South Philadelphia Ride Guide
East of Broad Street
The portion of South Philly, situated between Washington Avenue and Mifflin Street on the east side of Broad Street, is a vibrant and diverse neighborhood. This area showcases a blend of historic charm and modern urban living. As you ride through the streets, you'll notice a mix of architectural styles, from classic rowhouses to contemporary new builds. The neighborhood is known for its tight-knit community, where locals often gather in small parks and green spaces. The streets are lined with a variety of shops, cafes, and restaurants, reflecting the multicultural makeup of the area, with cuisines ranging from traditional Italian to Vietnamese, Mexican, and more.
This part of South Philly, always bustling with activity, comes alive around the Italian Market and Passyunk, where a sensory symphony awaits with an array of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, and specialty foods. The neighborhood is also a canvas of cultural and artistic expression, with colorful murals adorning its buildings—each telling stories of history, diversity, and community pride while showcasing Philadelphia's thriving arts scene. Whether you're riding through the market, enjoying a meal at a local eatery, or simply soaking in the neighborhood's lively atmosphere, this section of Philadelphia provides a unique and memorable experience for anyone.
Check out the interactive map below for some of the resources and sights that South Philadelphia - East has to offer, along with suggested bike routes! Click on the various map icons for more information. You can even view it on-the-go using the Google Maps Mobile App.
Washington Ave. Green Route
The Washington Avenue Pier is a hidden gem tucked away along the Delaware. The design of the park honors its evolving role on the waterfront from shipbuilding center to port-of-entry.
Route starts at 8th & Mifflin St. station near the Bok and runs northeast towards Washington Ave.
The Garces Foundation at the Bok Building Route
More than just a restaurant group, the Garces Foundation helps Philadelphia's underserved immigrant community access healthcare and educational services. They also partner with organizations that connect constituents to needed services so that they may actively contribute their talents to making Philadelphia a world-class city.
Route starts at the 8th & Mifflin Station near the Bok and heads north along S 7th St. and loops around from the Chew Playground.
Juntos
600 Washington Ave. Unit 18UA
Juntos is a community-led, Latinx immigrant organization in South Philadelphia that fights for human rights as workers, parents, youth, and immigrants. They believe that every human being has the right to a quality education and the freedom to live with dignity regardless of immigration status.
They combine leadership development, community organizing, and focused collaborations with other community-based and advocacy organizations to build the power of their community members so they may be active agents of change and work against their own oppression.
SEAMAAC
1711 S Broad St
The Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition (SEAMAAC) is a local organization that offers resources to support community members in need. Founded in 1984 by refugees, SEAMAAC serves refugees and immigrants of all races and national origins.
SEAMAAC provides educational opportunities through after-school and summer programs, helps connect individuals to health care services, and strengthens ties between the community and social service providers. The organization also focuses on community development, including ongoing improvements to Mifflin Square Park and other local areas.
Garces Family Foundation
1901 S 9th St.
The Garces Family Foundation's mission is to empower Philadelphia’s immigrant community by providing access to education, healthcare, and support services that improve lives and foster a sense of belonging.
Founded in 2011 by Dr. Garces in memory of Felipe, a 26-year-old Mexican immigrant who lost his life to a treatable illness due to lack of documentation and fear of seeking help, the foundation aims to bridge the gap for recent immigrants who may not know where to find resources.
The foundation offers English and computer classes, community health days, food pantries, and a dental program, among other vital services.
Joseph F. Marino
Joseph F. Marino is a lifelong resident of Philadelphia’s East Passyunk neighborhood. Raised in his great-grandparents' home, he was motivated to dedicate himself not only to his local church but to his community. Growing up openly gay in South Philly during the 70's, Joseph leaned on the support of his close-knit family and friends to help him through the difficulties that can arise when living in a community that didn't immediately accept homosexuality at the time. His community involvement began during his teens as a board member for the Epiphany of Our Lord Catholic Youth Organization and local volunteering. Later he attended Temple and Drexel Universities to complete his higher education.
Joseph co-founded the East Passyunk Crossing Civic Association (EPX) with Darren Fava and has made significant contributions to the South Philadelphia community. At Ss. Neumann Goretti High School, he helped create the community garden, served as chair of the Board of Directors, and is currently working to establish the John Connolly Entrepreneurial Center to provide students with entrepreneurial education.
Joseph played a key role in returning the East Passyunk Community Center to local ownership, ensuring unrestricted access for all community members. In 2017, he revitalized the Passyunk Post, transforming it into a dynamic digital platform for South Philadelphia news. Additionally, he has championed gender parity on Ss. Neumann Goretti's board, supported diverse arts programs, and served on the initial board of the South Philadelphia Food Co-op to improve food access in the area.
Washington Avenue Pier
S Christopher Columbus Blvd.
Washington Avenue Pier, previously known as Pier 53, is a space that has a rich and complex history. It is located in the space of the nation's first Navy yard and was Philadelphia's immigration station that had over 1 million immigrants pass through from the 1870's into the First World War. The space also includes a spire that has a staircase to allow visitors to climb up and have a nice view of the river.
This spire is called "Land Buoy" and was created by Jody Pinto in 2014. This spire honors the immigrants who arrived in Philadelphia, Pinto's family included. The installation was part of the 2014 revitalization project to make Washington Avenue Pier a rich greenspace. The spire also glows a soft blue light at the top. "I want people to climb the spiral into the crows nest and take the place of what it meant to sight land for the first time," says Pinto.
Sparks Shot Tower
101-31 Carpenter St.
The Sparks Shot Tower is a historic shot tower in Philadelphia that is also one of the first in the United States. This tower was used to create shots, which are small spheres or pellets that is generally used as projectiles for guns back around the time of the Civil War. The way the tower works is that molten lead would be poured from the high point in the tower through a sieve or mesh, forming uniform spherical shots before falling into water at the bottom.
The tower was in operation for over a century until 1913. Four generations of the same family owned the tower until it was sold to the United Lead Company of Pennsylvania in 1903. Eventually the City of Philadelphia bought the site in 1913 and has been managed by the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation since with a public rec center and playground surrounding it.
Dickinson Square Park
1600 E Moyamensing Ave.
Tucked in the Pennsport area of South Philadelphia is Dickinson Square Park. The park previously was the site for Pascal Iron Works founded in 1821. Pascal Iron Works manufactured stoves, grates, and machine parts for sugar refineries until 1896 where the factory closed and moved their operations to Delaware. The property of the space was deeded to the city and then transferred to the Children's Culture League.
The park was named after Pennsylvania Governor John Dickinson (1732 - 1808) and opened on October 27th, 1900. This opening event was huge with 10,000 attendees, including 2,000 school students marching and singing. This park was among the most complete playgrounds of it's kind in the United States at the time, providing more sophisticated recreational facilities for children. The main the idea this park had in mind was to create a safe and comfortable space for children to play to prevent them from getting into accidents with the surrounding trolleys and manufacturing facilities.
"A Community of Champions: The Extraordinary and the Everyday" Mural
1722 S Broad St.
A Community of Champions: The Extraordinary and the Everyday mural celebrates the rich and spirited community that is South Philadelphia. This mural features bright, vibrant colors as well as symbols and historical Philadelphia markers as a tribute to all things Philly. This mural was created in partnership with the artists at Custom Arts Studio and the Fulton Bank on Broad St. and Castle Ave. There is also an interactive part that has a QR code that folks can scan to vote on their favorite cheesesteak spot in Philly.
"East Passyunk Historical Street Scenes" Mural
1628 E Passyunk Ave.
"East Passyunk Historical Street Scenes" was done by Jared Bader in 2008. This piece gives viewers glimpse of the different architectural styles that comprised South Philadelphia that were popular around the 1920's and 1940's as well as present day. These structures within the mural also show the distinct way that Passyunk Ave. intersects with it's surrounding streets. Jared developed the left wall from a photo from 1919 and the right from a photo from 1949.
"Pathology of Devotion" Mural
1644 E Passyunk Ave.
This piece done by Jane Golden, Dietrich Adonis, the Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network crew, and designed by South Philly native Vincent Desiderio in 1992, is a depiction of the combined effort of both science and religion giving us all different ways to view the world.