Summer Days in Philadelphia

Philadelphia is an amazing city to live in year-round, but in the warmer months, everyone starts to venture out of their homes to explore everything the city has to offer! Everywhere you look there are fantastic events for the entire city to enjoy.

One of my favorite places to hang out in the summer months would be Spruce Street Harbor Park. Just at the edge of the Delaware River, the park has everything that would equate to a fun summer day. The park itself has plenty of trees and offers a ton of nice, cooling shade in addition to a copious number of hammocks to lounge around in! In fact, I have more than once gotten myself stuck in the hammocks. There are so many colors between the hammocks, overhanging flags, and colored lights. So at least I have beautiful things to look at when I get myself stuck and rolled up like a burrito.

In the daytime, you can have fun out on the water in a swan-shaped paddle boat or canoe! They also have one lone Dragon-shaped paddle boat. Being Drexel Dragons, this is the boat that my friends and I always fight over. At night, you can sit in nets that overhang the edge of the river or you can sit up on the grassy knolls enjoying some ice cream from the Franklin Fountain.

Right down the river walk from Spruce Harbor Park is Penn's Landing. In the winter, Penn's Landing has a beautiful outdoor ice skating rink. Now that we are in the summer months, they have turned it into a roller rink and fair grounds! They have everything you could ask for: a Ferris wheel and other small rotating rides, carnival games, and a small arcade! I also can't forget about the Chickie's and Pete's. Nothing says summertime fun like Chickie's and Pete's and riding a Ferris wheel. My priority when I am there is always crushing my friends at pinball. I'm a regular customer of the Lord of the Rings pinball machine inside the lodge area.

And so, if you are looking for ice cream, paddle boats, fair grounds, or Lord of the Rings pinball, Philadelphia is an amazing city to spend the summer in. Even if you aren't interested in any of my weird hobbies and likes listed here, there is easily something for everyone in this city! Visiting these locations is a great way to leave campus for a little bit to go exploring. One thing is for sure, you will never find yourself bored while living in Philadelphia.

Annie is a pre-junior at Drexel University. She is a part of the 5 year, 3 co-op Nursing program and will be graduating in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She has spent her first two co-ops working at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and hopes to work there upon graduating. Annie has been familiar with Drexel University from a young age as both of her parents are alumni. Outside of school, she enjoys photography, spending time with family and friends, and interacting with prospective students interested in studying at Drexel University.