Philadelphia area named one of the best cities for picnics

With summer winding down and temperatures cooling off, it’s the perfect time for a picnic. And, luckily for us in Pennsylvania, as Philadelphia was just ranked 14th of the best cities in America for a picnic.

Travel + Leisure magazine annually surveys readers to determine different rankings of cities across the country, including recreational ratings.

“Survey voters may have appreciated Philly more for its buildings than its green spaces, but that may make those parks even more blissful, away from the crowds: the rocky Wissahickon Gorge in Fairmount Park, for instance, has been declared an Important Birding Area by the Audubon Society, so you can enjoy chirping chickadees and cardinals while you lunch,” said author Katrina Brown Hunt.

Hunt also added that Philadelphia often ranks highly on lists of the best pizza and street food, adding to the appeal of the city to outdoor eaters. She suggested East Passyunk as a starter for finding unique, delicious food, such as the breads, fresh mozzarella, and cherries at Green Aisle Grocery to the artisan pizzas at Birra and Brigantessa, which she recommends.

Additionally, the neighborhood also offers a singing fountain, which plays “everything from Sinatra to contemporary pop.”

And don’t forget about the fields in the difference sports venues, as Philadelphia’s passion for sports landed them in fifth place for that.

Travel+Leisure determined the results of this study by analyzing their annual America’s Favorite Cities survey, where readers ranked 38 cities on things such as luxury shopping, cocktail lounges and cool food trucks. To determine which cities offer the best picnic dining, they compared outdoor-feast-friendly rankings, including parks and gardens, gourmet markets, epic sandwiches, accommodating weather and the accompaniment of wine.