Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
Philly suburbs: so much to do for families.
29
items I live 15 minutes from Center City, and for over a decade I've been finding fun things to do with my family in the area.
Map
Sections
3
Outdoor Activities
Restaurants
Local Favorites
Outdoor Activities
Recommending places that we return to again and again.
One of my favorite hikes. It's easy, you can spend as much or as little time as you like, and the kids love stomping in the stream.
Natural Lands' Saunders Woods Preserve
Good selection; enjoyable.
Bryn Mawr Farmers Market
One of the kids' favorite. They like to climb the big net and my youngest likes the little houses to play in. It can get quite crowded on weekends and in the summer it's very hot because the trees are further back. The park that surrounds the playgro...
Ashbridge Memorial Park | Lower Merion Township, PA
This is the best. There are so many choices of activities-- both indoor and outdoor. They have a decent tot lot for toddlers, and the big slide is a perennial favorite.
Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse
A pretty park with a sizeable playground. There is a separate climbing area for the littler kids, and there are tennis courts, baseball diamonds, a big field, a batting cage, and a basketball court.
General Wayne Park | Lower Merion Township, PA
The kids love to dig in the sand here. There are separate playgrounds for small and bigger kids, as well as sports fields and it's walkable to 2 ice cream shops, some nice restaurants, and a coffee shop.
Narberth Park
This one is really fun because it's quite expansive. There are lots of slides and surfaces to climb on/under, a sand box, and in summer there are water sprayers to keep the kids cool. There are also sports fields and a dog park right beside it.
Freedom Playground
This one is really pretty, has shade, a stream and also separate areas for smaller and bigger kids to play. There is a stream and some natural areas to explore.
Wynnewood Valley Park
This one rarely gets crowded because it’s small. But it’s peaceful and pretty, and an enjoyable place to walk or ride bikes. There’s a nice stream that the kids like to explore as well.
Merion Botanical Park
Only slightly over an hour away. It’s a family friendly beach town.
Welcome to Ventnor City, New Jersey - Home Page
Right next to Ventnor (another of my reccs). Also family friendly and can get packed on summer weekends. Just over an hour from Philly.
Beach | Margate NJ
This is less for the beach, and more for fun activities for grownups. The beach isn't bad, it's just not as nice as the beaches slightly north (brigantine) or south (ventnor, margate, etc). You can walk there from ventnor on the boardwalk.
Visit Atlantic City | Events, Hotels, Casinos & Things To Do
This one’s for all the kids and families. It has the boardwalk with shopping, food, games, etc, and a big beach. It also has a public restroom.
Welcome to Ocean City, New Jersey, America's Greatest Family ...
This one is pretty, and there's lots to do for families. My kids like collecting "Cape May Diamonds," the white pebbles you find on the beach.
CapeMay.com - Cape May Travel Guide
Beautiful. Just idyllic and lovely.
Chanticleer, a pleasure garden
Really beautiful, quite expansive, and there are lots of interesting bits for kids to explore. We love sitting and climbing on the big nets high up in the trees.
Morris Arboretum & Gardens of the University of Pennsylvania
Really pretty. The treehouses are fun to explore.
Tyler Arboretum
Restaurants
We don't eat out much because we try to stick to our healthy diets-- but there are some good options for when it's time for a treat.
Their menu is full of delicious and healthier options. The kids' pizza deal is good too, because it's still a big (personal) pizza. I have a lot of food sensitivities, and I can always find something there. They have gluten- and dairy-free pizza (and...
The Couch Tomato Café, Manayunk
Yes, it's a chain, but the food is good. It's a pleasant place to eat with a nice vibe and yummy food.
True Food Kitchen
So good! Love it there :)
Osushi - Ardmore
Very good sushi!
Osaka restaurant in Chestnut Hill
Very good pizza and it's organic. The personal pizzas are comparable in price to other places, and they have the gluten- and dairy-free options we need.
Jules Thin Crust
My husband loves this place. I used to as well, before I had to start majorly limiting my diet.
Tiffin Indian Cuisine Wynnewood
So good! Our favorite Indian restaurant.
Saffron Indian Kitchen
Great kosher option. We've had really good food from here several times, too.
Slices and Rolls Pizza Shop
Local Favorites
Other places around town that I like to go
THIS PLACE IS AWESOME. It's perfect for a cup of tea with your friends. It has such an awesome vibe, and the little shop has a lot of cool stuff. Definitely worth a visit.
Plant Roots Local
I like this shop for some organic staples. I know it's a chain, but it's a smaller one, so I figured it would be good for this list because it's lesser known than the larger grocery stores (plus it's all organic).
MOM's Organic Market
Cool shop with all sorts of herbal remedies, etc.
Arrowroot Apothecary & Wellness Center
Great place for gifts and interesting things. It's often a first-stop when I need to buy a present.
El Quetzal