The Sports-Lover’s Guide to Philadelphia Right Now

Look out for: Nearly three dozen high-def TVs
Want to watch two games simultaneously? Bar-Ly is the place to do it, thanks to the 33 TVs throughout the bar. They also offer happy hour daily from 3 pm to 6 pm, which intersects perfectly with late afternoon games. Plus, they’ve got tons of beer on draft, cocktails, sake, and non-alcoholic options, along with Asian American pub fare, like pho, Peking Duck Sliders, and wings.

Look out for: Weekly theme nights for women, dates, and survivalists
The city’s only indoor archery range offers basic 90-minute fundamentals and safety classes (you’ll need to take this on your first visit) as well as special sessions dedicated specifically to lovers (Wednesdays through Sundays), for women (Wednesdays), and Survival Sundays for those training for the apocalypse.

Look out for: Game-day specials
With locations in Rittenhouse, Headhouse Square, and on the Delaware River waterfront (this one’s more of a club atmosphere than a sports-watching venue), there are plenty of options to get your game face on at Cav’s. Game day viewings occur at the Rittenhouse and Headhouse locations where you can find specials like $5 Dogfish Head Seaquench Ale during Union games at Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse and $4 Bud Light during Flyers games at Cavanaugh’s Headhouse.

Look out for: Crabfries galore
Dubbed the “official sports bar of the Philadelphia Eagles,” any of the four Chickie’s & Pete’s locations in the city are a lively scene when the Birds play. The OG Mayfair location is legendary, while the South Philly outpost boasts a ton of bar space for you to stand in front of TVs and nurse a beer. Their signature dish is the Crabfries—crinkle-cut fries covered in crabby spices—of which you should definitely indulge. 

Look out for: A fly ball
Home of the Phillies, this Major League Baseball stadium is where to catch the Fightin’s partake in America’s pastime in spring, summer, and a bit of fall. If you don’t have a ticket, tours are offered regularly year round, giving the public a view of the Phillies Dugout, the Hall of Fame Club, Broadcast Booth, and more.

Look out for: Minor-league baseball
If you can’t get enough baseball, take the short drive to Wilmington to see the Wilmington Blue Rocks, the High A Affiliate of the Washington Nationals, on their home turf at Frawley Stadium. Baseball isn’t the only thing on the schedule: the stadium hosts college, high school, and other amateur baseball games, too.

Look out for: Early morning soccer—err, football—matches
Fado is your typical Irish pub with plenty of spirited soccer fanatics. They screen soccer matches from all over the world, so no one will judge if you have a Guinness for breakfast during an early morning match.

Look out for: Collegiate track, football, and more
A stately stadium fit for the Ivy League school whose campus on which it sits, Franklin Field hosts the University of Pennsylvania’s home football games, track and field meets (including the prestigious Penn Relays), and lacrosse. Fun fact: It holds the distinction as the oldest college stadium in the country.

Look out for: Football and other big ticket events
The Linc is home base for the Eagles (and the stadium’s parking lot is home base for their raucous tailgaters). Outside of football season, the stadium hosts other major events like 2024’s WrestleMania, this year’s NCAA Lacrosse Championships, Monster Jam, and a bunch of concerts. You can also take a self-guided tour most weekends as the events schedule allows.

Look out for: Sports betting (and viewing)
Sports & Social is the sports bar within the hotel that boasts a 52’ LED media wall display and 24 televisions for extreme multitasking in your sports viewing. They broadcast pro sports, UFC, and boxing. If you’re the gambling type, you can place bets on sports taking place all over the world at the FanDuel Sportsbook & Lounge adjacent to Sports & Social. For a break from the action, don’t miss any of the other stellar in-house restaurants: The Prime Rib, Luk Fu, Sang Kee Noodle House, and more.

Look out for: Boxing pros teaching the art of the sport
Founder and head trainer Maleek Jackson’s goal is to bring the sport of boxing to athletes of all skill levels, so much so that the gym has even trained celebs like Joe Flacco, Dion Waiters, and Meek Mill. Learn the basics of boxing, take a strength and cardio boxing conditioning class, or hit the bags during open gym hours. They also offer personal training and after school programs for kids.

Look out for: Good energy during all pro sports games
Philly’s oldest tavern dates back to the Lincoln administration, but beyond its history, McGillin’s has a thing for hometown spirit. Locals know to crowd into the bar for game-day viewing for everything from the Eagles to March Madness. Each team has their own specials, like the Phillie-tini (Smirnoff vanilla vodka, pineapple and cranberry juices) during Phillies games and Navy Blue and Gold (Beefeater gin, blueberry simple syrup, lemon, and seltzer) during Union matches.

Look out for: Strikes galore on modern lanes
Sibling bowling lanes North and South Bowl offer the classic bowling experience but with a full bar, excellent tater tots, and a vibe perfect for date nights, family outings, and group hangs alike. Lanes are first-come-first-serve, so expect a little wait on weekends.

Look out for: Skateboarders perfecting their ollies
This skate park is located right on the Schuylkill River Trail, adjacent to the Philadelphia Museum of Art—meaning, if you happen to be running by, you can catch a glimpse of the groups of skaters who hang there grinding on hand rails and ledges and gliding on ramps.

Look out for: College basketball in a majestic venue
Just a stone’s throw from Franklin Field, the Palestra—also on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus—is the home of Philadelphia's Big Five college basketball games. Open since 1927, this is where you’ll find Penn’s mens and womens basketball teams as well as matchups between Penn, Villanova, Temple, St. Joe’s, LaSalle, and Drexel.

Look out for: A bar for sports betting
Aside from all the garden variety gambling you can do at this Delaware Riverfront-located casino (slots, poker, table games), you can pull up a barstool at BetRivers Sportsbook and put money on football, basketball, hockey, boxing, and soccer games. The space encompasses a 5,700-square foot viewing area with an HD video wall. On the weekends, order food and drink from Jack's Bar + Grill (the casino’s spot for pub fare), delivered right to your self-serve betting kiosk.

Look out for: Tourists bounding up the steps
Recreate one of the most memorable moments in film history by taking part in this quintessential Philadelphia activity. Whether you’ve watched Rocky or not, you’ve likely seen the epic training montage that ends with a triumphant jaunt up the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps. Take a seat, or be the star of your own movie and take the steps two at a time and hoist your arms in the air once you reach the top. While you’re at it, snap a pic next to the Rocky Statue that sits at the base of the steps. Groutfit not required.

Look out for: Runners and cyclists enjoying the view
Out of the nearly 75 miles of trails along the Schuylkill River, 37 of them are in Philadelphia. One of the most popular segments is from Schuylkill Banks to East Falls, where the paved path is particularly amenable to walking, running, biking, and rollerblading. You can access the trail from Schuylkill Banks (take the stairs from Walnut Street down to the river) or at Lloyd Hall by the Philadelphia Museum of Art (800 Boathouse Row). Opt to rent bikes at Lloyd Hall or hop on a bikeshare at the Strawberry Mansion Indego station. Enjoy the particularly idyllic views of the river, made much more scenic in the fall when the leaves change color.

Look out for: Flying discs in the woods
If you’re looking for a slightly alternative hobby, try disc golf. A mix of frisbee and golf, all you have to do to play is fling a plastic disc toward a basket. Sedgley Woods is open daily from sun up to sun down and maintains 27 holes for public disc golfing, plus monthly tournaments.

Look out for: A mind-boggling collection of racing sports cars
For fans of F1 and the Fast and Furious franchise, Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum is a huge collection of racing sports cars amassed by the late local collector Dr. Frederick Simeone. On view are nearly 100 cars from Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, Mercedes, Jaguar, Bentley, Porsche, Aston Martin, Corvette, and Ford.

Look out for: Over 150 group fitness classes held weekly
This 100,000 square foot luxury gym has basically everything you’d ever need for all your fitness endeavors: three golf simulators, four-lane pool, an indoor track, an NBA size court for basketball and pickleball, updated cardio and strength equipment, training turf area, and two regulation squash courts.

Look out for: A bunch of soccer fans yelling “doop”
The home stadium of the Philadelphia Union, Subaru Park is where you’ll catch pro football (the non-American kind). And be prepared to sing a catchy celebratory song whenever the Union scores a goal. The only word is “doop.”

Look out for: A sports bar meets gay bar
Expect something a little different on each level at Tabu. Downstairs is a sports bar with plenty of TVs for game (or RuPaul’s Drag Race) viewing. Head upstairs for dancing or drag and cabaret performances, and finally, enjoy the view on the roof deck. Tabu has different drink specials every day, so if a game happens to fall on a Tuesday, you can get in on a $6 High Noon.

Look out for: Pro and college sports (in addition to almost every other kind of event you can think of)
The Wells Fargo Center wears many hats: Not only can you find the Philadelphia 76ers there for home games, but the Philadelphia Flyers hit the ice there, and the Philadelphia Wings have home field advantage there as well. Oh yeah, and college basketball games go down at the Wells Fargo Center, too. Plus, they have a robust entertainment calendar, featuring touring musicians and comedians, the circus, and ice shows.

Look out for: Five bars under one roof
Within walking distance from Citizens Bank Park, the Wells Fargo Center, and Lincoln Financial Field, Xfinity Live! is a popular spot for tailgates and game day viewing for those who want to be as close to the action as possible without shelling out cash for a ticket. The venue’s centerpiece is a 58-foot LED TV for prime spectating. They also hold viewing events for non-Philly events, like UFC and the Super Bowl.