Get outdoors in these free state parks near Philadelphia
Visiting a state park near Philadelphia is a free ticket to fun this summer.
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Forget about buying beach tags or expensive rentals, and save money on outdoor excursions this summer with one simple trick β visiting a state park.
In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, there are no entrance fees to state parks. Outside Philadelphia, there are at least a dozen state parks jam-packed with nature hikes, swimming, boating, and historical sites around every corner of the thousands of acres of parkland.
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π³ Forests and nature
Wharton State Forest is a treasure in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, with more than 125,000 acres of forest about an hourβs drive east of the city. Driving to the forest, youβll arrive at Batsto Village, a historical site that used to be a bog iron and glassmaking industrial center, from 1766 to 1867. You can start by taking a self-guided tour through the village. From there, explore the Batona Trail (28.2 mi) or Batsto Red Trail (0.8 mi) for gorgeous forest hikes, or cruise about 20 minutes north to the state parkβs Atsion Recreation Area for swimming, camping, and canoeing.
For a shorter trek, look to Tyler State Park in Newtown. This more-than-1,700-acre beauty is home to hiking trails, wildlife watching, and the Neshaminy Creek for canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding. Thereβs also a rich arts and cultural scene at Tyler with the Langhorne Players theater group performing out of the historic Spring Garden Mill and the Tyler Park Center for the Arts, which occupies a former equestrian and hay barn. Itβs hard to sum up all that Tyler has to offer, from fishing and disc golfing to sledding and cross-country skiing in the winter.
- Wharton State Forest: π 31 Batsto Rd., Hammonton, N.J. β Daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. π Batsto office: 609-561-0024 /
Atsion office: 609-268-0444 π Reserve campsites at camping.nj.gov - Tyler State Park: π 101 Swamp Rd., Newtown, Pa. β Daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. π 215-968-2021 π Reserve campsites at pennsylvaniastateparks.reserveamerica.com
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π For the history buffs
Of course, there are excellent historic sites in Gettysburg and Valley Forge but theyβre not state parks, so they donβt qualify for this list. (But definitely check them out if you havenβt.)
Fort Mott State Park is a war history buffβs dream with fortifications from around the Spanish-American War that were used as a three-fort coastal defense system around the Delaware. While the fort was considered obsolete after the World War I, the buildings and its rich history live on as a historic site and recreation area. Explore the technology used to defend the river and old artillery cannons, find a spot for picnicking or fishing, or take advantage of biking and hiking trails.
Thereβs possibly no more iconic image of the American Revolution than Washingtonβs crossing of the Delaware on Christmas night in 1776 β why not see the spot yourself? At Washington Crossing State Park, where in 1776, boats and ferries moved soldiers, horses, and cannons across the river to New Jersey on their march to Trenton (where they would later achieve victory), you can walk the very path they did. Visit the Johnson Ferry House where Washington and his army are believed to have stayed, and check out the visitor center that houses the Swan Historical Foundationβs 500-artifact collection from the Revolutionary War.
- Fort Mott State Park: π 454 Fort Mott Rd., Pennsville, N.J. β Daily, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. π 856-935-3218
- Washington Crossing State Park: π 355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Rd., Titusville, N.J. β Daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. π 609-737-0623 π Reserve campsites at camping.nj.gov
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ππ½ββοΈ Fun in the water
Island Beach State Park gives you everything you could want for a Jersey Shore day trip without the beach tags or entrance fees. Enjoy coastline swimming and sunbathing, surfing, or walking along one of their eight hiking trails all under one mile. For some flora and fauna, visit Island Beachβs Emily DeCamp Herbarium to see its collection of around 400 plants that have been classified and preserved.
The islandβs nature program is robust, with daily activities like birding while kayaking, surfing lessons, and guided sunset paddleboard tours. The trip to Island Beach State Park is like any trip to the Jersey Shore from Philly. Itβs going to take about two hours to get there (just ask The Inquirer staffers that raced to the Shore to find the fastest route) and itβs well worth the trip. The Seaside Heights boardwalk is 10 miles away for beach treats.
If thereβs a state park near Philly for that affordable weekend summer getaway, put Parvin State Park on the list. Take a 45-minute drive south of the city to find lush forests, campgrounds and cabins, and gorgeous Parvin Lake for swimming, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. Itβs an all-in-one state park with a vibrant community of naturalists that provides daily educational programs, too. Swimming areas are open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and the parkβs nature center provides free programming from noon to 3:30 p.m. on the weekends.
To have that lovely weekend getaway, make sure to book early as the nightly rates of $25 for tent campsites and $65 for four-person cabins have reservations filling up fast.
- Island Beach State Park: π 2401 Central Ave., Seaside Park, N.J. β Daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. π 732-793-0506
- Parvin State Park: π 701 Almond Rd., Pittsgrove, N.J. β Daily, sunrise to sunset π 856-358-8616 π Reserve campsites at camping.nj.gov