15 Things Every Fitness-Loving Philadelphian Needs to Try This Summer
Your ultimate bucket list for a fit and healthy summer around Philly.
Photograph courtesy Fitness Alive.
Have we mentioned how much we love summer in Philadelphia? There’s so much to do, so much good (frozen, sweet) food to eat, it sometimes can be hard to decide where to start.
That’s why we made this list — your bucket list for a happy, healthy, action-packed summer around Philadelphia. We’re quickly approaching summer’s halfway point, so count up everything you’ve already tried, score yourself using the ranking below, and get ready to tackle the rest of the list.
Score Sheet
How many of the activities below have you tried? Score yourself here.
0-3…It’s summertime, live a little!
4-6…Is that a tan I see?
7-10…Get it, girl.
11-15…You are living your best life.
Do (Free!) Yoga at the Race Street Pier
Photograph by Matt Stanley.
With nearly 300 free classes throughout the summer — seven days a week — this free outdoor yoga series is a must-do. Not only for the sake of doing yoga, but also because the views from the Race Street Pier park are totally gorgeous.
Do a Beach Boot Camp
Photograph courtesy Carly Rubenstein.
Yes, you can enjoy at day down the shore and get in a workout, thanks to Carly Rubenstein’s killer boot camp classes at Margate City beach on Saturdays at 9 a.m. And if you go on July 7, you can even get a plant-based brunch afterwards.
Eat a HipCityVeg Banana Whip by the Water
Now that HipCityVeg has a food stand at the Spruce Street Harbor Park on the Delaware River Waterfront, we can enjoy some serious boardwalk vibes while downing a chilly banana whip — the perfect (plant-based!) summer treat.
Ride a Zip Line Through Fairmount Park
The view before a zip line. Photograph by Caroline Cunningham.
There’s nothing that’ll boost your adrenaline quite like flying at top speeds through the treetops. Good news is, you’ll be having too much fun at Treetop Quest’s new zip line and ropes course to consider being scared.
Do Rooftop Yoga at Bok Bar
Photograph courtesy Honeygrow.
Bok Bar’s views are amazing, and we can’t think of a better place for an outdoor yoga session in all of Philly. There’s lots of opportunities to try it, too — Honeygrow hosts their own series, as does Katie Gould of KG Strong.
Work Out on The Deck at Moshulu
A Daybreaker event at The Deck at Moshulu. Photograph by Caroline Cunningham.
Sure, a ship deck may not seem like the most logical place for a sweat session, but the spacious wood-plank deck of this Delaware River Waterfront staple actually makes for an awesome place for an al fresco sweat session.
Go Swimming at a Philly Public Pool
The public pool in Francisville. | Photo Credit: Group Melvin Design and Sikora Wells Appel
Okay, so maybe you won’t have time to try all 71 Philly public pools open for the summer, but you should definitely make time to take a dip in at least one. I mean, why wouldn’t you? They’re free!
Take a (Free!) Barre Class at The Logan
Barre3’s pop-up class at The Logan. Photograph courtesy The Logan.
Barre3 is a champion of free pop-up workouts and we are So. Here. For. It. This summer, they’re popping up at The Logan hotel courtyard (and ballroom, when the weather’s bad) for a ton of free toning workouts to all your favorite jams.
Eat Your Way Through This List of Vegan Tacos
Cauliflower “65” tacos at V Street | Photo courtesy of V Street.
Okay, so tacos aren’t just a summer food. But we never need an excuse to eat a good taco — especially when it’s entirely made of plants. Yum!
Do SUP Acro Yoga on the River
Photograph courtesy Rob Li.
Ready to test your balance? You’ll do a lot of that in Aqua Vida’s acro yoga class with yogi Rob Li at the Penn’s Landing Marina — and probably a lot of falling into the water, too.
Go to Surf Camp
Thanks to Stacey’s Surf Camp in Margate, you can be a kid at camp again in her Saturday morning adult group lessons. Just think: You’re two hours away from living out all your Blue Crush dreams.
Trade Happy Hour for (Free!) Yoga at The Curtis Center
Be Well Philly’s Summer Yoga Flow was hosted at Dilworth Park in 2017.
That’s right — Be Well Philly is hosting our own free yoga series with our friends at Three Queens Yoga. It’ll be set to a live deejay (thanks to DJ Sylo and DJ Eagle!) and come with free drinks from Michelob Ultra, Belvedere, and Steaz. YES.
Eat as Much Açaí as Possible
Philadelphia has recently seen a small explosion of açaí shops, and we are all for it. Fruity, frozen, refreshing — can you think of any better way to cool off this summer?
Take a (Free!) Outdoor Bar Method Class
Photograph courtesy The Bar Method.
Rittenhouse’s The Bar Method is popping up at the Plaza at the Comcast Center for some free 45-minute barre classes on Tuesday evenings. A little toning here, a little muscle burning there, a lot of summer bodies getting in a workout everywhere.
Take Your Boot Camp to the Pool
Photograph courtesy of Fitness Alive.
Riva Health & Wellness has opened up their Fishtown oasis — a.k.a. their outdoor pool — for pool boot camps led by the one and only Holly Waters. Finally, a workout where no one will notice how much you’re sweating!
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