The Woodlands

Woodlands is a peaceful place to visit on any given day. They take very good care of the property. They also hold a few weddings a year and for anyone who’s vibe that is it doesn’t disappoint. There’s separate rooms which cater to a whimsical, refined taste. The woman who ran the show was accommodating and very friendly to work with. Would love to come back for work and for leisure.

Amazing cemetery. Plenty of really fascinating people buried here, including the Drexel Family and Rembrandt Peale. The snow was a nice touch to the cemetery.

Great place to go for walk. It gets really beautiful during the spring time!

I took a walk along the trail last Thursday after an appointment. When I was entering a man spit on the ground. I now realize that it's a sign of disrespect and intimidation. If you're a woman that's alone, be careful. As I was exiting, a mini van proceeded to drive into the closed off area instead of allowing me the ability to leave prior. And then turned towards me as I was entering my car. This was so weird and unnerving to have these experiences in the same day.

This is definitely one of my favorite places in the area. When I was litte i used to ride my bike here a lot, since there aren't a lot of other safe places to learn to ride a bike nearby. I also like walking around here and looking at the graves. The events they host here are cool too.

It is serene, beautiful and restorative. Walking through the cemetery grounds is a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Remember, there are still others enjoying the property. Please continue to wear your face masks.

Arboretum style historic cemetery in West Philadelphia that's the final resting place for many famous local figures. One of the stone buildings was the residence of a Hamilton (not Alexander). You will see families strolling the grounds. You can download a map from the Woodlands' website, but it is a challenge to locate specific graves.Markers are tricky to find and the oldest part has a spiral grave layout. The author Elizabeth Gilbert used Woodlands as the inspiration for a novel. It is dog-friendly and not a far walk from Clark Park.

Many beautiful trees and works of art.

Easily one of the most historic Cemetaries in Philadelphia, and it's definitely the largest. Wandering through it's many acres gives you the chance to uncover the burial sites of artists like Thomas Eakins, several Civil War heroes, and the founder of Campbell's Soup among others. But the best thing about the free tour you can take inside is it gives you the chance to commune with nature as much as take in something historic. There's so many hilltops and tree filed area's That it's a beautiful area that could just as easily be dubbed a park. It's definitely a great spot for a scenic jog (or for sledding in winter,, not that I'm openly suggesting it.).

Before I graduate, I just want to say that some of my best memories of college were at the cemetery. It's peaceful, it's a touch spooky, and it's a little bit of a rush to know you're there after hours because your cool friend knew about the gap in the metal fence (which has now been fixed so you have to get down & dirty & crawl under the gate). It's a great place to get away from the city, and it was the closest place I could think of to see a meteor shower. It's huge, with graves of all styles -- mausoleums and obelisks, oh my! It's cool for wandering around drunk, or with a cuddle buddy, or maybe by yourself, but I am not that brave.

First of all, this place has its own apiary. Yes, the kind where you house bees for honey. Second, their super fresh honey is the most amazing I've had in memory. If you want some you have to purchase a $45 CSA unless you can find them selling it at individual events. You get 5 lbs through the CSA, so it may very well be worth it. Other than being a cemetery, its home to an historic mansion that provides regular tours, and the grounds often host art & craft fairs and more. For being a place where dead people are usually kept, this place is alive and has a lot of great things going on. Finally, the young people running the seed-ball table at the craft fair we attended were amazingly polite and gave us great information about the grounds. I was pleasantly surprised. They lose one star for being a cemetery because it kind of freaks me out/is not the most considerate to our dead folks.

I'm not goth or anything, but my mother and I have always enjoyed strolling around cemeteries, and Woodlands is a treat. It's a great location to have photo shoots, take a jog, and go for a walk. As you're strolling in between the graves, a wave of peace will come over you and suddenly all the sounds of the city melt away- that's something you can only find in high-caliber urban cemeteries like Woodlands. Also, it's a fantastic place to collect moss, for all you terrarium enthusiasts.

This is a beautiful little area. Woodlands is easy to overlook, but you really shouldn't. Take a stroll when the Philadelphia seasons start veering too quickly toward fall. Walk through the iron gates, and it's like stepping back 100, 200 years. You'll see the graves of many of West Philadelphia's (which used to be a classy suburb of Center City) first, most glamorous residents. Some are crumbling, and many are opulent monuments to their occupants. Keep walking up the hill, and you'll see South Philadelphia's industrial sprawl laying out beautiful in front of you, past the Schuylkill. And, with a special treat, chances are you'll spot the herd of deer (yes, herd of deer in the middle of a major city) that roam of the cemetary. Give it a try.

What can you say about a cemetery? I have a distinct memory of being a kid, wandering around the neighborhood near my grandmother's house, and finding an old cemetery in one of the lots - just a space for another house. There were beer bottles around the headstones, and the place was littered with tree limbs, rotting leaves, and dead flower bouquets. The Woodlands is nothing like that. We've buried four people at the Woodlands recently, and it's a very nice resting place. The grounds are beautiful, and there are some impressive monuments. Here, the newly deceased mingle with the historic figures -- the list on the website is quite long and impressive, and you can read information on these folks (I didn't recognize most of the names). Inside, the mansion is undergoing renovations; it's beautiful, and a nice place to have a reception after a burial. Even if you're just out for a stroll or a run, the Woodlands is a nice respite -- you just have to be the kind of living being who isn't creeped out by the corpses or distracted by the old-fashioned names and young deaths.

The Woodlands is a tranquil jewel of green, shade, and quiet in the Spruce Hill neighborhood. The solitude makes me a bit fearful, in the man with a hook in the woods way. The park is open to the public every day from 9 to 5. The cemetary itself is open for tours on Mon through Thurs, 10am to 3 pm. While the place welcomes walkers, bikers, and joggers, I cannot vouch for its safety. There are countless shady nooks and hiding spaces. And the times I've been there, there are few people and the park staff is quite small. I'm not a paranoid person and walk at night without fear. But, I felt like I had to be alert for anything suspicious. I am not saying this to scare people aware, but use common sense in exploration. This place is such a gift for my muscles. My feet loved sinking into real earth, as I ran and walked. It's a wonderful place for exercise and also contemplation. The ancient headstones made the history of Philadelphia palpable.

Came for the epic Brooklyn brewery event! The beer mansion was epic. We had unlimited beer flowing creepy cool environment and great food! Parking is mad easy and they offer ghost and serial killer tours. Very cool and fun times. I would definitely go to another event there.

Beautiful, quiet and historic place. It's a nice and peaceful place to take a walk or run. Dog's are welcomed as well, as long as they are on a leash and you clean up after them.

As much as I love eating...I love taking photos and for as long as I remember I have found cemeteries to be quite attractive, in an artistic way! Ok just get into the mood: this is the final resting place for those who choose these places as their last earthly address so why not go stroll around and try and imagine what they wanted us- lookers- to find from the way they chose to be laid to rest, the words picked to bid them farewell and the whole setting of the idea? Nice gardens, you can still tell it was once a beautiful park (read the historic signs, they are quite interesting). A bit monotonous if you consider the "art" around the place is repetitive and believe me, I have visited quite a few all over the world! but it is worth the visit. A hint: ...make sure you take some repellent with you!

If you like cemetaries and being scared THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU! I like walking around but sometimes people jump out from behind the graves and yell BOO! Most of the time it is my frend Brian but sometimes its somone else.

Perfect for a short run! Avoid the dirt trail after it's rained - gets very swampy and muddy. Apparently 1 loop = 1 mile - accommodates my poor math skills well. I find running among grave stones to be very engaging, especially when I'm not necessarily in the mood to be running - takes my mind off the act. The paved trail is great for a group walk.

Believe it or not, this was my sunbathing spot of choice while living in West Philly. There's barely any foot traffic meaning few people to leer at you in your state of undress. Peaceful, too. There's a large monument to Thomas W. Evans, dentist to the last monarch of France. I think he convinced me to get my first gum graft at the Penn School of Dental Medicine.

I only discovered The Woodlands in the last year, but I am smitten. It's a wonderful spot for a morning run, a weekend picnic, or an early evening stroll (though the gates are closed from dusk to dawn). There are beautiful flowering shrubs & trees and 100's of historic grave markers. A group of volunteers is restoring the Victorian gardens around many of the graves and you can tour the original mansion that was built by William Hamilton in 1786. If you've read "The Signature of All Things" by Elizabeth Gilbert, you have to visit! This is the place that inspired the setting of "White Acre".

One of America's great cemeteries ... and well worth a visit. Although when tourists visit Philadelphia I'm sure they want to see the historic places like Independence Hall, Elfreth's Alley, Betsy Ross House, etc. and cemeteries are not on the agenda. The Woodlands, along with Laurel Hill Cemetery, are surprising. The statuary and monuments are impressive; they say the 100 foot tall obelisk over the grave of Philadelphia dentist Thomas W. Evans is the tallest one in any cemetery in America. An elegant marble mausoleum for the super wealthy Drexel banking family is here, and the graves of so many famous and distinguished persons, Civil War generals, admirals, etc. Two favorite artists of mine: Thomas Eakins and Rembrandt Peale are here as well. Perhaps the jewel in the crown is the lovely 220 year old Federal Style mansion that is considered a masterpiece of late 18th Century architecture.