If you’re looking for a fun Philadelphia adventure spot, look no further! As a freshman here at SJU, my goal for the next four years is to explore the city of Philadelphia. Participating in the AIM early arrival program the week before classes started led me to discover Spruce Street Harbor Park which is located on the Delaware River in the Penn’s Landing area. The park boasts hammock through the entire area as one of its key components. In addition to hammocks, the park also has a “life-size” versions of chess board, bean bag toss, connect 4, Jenga and bocce. There were swans and kayaks in the river when I visited which can be rented in half hour increments for a fair price.
In addition to a variety of activities, Spruce Street Harbor Park also offers an array of food and drink options. On the floating barge, you can grab boardwalk-style pizza and Garces Group’s Distrito which serves various tacos. There is also a beer garden for those who are 21+. On the shore (in the park), there a Port FedNuts which sells an infamous fried chicken sandwich, a Franklin Fountain which serves sodas, milkshakes, ice cream and other frozen treats that include waffle ice cream sandwiches. Another favorite is Chickie’s and Pete’s will sells its famous crab fries, crab pretzels, Old Bay caramel corn, cheesesteaks and more. Unfortunately, this fun has an expiration date when the temperature starts to cool down.
No need to worry, there’s other fun things to do in the months to come! You can always visit the Independence Seaport Museum! This museum is a historic ship that dives deep into information about the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers relation to Philadelphia. There are also fun exhibitions that take about the China trade, how boats float and more.
Look ahead to the chillier months when the Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest transforms Penn’s Landing into a winter wonderland from the day after Thanksgiving until the first week of March. The park boasts an Olympic-sized ice rink with views of the Delaware River and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The cost to rent a pair and skate and have access to the rink is $13. If skating isn’t for you, there’s also a winter garden with outdoor seating area with fire pits, warm cabins, arcade games and more. Vendors from Spruce Street Harbor Park are also back during this time of year. There’s also a grand Christmas tree that gets you in the holiday spirit.
For those of us who are relatively local, you can’t miss out on the exciting fireworks that ring in the New Year. Penn’s Landing’s fireworks shows have great views of both Pennsylvania and New Jersey that are great for that January 1st post.
Enjoy your time on the river!!
HCXO,
Elizabeth