How will you spend a summer day in the City of Brotherly Love? With so many activities packed between the banks of the Schuylkill and the banks of the Delaware—and beyond—one activity certainly doesn’t fit all. But whether you have the kids in tow, you travel with an entourage of your best pals, or you’re looking for a weekend alone with your sweetie, we’ve got you covered. Get ready to celebrate summer as only Philadelphia can.
Adventure On
With Kids: Dazzle the kids with the fascinating history of the legendary conqueror Genghis Khan at The Franklin Institute. Don’t miss the permanent exhibits, like the Giant Heart, or The Train Factory.
Adults Only: Leave the sizzling streets and venture into the wilds of Fairmount Park to The Mann Center, where summer brings a packed lineup of outdoor performances. Spread a blanket on the lawn and enjoy fantasitc events like Wait Wait… don’t tell me, Christina Perre & Colbie Caillat, Seth MacFarlane & the Baltimore Symphony, Diana Krall with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and Of Monsters and Me, all framed by a view of the Philly skyline.
Get Artsy
With Kids: Get creative at Art Splash, a series of five family-friendly exhibitions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Perelman Building where young visitors can take part in art-inspired hands-on activities and workshops. Kids twelve and under are free, while adults are free with museum admission.
Adults Only: Pack a lunch for a romantic picnic at the Rodin Museum. When you’re satisfied, stroll the gardens and head indoors to contemplate over 140 Rodin bronzes, marbles and plasters in the newly renovated galleries.
Be a Foodie
With Kids: If the kids eat their veggies, treat them to a sweet splurge at The Franklin Fountain, an authentic soda fountain and ice cream parlour. Or head next door to Shane’s Confectionery, an old-timey candy store where the sweets of yesteryear share shelf space with the candy fads of today.
Adults Only: In this city of good eats, let the pros at City Food Tours be your culinary guides. Snack your way through the Flavors of Philly tour, complete with cheesesteaks and tomato pie, or go highbrow (on the down-low) with the Prohibition Cocktail Tour, a two-hour adventure complete with a mystery drinking spot.
Go Green
With Kids: After checking out the new Summer Garden Railway exhibit at the Morris Arboretum, kids can explore the Tree Adventure by climbing in and out of treetop nets and a giant bird’s nest. Beyond that, you’ll have 92 acres of trees and flowers to discover.
Adults Only: While away an afternoon in Philly’s back yard, at the Philadelphia Horticultural Society’s Pop-Up Garden. The lush gardens—in South Street and now East Passyunk—includes a mobile beer garden and a summer picnic-style food menu, perfect for enjoying in the shade of trees and twinkling lights.
Spend the Day Outdoors
With Kids: Go where the animals are, to the Philadelphia Zoo, and the zoo’s new Hamilton Family Children’s Zoo & Faris Family Education Center, a LEED-certified wildlife academy called KidZooU. Interact with goats, sheep, ducks and miniature horses at the academy, hike the Treetop Trail, and learn about environmental conservation before you head to the main zoo for time with the hippos, lions and giant tortoises.
Adults Only: Wander among manicured hedges and fountains, wild gardens and ponds, vegetable plots and vibrant flowerbeds at the sprawling Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, an easy 45-minute drive from Center City. Purchase a glass of wine or a local beer from an outdoor vendor, and experience a strolling happy hour as Mother Nature intended it.
Get Eclectic
With Kids: Don’t be surprised if the kids want to redecorate their rooms after a walk through Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, a winding outdoor mosaic sculpture garden created by local mosaic artist Isaiah Zagar. The glittering, colorful walls, floors and ceilings will set kids’ imaginations afire, and leave adults with wide eyes too.
Adults Only: Now until August 3, check out three large scale installations by world renowned artists at The Barnes Foundation’s The Order of Things exhibit. While you’re there, don’t miss the museum’s one-of-a-kind collection featuring extensive works by Renoir, Picasso, Matisse and Cezanne.
Photos: M. McClellan for GPTMC, Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Mann Center, mytoenailcameoff
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram