Fairmount Park is the 2nd largest urban park in the world, covering approximately 9,300 acres. Established in the 19th Century as part of the clean-up necessary to keep the Schuylkill River clean as a drinking water supply for the city, most visitors won’t get to discover the wonderful beauty and nature of the park, but our driving guides have been on almost every back road!
As well as driving, you’ll have the chance to get out and tour a historic mansion, visit the Shofuso House, a traditional-style Japanese house, which offers a fascinating glimpse into Japanese culture, or you can take a walk along Forbidden Drive on the Wissahickon Creek, and stop for a drink at the Valley Green Inn. Historic Rittenhouse Town on Paper Mill Run dates its history back to the early 1700s, and David Rittenhouse, after whom Rittenhouse Square is named, was born in one of the houses here in 1732.
A driving tour of Fairmount Park can be mixed in with your tour of other parts of the city or you can decide to focus only on the Fairmount Park area.
A Fairmount Park driving tour might also include outlying areas such as Pennypack Park, Centennial Park, which housed the first World’s Fair on American soil in 1876, or Bartram’s Garden on the banks of the Schuylkill River.
The Park is so extensive and there are so many places to see, that your tour can take 4 hours or even be extended to a full day.