The snaking Schuylkill River bisects this 2050-acre green space, the largest city park in the US, splitting it into east and west sections. On either side of the river are cycling and jogging paths, playing fields, lawns, public art and several historic mansions.

　　In East Fairmount Park you can admire the Victorian-era rowing clubs at Boathouse Row; there's a fine view from the terraces of the Fairmount Waterworks, which is home to an excellent interpretive center on the city's water system and the park's natural environment.

　　West Fairmount Park was the site of the nation’s Centennial Exposition in 1876. Memorial Hall, built for the expo, now houses the Please Touch Museum. Nearby is beautiful Shofuso Japanese House & Garden, which is a particular treat to see in cherry-blossom season. This section of the park also includes the 42-acre Philadelphia Zoo, the first zoo in the US.