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Our Favorite Instagram-Worthy Outdoor Spots in Philly

Posted on March 18, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
Asha Prihar

Asha Prihar

The red-brick, Gothic-style Fisher Fine Arts Library on Penn's campus.

Picture yourself beneath the pink trees in front of the red-brick Fisher Fine Arts Library on a spring day. (Caroline Patton/City Cast)

As we enter this season of warmer weather and later sunsets, it can be a great time to get outside … and a good opportunity to refresh your profile pic.

If you’re looking to get out of your home — and possibly snap some photos to share with your friends while you’re at it — we’ve got you covered. These are some of the City Cast Philly team’s top local spots for pretty outdoor photo ops. (Click the name of each place to see its location on Google Maps!)

As the greenery returns, your hikes in this gem of Northwest Philly can double as personal photoshoots.

A bridge surrounded by green leaves in Wissahickon Valley Park.

The Wissahickon is a perfect place for a hike — why not make it into a photoshoot, too? (Abby Fritz/City Cast Philly)

Spring vibes abound when the magnolia trees bloom in this cute Old City garden. Per the National Park Service, the trees usually bloom in mid-April — though I’ve spotted their pink petals in late March once before.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with snapping a photo on Eakins Oval or the front steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, but next time you’re in the area, try making your way to the northwest side of the building to take a picture with the Fairmount Water Works and West Philly in the background.

Next time you’re on the Delaware River Trail, try visiting this serene, somewhat tucked-away South Philly spot for excellent river views. There’s also a cool piece of public art called “Land Buoy” — a spiral staircase tribute to the immigrants who arrived in Philly via this pier.

A man standing on the top of a spiral staircase outdoor art installation.

Climb up the spiral staircase overlooking the Delaware. (Asha Prihar/City Cast Philly)

Need I say more? Isaiah Zagar’s mosaic work feels like it’s made to be photographed.

Stop by the University of Pennsylvania’s campus for a cute photo op outside this red, Gothic-style library designed by Philly’s own Frank Furness.

Embrace the city’s urban core and its stunning architecture by taking the essential Broad Street median shot a few blocks down from City Hall. It’s a common photo backdrop for a reason!

A view of City Hall from South Broad Street in Philadelphia, with an illustration of a stick figure on the median. There's also an arrow pointing to the figure with the text "This could be you!"

Who doesn’t love a Broad Street median shot? (Asha Prihar/City Cast Philly)

City Cast Philly producer Abby Fritz, host Trenae Nuri, and executive producer Laura Benshoff, as well as City Cast director of growth marketing Caroline Patton, all contributed ideas to this segment.

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