Fairmount Park is one of the biggest parks in the United States. It still has original houses from the 1700s. It has walking trails, ballfields and playgrounds. You can also drive through the park. Smith playground is a mansion with indoor activities and a big outdoor playground for kids. The best part about Smith playground is the giant wooden slide. The kids and adults can both go on the discovery center is in a former reservoir. It has walking trails and indoor activities to learn about the park. The horticultural center in Japanese teahouse are also located in the park. It's a great place to picnic! read more

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Fairmount Park offers a wide range of activities, from exploring historical sites and gardens to enjoying outdoor recreation and attending events. You can stroll along the Trolley Trail, visit Boathouse Row, and marvel at Shofuso Japanese House and Garden. For outdoor enthusiasts, there are trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, as well as opportunities for picnicking and boating on Concourse Lake. Fairmount Park is also home to the Please Touch Museum and the Philadelphia Zoo, making it a great destination for families. I am normally here for The roots picnic, but realized this park has so much to offer. If you are up for outdoor activities, make sure to come by and explore. One tidbit, make sure you make sure you are going to this park because there is another Fairmount park that is also in Philly. Enjoy! read more

A well known spot of green around the city, I can only agree this is a gem to have and should be enjoyed as much as possible. The park itself is divided up into east/west sections with plenty of maps that can guide you through bike trails, walk trails, historic spots, and lots of buildings like the Please Touch Museum or Horticultural building. There is some frustration in getting in/out with a car during traffic, the flow patterns aren't the safest. And some areas are pretty removed from others so you can expect a bit of extra walking if you want to go between areas rather than being able to cut straight through. But there's no denying the cultivated spot brings a lot of life and respite to an old city. read more

Fairmont park has a ton of trails you can walk and/or ride a bike that are accessible. There are sculptures all throughout the park and multiple kids playgrounds. There are multiple entrances to the park. read more

We went to Fairmount Park which is right outside of the Museum of Art. It was easy to walk through and quite large. The river wasn't exactly scenic, but they had pretty trees and greenery with statues for you to look at. There wasn't exactly a trail you could follow, at least it wasn't clear, and we ended up having to cross some busy streets to see the larger part of the park, but overall it was nice to walk through for a bit after the Museum of Art and spend some time. read more

This Park is touted as Philadelphia's largest. It runs along the Delaware bay. I hung out at the part directly in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The have trails, piers, lots of grassy areas, and a couple of gazebos overlooking the river. While I was there they were having a beer gathering along the river and there were tons of organized workouts there. One of the highlights of this area of the park is the Fountain of the Sea Horses, a replica of the one in the Borghese Gardens in Rome. There are also six statues leading up the walkway to the museum, of famous participants in the American Revolution, including John Paul Jones. There are benches around the park, along the water and near the gazebos that you can sit and chill. Unfortunately, the Seahorse fountain was not working during my visit and the gazebos has been riddled with vandalism. Certain areas need to be cleaned up and be carful of bicyclist zooming past you. The park is still nice and you can find some peaceful parts to relax and then go and hit one of the trails or join a workout. This seems like a fun park, with a lot to do and see for everyone. read more

The reality of my experience at Fairmount Park fell quite a bit short of the many glowing reviews I read :-( My visit was on a weekend morning. I found the area overfilled to capacity, with skateboarders, joggers, bikes, and pedestrians all fighting for space. The worst of it was the cyclists - many of them whizzed past without using signals, bells, or horns, and made us feel like we were taking our lives in our hands... On the plus side, there are quite a number of nice-looking buildings from the eighteen hundreds, as well as the headquarters of the rowing club. Add to that a plethora of statues, gazebos, and greenery and this park is well worth a visit - except next time I'm coming on a weekday and hopefully will miss some of the crowd ;-) read more

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Nice park! Arrived around 8 to 830pm. I could see a lot of people jogging, walking with dogs and simply strolling around the park. There is no parking fee for the 2 hours. But you need to leave before your car gets towed. Restrooms for both men and women are available. Don't expect the floor or toilet to be free from clutter. There's a lot of toilet paper scattered on the ground. No worries about not bringing hand soap of toilet paper, because it's provided with a dispenser. It was late, so I wasn't able to go inside the information center. Pretty sure I see an ice cream for sale when the center is open. The lawn is well-maintained. I could see flickering lights of the dragon flies. Breezy at night time. Looks safe to jog as a loner, but be prepared to defend self at all times. From the other side, across the museum is the famous Rocky Steps and statue. read more

Fairmount Park - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Like the city itself, Fairmount Park has its good and bad parts. Setting up large-scale picnics here can be a drag (contacting the city, paying for a permit, making sure everything is kosher), but if you can secure a pleasant nook, it's worth the effort. It's no Central Park - it's not as centralized, for one - but it offers a greater variety of natural features versus man-made landscaping. Sit by the Schuykill, go biking, play sports, there's lots to do. Volunteer cleanup events happen year-round, so take part if you have the time! read more

Fairmount Park is a huge multi-use park located in Northwest Philadelphia. It runs along the Delaware River. You'll find people biking, running, walking dogs, fishing or just chilling out. There is plenty of grassy areas to play as well as lots of trees. Parking on the weekends can be a little challenging however. I highly recommend it, a little paradise in the middle of a busy city! read more

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A lovely park full of mature trees, and a lake surrounded by foliage and filled with ducks, geese, and other creatures. Sometimes I stay at Chamounix Mansion, and I usually walk about 3 miles to the center city. Walking along the side of the lake is so peaceful especially on a nice breezy day. There's a bunch of hidden gems found throughout West and East Fairmount Park like Abandoned bridges and historic statues. Some are even Instagram worthy like the Stone Arch Bridge which is kinda hard to find. read more

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For years I worked at the Philadelphia Zoo, so close to Fairmount Park. I recently returned to work in Philadelphia after two decades, and it's been a pleasure to enjoy this beautiful park and all its tiny little wonders - little gardens here and there, gorgeous statuary, restored mansions, river front walking trails, etc. I would be nervous to walk here by myself in the dark, but during the day with others around, I'm not too worried. Keep an eye out for the hundred events or so that take place throughout the year. read more

There is a big problem with writing a review of Fairmont Park. There are so many amazing things to do they wouldn't fit in a Yelp review. I've visited here with the lovely wife countless times. You could, bike, walk, dog walk, jog, run, rollerblade, horseback ride, scenic drive, visit museums, see monuments, get some alone time, take amazing photos, get gardening ideas, go to the zoo, play soccer, go boating, find a playground for your children, play baseball, barbeque, and generally have a great time in a hundred other ways. If you live in the area and have not visited, shame on you and read on. If you are a tourist and you have a nice day, move a visit here to the top of your list and read on. If you are unfamiliar with the park I have two suggestions. The main Fairmont Park web site is excellent and near the top of this Yelp page. The problem is the site is too big. It has hundreds of links and can be a bit daunting. What you may not know is that although Fairmont Park is made up of dozens of smaller parks, there are 7 large main parks. Here is the link that will begin to get you information on the big 7. http://www.fairmountpark.org/Parks.asp . It's not perfect but it will help start your thinking in the right direction. My second suggestion is the Wikipedia site. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairmount_Park. I think the information and internal links here are a great help. Fairmont Park is one of the top experiences Philadelphia has to offer and easily deserves 5 stars. read more

This portion of the review is dedicated to the Belmont Plateau picnic portion of the Park. While the Yelpluck and the people I got to share it with merited 5 Million stars, and our team winning the kick ball game merited 5 billion stars, there was just something about the area that merited a little less than 4 stars. Although our team had an amusing time trying to mimic the "Single Ladies" dance along to the the Beyonce song (Aaron and I were on the team, so alas I can assure you that it wasn't pretty), there was something about the neighboring tent not honoring the volume portion of the permit contract was a little disconcerting. I'd feel that way if it was music I liked too so that has nothing to do with it. I also felt that certain luxuries of the picnic area like trees and shady spots could have been distributed just a little more evenly. But those were just some minor setbacks, because overall the occasion was on top. there were plenty of areas to lay out on blankets and play picnic games. And the tables did a good job of accommodating are designated grilling spot (thanks Daniel!), some of our food, and are good assortment of drinks. and of course the fact that we had the coolest group ever, and an awesome dog like Giles among us didn't hurt. And overall these two reviews only encompass a very small portion of Fairmount Park. so there's more than enough reason to return to it in the future. read more

Now I am not a fan of walking around doing nothing, but this is something the wife wanted to do . I am not a fan of walking basically, I figure I make enough money where I have a car to do all this manual labor. Thus the lovely wife wanted to spend a day outside and just walk , take in some of the scenery that this city has to offer. Mind you there are some gorgeous landscapes, you can take in , with boat house row and the museum in the back. Taking a day aside and spending some time with your loved one is always a plus , I will admit Fairmount Park is the place to do it . Now this is not like Central Park where you have all walks of life, but Fairmount does have its benefits. Like others have mentioned there are trails and pathways to enjoy. You might even catch a concert or two , while exploring. Have a camera in hand , because there are countless opportunities for you to take pictures. Downtown views, to the Art Museum, to people just enjoying a simple day under the sun. Might even see some boaters doing their fishing thing or the local colleges on "Boat House Row" getting ready for an upcoming event to on the river. You could even enjoy a nice stroll in the early evening by the museum area where the city starts to light up, the reflection of a lit up Boat House Row over the river. Just another day in the park basically. read more

Great for walking‍, I love taking pictures there. There's lots of people riding their bikes but lots of poop on the grass so just be careful when you walk or if you wanna lay down on the grass you'll have to bring your blanket or just really make sure there's no poop!!! read more

This is basically Philly's Central Park. It is a very picturesque park and quite large. You can go hiking here, rowing, biking or just lounge around and hang out. In the spring, there are cherry blossoms too. Fairmount is definitely a way above average city park. read more

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Truly one of the greatest gems in Philadelphia. If you need a place to disconnect from the grind of the city, this is the place to go. If you are looking for wooded trails, creeks, ponds, flat paths or giant fields you will find them here. read more

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Yes is one of the world's largest parks, but that is deceiving. The park is spread out and separated by ghetto neighborhoods and highways. Most of the park area is unkempt and the grass is all but dead (and it's not even grass its weed's too). The only part of the park that is clean and kept is the part near Kelly Drive. I've been a search for a Frisbee area and all I can find is the soft grass near Kelly Drive. The best spot to picnic: On the grass near Waterworks and the gazebo. read more

Fairmount Park - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

An oasis in the middle of the city much like you would find in many european cities. I like that its kept mostly natural.

A huge park and green space to the north and west of the primary city core, this park extends between Henry and Germantown Pike (not completely), and is filled with plenty of small trails, mansions to explore (see Wendy C's review for more details there), and picnic areas. Parking can be tight on a warm summer day, but the walk from one end of the park to another is something you can do in a day (I don't think it's more than five miles at most from the river to the arboretum... you probably can jog it faster, though). Make sure to wander off the path -- there are plenty of gems hidden off the primary paths if you wander down the various areas and check out the area beyond the playgrounds and more. read more

Technically - all of the parks in Philadelphia are a part of Fairmont Park - but this refers to the large park between Kelly Drive and West River Drive starting at the art museum and heading north. Its a fantastic place to escape the city. read more

Expansive park that spans both sides of the Schuylkyll where you can get lost among the trails and forget that you're in a major metropolis. Historic houses, Horticulture Center, Japanese house, running, biking, baseball diamonds, and much more! In the spring, visit the Horticultural Center to see the rows cherry trees exploding with pink and white blossoms. Some of the hills in the area are also good places to watch the Fourth of July show over the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Just be sure to get there early to beat the crowds. read more

Pretty okay park. I came here with some friends on a weekend as we were spending the day in Philly. We came during the weekend of the cherry blossom festival, so a lot of the streets were blocked and had heavy traffic. We parked the car in a random place next to a road in the trees where some other cars were parked, and we followed the crowd to the cherry blossom festival location. It was $15 for an entrance fee though, and we could see the cherry blossoms outside the gated area. So, we decided not to go and we walked around a bit more. The park is lacking signs and maps, and it's really difficult to tell where we are without a phone. Also, the park isn't super beautiful, there's just some trees and grass. We did get a nice view of Philly though! read more

In need of some serious brain-clearing and brainstorming, I jumped on my bike and took a ride on Kelly Drive this morning. I rode up Kelly and went over East Falls bridge to enjoy the car-less West River Drive. During the warm months, the city closes down WRD so bikers/runners/rollerbladers can play without worrying about cars. The whole ride was such a breath of fresh air. I left the phone at home and got to listen to some of my favorite music. Sometimes we just need to disconnect. Ya know? Here were some songs that enhanced my biking: Sufjan Stevens - Casimir Pulaski Day The Innocence Mission - Lakes of Canada Passion Pit - Sleepyhead Rouge Wage - Maps (Yeah Yeah Yeahs cover) Sun Kil Moon - Carry Me Ohio Passion Pit - Moth's Wings We Are Scientists - After Hours Happy Saturday :) read more

Here's a helpful tip about Fairmount Park: The next time you need some "alone time" and excercise at the same time, ride your bike on "the loop" at night. I got on it where Walnut runs into the Skuykill and took the path all the way to boat house row. The ride was very scenic and relaxing. Incidently, there's not a bad place to collect your thoughts right by the Walnut Street entrance. Be advised, however, that there were a few homeless people sleeping on nearby benches. However, the area is monitored by cameras, which leads me to believe that these homeless people are just as concerned about criminal elements as you or I. read more

Okay, so, Fairmount Park has a pack of wild (or more accurately, feral) dogs that the city rounds up and kills every couple of years so that yuppies aren't scared by them. The poor dogs aren't bothering anyone, and they're the sad remnants of pets who are dumped by their owners on the side of the road after they aren't puppies anymore. It's terrible that our society sees dogs as disposable after they're not cute babies anymore. Shouldn't the poor dogs be given credit for surviving? They're more afraid of us than we are of them. Poor puppies. And bad, bad Fairmount Park Commission (who are all in bed with some interest group or another, trust me - just look into what prompted them to "cull" the deer population in Pennypack park a couple of years ago - and by "cull," I mean shoot 90% of them in one weekend). Anyway, aside from the mean dog removal, the park is really pretty. Just, next time you see a pack of former pets trying to survive, maybe think about leaving your lunch scraps for them. I'm sure they'll appreciate it. And get your pets spayed and neutered, and please, please, don't just take them to the park one day and leave them there. Seriously, people. read more

Here's another tip. You can actually take the bike path all the way to Valley Forge. Yup. Through Manayunk and Conshohocken and . . . I think its a 40 mile round-trip. This was perfect when I was living in Philly and wanted to get out of town on a summer weekend and didn't have a car. Or you can take the path into the woodsy part of Fairmount and see the duck babies in the Wissahickon. Beautiful and looking better every time we visit. read more

This place is GOOORRGEOUS! This is the Cindy Crawford of parks. Right before prom, we came to Fairmount Park to take pictures. We were posing in the gazebo right outside the WaterWorks (now i think it became a restaurant). The pictures came out great, with the sunset in the background over the river. read more

I've spent a lot of mornings and afternoons (sometimes both in one day) and had a lot of awesome times in Fairmount Park. Some of the fields get pretty beat up (I played in a coed football league there for years so I know this from our many infamous Dust Bowls), but the grounds are massive and very accommodating for tons of events to all take place at once. Parking isn't too bad unless there's a race, in which case, you better get there early or you won't get there at all. Today I ran my first 5K at the park, which was the Color Me Rad race. I got to see and enjoy parts of the park that I had never seen before. This park has a reputation for being sketchy come nightfall. I wouldn't know, because I'm always far gone by then; most people are. On weekends, it's a great place to enjoy some sports and sun. read more

I am from Chicago, recently transplanted to Philadelphia. In Chicago, we have The Lake (aka Lake Michigan). It is our pride and joy. Philadelphia has Fairmount Park. The true gem of Philadelphia. It should be on any list of Top 10 Things to Love About Philadelphia. This beautifully maintained park has nice paths for running, blading, hiking, biking, skipping, etc. There is great art along the way (see Fairmount Park Art Association) and you also pass many historic Philly sites: Boat House Row, The Art Museum, Falls Bridge, The Zoo...the list goes on and on. The paths are fairly clearly marked with mileage. Oh and you can go horseback riding!! The only downside is that it is not well-lit, so after the sun goes down I personally wouldn't hang out there. read more

Fairmount Park represents a highlight of Philadelphia- a place where you can escape from urban life and enjoy a slower pace of life. I have gone there the last two weekends for softball games. Today, we did the 5 mile bike from our house, so I was able to see more of the the park in depth. It has a staggering amount of open area, random Civil War (!) monuments, a museum and lots of different areas to bike around. It reminds me a lot of Golden Gate Park, which must have drawn some influence from it. For the softball yelpers-The Belmont softball fields are great. I have found the infield to be in pretty good shape, while the outfield grass hasn't been too treacherous to run around in. The only drawback so far is that I have yet to find a bathroom within the vicinity of the fields. Anyway, here's to more exploration of this Philly recreation gem. read more

Fairmount Park is large with a variety of places to visit, from historic houses, to the Horticulture Center and Shofuso Japanese House and Garden. The large pond (Centennial Lake) and pathway that runs up toward the Mann Center are quite nice. It's great to bike on the path along the Schuylkill River and check out the old bridges. read more

Dateline: Somewhere along the Schuylkill, Easter Sunday 2012 To the woman pushing a stroller wearing a "Drug Free" t-shirt & yoga pants with what appeared to be a stainless snubnose w/ pink rubber grips holstered on her hip: WHY? Just why? read more

This is a true treasure for Philadelphia providing much needed green space. It needs to be better maintained and I am fearful that this year's budget cuts will adversely affect the park system in Philly. There are wonderful mansions to explore, ball fields, picnic areas and bike trails. Love this park. read more

One of the most beautiful parks in America. Got amazing scenery and great view of Philadelphia skylines. Amazing place to bike,hike,picnic,fish. Love this place highly recommend when visiting Philly. read more

Fairmount Park - great place to run - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

As a tourist needing green space to run and hike, I am spoiled by some other great cities and their green spaces. Some cities just luck out with flora and the arboreal gifts from nature that I adore. Philly does just fine for distance and ratio of green:city if you need that space to stretch your wlgs and calm your spirits with nature. This expansive park is a gift when you visit and need that green respite. read more

Great urban park with an amazing history. But, what makes it Philadelphia's gift to the world is the view from the Belmont Plateau overlooking Center City. Go about 4 pm in Spring or Autumn when the light turns a golden hue, and it is... Simply. Breathtaking. read more

Nice clean park with a nice view. I took my dog here a couple of times to walk around. Its a little out of my way (I have closer parks) but its worth the drive. There are a couple of parking lots as you go around. There is much to see and its a great place to just sit and relax and get away from the craze that has become Philadelphia. This place has it all, hiking trails, bike trails, monuments and it leads you right to the museums downtown. read more

Since I quit the gym, I spend more time with Kelly drive than I do with most of my friends. In the winter, it is a quiet, solitary stretch that is always well-lit and (if you have a dog, or a friend with you) feels pretty safe. The rest of the year is is great for people watching and enjoying the river. Where else in the city (or in many cities for that matter) can you run more than 8 miles and never have to worry about cars? I had taken one star off because I hate the springtime regattas, but upon reading everyone else's reviews I remembered the whole REST of the park and had to put the star back on. Hikes in the Wissahickon? Yes, please. Smith playground... Who knew? Lemon Hill, The ball fields near strawberry mansion, spraygrounds, the horticulture center...I love you, fairmount park.... read more