Whenever I'm in Philly, my running route is from Queen Village to the Schuylkill River Park. I…read morealways break stride of my elite 9 minute mile pace, pause the Watch the Throne album blasting in my ears, and walk through this park. It is a great moment to just take in the peaceful energy. I love this place and parks like it in general. Everyone is just out enjoying life: Kids playing basketball, friends having picnics, people playing tennis, others reading a book or taking a calm walk with their airpods in, dogs running around the dog park while their owners watch from the sidelines, etc. The kids playing basketball always gets me a little emotional because that used to be me and my friends before the responsibilities of adulthood caused my cortisol levels to go through the roof. All we cared about was playing basketball and having fun. It's like a little time portal to the past. The FMC tower watches over the park, reflecting the sky. I always get fascinated with buildings like this and it makes me appreciate human beings. Like we just built that thing no problem. Wild. I can't close out this review without shouting out running. I could be spiraling into the abyss of negative thoughts and force myself to go for a run, and it completely alters my brain chemistry. I feel like I can do anything after a run. It has done more for me than any drug ever could. IG @jnov_ Tiktok @jnov_reviews

I love walking along the Schuylkill River trail. It's nice to take a leisurely stroll up and down…read morethe path, especially on a nice day. It's a great opportunity to people watch as well. There are many stops along the path to sit at a bench, but I generally enjoy a continuous walk.

Fairmount Park is one of the biggest parks in the United States. It still has original houses from…read morethe 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!

Fairmount Park offers a wide range of activities, from exploring historical sites and gardens to…read moreenjoying 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!

It's a land mark now but you cannot play basketball ball and they locked it…read more Looks way different then the opening credits of fresh prince of bel air

Park is locked at night. It is very clean and well maintained…read more The basketball court has changed a lot since the Fresh Prince shot some b-ball and got into a "little fight" before movin' with his auntie and his uncle in Bel Air.

Lots of space, near the water, can usually find parking close by. Good location. Events are often…read moreheld here as well.

5 stars for a lovely space with beautiful fall foliage. It's a lovely escape from the rest of the…read morecity and gives off the vibes of escaping into a relaxing tranquil space outside of the steady hustle and bustle that center city offers. It's a free space to walk around, the design of the bridge is nice, it's not too far from UPenn or from Center City. They've got beautiful courts for tennis, fields for soccer, football, baseball, etc. It's a nice walking and jogging path without too many people that traverse. They have signage for COVID-19 precautions that visitors seem to follow. Tips/Takeaways: -Great escape while exploring the city and to get out of the craze of Philly if you just need somewhere to breathe, would definitely recommend checking out!

A great staple in the Roxborough neighborhood. Home of the Philly Egg Hunt each year, always well…read moremaintained and clean and a beautiful oasis in the city.

It's been a while since I updated my Park Life list, so in order to do so I'll drop a review of my…read morefavorite Roxborough park that's filled with all kinds of community spirit! My first introduction to Gorgas Park was going to an unofficial 4th of July fireworks spectacular where neighbors would drive down fireworks by the truckload and light them off to the delight of everyone in the park. From that point forward I've enjoyed free music festivals in their pavilion, a decent farmers market in the Spring and Summer, and all kinds of people-watching. With community events and a vibrant outdoor setting with plenty to see, Gorgas is on par with Clark Park and Rittenhouse Square for all it offers. In addition to that glorious pavilion, park amenities include plenty of benches, plentiful fields and trees, statuesque memorials, stairs and hills to climb and exercise on, easy access to neighboring sporting fields, and then some!

I spend a ton of time at this park and around in the trails behind it. It's extremely peaceful when…read morethere are not 3 little leauge and a touch football games going on the field sits right up against Henry avenue and has soccer goals, 2 large baseball diamonds and plenty more open field. This butts right up against the wissahickon trail so you can easily hike down into it from the field. There is a pavilion with picnic tables that can be reserved but there are no grills on site. The park is open from dusk till dawn and they close a gate when the park is closed so you'll know. There is plenty of parking and areas to picnic or host friends. There are always a lot of dogs running around and it's very friendly. Pets must be leashed but most of the time there is no one out in the open field to let them run and fetch.

Are you looking for a public park to come play with your dog, kids, or self?…read more If so, I recommend this Fairmount Park location. Stop by at any hour during the day and you'll more than likely run into a dog walker or two who are utilizing the ample space to get Fido to chase long ball after long ball, and many a weekend you'll find a car caravan pulling in to meet at the lower lot for a Wissahickon hills mountain biking staging point. Weekday evenings and early weekends the fields occasionally play host to soccer, baseball, softball, and football practices and games, and you can even run into the random kite flier, golfer, and the oh-so-rare ultra light plane enthusiast. There's even a pavilion on the top level for outdoor gatherings, from the picnic to the 100+ brouhaha. On the topic of parties (and this ideal location), you can snag a mutli-hour field permit for around $35 (though you aren't likely to be chased out when your time is up). The pavilion I mentioned can be used with or without permit, unless someone else has one (pavilion permit is $125 from 10-6, but I believe you then wouldn't need the field permit, unless someone else was there for that, also), and it has a large fire place, four picnic tables, multiple parking stops that function as concrete benches, and bathrooms (plus, recently there have been porta-potties as well). On top of that, at all the jamborees I've been to here, the Rangers only came out when it became dark, and even then just to lock the bathrooms (the ladies they left open without me even asking, they just requested I lock up when I left) and the park gate. The Pavilion is a cool party spot with a huge grass field directly in front of it, a children's baseball field to the side of it, two larger ball fields down the hill from it (both levels of fields are large enough to support a soccer game at the same time as baseball is going on, and you could easily throw up a volleyball net for a game at the same time), and the Wissahickon Valley bike and hiking trails directly behind it (with multiple trail entry points starting at the field). As for getting here with public transportation, there is a SEPTA route 27 stop at the upper and lower end of the field on Henry Ave (upper end is Livzey Lane and the lower end is Valley Ave.): the 27 runs from Plymouth Meeting mall down Ridge Pike and Henry Avenue to and through Roxborough, onto route 76, and finally down Broad street to Washington, then back. check out a google maps image and see for yourself: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=118028361279630510874.0004600f1b697bdde7c39

What is wonderful about this pool in the summertime is that it's the largest lap public pool in the…read morecity! If people are complaining about how it's not open long enough, it's because they have a very limited budget every year. I think that they do a wonderful job with what they have. For me, it's also one of the cleanest pools in the city. Two thumbs up to the Shawn and the staff for running such a great place for adults and kids to cool off in the summer months. I haven't tried any of their other programming, but it is a real stronghold in the community.

I'll admit: I wasn't expecting the pool to be so clean! There were some leaves on the bottom, but…read morethe water itself was crystal clear. In fact, this being my first time at a public pool, I was pleasantly surprised all-around: Lifeguards were attentive, crowd was friendly, and this pool is just MASSIVE! But there are a few differences between this public pool and a typical swim club that are helpful to know beforehand: This is not a lush environment. Anyone not swimming needs to sit on concrete, bleacher-like steps behind a chain-link fence that separates the pool from the spectator area. The steps are mere feet from the edge of the pool, but I'd imagine the separation might be a little disconcerting for parents of younger kids (or just a buzzkill for anyone hoping to interact with people in the water). Bags, towels, and personal items have to stay on the steps, too, so I advise against bringing any valuables if you plan to swim, as you'll have to leave them unattended (in sight, but behind the chain-link fence). Finally, anyone entering the swim area needs to walk through a sprinkler/shower that rinses people off before they get in the water. So if you're bringing your kids and plan to walk them to the edge of the pool, prepare to get doused on your way in and out! All that said, it's a city pool. No frills, but a great place to play in the water on a hot summer day, at zero cost!

I loved that there was grass to run on. There are few trees and no deadly sinkholes to fall into. I…read morehate it when there are sinkholes, especially when they have man-eating worms inside. This field had no sinkholes or man-eating worms (to the best of my knowledge). 4/5 it was a little bumpy.

I've participated in both a football league and kickball tournament at this park. It's very sunny…read moredepending on which field or diamond you get assigned on so make sure to put on some sunscreen on when you're going to be out there for extend periods of time. You can stay to the outer edges where there are trees for some shade. With football field drawn and baseball diamonds there are a lot of lines and it can occasionally get a little confusing. The bathroom not always open but when it is you might want your own toilet paper it not always stock. Nor is the bathroom every really that clean but with not much around it nice that there is one, it be nicer if it was open more regularly. It not that hard to get to and parking easy unless there is a regalia than they turn it into a paid section but if you there for a league they usually let you in.

I absolutely love this trail. It has two connecting points where you can walk on the Bala Cynwyd…read moreside or the Manayunk side you have the option of riding your bike, walking or jogging. You meet so many friendly faces along the way . On the cynwyd side all the way at the end there's the Cynwyd train station Where you can stop in for a cup of coffee or bite to eat whatever hits your fancy. There's also a children's park there are several parking lots where you can enter into the trail. It's really peaceful, serene, well kept and maintained.

I bike thru this trail several times a week - and I've also run it. It's a short little trail that…read moreis very well maintained and quite beautiful. There is a gravel portion and a paved portion and I have biked and run on both. Pre pandemic they hosted yoga classes on the bridge. It is much improved now that the bridge doesn't lock at night. It still seems well used into the evenings when I've been on it. Def hit this trail up if you are in the area!

Great place for kids to continue playing sports through the winter, have had my son do 2years of…read morewinter session indoor soccer and it was something to look forwards to on Saturdays. The refs are young(hs age) for the younger soccer games but they seemed knowledgeable. The indoor fields are turf and the large field is split into 2smaller fields for games where the teams play literally wall to wall - def a bit different but a great opportunity for you to continue playing. There are also outdoor fields to be used we just were not signed up for those. Also has adult soccer and lacrosse. There are places to stand to watch the games with a little obstruction but it's not terrible. Very easy to get to but parking is crazy, very small lot and extremely busy. But I would recommend for anyone adults or kids

It's okay, I don't like how there's only 1 Minute to get on the field. The games are not that fun…read morebut maybe for kids, they are.