7 surprising Philly spots to do remote work, and skip the coffee shop

As the song goes, “Wherever I lay my lap(top), that’s my home (office).” But not all remote work spaces are created equal. From Google to small businesses, many companies are still struggling to determine how often employees should be required to come into the office after 2020′s shift to remote work amid peak COVID.

But after more than two years of working from home, some employees are embracing alternative places to clock in.

Before clocking in, think about what you’ll need during an eight-hour stretch. Do you need outlets, or do you have your own power sources? Are you a bagged lunch/thermos of coffee type, or is it important for you to have food and beverage options available? Does your laptop need to be on a table, or can you work with it in your actual lap? Do you need internet access, or will staying off-line make you more productive?

» READ MORE: From Ikea to Cherry Street Pier, Philly workers are changing what it means to work from ‘home’

Other things to consider: access to restrooms; air flow if you’re indoors; temperature if you’re outdoors; proximity to other people; noise level; management’s attitude toward having someone there for long stretches of time.

Here are a few ideas besides your neighborhood coffee shop to post up for your next remote workday.

With tables, chairs, outlets, free WiFi, and a gorgeous view of the Delaware River, Ikea’s second-floor cafeteria can be an ideal place to set up shop for the day. Apply for a free membership and get complimentary coffee and tea to sip while you work. And when the 3 p.m. slump hits, a few minutes in a floor model Poang chair might be just what you need to get through the rest of the day.

📍2206 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd. 🕑 Store hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

This space was designed for remote work. The 5,000-square-foot lounge has comfortable seating that can be adjusted if you’re having a meeting on-site. There’s a coffee shop on-site and food options in the neighborhood. The Science Center is proud to be an idea incubator, and it’s possible that some of the creativity in the air could rub off on you.

📍3675 Market St. 🕑 Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

University City’s elevated park atop a parking garage offers free WiFi and multiple seating options. There are two food/drink options on-site that open in the afternoon, including Sunset Social at Cira Green, a casual spot for snacks and drinks that also organizes on-site events including lawn games and movie nights. Has your pet become used to having you at home? Animals are allowed as long as they’re leashed and picked up after.

📍129 S. 30th St. 🕑 Open 7 days a week from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. May 1 through Sept. 30, and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 1 through April 30.

Already home to multiple artists working in studios made from converted shipping containers, the pier has seating, food and free WiFi. Pampered pooches are allowed if leashed. Instead of a coffee break, consider a knitting break: Needles and yarn are for sale from a customized vending machine. The pier isn’t climate-controlled, but the glass doors are rolled up in the summer and rolled down in winter.

📍121 N. Christopher Columbus Blvd. 🕑 Open year round, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Take a seat at a traditional table or stretch out in a hammock while working at this warm-weather only locale. While it lacks outlets, the park has everything else you’d need for a comfortable workday, including lawn games to encourage blood flow and happy hour drinks for sale.

📍301 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd. 🕑 Open May 26 to Sept. 25. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.

It’s your 12-hour room rental, and you can work if you want to. Or you might opt to put on a fluffy robe and sit poolside or lounge in bed while waiting for the room service cart. If work is your thing, you get free internet and access to the business center as part of your package. In-room wellness offerings include Headspace meditations through the World of Hyatt app and Exhale on demand on guest-room televisions.

📍Includes Bellevue, Hyatt Centric Center City, Hyatt House Mount Laurel, Hyatt House Plymouth Meeting, Hyatt House King of Prussia. 💵 Prices start at $65, and the program is offered based on room availability.

Support your city with a museum membership, and it will support you back with this comfortable work space offering free coffee and tea. Dispel the midday blues with a quick run up and down the steps a la Rocky, or seek inspiration in one of the galleries.

📍2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway. 🕑 Thursday-Monday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 💵 Annual membership options include $25 student to $75 single adult.

Do you have a favorite place to work besides your neighborhood coffee shop? Email us at business@inquirer.com and let us know where you go and why you like it.