Philly-Fairmout park
 

Hi, I live outside Baltimore and would like to drive up to Philly for the day and bike around Fairmount park, etc.... Im looking for new things to do on a bike and I hear philly is bike friendly. Im looking for biking tips and esp good places to park preferably on a week day morning (10am ish). Thanks!

It has been many years since I've biked in Philly but when I did it, I biked everywhere! The tough part may be finding the parking on a weekday. If I were you, I would start out in University City around UPenn, bike around that neighborhood, go across the Schulykill on Spruce street (I think that is the one that goes in the right direction but I may be wrong) and make your way down to Olde City near the Delaware river. Watch out for that area though, cobblestones. You can then ride down towards the Art Museum and ride on the sidewalk along the river, cross over one of the bridges and ride up the other side. I'm assuming you are talking about road biking rather than mountain biking. While you are in town look for a book on biking Southeastern Pa. Biking the Lancaster area is amazing especially if you go on a Sunday when the Amish are out visiting.

Just keep your eyes and ears open and try to travel with a buddy when you go to Fairmount Park. There is a rapist/murderer who raped a young women (jogger) a couple of months ago and another young woman (another jogger) who was raped and murdered a couple of weeks ago while she running in the park.
Do a search on the local Philadelphia news stations (NBC10.com, WPVI.com) for detailed story information.

Other than the above, the park is great and it is lovely in the summer and fall.

Alot of bike enthusiasts I know start up in the Manayunk area (great for hills, shopping, breakfast) and travel down one of the drives (Kelly or W.RIver), along the Parkway, through Center city to Penn's Landing and back. It's a great ride, mildly challenging, and there is much to see. Parking is not too bad in Manayunk (just outside of center city philly) at that time of the morning and upon your return, you can park yourself outside one of the cafes on Main Street and reward yourself with a nice cold drink!

The art museum side of the Schkyll river is much safer than the Fairmot park side. I'd bike on Kelly drive instead of around Fairmont park.

I forgot to mention that you can also drive out to Valley Forge Park about 45 min away and bike the park and the surrounding area.

Valley Forge park sounds pretty cool....I thought kelly drive was part of Fairmount, no? hrmm, so its safe to find street parking? Does anyone know if they have bike racks at philly zoo??

Yea, Kelly Drive is also in Fairmount Park. As long as you use common sense, and only go to the park during the day, you should be fine.

How is the Valley Green section of the park (the section that runs by Chestnut Hill)? Crime problems there?

yeh, how is the valley green area? where do u park? etc...? have u been there BT?

I used to live in Chestnut Hill and went to Valley Green regularly. There were a few main parking areas. One is at Bells Mill (the street connecting Germantown and Henry aves), another near Chestnut Hill College, and another down near the Valley Green Inn.
The Valley Green area is one of the prettiest stretches of the park and very popular for after-work jogging, dog walking, even horseback riding. In the winter, it's great for cross-country skiing after a fresh snowfall.
From Center City, I *used* to be able to get there from the #9 (Andorra) bus...there was a stop on Henry Avenue, the "other" side of the Valley Green Inn (I think of the main entrance as the Chestnut Hill side).