Press Room Home > Press Releases > Backgrounder

Backgrounder Philadelphia By Land, Air, Sea And More: Helping Outdoor Enthusiasts Get Active

Backgrounder

Philadelphia By Land, Air, Sea And More: Helping Outdoor Enthusiasts Get Active

PHILADELPHIA, June 21, 2007 - For visitors looking to explore the Philadelphia region’s beautiful and historic outdoors from the seat of a bicycle, the back of a horse or with a paddle in hand, the following vendors are ready to provide the equipment and guidance necessary. All of this information and more is available at boundlessphiladelphia.com.

Northbrook Canoe Company

Photo by B. Krist for GPTMC

By Bicycle:
The Philadelphia region boasts hundreds of miles of trails and a wide network of quiet country roads, many of which wind past rolling hills, horse farms and battlefields. Here’s a list of bicycle rental shops:

Breakaway Bikes: For rentals right on Chestnut Street in Center City Philadelphia, a short ride from the Schuylkill River Trail. breakawaybikes.com
Cycle Sports of Doylestown: In downtown Doylestown, minutes from Bull Island State Park and the Delaware River Canal Path. cyclesports.com
Exton Bicycles: Right in the heart of scenic Chester County. extonbikes.com
Human Zoom: Steps from the Schuylkill River Trail in Manayunk. www.humanzoom.com
Indian Valley Bike Works: Located in Harleysville, Pennsylvania, a short ride to the popular Perkiomen Trail. guaranteedfun.com/index.cfm
Lloyd Hall Bike Shack: Right on Kelly Drive in Philadelphia, steps from the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
LoweRiders Bikes and Boards: Boards and bike rentals at this shop in historic Downingtown, minutes from the Streuble Trail. loweridersgobig.com
New Hope Cyclery: Half a mile from the Delaware River Canal Path near downtown New Hope. newhopecyclery.com
Philadelphia Bike and Moped Tours: Rental bikes delivered directly to area hotels; personal tours available too. philadelphiabiketour.com
Tailwind Bicycle Shop: Right on the Perkiomen Trail in Schwenksville and six miles from Green Lane Park. tailwindbicycles.com
Trophy Bike Rentals: Right off the Walnut Street Bridge in University City, just minutes from the Schuylkill River Trail. trophybikes.com
Valley Forge Bike Rentals: Located right in the parking lot of Valley Forge National Historical Park. (610) 783-1077

In And On The Water:
The Delaware, Schuylkill and Brandywine rivers are great for canoes and tubes, as well as historic boat rides and even sailing. Plus, the large lakes at a number of state parks, including Marsh Creek and Nockamixon, offer a wider expanse of water and easy ways to rent a boat. Get started by contacting the following vendors:

Bucks County River Country: For tubing, rafting, canoeing and kayaking on the Delaware River. rivercountry.net
Delaware River Tubing: From Historic Frenchtown; includes a hotdog lunch stop mid-river. delawarerivertubing.com
Northbrook Canoe Company: For a laid-back trip down the scenic Brandywine River. northbookcanoe.com
Reel Bass Adventure Guide Service: Fly-fishing experts on the Delaware River. reelbassadventures.com
Delaware River Fly Fishing Service: Full, half-day and overnight fly-fishing adventures. flyfishingguideservice.com
Mainstream Outfitters: Full or half-day guided fishing trips. mainstreamoutfitters.com
Philadelphia City Sail: Sailing on the Delaware River. citysail.org
Wells Ferry Boat Rides: A 37-foot pontoon boat ride from New Hope’s Ferry Street. wellsferryboatrides.com
Rowing Adventures On Boathouse Row: Hour-long lesson and ride on an eight-oar crew shell, led by some of Philadelphia’s rowing legends. teamconceptsinc.com
Schuylkill Banks River Tours: Pontoon boat rides leaving from the city’s new riverfront park, Schuylkill River Park & Trail. schuylkillbanks.org

By Horseback:
Philadelphia has a rich equestrian tradition for riders and spectators alike. Opportunities to ride await at these local stables:

Gateway Riding Stables: A multi-faceted riding center in the heart of the historic Brandywine Valley. gatewaystables.com
Haycock Stables: Pony rides and horseback riding in Nockamixon State Park. haycockstables.com
Viking Horse: Year-round riding treks on rare Icelandic horses, based in West Chester. vikinghorse.com

Offbeat Adventures:
For a taste of Philadelphia’s offbeat adventures, from hot air balloon rides to I Glide tours, try:

Spring Mountain Resort: Year-round family fun at a southeastern Pennsylvania ski resort. springmountain-fun.com
TerraMar Adventures: Leading a wide range of adventure sports and travel expeditions, from hiking to rock climbing. terramaradventures.com
Go Vertical: Philadelphia’s only indoor rock climbing gym. govertical.com
I Glide Tours: Segway® tours of Philadelphia’s museum district. iglidetours.com
New Hope & Ivyland Railroad: Vintage train rides, leaving from downtown New Hope. newhoperailroad.com
Platoon Fitness: Early morning fitness training on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. platoonfitness.com
R.E.I. Outdoor School: Skilled instruction in a wide range of outdoor sports. rei.com/outdoorschool

The William Penn Foundation, founded in 1945 by Otto and Phoebe Haas, is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Greater Philadelphia region through efforts that foster rich cultural expression, strengthen children's futures, and deepen connections to nature and community. In partnership with others, the Foundation works to advance a vital, just, and caring community. Learn more about the Foundation online at www.williampennfoundation.org.

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) makes Philadelphia and The Countryside™ a premier destination through marketing and image building that increases business and promotes the region’s vitality. For more information about travel to Philadelphia, visit www.gophila.com or call the Independence Visitor Center, located in Independence National Historical Park, at (800) 537-7676.

Note to Editors: For photos of Greater Philadelphia, visit our Photo Gallery. On the pressroom, you can also subscribe to RSS feeds to receive updates on topics that are specifically of interest to you: What’s New, Dining, Events, Seasonal Travel, Hotel Packages and Tourism Research.

CONTACT:

Cara Schneider, GPTMC
(215) 599-0789, cara@gptmc.com

**Related RSS Feeds**
Topic	XML Feeds
What's New This feed will be updated whenever any new content is added to Gophila.com’s Press Room. It includes all topics.

What is RSS?