West

Understand

With the exception of a few colonial and early federal mansions like the Woodlands and Bartram's Gardens, most of West Philly developed from farmland as an early suburb. Development moved west from the Schuylkill following the course of a network of trolleys (many of which still run today) and the El which runs above Market St. University City is also known as the "Left Bank" (an homage to Paris' Latin Quarter), as well as Philadelphia's "international" neighborhood because of the multitude of ethnicities living here.

Not surprisingly, West Philadelphia today presents a living catalog of 19th- and early 20th-century residential architecture ranging from dramatic ornate Queen Anne Victorian mansions to more humble brick rowhouses. Although many sections suffered decline and urban blight as the heavy industry that fed the demand for housing construction in West Philly dwindled and departed the United States, areas like Powelton Village, Spruce Hill and Cedar Park have been largely preserved and provide an opportunity to "step back into time" as you stroll the wide tree-lined streets of stately 19th-century homes. The area has been declared a National Historic District.

West Philly is home to several large educational institutions including the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and the former University of Sciences in Philadelphia (now Saint Joseph's University - University City Campus).

The area also holds most of Philadelphia's expansive Fairmount Park, the largest municipal park in the country. It is home to Mann Music Center, the Philadelphia Zoo, and the Please Touch Museum. On Sundays, MLK Drive is closed to traffic, so bring your rollerblades!

Check out Clark Park on Baltimore Ave at 43rd Street, or take a stroll on Spruce or Pine.

Get in

By public transit

• West Philadelphia is primarily served by stops 30th St through 63rd St of the Market-Frankford subway/elevated train line, which most locals refer to simply as "the El." This transit line which, as its name suggests, runs along Market Street, connects the neighborhoods of West Philadelphia with Center City to the East, ending in the Frankford section of Northeast Philadelphia. To the West, the El connects the city with 69th Street Terminal in the suburb of Upper Darby, where riders can transfer to various suburban trolley and bus lines.
• In addition to the El, all of Philadelphia's remaining trolley lines run through West Philadelphia at some point of their route.
• West Philadelphia is also served by Regional Rail, the city's network of commuter lines. Every line serving the city stops at 30th St station, and some lines make additional stops in the area (see the SEPTA rail map for additional information).
• Both Megabus and BoltBus have their Philadelphia stops behind 30th Street Station. The area is easy to locate as there is often groups of people waiting, vendors, and signs where the buses stop. Megabus and BoltBus both run multiple trips to New York each day. Megabus runs to various other places including Washington D.C., Toronto, Boston, State College, and more. See the website for current information.

By car

In addition to the network of city streets, West Philadelphia has easy access to Interstate 76 (usually referred to as the Schuylkill Expressway, after the river along which it was built) on its Eastern edge and Interstate 476 (the Blue Route) may be accessed on the Western edge of the area via PA Route 3 (West Chester Pike).

By bike

West Philadelphia cyclists count on one of the more extensive networks of bike-friendly streets in the city, many of them with designated bicycle lanes. Chestnut, Walnut, and the portion of 48th Street south of Market St have newly installed parking protected bike lanes. As elsewhere in Philadelphia be cautious and never assume that a driver will yield, the city's reputation for reckless driving is well-earned. These streets are all part of the city's Bicycle Network. The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia also provides resources. There are also a few good places to get new/used bikes as well as new/used parts and accessories: The Neighborhood Bike Works and Firehouse Bicycles.