If you’ve been on the internet in the past, well, month or so, you’ve definitely heard of the city’s new Spruce Street Harbor Park (Columbus Boulevard & Spruce Street) over on the Delaware River Waterfront. It seems like everyone is talking about this place, so I couldn’t wait to check it out. As soon as I heard this year’s #WhyILovePhilly party was being held there (the night before it opened to the public!), I snatched up a ticket. And let me tell you, it is worth the hype.
The park is set up with a few different areas. Right off Columbus, you’ll find the hammocks. This section is gorgeous and pretty serene when it starts to get dark. As most of us living in the city can attest to – setting up a good ol’ hammock in your alleyway doesn’t quite have the same allure to it.
Surrounding the hammocks were some booths set up for the party. I loved the tote bags from Visit Philly, soft pretzel jewelry from Art Star and the awesome Philly skyline necklace from Philadelphia Independents. The park will host an Art Star Pop Up Market with up to 20 vendors every Saturday from 11am-3pm all summer long.
Once through the tree lined hammock forrest land, past our city’s own makeshift boardwalk, you see the shining star of SSHP: the floating barges. Grab a drink (I loved the red sangria!), hold on to your cell phone, and bop on down.
The area is really just beautiful. What makes it even more beautiful is the food waiting at the new Garces pop-up restaurant, The Blue Anchor. I got the Blue Anchor Special burger, and, because I am obsessed with Village Whiskey, the Shorty Fries. My mouth is watering right now.
When the sky gets dark, the park lights up in pretty, bright lights. Ladies, when your Instagram feed is filled with this exact scene for the entire summer, make sure to keep on double tapping, because this is beautiful. Thanks to my bud Albert Lee for the shot of my friend Colleen and I.
If you saw some of my tweets awhile back, you’d know there is a new “experience” hitting the Philly scene: coloring parties. I have wanted to try Hooley Coloring Co. for a couple months now, so I loved that they had a booth at the party. Guests could color a Philly themed postcard and write a love note, and the ladies from Hooley would mail it off to whatever Philly location you chose. I, obviously, wrote one of mine to Little Pete’s (is the obsession getting old now?) and kept one of my postcards. I now have it hanging in my office at work.
Back up on the boardwalk, there are arcade games, ping pong, shuffleboard, and more. They even will be hosting a bocce ball league there this summer!
On top of the food, drinks, and fun things to do, I loved all of the fantastic photo ops there were around the park. How cool is this Visit Philly beach chair?
I had such a fantastic night. The park is a much needed addition to the city’s summertime rotation, and I’m so glad I got to check it out. I see myself being there a loooot this summer. Will you be joining me? xx
