Schuylkill Banks

Schuylkill Banks is where Philadelphians go to breathe, and it is the easiest way for visitors to see the city's best side for free. The name covers the riverside parks and trails along the tidal stretch of the Schuylkill River, the southern eight miles from the art museum area down toward the Delaware, managed and programmed by the Schuylkill River Development Corporation. The core for visitors is the Center City stretch of the Schuylkill River Trail, a paved path along the east bank from the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Fairmount Water Works south past the backs of Center City's high-rises to South Street and beyond. Its signature piece is the Schuylkill Banks Boardwalk, a 2,000-foot concrete walkway built out over the river itself from Locust Street to South Street, with four widened overlooks with benches and solar-powered lighting; walking it, with the water beneath you, the rail lines alongside and the skyline above, is one of the great urban walks in the eastern United States. Along the way there are neighborhood parks, piers, a skate park, boat docks and access points with historical signs, and the trail is part of the regional Circuit Trails network and the East Coast Greenway. About 33,000 people use it every week, so it is lively but rarely crowded. The park hosts kayak tours, riverboat rides, birding walks during migration and outdoor movie screenings in season, listed on the Schuylkill Banks website. It is free and open daily, reachable from multiple Center City access points, by Indego bike share, and by the PHLASH visitor bus, which stops at the art museum end.

Best routes: for a first visit, start at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, walk down past the Water Works and along the river south through the Center City stretch to the boardwalk, then exit at South Street or Locust Street to Rittenhouse Square for coffee: about two miles, flat and gorgeous. Runners and cyclists can head north instead, past Boathouse Row along Kelly Drive, where the trail continues on toward Manayunk and eventually Valley Forge and beyond, a regional trail that runs far beyond the city into the countryside. Rent an Indego bike from a station near the trail for an easy loop.

When to go: early morning brings rowers on the water and runners on the path; golden hour and sunset light up the skyline and the river; spring and fall migrations bring birders. Summer can be hot, with patchy shade, so carry water. The boardwalk's lighting makes evening walks pleasant, but as with any urban trail, stick to the busier stretches after dark. Work continues on extending the trail southward to create a continuous riverside route, so new sections may open over time. Across the river, Bartram's Garden, the oldest surviving botanical garden in the country, is a free and peaceful detour for anyone continuing south on foot or by bike, and the riverbank there has its own trail and community boathouse.

Pairing and fit: combine the trail with the art museum and Boathouse Row to the north, Rittenhouse Square to the east, or the Penn Museum across the South Street Bridge to the west. It suits runners, cyclists, couples, families with strollers, photographers and anyone who wants to see Philadelphia from the water's edge. It is free, it is beautiful, and it is the best antidote to a morning of museums. Bring a camera: the views of the skyline reflected in the river from the boardwalk overlooks are among the best free photographs in Philadelphia, especially in the last light of the day.