Northwest Philadelphia

Understand

Northwest Philadelphia can be divided into two sections - west and east, which could be called the "Ridge Avenue Corridor" (Roxborough, Manayunk, Wissahickon, and East Falls) and the "Germantown Avenue Corridor" (Germantown, Mount Airy, and Chestnut Hill). These two sections are separated physically by the Wissahickon Creek, with only a few bridges passing in between. East Falls, though along the Ridge Ave. Corridor, is only connected to Manayunk by Ridge Ave and Henry Ave, and is much more connected to Germantown. The Wissahickon Creek runs to the east of the two avenues, and is flanked by the Wissahickon section of Fairmount Park. The park offers many paths and beautiful vistas, and is a popular, though not crowded, spot for runners or people who enjoy light hiking. Roxborough: It is not certain where Roxborough received its name from, but it is likely that the original settlement was named after Roxburghshire, Scotland which is the original home of an early settler Andrew Robeson. Roxborough has two main Avenues running almost parallel through it which connects the neighborhood to the rest of the city. Roxborough connects to Manayunk through Ridge Ave and to East Falls by Henry Ave. Most of Roxborough’s business is placed along Ridge Ave consisting of many hoagie shops and restaurants as well as regular shops and coffee shops. Roxborough is connected to the city through a number of different modes of SEPTA transportation including the train and bus. It is also easily accessed by driving. The neighborhood lies on the edge of the city’s limits and is often mistaken as a suburb of Philadelphia. It has one of the lowest crime rates within the city and because of the low crime rates along with the “suburban feel,” easy access public transportation and community parks, Roxborough is an attractive place to live. One of the main parks is called Valley Green. It consists of one main path that runs along side of the Wissahickon Creek and stretches for about 15

Getting there

By car East Falls sits at the intersection of major highways running through the Philadelphia area:

US Route 1 (SW to Baltimore/Washington, NE to New York/Boston), I-76 (south and east to Center City, South Philadelphia, and New Jersey, north and west to King of Prussia and on to Harrisburg, Pittsburgh, and Ohio), and Ridge Ave, Kelly Drive, and MLK/West River Drive to Center City. From interstate 76, the exits for the area include Belmont Ave/Green Lane (Roxborough/Manayunk), Kelly Drive/Ridge Ave/Lincoln Drive (The main interchange in East Falls) and US 1 N - Roosevelt Blvd, which runs through Germantown on its way to Northeast Philadelphia. US 1 exits in East Falls/ Germantown include Henry Ave, Wissahickon Ave, Wayne Ave, and Germantown Ave. East Falls, Manayunk, Wissahickon, and Roxborough sit along the Schuylkill River. Ridge Ave. runs parallel to the river after it gets to East Falls, along the crest of the hill between the river and Wissahickon Creek. I-76 runs on the suburban side of the river, parallel to it, until it crosses Route 1 into the city limits and on into Center City. To access the East Falls US 1/I-76/Kelly Drive/Ridge Ave/Lincoln Drive interchange: From points west by southwest (West Philadelphia, lower Montgomery County, and Chester County), take US 1 N (known as Baltimore Pike, State Road, Township Line Rd, and City Ave) to East Falls where you can get onto Ridge Ave or Germantown Ave. From those areas Route 1 can be accessed by US Rte 30 (Lancaster Ave) in Wynnewood/West Phila, Lansdowne Ave/Darby Rd and PA Rte 3 (West Chester Pike) in Havertown/Drexel Hill, PA Rte 320 (Sproul Rd) and I-476 in Marple, PA Rte 252 (Providence Rd) in Media, US Rtes 352 and 452 west of Media, and US Rtes 322 and 202 in Chaddsford. From points northeast (Northeast Philadelphia, Bucks County, and Trenton, NJ, etc.) take Rte 1 S (known as Roosevelt Blvd and Lincoln Highway). It can be accessed via PA 611 (Broad St) in North Philadelphia, PA 232 (Oxford Av

See

1 The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, 100 E Northwestern Ave (at Stenton Ave), ☏ +1 215 247-5777. 10AM-4PM daily. Sa-Su until 5PM Apr-Oct, Th until 8:30PM Jun-Aug. The Morris Arboretum features over 13,000 plants of over 2,500 types spread out over 92 acres. Temporate floras of North America, Asia, and Europe are represented here; the Asian floras are represented particularly well. The arboretum was designed in an English park style with Japanese influences. $20 adults, seniors $12, youth/students/active military/pedestrians/bicyclists/SEPTA users $7. (updated May 2025) 2 Woodmere Art Museum, 9201 Germantown Ave, ☏ +1 215-247-0476. A large collection of local artwork, displayed in an old mansion. (updated Mar 2023) Stagecrafters. This unique play house accepts works by local playwrights and puts on shows several times throughout the year. 3 Wissahickon Creek. A stream in southeastern PA which runs about 23 miles. The beauty of this area attracted the attention of local poets like Edgar Allan Poe. The Wissahickon Valley is known as one of 600 National Natural Landmarks of the United States. America's first papermill was set up along this stream. Many locals visit the stream to relax, and you can even feed the ducks. It makes for a great family outing. There are many hiking trails, the Valley Green Inn (a picturesque place to eat), and a walking/biking, horseback riding trail known as the Forbidden Drive. 4 Philadelphia University (At the intersection of School House Lane and Henry Ave). Previously Philadelphia College of Textile and Science. Features a previous home of Grace Kelly on its campus. 5 Germantown White House. (updated Sep 2018)

Do

Events Bike Race - Throughout the summer months Manayunk holds various events on Main Street and surrounding areas. Until 2017, the Philadelphia International Championship was held In early June, throughout the streets of Manayunk. Moving through Main Street and stretching up onto Manayunk Avenue, the bike race moves through various sections of the Manayunk/Roxborough area. The “wall” refers to a section of the race where the bikers are required to scale Lyceum Avenue, which has a steep 17 percent grade. The “wall” has become a main attraction for the race, as many riders find this the most challenging stretch of the race. The race was a Philadelphia tradition, drawing thousands of visitors and spectators each year

Arts Festival - The Manayunk Arts Festival is held in late June each year. Over two hundred artists come to Manayunk to showcase their work along Main Street. The Festival draws thousands to the Manayunk area, with vendors and artists lining the street with small booths. Local restaurants set up stands where passerby’s can sample the local cuisine. Many of the main businesses stay and offer specials throughout the weekend long festival. While the Arts Festival and the Bike Race are both held in the month of June, the gathering of artists provides a quieter option for familie