Chasing Autumn: Philadelphia’s Best Spots for Sighting Fall Foliage

Very little says “autumn” like fall foliage. Leaves in shades of russet, burnt orange, and butternut captivate visitors and turn the City of Brotherly Love into a scenic wonderland. Where are the best spots in Philly to check out the foliage? Keep reading to find out.

The Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania leads the list. With over 12,000 trees scattered throughout, there is plenty of opportunity to see leaves of all colors! As a bonus, the park’s website lets you know what species are currently in bloom, so you know what to expect for your trip. Also in northeast Philadelphia is Pennypack Park, which is another scenic and sizeable place to visit, covering some 1,200 acres! The park offers hiking and biking opportunities on trails both paved and not, and several historic structures add interest to your day trip.

If you are checking out the Schuylkill River Trail, then you are familiar with Bartram’s Mile, with its accompanying garden. This is an especially pretty part of the trail, where sun dapples the pavement through a canopy of colorful foliage. Keep your eyes open for wild turkeys meandering about the grounds! Also on the trail, of interest to autumn enthusiasts, is the Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk. From Curbed Philadelphia:

It’s nice all along the trail, but definitely go past the art museum toward Kelly Drive. If you’re really ambitious, make the bike trek all the way up the trail to Valley Forge National Park to really up the fall foliage ante.

Of course, you can’t mention fall landscapes in Philly without giving a shoutout to Independence Hall and all the other landmarks in Center City Philly. There is nothing so quintessentially American as viewing the gorgeous foliage surrounding colonial landmarks, which seem right in their element. True, it is one of the most-photographed spots in the city, but there’s good reason for that.