Location: Drexel Hill
Top Things to do in Drexel Hill
10 Things to Do in Drexel Hill That You Shouldn't Miss
Drexel Hill is a census-designated place (CDP) largely located in Upper Darby, with a small section (Pilgrim Gardens) located in Haverford Township Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Drexel Hill is located 7 miles (11 km) west of Center City, Philadelphia, and is part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The population was 28,043 at the 2010 census, down from 29,364 at the 2000 census.
Restaurants in Drexel Hill
1. The Barnes Foundation
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 203 reviews
Reviewed By Elisabeth B - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Before summer ends you might want to take a walk through the Barnes Arboretum, a hidden treasure of horticultural rarities spread over 12-acres in suburban Merion, Pa., a short distance from the art filled Barnes Foundation on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia.
The Arboretum was Mrs. Barnes’ passion. The Barnses purchased the land in 1922 from an equally devoted horticulturalist who had made it his mission to create a park-like setting that could thrive here for ever. Many of the trees then planted still do. Mrs. Barnes complemented the woods with thousands of rare plant specimens including dogwoods, lilacs, horsetails, medicinal plants, a fern dell, a unique collection of hostas and an extensive herbarium that ultimately encompassed an astounding 2500 species, sub-species, cultivars and hybrids of woody plants and trees.
You might even play a game asking which medicinal plants in the herbarium are intended to cure which illness. Drumstick? Ginger? Papaya? Periwinkle? Suffice it to say that the list of ailments thus cured is long and varied ranging from blood pressure, cholesterol and cancer to digestive disorders, diabetes, arthritis and more. Here is to inexpensive folk medicine!
As for the Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana), it’s a tall evergreen that is native to Chile and Argentina. Monkeys in South America? After discovering this conifer in the early 1800s, the British supposedly gave it this name when a botanical luminary in London suggested that it would be difficult for a monkey to climb such a tree. Unscientific the name may be, but it has stuck as a popular moniker.
Please check for openings and tours at 215.278.7350.
300 N. Latches Lane, Merion Station, Pa. 19066
2. Harrah's Philadelphia
Overall Ratings
4 based on 11 reviews
Harrah's Philadelphia Casino & Racetrack is open 24 hours 7 days a week - 365 days a year! Ready for virtually limitless slot action, pulse-pounding horse racing and non-stop thrills? We'll see you at Harrah's Philly! Gambling Problem? Call 1800Gambler.
Reviewed By flyers1130 - Westville, New Jersey
Needs more cleaning of the areas where we eat and get beverages. Staff needs more training to make the experience better.
3. Tower Theatre
Overall Ratings
4 based on 141 reviews
Reviewed By Joe B - Sanatoga
My wife is s huge Penatonix fan, so my daughter bought us all tickets for their Christmas show. My first concert when I was a teenager was at the Tower in 1978. I practically lived there in 1979...Police, Roxy Music, Jam, Clash, Peter Gabriel and many many more. My last visit here was in 1988 to see the Kinks. The Tower at that time was a bit well worn, so I was curious to see in what condition my old friend was in. I’m happy to report that she’s been nicely rehabbed in the interim years! And now they’ve added a bar (nice liquor selection) and metal detectors (Lol). Ohh yeah, and still a great concert venue!!
4. Cinema 16:9
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4 reviews
A Movie Theater screening independent/foreign film, Organic and Local Concessions. Two Theaters - The Fox, our 40 seat theater and the Phoenix, our 60 seat theater. Conveniently located just outside of West Philadelphia, with public transit and convenient to the Airport!
Reviewed By Adam C - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Cinema 16:9 is a different kind of movie theater. Located within the historic Lansdowne Theater, they have The Fox and The Phoenix - two great theaters where you can see great indie, festival, foreign, and local films rand other great programming. The Fox is an intimate 40 seat theater primarily focuses on mainstream independent films, while The Phoenix is a 60 seat theater that primarily focuses on truly independent films. As the owner says, they DO bring the social back into cinema. With such limited seating, you can really share in the experience of watching meaningful entertainment, unlike at the multiplexes. They also rent dvds and blu-rays. They also have some great concessions.
5. Summer Stage, Performing Arts Center
Overall Ratings
5 based on 19 reviews
Reviewed By millimop12345
My daughter has attending Summer Stage at the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center since she was in the 6th grade. Each year she gains more experience and I see her grow and develop as an entertainer. The staff is great and the other attendees, especially the more seasoned summer stages, are supportive of each other and encourage the newer attendees to not be afraid to shine. I love this program. My daughter has recognized her musical talent and has gained a lot of knowledge in the performing arts industry. The performances at the end of the summer are phenomenal and I enjoy each show I attend. I would recommend this program to all young people in and out of the Upper Darby area.
6. Bryn Mawr Film Institute
Overall Ratings
5 based on 101 reviews
Reviewed By Margaret B - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Fans of intelligent, award-winning films will enjoy the offerings at this theater. The staff is knowledgeable and the selected films range from this year’s critically acclaimed films to recent and not-so-recent classics. Check out their website for special screenings.
7. Arlington Cemetery
Overall Ratings
5 based on 7 reviews
Reviewed By shein592 - Upper Darby, Pennsylvania
This cemetery (became a cemetery in 1895), is in my neighborhood and this is our future resting place. All preplanned, of course. Let me begin with notables but too numerous to mention. Many famous locals such as Thomas Garrett, abolitionist and only one of two underground railroads. Having a prominent status in his life, he risked so much during this time between rebellion and freedom.
Also a Nobel peace prize gentleman is resting here-don't wish to give his name. Inside the main lobby, there is a history of Arlington room filled with a Who's Who in our history. There are tours through this facility, all free as well as an adjacent replica of the Monticello mausoleum, many cremation urns throughout the century. On the grounds of the cemetery are very well kept. (mine also with yew bushes flanking our plot. The headstones are magnificent as you look around, each intersection posted with signs labeling the sections. To point out a few of interest headstones, one obelisk,(photos attached)a soldier with it's backpack, rifle and name carved in the large oak tree. Many old crypts. One we remember was a corner crypt which the deceased requested bagpipe playing be heard every year on his anniversary of death. A solemn time when you see the man playing the bagpipes in rainy weather. Another thing I like to point out. They also have 2 Veteran burial grounds. We must not forget. But this trip urges you on to make your choice when the time comes. May it be your wishes and fulfillment for the life you had on earth. I am a true believer in pre planning as I would not or want my planning for me left to my family. Death is a part of life that no one escapes from. NOW is the time to really sit down and think and plan out what YOU want. Very simple. Please take a tour and enrich your knowledge of history. Guarantee it will be pleasant and very informative. So much to add but want you to see for yourself. One can also visit their website under Arlington Cemetery Drexel Hill, PA.
8. Philadelphia Museum of Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6 reviews
Set within a lively urban neighborhood, commanding a spectacular view of Fairmount Park, and just across the street from the main Museum building, the Perelman Building galleries and study centers showcase some of the Museum's most comprehensive, colorful, and cutting-edge collections. The new spaces offer a variety of other wonderful new amenities. Among them are a library open to the public and offering a wealth of resources, including ever-changing displays of rare books, precious documents, and graphic arts; a café overlooking a landscaped terrace; a new bookstore; a soaring skylit walkway; and a succession of other spaces in which to stroll, linger, and explore the visual arts.
Reviewed By Kirk E - Santa Fe, New Mexico
One of America’s oldest and largest, yet paradoxically least-known museums, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is testament to the city’s long support and boosterism of art and artists. The physical space, a soaring glass and steel construction that spans three expansive floors, is a work of art in itself, and offers ample display space for rotating selections from the museum’s 54,000-strong collection. The galleries devoted to European and American art are both quite extensive and revelatory, but the true highlights are upstairs, in the Asian and African art wings. Exquisite Chinese ceramics, some dating back more than a millenium, reveal an unparalleled mastery of craft, while the elaborate masks, ceremonial paraphernalia and extraordinarily rich carvings from African tribespeople are uncannny in the way they suggest and anticipate similar displays in the New World. Beyond the museum proper, the grounds and gardens are well worth a stroll in good weather, especially in the spring.
9. The Barnes Foundation
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4 reviews
The Barnes Foundation houses one of the finest collections of nineteenth- and twentieth-century French painting in the world. An extraordinary number of masterpieces by Renoir, Cezanne and Matisse provide a depth of work by these artists that is unavailable elsewhere. Established as an educational institution, the Barnes carries out its mission teaching classes in its galleries and Arboretum.
Reviewed By UnrepentantFoodie - Bellingham, Washington
It's almost had to fathom the drive (or wallet) of a man like Dr. Barnes who collected all this in a single lifetime. In fact, he was on his way to close another art deal when he was killed in an automobile accident, though at 84 I believe it was you can't say he hadn't already lived a full life.
This collection includes the largest single holding of Renoir paintings in the world--181 I was told. Impressive (though many looked alike--lots of comely young females wearing bonnets), but on a dynamic basis the 60 or 80 Matisses and Picassos might be the most compelling. The collection also includes Monet, Seurat and some lesser known suspects.
Possibly the most impressive thing is the way his entire show space was meticulously duplicated, even down to the ugly ochre-yellow paint, of the spaces he himself displayed them at his home (well, an extra building to his home built expressly for this purpose). There's also the quirky element of all the antique hinges he also collected interspersed throughout.
In all, an inestimable treasure.
10. Eastern State Penitentiary
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 5 reviews
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world, but stands today in ruin, a haunting world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers. Known for its grand architecture and strict discipline, this was the world’s first true “penitentiary,” a prison designed to inspire penitence, or true regret, in the hearts of convicts. Tours today include the cellblocks, solitary punishment cells, Al Capone’s Cell, and Death Row.
Reviewed By LonePineKath - Nottingham, United Kingdom
This place is well worth a visit. It explained the prison system really well and the atmosphere on the abandoned wings is really interesting. The recorded tour works really well and helps with the quiet feeling of isolation. We visited with teens and everyone felt it was well worth seeing.
My advice would be to wrap up warm as we visited in April and it was still pretty cold. You can take your time and spend as long as you like, wandering about and exploring at your own pace.
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