How to Stay Cool (and Still Have Fun) When It’s Hot AF in Philadelphia

The best things to do in Philly this summer when it's sweltering outside.

By allie volpe

Published on 19/07/2023 at 02:50 PM

Photo by Ellen C Miller, courtesy of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation

News flash: it’s a scorcher of a summer in Philadelphia.

After a relatively mild June, July greeted us with the usual heat and humidity. And since it looks like the mugginess and temps will be bearing down on the city for a while, it’s time to turn these dog days into some splashy good times instead. Between sweet treats and hospitable locations in which to bask in the AC, we’ve got all the details on how to stay cool this season and enjoy a respite from the oppressive heat.

After you’ve planned out your weekend itinerary, here’s everything fun to do when it’s hot outside in Philly this summer. Just remember your SPF and to stay hydrated.

Make happy hour a chill experience

Various locations
If you prefer your cold treats to have a bit of alcohol in them, Philly’s bars deliver with seasonal frozen cocktails. No summer would be complete without frosé, which you can find at The Love, Parc, and both the Fishtown and East Passyunk locations of Garage. For a little spice, try The Mango One (tequila, triple sec and chili salt) at LMNO. Perhaps you skew sweet: the Frozen Astronaut (peach vodka, triple sec and orgeat) at Continental Midtown has you covered. Or indulge in El Vez’s most popular cocktail, the frozen blood orange margarita.

Eat your way through one of the country’s oldest public markets

Market East
With over 130 years of history and more than 80 vendors, Reading Terminal Market is a one-stop shop for international delicacies, fresh produce, poultry, sweets, and more. Come with a group and try a little bit from as many merchants as possible, like Saami Somi, which serves Georgian cheese boats known as Khachapuri; Roast Pork sandwiches at DiNic’s (a classic), donuts from Beiler’s; and traditional Filipino fare at Tambayan.

Take a dip in a public pool

Various locations
All of Philly’s 61 public pools have opened this year, offering residents in all neighborhoods a chance to take a dip for free. Fairmount Park’s Olympic-sized Kelly Pool boasts views of the Please Touch Museum while Fishtown’s Lederer Pool (aka Swimmo) is always popular for swimmers of all ages. Outside of the city, community pools in Haddon Township, New Jersey and Bucks County offer day passes for a nominal fee. Can’t make it to a pool? Kids (and kids at heart) can cool off at one of over 90 spraygrounds featuring lively sprinklers and other water features in park settings.

Get outta town and go down the shore

Jersey Shore
Up for a road trip? The Jersey shore is rife with pristine beaches to plant an umbrella to mark your spot while you splash in the ocean. BYO snacks (just watch out for seagulls) or pop into a fudge shop for some sweets and you’re set. For a more family-friendly vibe, try Ocean City or Cape May. Want the daytime fun to extend into nighttime? Wildwood and Asbury Park have plenty of after-dark goings-on.

Take advantage of the AC at Philly’s best museums

Various locations
If you can’t stand the heat… get into some air conditioning. Along with that cold, cold air, take advantage of the city’s top exhibits, like the massive Disney retrospective, “Disney 100: The Exhibition” at The Franklin Institute and a cool collaboration between PAFA and the African American Museum in Philadelphia, “Rising Sun: Artists in an Uncertain America,” where new work from 20 artists examining democracy is shown in both museums.

Chill in a lazy river at a water park

Various locations
If you want to make a whole day of it, take a little road trip to a nearby water park. With everything from steep plunges and wave pools to twisty slides and high-speed tube attractions, they offer both thrills and chills. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is just under an hour away in Jackson Township, New Jersey, while Dorney Park’s Wildwater Kingdom clocks in at just over an hour. Down the shore, two water parks are located on Morey’s Piers on the Wildwood boardwalk and in Ocean City has their own set of slides overlooking the boards and beach.

Cool off with some retail therapy and food court eats

Various locations
It’s never too early for back to school shopping (and you’re never too old to still shop for back-to-school outfits). Spend that hard-earned cash without breaking a sweat at any of the area’s malls. If you don’t want to leave the confines of the city, Fashion District has you covered. For an all-day shopping experience, the expansive King of Prussia Mall was recently named the best mall in America. Over in Jersey, the Cherry Hill Mall has your all standards like Nordstrom, Banana Republic, and Zara.

Indulge your sweet tooth with cold treats

Various locations
There are few things more quintessentially summer than wooder ice on a hot day. Stop by Bella Vista fave John’s Water Ice for classic flavors like Lemon and Cherry. Or try the flavors at Siddiq’s Real Fruit Water Ice which, as the name suggests, utilizes fresh fruits in their Strawberry Daiquiri and Mango Berry Varieties. If you’re looking for something a little creamier, go all out on extravagant sundaes at Somerset Splits. Don’t miss the Carrot Cake ice cream at Harper’s. And for an old timey ice cream/soda fountain vibe, get yourself to Franklin Fountain for cones, sundaes, shakes, and sodas.

Snap a stunning selfie

Market East
Put yourself into the art at Wonderspaces, Philly’s only immersive art show (with a full bar, we might add). Located inside the Fashion District, the experience features 16 installations ranging from a room of string lights, a home where each room is made of rainbow furniture, and 3D-printed sculptures designed to animate when spun under a strobe light. Grab a beer or a cocktail afterwards and scroll through all your pics.

Be entertained by live-action theater

Various locations
Cushioned chairs, an abundance of snacks, and chilly AC all contribute to the prime conditions at Philly’s theaters for some live entertainment. While summertime isn’t the exact season for prime show going, it definitely beats the heat. At the Academy of Music, check out The Lion King while Red Rūm Theater puts you right into the action with their interactive whodunnits, like Murder at the Moulin.

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Allie Volpe is a writer based in Philadelphia. She hasn’t slept in days. Follow her on Twitter: @allieevolpe.

Philadelphia

Museum Exhibits in Philly to Check Out Before They Disappear

Get in some culture (and selfies) at the best art exhibits in Philadelphia.

By allie volpe

Published on 06/03/2023 at 07:22

From the historical to the artistic, Philadelphia is jam packed with museums. Art aficionados of all ages can get lost inside the likes of tourist-friendly museums like the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Museum of the American Revolution or feast their eyes on unique exhibitions at institutions like the Fabric Workshop and Museum and the Museum for Art In Wood.

Between big-ticket exhibitions honouring the House of Mouse to collections showcasing the legacy of a prominent Black family in early America, there’s plenty of material to dig into. After you’ve planned a date night and rounded up friends to explore the city, here are the most exciting museum exhibits in Philly right now-before they’re gone for good.

The Franklin Institute

Exhibition: Disney 100: The Exhibition
Mickey Mouse, you look good for your age. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Disney is a retrospective exhibition, which got its world premiere right here in Philly. Between rarely-seen artworks and artifacts, costumes and props, and interactive installations where you can listen to hit Disney songs, the exhibit is a Disney lover’s wish-upon-a-star-come-true.
Dates: Until August 27, 2023
How to visit: The museum is open Monday through Sunday. Tickets are available online and at the door.

Academy of Natural Sciences

Exhibition: Conversations With Birds
No, not an allusion to the Eagles, this exhibition is dedicated to actual birds, their migration patterns, and humans’ relationship with avian creatures. Expect avian photography and video by local birders and wildlife photographers along with an interactive exhibit showing five migratory birds that pass through the Philadelphia region on their seasonal passage between North and South America.
Dates: Until May 21, 2023
How to visit: The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday. Tickets are available online or at the door.

The Barnes Foundation

Exhibition: Sue Williamson & Lebohang Kganye: Tell Me What You Remember
The work of two contemporary South African artists-Sue Williamson and Lebohang Kganye-are shown side by side, offering a cross-generational dialogue. Both artists utilize video installations, photographs, sculptural installations, and textiles “to consider how the stories our elders tell us shape family narratives and personal identities.”
Dates: Until May 21, 2023
How to visit: The museum is open Thursday through Monday. Advanced tickets are recommended.

Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History

Exhibition: The Future Will Follow the Past: An Exhibition by Jonathan Horowitz
Exploring the rapid change of societal issues in America since 2020-antisemitism, racial violence, immigration, women’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights-Jonathan Horowitz designed installations inspired by recent occurrences. His works explore specific events like the infamous far-right rally from white supremacists in Charlottesville as well as recent themes in American history, like attacks on those within the BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities.
Dates: Until July 4, 2023
How to visit: The museum is open Friday through Sunday. Admission is available online and at the door.

The Museum for Art In Wood

Exhibition: The Mashrabiya Project
The newly renamed Museum for Art in Wood (formerly The Center for Art In Wood) celebrates the rebrand with a brand new project. Focusing on mashrabiya, the traditional Islamic architectural design, The Mashrabiya Project is a first of its kind effort in the U.S. to examine this aesthetic. As a part of the larger mission, a new exhibition Seeing Through Space features newly-commissioned, never-before-seen works by six female-identifying artists.
Dates: Until July 23, 2023
How to visit: The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday. Tickets are not required.

Fabric Workshop and Museum

Exhibition: Henry Taylor: Nothing Change, Nothing Strange
Combining painting and sculpture, Henry Taylor utilized recycled objects in this exhibition, the product of an 18-month residency. The entire second floor of the museum houses the large scale assemblages, tapestries, and textiles. Think: 30-foot billowing canvases and towering totems created from compressed blocks of paint buckets, vinyl home siding, and black plastic planters.
Dates: Until July 23, 2023
How to visit: The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday. Walk up admission is available but advanced registration is encouraged.

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Exhibition: Judith Joy Ross
More than 200 photographs from renowned portrait photographer Judith Joy Ross will be on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, chronicling her career from the 1980s to today. Her black-and-white portraits are intimate reflections of everyday Americans, and this show features work from all her major projects, plus, never-before-seen images.
Dates: April 24 to August 6, 2023
How to visit: The museum is open Thursday through Monday. Advanced tickets are recommended.

American Swedish Historical Museum

Exhibition: Radically Marimekko
Famous for their bright and bold fabrics, Finnish textiles, clothing, and home furnishings, the company Marimekko is showcased at this special exhibit. Drawing attention to Finnish design, the collection traces the brand’s path from industrial art house to fashion icon.
Dates: March 30 to September 24, 2023
How to visit: The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday. Walk up admission is available.

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and African American Museum in Philadelphia

Exhibition: Rising Sun: Artists in an Uncertain America
A collaboration between the African American Museum in Philadelphia and PAFA, Rising Sun showcases new work from 20 artists examining the question of Is the sun rising or setting on the experiment of American democracy? With pieces shown in both museums, visitors can reflect on, challenge, and expand their view of democracy through art.
Dates: March 23 to October 8, 2023
How to visit: The African American Museum in Philadelphia is open Thursday through Sunday; admission is available online and at the door. PAFA is open Thursday through Sunday; admission can be purchased in advance or at the door.

Museum of the American Revolution

Exhibition: Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia
James Forten may not be a familiar name within early American history, but this new exhibit at the Museum of the American Revolution is looking to change that. Telling the story of Forten and his family through 100 historical artifacts, Black Founders explores the Forten family’s roles in the Revolutionary War, business in Philadelphia, and the abolitionist movement.
Dates: Until November 26, 2023
How to visit: The museum is open daily. Admission is available online and at the door.

National Constitution Center

Exhibition: The 19th Amendment: How Women Won The Vote
That lofty document known as the Constitution and its values, interpretations, and amendments are explored in great detail at the National Constitution Center, naturally. This semi-permanent exhibit examines the 19th Amendment-the one which granted women the right to vote-and the road to its ratification. Out of the near 100 artifacts, expect to see a rare printing of the Declaration of Sentiments from the first women’s convention at Seneca Falls, a ballot box used to collect women’s votes in the late 1800s, Pennsylvania’s ratification copy of the 19th Amendment, and various “Votes for Women” ephemera.
Dates: Semi-permanent, no end date announced
How to visit: The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday. Advanced tickets are recommended.

Mütter Museum

Exhibition: Spit Spreads Death
Eerily topical, the Mütter’s latest special exhibit, Spit Spreads Death, an exhibit about the 1918 flu pandemic, opened in the fall of 2019, less than six months before the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The exhibit traces the disease’s spread throughout Philadelphia neighbourhoods a century ago and how the pandemic impacted the city with artifacts like photos, newspaper clippings, and more.
Dates: Now through 2024
How to visit: The museum is open Wednesday through Monday. Advanced tickets are required.

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Allie Volpe is a writer based in Philadelphia. She hasn’t slept in days. Follow her on Twitter: @allieevolpe.