Friends promised a safe and scenic place to run outside, but I just kept going to the gym. That, or - get this - driving to Jersey where my courses were plotted and I felt comfortable with where I was going and what to expect. Finally, my boyfriend and I decided to take a walk, and to the Trail we went. Shocked was I at how well-maintained and well-populated the area actually was. I felt like I had made this amazing discovery, and I couldn't stop talking about how glad I was that we had finally taken that walk. Yesterday, I enjoyed my first of what will likely be many solo runs on the Trail.

What a difference six years makes! I remember this trail when it was a lowly gravel aforethought. Now it's a real running/walking/biking river trail with lovely landscaping, benches-a-plenty, boat and kayak tours (oh my) and it connects around Fairmount Water Works to Fairmount Park and it's still growing South! I love to walk from the current entrance at Locust Street and make my way up to Boathouse row. On the left, you get an industrial view of 30th Street Station, the Post office and the Cirra Center and on the right, the downtown and the skyscrapers unfold before you. On a nice breezy day, if you squint hard enough it's almost like you're walking by the quais of the Seine - except with more trees, and rollerbladers, and serious cyclists that warn pedestrians "Left!".

In my natural habitat of Southern California I've developed a sometimes-compulsive need to run outdoors, so when I came to Philly I was eager to find a way to support my addiction. This metropolis doesn't really lend itself to a ton of road running, so the Schuylkill Banks are an absolute GODSEND! I love how it runs right through the city, so it's very accessible, but it also leads you right out of it (physically, mentally, spiritually...), rendering it a real escape. The Schuylkill Banks are just miles and miles of paved trails (and in some places, a parallel dirt path), flanked by Fairmount Park and the river. So all around, there's a lot of nature to keep you country girls and boys happy. If you're really hardcore, you can't complain about the trail ending because I'm convinced it doesn't. And if you're that awesome one-two punch of distance runner with a bad sense of direction, this is your Shangri-La because you can't get lost! You're either going upriver or downriver... I also really recommend Boathouse Row, which totally reminds me of Amsterdam (and I was sober, people!). I also recently discovered the brand new Sculpture Garden located where the banks meet the Philadelphia Museum of Art. A word of caution - watch out for the goose scat. And some sections of the trails (closer to the city) tend to partake in rush hour, so make sure you don't make any unprotected turns or sudden stops. The best time to come though, in my opinion, is definitely early morning or late afternoon when the crew teams have practice! Mmm athletes... And the coaches following along in the mini speedboats actually have some pretty motivational things to share on their bullhorns, like "Don't let your shoulders give in! Get that energy up!" Totally thought they were yelling at me. Oh so THAT's what it feels like to have a personal trainer...

Great place to go for a morning run or just hang out on a weekend. I used to run a 4 mile route that begins around 30th Street Station and continues past Boathouse Row and the like. Back in the day, a couple of ROTC buddies and I used to gear up and jog the route, which I assure you was quite the workout. It's a great place to be on the weekends as well, as you'll see tons of couples, kids, pets, and just folks running, biking, and walking. Several areas have these grassy knolls where folks tend to kick back and lie down or sunbathe. No matter what you're looking to do, as long as you want to spend some time in the great outdoors, somewhere along the Schuylkill Banks, you'll find the right place for you.

Nice area with a wonderful new path added ON the river but the best views of the skyline are up on the ramp heading back to Schuylkill Park. Overall, it's a clean and relaxing place for a walk or jog away from the downtown area. Wouldn't recommend it as a must-do for tourists though as there's really not much to see.

The boat tour is great! It's about an hour. The view of the waterworks is fantastic from there, and the guide was well-informed. When you turn around and head away from the museum, in no time you're surrounded by trees- although university city is just beyond them. You can't even see the city anymore. Who knew?! Plus there was a bar in the back of the boat, whoohooo! :) It was great.

This is a great place to run or bike outdoors! Even in the cold, snowy weather, they plow the path, so you can literally run in any season. I find this one of the safest places to run in the city where there are always other people running from early in the morning until early evening. The parts of the path near the art museum are beautiful with fountains, statues, and views of the museum and boathouses. The trail doesn't go very far South in the city (a little past Locust Street right now), but they are currently adding on to the path so that it will connect to the South St. bridge.

This is by by far my favorite place to run. Even when I feel too tired after a long day of work, my adrenaline gets going when I get to the trail. I love how the vibe and view changes as you run along the trail. From center city, to Schuylkill Expressway traffic, to skate boarders, to the Art Museum, to flower gardens, and statues. I can run for miles without getting bored at all. Running is pretty much always a breeze except for the occasional inconsiderate biker going way too fast and cutting it way too close to runners. I have almost taken a handle bar to the gut on several occasions. As a timid biker, I only bike here at odd hours. The inconsiderate bikers mentioned above seem to get a thrill out of (almost) running weaker bikers off the track.

Love this park! Beautiful, calming views!! Great to watch the colors of the sky change as the sun goes up or down. Plenty of folks walking, running, biking or simply taking in the views from the bench!

What a hidden gem from the hustle and bustle of Philadelphia city life. This is a great place to unwind, relax and enjoy your run, bike and walk along the riverbanks of the Schuylkill river. It is litter free, clean and maintained. The trail is wide enough for people to use. You will be able to use your artistic expression and grab a few great shots along the way. I walked from the Schuylkill Park on 25th and Spruce went down to the trail and took it all the way to the Art Museum. I would definitely recommend this trail to everyone out there. There are several exits off the trail leading up to South Street, Walnut Street, Market Street to either grab a bite to eat or use the restroom. The restrooms along the trail are not always available for use and are locked at times.

My favorite place to run in the city, snow or shine! You can count on this running path to be completely cleared no matter what weather. We got ALOT of snow this summer and the entire path was plowed and running-ready. There are always people running this path morning through the night. The path is well lights and they sometimes have cops on bikes patrol it. Of course if you do run it during the night be extra careful you never know! I mostly run it during the day and its perfect. You get a nice view of the city sky line as you're running and not to mention the art museum. Usually its crowded with bikers/runners/walkers. Oh i almost forgot to mention, this is actually an excellent spot to sit on the grass and watch the 4th of july fireworks or any concert that is happening at the art museum!

I love running on the path along the Schuylkill. I love the girls in bikinis laying out from May to September. 1 1/2 miles of smooth trail from the trail's start to Lloyd Hall at the beginning of Boathouse row is beautiful at sunset or in the early AM. I DO NOT like the smell of rotting garbage from the CSX trains that park alongside the path and cause me to throw up a little in my mouth when I'm really breathing heavily at the end of a hard run. Can't wait for the path extension-hope it gets done.

Lots of room to run or bike and beautiful views! Just be careful if you're running the same time a train is going by because inhaling the fumes/exhaust is no fun!

I love this place!! I walk there sometimes on my lunch hour. There is nothing better to make you forget about office things then dogs at the dog run! Sometimes the local school makes the kids run the walkway around the park. I also take the path up the river go up to the waterworks and come back for a nice walk. The only thing I don't like is when the train parks on the tracks and blocks the crossing near Spruce. Hopefully with the new extension of the park, they will be fixing that.

I run on this alllllllllllll the time.. such a great addition. They are building two new pedestrian bridges over the RR tracks.. also I hear plans are to extend it to Bartrams Garden. Green, Exercise, Yay. Yes, I run this all winter too.. cool to see the river frozen over!

Absolutely the BEST place for a long (or short) run in Philly! It is clean, safe, roomy, and long. Plus after running there for almost two years every week...i still don't get bored! It's a great place to run, people watch and sit along the river. If you go during the peak times (before big Philly runs, when it's nice out, or between 5-7) it actually feels like you're running the Broad Street Run with your friends. Also, no matter what time you go there is always at least some people there so you don't feel alone. Even the homeless people that are sometimes there are not even that scary! PLUS...there are always tons of geese...for any geese people out there. Off to there now!

Instead of blowing our hard-earned cash on a night out on the town, we blew off some steam last night and biked up the Schuykill Banks. On one of the hottest nights of the year, this was a romantic, peaceful and somewhat cooler place to hang out, eat a romantic evening picnic. Seriously, I spent about One-Tenth the amount I would have! And my boyfriend keeps noting (with kisses) what a nice time he had. The best of all was that I was coming from work, and almost went and splurged on a brand new shirt (I was coming from work and had nothing) and there at the Schuylkill, I felt completely stylish in the dark, and happy to have saved my bucks for when they really count - like donating to a good cause or something like that! Anyway, the only downside is that the closer you get to to the river, the more you can smell the not so fragrant river.... luckily, there are lots of benches a little higher up. There is a lot of traffic near the city in the summer, but not too terribly much, and it makes it very safe at night.

Thanks, Schuylkill Banks, for being a good respite for me while I was in town for the week on business. I was staying nearby in University City, and rather than succumb to the hotel treadmill, I took up a recommendation to come here for my evening run. I covered only a mere 4 miles round-trip on the banks, but I understand that it extends much further beyond... I would have loved to go for a long run, but wasn't keen on getting stuck down there after sundown. However, I appreciated the easy, straightforward, and somewhat scenic bike/jogging trail, and loved that there were so many other runners out and about on the trail because I tend to freak myself out when I run alone on an abandoned trail... and you guys kept passing me like road kill. Wow, you Philly runners must be way faster than I am, or I must be too much of a slowpoke, spending too much time looking at the sights. I even got distracted by pretty flowers and ended up detouring up the hill toward what I found out was the Museum of Art. Sightseeing on my evening runs - hooray for efficiency. I ended up coming back a couple days later with friends just for a leisurely walk around Boathouse Row. It was a nice just for a stroll, as well. I really appreciated the proximity to the city - this place was so accessible. I used the stairway from the bridge on Walnut, just about a mile from my hotel. From where I'm from in downtown Los Angeles, I regularly drive 20 miles one-way just to get to my preferred long-run stomping grounds... so the convenience of having such a trail so close is a huge plus in my book. Can we please move the Schuykill River next to downtown LA? You can have our river in return.

LOVE the Banks. Running is so enjoyable here and they put a lot of work into making the surrounding trail areas beautiful and safe (lanes for pedestrian traffic, etc.).

Running here keeps me sane and relatively fit, or maybe it's fit and relatively sane. I reckon I've logged 4 digits of miles up and down this trail in all kinds of weather, and during my run one night, it occurred to me that the typical Schuylkill run experience might make a good drinking game. +1 for stopping to stretch while you watch the pooches romp in the dog park +1 if the train's blocking the trail entrance (+2, turn around and go home if it's the garbage train) +1 if a cyclist with carbon-fiber everything whizzes past you too close and too fast for comfort (extra +1 if he's in a Penn jersey) +1 for powering up the hill to the Art Museum +1 for getting passed by a person pushing an enormous jogging stroller +2 for running up the ramps behind the museum to really get your heart pounding and reward yourself with an excellent view +1 for not trampling any geese (+2 if you accidentally trample a goose) +1 to say thanks for the bathrooms and water fountains at Lloyd Hall +1 every time you run up Lemon Hill (keep going til you puke!) +1 for resolving to check out WebMD when you get home to find out what's up with your knee/foot/whatever's aching today +1 for getting far enough out on Kelly or West River that it suddenly becomes uncrowded, peaceful and real pretty +1 for every bridge you run under +1 for turning around and heading home! +1 when you get passed +2 if the passer is your kind of foxy and wearing small shorts +1 for cruising back down the Art Museum hill +1 in gratitude for not being one of the boot camp people doing endless burpees by the river (at least not today) +1 for getting back to the train tracks +1 for cooling down, stretching appropriately and jogging outta there!

i'm not a runner...but my boyfriend is. until we started dating 2 years ago, i had no idea that this park even existed! learned of it from him as it is where he runs on an almost daily basis, when the weather is nice, of course. on a pleasant day you can find a good amount of people waking (with or without a dog), running, bike riding or rollerblading...and now, i am one of those people! with help from the bf, i am trying to add running to my exercise repertoire. as of now, it's still a challenge for me, but i am determined to keep at it, and the beautiful surroundings of the schuykill banks makes me look forward to my next run...and the [good] sore i'll be feeling the next day.

Every other Thursday through the summer, there is a "Laughter on the Banks" session, where up to 750 people bring food, drink and be merry while watching comedies for FREE! This year, the movies included Airplane, Office Space, Princess Bride, Young Frankenstein, Annie Hall...all classics and all very well attended. Even in the 90 degree heat, the breeze from the Schuylkill keeps you cool. Its nothing but a great time.

We have half an hour before class. Do you want to walk around the Schuylkill? It makes no sense, but we'll make it, I think. We see the port-o-potties lined up in an endless row on Walnut, the City's way of anticipating the Pope visit, and you call them the Pope-o-potties, and I laugh, and I choke a little bit on my apple. We walk back to your building just in time and hug and part ways again for the thousandth time, and it makes no sense, but we'll make it. We'll make it.

A lovely scenic greenspace with trails for walking or running. A great place to take your kid or your dog or both. What fun on a spring or summer day!

I love walking up here on my lunch breaks. Few things are as peaceful as a river. Added bonus: yummy shirtless runners when the weather is nice!

The trail is really beautiful area once you get past Boathouse Row and into Fairmount Park! The landscaping right along the river south of the Art Museum doesn't really compare to the parks along the Charles River in Boston, and it has an ugly view of the freeway across the river on the side along University City. HOWEVER, once you get past that all, it's like you've crossed into a fairy world of pretty fall foliage and nature, complete with flocks of geese and accompanying goose poop, so watch out. Good for walking, biking, running, and rollerblading. I like this place!

Hubby and I got to enjoy the river boat tour thanks to Yelp, and we had a really good time. We learned some cool things about Philly and about the development of the city around the river, and the work that the Banks are doing to build up the parks and whatnot. The guy giving the tour had a bit of trouble with the mic system, so that was a little frustrating. But overall it was a really lovely ride, and we're thinking of taking them on their suggestion of taking the ride they offer to Bartram Gardens one of these days.

Cool view. Very clean. I always had a good run/jog session on this place. It feels like you're not in Philadelphia when you're here. Oh if you just chilling, you might want to bring light jacket or hoody. The wind gets chilly quick.

I love nature, and for me, this is a great place to go when I need to get away from school. I love just sitting here and reading and soaking up the sun. Always peaceful. Great for joggers, walkers, bikers, dog owners, and anyone who just wants to feel like they are getting away from Philly, just for a bit.