Philadelphia is a vibrant metropolis with loads of tradition, historical past, and leisure. However typically, you may wish to escape the city hustle and bustle and revel in some recent air and pure magnificence. Fortunately, there are various wonderful locations inside a brief drive from Philly that supply simply that. Whether or not you might be on the lookout for climbing, biking, kayaking, wildlife watching, or just stress-free in a scenic setting, you will discover one thing to fit your style.
Listed below are among the finest day journeys from Philly for nature lovers, together with what makes them nice and what you may count on to see and do there.
Ringing Rocks Park – Bucks County, PA
Distance from Philly: 60 miles, 1 hour and quarter-hour
Ringing Rocks Park is a singular geological marvel that can delight nature lovers of all ages. The park options a big area of boulders that produce a metallic sound when struck with a hammer or one other rock. The rationale for this phenomenon remains to be a thriller, however it’s enjoyable to experiment with totally different rocks and listen to the totally different tones they make. The park additionally has a ravishing waterfall, a climbing path, and a picnic space. You may deliver your personal hammer or borrow one from the park workplace. Simply watch out to not injury the rocks or your self whereas exploring this fascinating place.
Marsh Creek State Park – Downingtown, PA
Distance from Philly: 35 miles, 45 minutes
Marsh Creek State Park is a superb vacation spot for water lovers, because it contains a 535-acre lake that provides boating, fishing, swimming, and windsurfing. You may hire a kayak, canoe, paddleboard, or sailboat from the park’s concession stand, or deliver your personal. The lake can also be residence to quite a lot of fish, resembling bass, walleye, catfish, and trout. For those who want to remain on land, you may benefit from the park’s 18 miles of trails that wind by means of forests, fields, and wetlands. You can too spot wildlife resembling deer, foxes, birds, and turtles. The park has a seashore, a playground, and a picnic space to your comfort.
Longwood Gardens – Kennett Sq., PA
Distance from Philly: 30 miles, 45 minutes
Longwood Gardens is a botanical paradise that showcases the sweetness and variety of crops from around the globe. The gardens span over 1,000 acres and have greater than 11,000 forms of crops, flowers, and bushes. You may admire the gorgeous shows of coloration, perfume, and texture within the out of doors gardens, the historic conservatory, the meadow backyard, and the water backyard. You can too benefit from the musical fountains, the youngsters’s backyard, the bonsai assortment, and the seasonal reveals. The gardens additionally host occasions, courses, and performances all year long. Longwood Gardens is a must-see for anybody who appreciates nature and artwork.
John Heinz Nationwide Wildlife Refuge
Distance from Philly: 10 miles, 20 minutes
John Heinz Nationwide Wildlife Refuge is the proper place to take pleasure in nature with out leaving the town. The refuge is positioned close to the Philadelphia Worldwide Airport and protects the biggest freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania. You may discover the refuge’s 10 miles of trails that supply views of the marsh, the Darby Creek, and the wildlife that inhabits them. You can too go fishing, boating, or birdwatching on the refuge. The refuge is residence to over 300 species of birds, in addition to mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. You may go to the customer heart to be taught extra concerning the refuge’s historical past, ecology, and conservation efforts.
Delaware Water Hole Nationwide Recreation Space
Distance from Philly: 80 miles, 1 hour and half-hour
Delaware Water Hole Nationwide Recreation Space is a shocking pure space that spans the border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The recreation space encompasses 70,000 acres of forests, mountains, rivers, and waterfalls alongside the Delaware River. You may take pleasure in quite a lot of out of doors actions on the recreation space, resembling climbing, biking, tenting, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, swimming, fishing, and looking. You can too go to historic websites, resembling outdated villages, farms, mills, and bridges. A few of the highlights of the recreation space embody the 40-mile Delaware Water Hole, the 100-foot Raymondskill Falls, and the 28-mile McDade Leisure Path.
Wissahickon Valley Park
Distance from Philly: 10 miles, 20 minutes
Wissahickon Valley Park is a hidden gem in Philadelphia that provides a peaceable escape from the town noise. The park covers 1,800 acres of woodlands, meadows, and streams alongside the Wissahickon Creek. You may hike, bike, or horseback trip on the park’s 50 miles of trails that vary from simple to difficult. You can too benefit from the scenic views of the creek, the cliffs, and the historic buildings, such because the lined bridge, the mill, and the statue of William Penn. The park can also be an important place for birdwatching, because it hosts over 200 species of birds all year long.
The Brandywine River Museum of Artwork and Nature – Chadds Ford, PA
Distance from Philly: 25 miles, 40 minutes
The Brandywine River Museum of Artwork and Nature is a singular museum that celebrates the artwork and the surroundings of the Brandywine Valley. The museum is housed in a transformed Nineteenth-century mill on the banks of the Brandywine River and contains a assortment of American artwork, with a concentrate on the works of the Wyeth household. You can too discover the museum’s nature trails, which provide views of the river, the wildlife, and the historic buildings. The museum additionally affords excursions of the close by studios and houses of N.C., Andrew, and Jamie Wyeth.
Tyler Arboretum – Media, PA
Distance from Philly: 20 miles, half-hour
Tyler Arboretum is without doubt one of the oldest and largest arboreta in the USA, with a historical past courting again to 1681. The arboretum covers 650 acres of woodlands, meadows, wetlands, and gardens, and options over 1,000 species of crops and bushes. You may wander by means of the arboretum’s 17 miles of trails, which provide alternatives for climbing, biking, birdwatching, and pictures. You can too go to the arboretum’s historic buildings, such because the Painter Home, the Barn, and the Lachford Corridor. The arboretum additionally has a butterfly home, a tree home, and a fairy backyard for youngsters.
Valley Forge Nationwide Historic Park
Distance from Philly: 25 miles, half-hour
Valley Forge Nationwide Historic Park is a spot the place you may be taught concerning the historical past and the heroism of the American Revolution. The park preserves the location the place George Washington and his military spent the winter of 1777-1778, enduring harsh situations and low morale. You may discover the park’s 3,500 acres of trails, monuments, and historic buildings, such because the Washington’s Headquarters, the Muhlenberg Brigade Huts, and the Nationwide Memorial Arch. You can too go to the customer heart, the museum, and the theater to be taught extra concerning the park’s significance and the tales of the individuals who fought for independence.
French Creek State Park
Distance from Philly: 50 miles, 1 hour
French Creek State Park is a pure oasis that provides quite a lot of out of doors actions and recreation. The park options two lakes, Hopewell and Scotts Run, that are perfect for fishing, boating, and swimming. You can too hike, bike, or horseback trip on the park’s 35 miles of trails that traverse by means of forests, fields, and hills. You can too take pleasure in tenting, picnicking, disc {golfing}, and orienteering on the park. The park can also be residence to numerous wildlife, resembling deer, foxes, beavers, and birds. You can too go to the close by Hopewell Furnace Nationwide Historic Website, which showcases the historical past of iron manufacturing within the area.
