Fairmount Park

This sprawling park that runs on both sides of the Schuylkill River is the city’s largest and has bragging rights to dozens of cool attractions. The park is also home to many ongoing sports leagues (soccer, basketball, rugby, baseball) for locals. Same with the boathouses that accommodate the rowing clubs along Kelly Drive, tennis courts, pools, equestrian facilities, mountain bike trails and the pump track for BMX-style riding. But there’s plenty to do for visitors who may have a shorter window of time. The Philadelphia Zoo and the Philadelphia Museum of Art are both within the park. Kids will thank you for taking them to the kid-friendly Please Touch Museum or Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse, famous for its radically awesome huge wooden slide dating back to 1905. Don’t miss the stunning Shofuso Japanese House and Garden, built in 1953 in Nagoya, Japan. There are also 18th-century historic homes to tour, including Mount Pleasant, Strawberry Mansion, Lemon Hill and Sweetbriar. In the mood for some music? See what's playing at the open-air Mann Center or Dell Music Center. Told you there was a lot happening there. Get out and explore.