Stopped at Franklin Square during a Big Bus city holiday lights tour to see the PECO Light Show, a light show synchronized to seasonal music throughout the entire area. The park's carousel is illuminated with festive lights, and seemed to be a hit with the families present. Seasonal treats and warm beverages were available at the on-site SquareBurger, priced as one would expect at a tourist location like this. While the festive decorations and activities are lovely, the park was quite crowded, while we were there. Also, the bathroom trailer was absolutely disgusting, despite a small team of custodial employees on site, so plan on holding it while you're there if you can! All in all, Franklin Square was a pleasant diversion, I wouldn't make a special trip to visit. read more

Franklin Square - Franklin Square fountain during the PECO holiday light show. - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I've been here a few times and this park is absolutely beautiful. The fountain is so relaxing to watch, the park is clean and full of people, the golf course is a cute little activity for the kids and the merry go round is a perfect addition to make the park feel more inviting. I'll definitely be back again and again. read more

Always a great place to people watch and relax. It's a nice part of the city where you can get away from the "city" feel. Clean! read more

Franklin Square - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cool place to hang out outdoors in Philly. They had an ice-skating ring in June when I went. They have a small cafe/restaurant, green space, music, statues, art and good outdoor family vibes. I also noticed it is right by a train station. I'm not from Philly so I don't know the name of the train but it is 1 minute walking distance from the park. Come and let the kids run around or just chill and people watch type of place. read more

Franklin Square is a park in Center City that may be small in size, but is big with history (it's even on the National Register of Historic Places for being on of the five open-space parks planned by William Penn, founder of the city back in the 1600s). The park is currently managed by Historic Philadelphia and offers entertainment for locals and visitors - lots of things to do for families and everyone. There's the fountain, carousel, mini golf, a beer garden, passive green areas. Check out Franklin Squares' winter festivities/light show and also the Chinese Lantern festival. read more

Normally my girls (6 and 10) love Franklin Square, particularly the playground and mini golf, but we were totally caught off guard when entering the park for the Chinese Lantern Festival meant that we could not access the playground. Normally we pay nothing to go and can access everything, but when we pay $100 to get in, we can't access the playgound. We asked the manager Jim if we could exit and come back in given that we didn't know the playground was inaccessible from the park due to the festival, but he denied, and my two girls were disappointed and bored for the rest of the night. They need to give out wristbands and allow for re-entry, or be sure to tell people with kids at the door that the playground isn't accessible from the park. Next year we'll know and plan to hit the playground before entering, but for this year we are bummed. Be warned! Your kids will have more fun at the park when it's free. read more

Been to Franklin Square a couple of times - aside from special events, there is also Mini-Golf here as well. Was walking around and saw Philly Chinese Lantern Festival all set up shortly after it opened for 2023. During the day, can walk around before they set up for the actual event in the evening, which starts at 5pm which requires tickets. Nice to see the lanterns (minus the lighting up) during the daytime to get some clear pictures. It was raining on and off so glad to get a change to see it. Will have to come back for the evening event again. Was here a few years back for the lantern festival at night and it was nice. Also played mini-golf here which is also fun. There is a small carousel for the kids and public restroom as well. read more

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The park is next to the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. There is a mini golf course, carousel, and burger shack located here. There is also a Once Upon a Nation Storytelling Bench, where uniformed storytellers share short 3-to-5-minute stories. What was most impressive was the fountain. It was built in 1838 and restored in 2019 with a fountain show. It features water spraying and soaring in the air, in sync with music and colorful lights in the evening. The music was to the Rocky theme song. The show runs every 30 minutes. We also came during the Chinese Lantern Festival. In the evening, admission is required for the lighted lanterns. We were able to view them during the day at no charge. read more

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Definitely worth the trip to venture here. There's many golf, acute fountain, and some walkways. It's a really cute place to have an outing for the day without spending a ton of money. read more

A nice little park on the outskirts of Old City. I went to the Chinese Lantern Festival with a photography group. It was fantastic! The lanterns are amazingly detailed. Lots of animals, dragons, arches to walk through and selfie spots of course. It was a lot of fun exploring the exhibits. They're set up throughout the park and around the water fountain. Bathrooms are available. They could probably use a few more. Benches and some seating is also around the park. Square Burger had reasonably priced food that was also tasty. My friend liked the bbq rib bites. The ice cream was a good size, tasted delicious and was only $3.50! It was a fun night! read more

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Amazing park with lots of outdoor seating available, plus a big playground for kids of all ages, mini golf, a carousel, a small park restaurant, and lots of grassy space that currently hosts a variety of animal displays (butterflies, birds, flamingos, dragon, and more). But the best part for me was definitely the fountain, which has a show to music every 30 minutes (on the hour and half-hour). A great way to get a break from the hustle and bustle of the city! Would 100% recommend! read more

What a great space for parties weddings or any other special event. I recently attended the event at Franklin Square or Franklin view the tented area with chandeliers is absolutely stunning. The spaces lay out nicely if you're having a wedding one room for the actual ceremony and another for food dining dancing. If you're lucky enough to be invited to a event here do not decline. Keep in mind it is difficult to park in the area although there are garage you can walk the 4-5 blocks from Jefferson Station. read more

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Franklin Square is a nice park in Old City near Chinatown. It's well-kept and offers family-friendly activities such as mini golf and a cute carousel ride. It's also home to festivals such as the Philadelphia Chinese Lantern Festival. It is easy to access in Philly, but it'll be nice when the PATCO stop at the square reopens too. read more

Stopped by here one night after dinner just to walk around. My son loved the little light show :P it was a nice thing to do for free on our last night. Easy to park on the Friday night we were here. It was also after the holidays so that probably helped. read more

Really cute park. It has a nice playground, miniature golf, carousel, a burger shack, restrooms, and lots of art pieces that remind me of Alice in wonderland meets Chinese new years. Fun place to come and bring the kids. read more

Franklin Square - Fountain. It does a song and dance which was really cute. - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I'm a sucker for any carousel ever, not sure if this one is a PTC one or not but once I spotted it I knew I had to visit this park. It's super cute and decorated for the holidays right now. They also have mini golf which I didn't partake in but could be nice for the kiddos. I brought lunch here to enjoy and bought myself a ticket for the carousel. I felt it only right to ride the eagle in Philly, am I right? This is one that does not move but after a cheesesteak and going round and round with the others moving, you'll think you're moving. I'd had just enough of an experience as the carousel came to a spot. It's the little things like this that keep me happy. Great spot for a date, some solo time and an area to let the kids blow of some steam. read more

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This review is strictly based on the park around Christmas time. The lights on the tree are very pretty, but the actual light show they do here is kind of boring. There are so many other places you can look at for Christmas lights. They have a lot of other fun activities that you can do, but they are way overpriced. Speaking of overpriced, the drinks that they serve inside are pretty ridiculous. And if you want alcohol in it it'll be more obviously. I ordered the spiked hot chocolate and it was good, but it tasted like a regular hot chocolate. Not strong at all. The workers were very friendly though. If you ever do find yourself near Franklin square during the holiday season, come look at the lights. They're not the most spectacular, but at least that parts free. Skip out on anything you gotta pay for. read more

Franklin Square - Drink menu at Franklin square - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

[1032] 11/2019 This place was always on my bucket list so I was happy check it out when company came to visit. We parked in the visitor center garage We visited on a Saturday night in November. It was cold out but we were able to warm up by the FirePit. There was a tent that looked like it served s'mores and hot chocolate but you can see the crazy long line so we did not go inside. The kids rode a train, carousel and played mini golf. The golf course was good as each hole was a different landmark in Philly. The place looks cool with the zillion holiday lights. There was a music/light show each half hour that was pretty cool. Definitely a cute place to take the kids. We stayed 2 hours in the 30 degree cold but definitely could have stayed more. I'll definitely be back read more

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Bottom Line: A small green space in Philadelphia with a historic fountain, a carousel and a Philly themed miniature golf course. On a warm September Sunday morning Franklin Square was a nice experience. We visited the park because my husband and I have a thing with playing miniature golf but we were pleasantly surprised by the 180+ year old fountain. The Franklin Square Fountain was originally built in 1838 after the Philadelphia City Council set out to build a fountain of "grand dimensions." Apparently, the fountain was in really rough shape for a long time but in 2006 it was fully restored. Just looking at the fountain, it looks like a majestic fountain but apparently at certain times it comes to life with a full-on Vegas-style water and light show choreographed to music! Wow, how fancy. I am sure the show is fun but what I like about the fountain is that it is the oldest functioning and refurbished public water fountain in the United States. There are some nice signs throughout the park - one that notes Franklin Square is one of Philly's five original squares set forth by William Penn. I didn't know much about William Penn and his squares so I like that the park left me wanting to know more. In addition to the fountain, carousel and miniature golf course, the park also has benches, bathrooms, a playground, grassy areas and benches. read more

Franklin Square - A Sunday morning view of the Franklin Square fountain. - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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They are setting up for the Chinese Lantern Festival and it looks like it will be amazing!! All the led animals and dragons I can't wait to come back and see the finished event. read more

Franklin Square - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This park has definitely changed over the years. We came here to meet some friends. All of us had little kids and this place could not have been more perfect. We were the first ones there, so we went on the carousel. The ticket booth is not near the carousel itself, and they do offer bulk specials. This ticket booth is also where you would buy tickets for the mini golf. Both kids enjoyed the carousel ride. From there, we hit the playground. It is a large one and in good shape. There are things for all ages and two distinct sections. The kids spent a few hours here without being bored. We then moved to the many picnic tables and benches they have for some food. Some people brought theirs, while others bought from the small concession they had. There was real food as well and it was fairly priced. Everyone had a great time and I highly recommend this park! read more

I really really really liked this square. They have socially distanced tables, benches and chairs around the park that you can lounge on. They also have a venue that you can hold events there and a miniture golf course. There are places that you can get food there as well, but they close relatively early. There is a carousel that lights up the square that you can ride, for a small fee. The heart and soul of the park is the lighted fountain that comes to life at the top and bottom of the hour, dancing to popular songs. I got treated to the fountain dancing to Katy Perry's "Firework". There is a lot going on in the square. There were people running, others doing some type of sword fighting class, while others were playing catch. The park closes at 9PM, so plan accordingly. It is a good time for the reasonable price of free. I highly recommend visiting this square if you are in town. However, you may want to consider bug spray, if you will be there after dark. Those mosquitos lit me up. There is metered and garage parking in the vicinity, but is still a short walk. read more

Very nice small light show. The area is not to large to walk through. They few things for the kids to do. The carousel is nice lite up when it is going around. They have a mini golf area. The Ben's sweets and treats tent is nice. Very good hot chocolate and cinnamon cookies. Also in the tent you can get few drinks to warm the adults that need one. Parking will be the toughest to find in this area. But well worth the walking through. Definitely a place to return read more

Franklin Square - Light show at Franklin square - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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My boyfriend purchased two tickets for the carousel. I felt like a kid again and I can honestly say my boyfriend and I enjoyed ourselves. Aside from the carousel, we were also able to enjoy the fountain show. We weren't able to check out the minigolf but it's a must whenever we return. read more

Franklin Square - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Now Franklin Square is transformed to Chinese Lantern Festival~ Before 6pm, admission is FREE!! You can check out all the lantern pieces. Great photo opportunity!! After 6pm, there will be admission fee because all the lanterns will be light up. Also, there will be food & beverage for sale. read more

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Lots of fun! Beautiful place! Beautiful music and simply great atmosphere! The whole family can enjoy the beautiful festival!

Visited for the 12 keys Challenge for Ben Franklins birthday! We had a great time. The challenge is tricky enough that adults/parents will enjoy it but still easily enough that it seems great for kids! The hot chocolate here is the best in town and all the staff are extremely kind and accommodating. This park is a nonprofit so make sure to support them! read more

Franklin Square - Free ride after completing the 12 keys challenge! - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Don't hate my 3 star review, but I'm from California and I'm not urbanized (yelling at my kids in public and grabbing them borderline child-abuse style.) Philly is a tough place (Ben Franklin would be proud..."I'm gonna fly my effin' kite during a lightning storm if I want!") and I'm def not "Philly tough." So, the park...it's a nice spot, but I'm lame. 3.5 stars (please don't kick my ass!) read more

Franklin Square - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This park is super close to Chinatown and this is where they have the Chinese Lantern Festival which is just magical. Riding the carousel reminds me of what it would be like to ride one at the turn of the century. Mini golf here is fun too though sometimes a really long line. read more

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William Penn set up Franklin Square and four others shortly after Philadelphia was founded. It's located near Chinatown, due West of the Ben Franklin Bridge. This park has a little something for everyone! There's a playground, a miniature golf course, a carousel and (last but not least) a lovely fountain :-) If you need a place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city just to charge your batteries, this is a great place to head for :-) read more

Most of my favorite 2020 summer and fall memories have been at this park! Since I wanted a place to spend time with friends outdoors due to covid and many of my friends live in Chinatown area, it became the perfect spot for countless picnics and long sunny hangouts. I love that the fountain offers a water show with music every half hour - often enough that it's fun to watch and listen but not so often that you can't hold conversations in between. The bnches and chairs are nicely social distanced. It was a bit of a bummer when one food truck came and fenced off a bunch of the picnic tables, and how it wasn't even open most of the time. But there were still usually plenty of seating options available, even during the more busy times. Chinatown is conveniently close enough so we could pick up bubble tea or food anytime too. I love that there's a really cute Philly themed mini-golf there too and the carousel feels so romantic. Just very thankful for this happy space! read more

Loved the mini golf. Loved the carousel and loved the water show that played every thirty minutes. Nice place to relax and walking distance of independence hall read more

We came here for the musical holiday light show and the free kid activities during the week of Thanksgiving. It's a fairly nice sized park with a large playground which my nieces were enjoying before their parents treated them to the carousel! Yes a carousel! But of course you have to pay for it. It also has a restroom area. Overall a nice park. read more

Franklin Square - Parks Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The light show is pretty mid but the drinks were strong and delicious, bartenders were very friendly and helpful.

Rented Franklin Square's Pavilion for the second time and the staff never disappoints me or my guests. From booking to the end of the event, the staff's attentiveness was impeccable. Thanks to Shamali, the event planner who exhibited nothing but patience and understanding for my delayed replies and last minute changes. Very informative and thorough. Evy and Isaiah, the attendants were by far my favorites. They were helpful, entertaining and were available during the entire party. The Pavilion is spacious, clean and budget-friendly and I would definitely use this space again. read more

I think people may think I live at this park ha ha. I mean, I often walk here, work remotely from here, relax here, stalk the tai chi club on Thursday mornings here, participate in arts and rec here and most recently drank (on more than 5 occasions a delicious cider by a fire here! A wonderful neighborhood park that provides something for everyone. Can't wait to see what installation will be there this spring. Bring the kiddos, have some churros, play mini Philly mini golf, kiss your sweetie on a park bench, people watch, lay in the grass, be mesmerized by the fountain, have a picnic, daydream! Do all the things. read more

I'm sort of surprised to not see this park listed yet. They reopened it to the public last July after a huge restoration project. the restoration project included retouching an old fountain from 1838 and making it the centerpiece. They also included new features like a huge playground, a 30 animal carousel, and a mini-golf course that includes replicas of some notable Philly structures. so not only is it a beautiful park, it's also a whole lot of fun during the day. The only flaw is the location. You find yourself going through Rittenhouse Square on a regular basis due to the area it's in. The same can be said for Washington Square, Liberty Lands, Clark Park, etc. But Franklin Square is pretty close to the highway, and not much else. So it's not that good of a "just passing through" park. but it's really worth the visit due to all that's inside it. read more

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The city has done a nice job with Franklin Square park. It is a beautiful park in a really great location. There is a really charming carousel, miniature golf course, ice cream, and Square burger. There is even a little enclosed pavilion that can be rented out for weddings and parties etc. This review also takes into consideration the Dragon light festival. The lights and displays were really beautiful but I think the $17 price tag was a little steep. Maybe because it was towards the end of the festival or because it was a beautiful Saturday night but the place was packed. Lines were long to use the bathroom (thank God didn't have to go) and for Square Burger, etc. I really enjoy Franklin Square, Park and it is a nice place to go on a weekend but the Dragon Lantern Festival was a little overpriced and overhyped in my opinion. 3.5 stars. read more

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I was a little underwhelmed with Franklin Square. It's a small non descriptive park in the city. A lot of dust on dry days not much grass to be had. read more

Beautiful! It caught our eye from off the hwy, and we decided we would go back when it opened at 6pm. So we checked into a hotel for the night, grabbed some dinner at Marmont Steakhouse, and headed over around 7:30ish. Horrible idea...afterall it was opening wknd. The line was wrapped along side the park, and it was getting cold; and because we had our small children with us, we decided to call it a night and try again another time. So, it's two weeks later, and we're back in Philly. This weekend is not an issue with cold, but scattered showers. But not letting that stop us. We arrived at 6:30pm - No line but also nothing illuminated, and grass very wet (muddy puddles). In my white converse sneakers and all, I trekked thru the grass carefully to enjoy all the beautiful art. I justbhad to see it all lit up, so we stuck around. Once 8pm hit, BAM! "Let there be LIGHT." It was astonishing! But at this hour its a Madhouse (tons of kids and adults, of all ages). There are a couple of food stands, a souvenir shop and 3-4 vendor stands, selling fans, jewelry, compact comb sets, toys. The Carousel, is another hit - tickets sold separately (not included with admission). There is also miniture golf, sold separately. This is an event the whole family will enjoy. read more

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