West Philadelphia
Establishment
neighborhood
Boat House Row
1 Boathouse Row, West Philadelphia
When the Shuylkill Navy was founded back in 1858, each of the member rowing clubs built stunning boathouses along the river to host trainings and, of course, house their boats. Today, the Navy is active as ever, hosting regattas for every level of skill and competition, and the gorgeous houses (which are lit up with lights in the evenings) still stand, in excellent condition. The best view of the houses—and regattas, if you’re lucky enough to catch one—is from the Schuylkill River Trail, which is equally perfect for long bike rides into the suburbs or quick morning walks, cup of coffee in hand.
Philadelphia Museum of Art
2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., West Philadelphia
We should start by saying that yes, those stairs probably look familiar: They’re the Rocky steps, which means you can have your dorky running moment conveniently en route to the third largest art museum in the country. Definitely be sure to check out the museum’s adjacent Rodin collection—partially installed inside a formal French garden, it’s the largest public collection of the sculptor’s work outside of Paris—and it’ll also include The Kiss starting in February 2018.