An Hour From Philly Is A Peaceful Arboretum With Scenic Wetlands, Trails, And Wildlife

There's no shortage of green spaces in Philadelphia, whether you're looking for a small pocket park to enjoy on a lunch break or a sculpture garden to explore on a free afternoon. There's also Wissahickon, Philadelphia's stunning urban gem that features epic gorges and some of Pennsylvania's best forest trails. Winding past it all are the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers, which extend out into the city's surrounding countryside. Interstate 95, which weaves past the Delaware, will eventually take you to Tyler Arboretum in Media, Pennsylvania, a little over 50 minutes away from Philadelphia. This peaceful, public garden is ideal for daytrippers looking for a true escape from city life. Here, you'll have the opportunity to hike, picnic, and learn a little about local wildlife.

Tyler Arboretum spans a total of 650 acres and features 17 miles of trails, which offer views of marshlands, forest, and historic buildings. The land, originally home to the Lenape Tribe, was settled by the English and later purchased by the Minshall Family in the 1600s. A grand mansion called Lachford Hall was constructed on the land, along with several barns and even an old stone library — these buildings still stand today between lilacs and magnolia trees.

The grounds and main hall were all privately owned until the 1940s, when the property became public land. Today, it's open year-round and daily. Tickets are $18 for adults, and $10 for children under 17. Guided tours are $25. Over the decades, horticulturalists have worked to plant a vibrant variety of flowers and trees, creating a truly unique gem worth taking a trip out of the city to explore.

An extensive trail system winds throughout Tyler Arboretum. The Native Woodland Walking Trail is lined with several varieties of local trees and shrubs, while the Scenic Loop past the Pinetum forest is just over a mile long and paved. There are also seven longer hikes toward the eastern end of the park, each clearly marked with a different color: green, yellow, blue, pink, orange, red, and white. They range from less than a mile to over eight miles in length. Most intersect the arboretum's two streams: Dismal Run and Rocky Run.

As you explore the various trails, you'll spot colorful clusters of rhododendrons, a chestnut nursery, and even a giant sequoia that dates back to when the Minshall Family still lived on the land. "The grounds are absolutely massive and incredibly well-maintained, with so many different paths to wander through and discover," reads one review on Google.

Along with lush plant life, Tyler Arboretum is home to hundreds of other creatures — winged, shelled, and aquatic. Birdwatchers will be treated to Red Tailed Hawks, Eastern Bluebirds, and Indigo Buntings. There are also scenic wetlands surrounding the arboretum's pond, where you'll find frogs, ducks, and turtles. "Critters abound in the pond, and I believe that the pond observation deck is wheelchair friendly also, as are several paths," reads one review on TripAdvisor. Over the years, the arboretum has taken great care to maintain its marshier areas, protecting them from sediment and runoff. For a more extensive tour of wetland environments, you can visit these 10 scenic wetland parks on the East Coast for outdoor fun.

Tyler Arboretum is home to several different gardens, each with a unique array of plants. There's the Fragrant Garden, which has over 100 different types of herbs and sweet-smelling flowers; everything from basil to heliotrope. Or visit the Edible Garden and Classroom, which offers cooking lessons and tips on how to maintain a backyard vegetable patch. Lucille's Garden, meanwhile, donates its fresh produce, and visitors can take pictures of bees and butterflies darting between flowers at The Pollinator Preserve.

Lachford Hall, where the Minshall family lived beginning in the 1730s, is also open to visitors. The rooms are decorated with period-accurate furniture, so you can see what it might have been like to call the grounds home centuries ago. Or stop by the Painter Library, which dates back to 1863 and once housed scientific papers and specimens. Families visiting the arboretum will enjoy exploring the Meadow Maze or finding one of the several treehouses on the grounds, which are typically open from April through November. "Treehouses, meadow maze and animal habitats kept my granddaughter engaged and happy. Fragrance garden and kitchen garden kept me happy!" reads one review on Google. In other words, Tyler Arboretum has truly earned its place among the top six fun family-friendly outings in and around Philly.

If you're traveling from the city and don't have access to your own car, you can always hop aboard public transit. The Media/Wawa Train Line will take you all the way to Media, Pennsylvania. From here, the gardens are less than four miles away and accessible via a ride-share app.