Ben Franklin Br to Battleship NJ to Italian Market Festival; approx 9 miles

** PHILA FUN DAY-**

This will be about a 9 mile urban hike that will encompass lots of city and river sites along the way! Starting from Franklin Square we will make our way across the Ben Franklin Bridge to The Battleship NJ. There will be a bathroom stop in Camden along the waterfront and a small break at the Battleship for pics, etc...
From the Battleship we will make our way back across the Ben Franklin Bridge and pass through the Independence Mall area on our way to South Phila. The South 9th Street Italian Market Festival will be our final destination. There will be street vendors, DJ and a band here this day as well as the famous grease pole climbing competition. Here is the link to the event: Italian Market Festival 2025

Notes:

1. this event gets crowded and we may get separated at the event. In past years people have formed small groups to go into different directions. There is no specific agenda other then to enjoy the food, music and people watching. The end time is just an estimate. You are free to do whatever you like and leave whenever you need to.
2. keep in mind additional mileage to get back to your car (unless you take an Uber/Lyft back to starting point). We will not be heading back to starting point as a group due to the nature of this event.
3. Pace: This will NOT be one of my intense paced hikes. It will also NOT be "slow stroll", so a decent fitness level is needed to keep a decent pace (around 3 mph range) and to be able to walk 8-10 miles. You will be able to take pictures as I will stop a few times along the way at scenic locations. Goal is to enjoy ourselves and connect with others while getting some exercise.

Fair weather event....:) Will be rescheduled if raining.

Meeting spot and Parking: We will meet at the South East corner in Franklin Square, located at 6th and Race Street. THIS IS PHILLY, SO READ PARKING SIGNS CAREFULLY AND DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES IN PLAIN SIGHT!!!! Septa regional rail (Jefferson Station) is close by and a viable option instead of driving.

We will meet at 9:45 am and depart by 9:50 am. Please allow time for traffic and parking. I can not hold the group up for stragglers.

Gear and food: sneakers ok for this hike. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen if you desire and some snacks to hold you over until we arrive at the festival.

GUEST and ATTENDANCE POLICY: All attendees must be members of Outdoor Adventure Friends. This is for communication purposes to ensure that those in attendance understand exactly what they are signing up for. Please be courteous and change your rsvp in a timely fashion if you can no longer attend an event. Repeated no shows or a history of signing up and dropping off excessively when there is a waitlist will exclude you from being moved off of future waitlists and special events

PLEASE NOTE: I cannot respond to calls, texts, emails, messages on meetup, or comments on the event page once we start hiking. Please plan accordingly.

NOTICE: Meetup organizers are not professionally trained. By attending an event you are agreeing that YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN SAFETY AT ALL TIMES. No member of the group EXCEPT YOURSELF can be held responsible for any damages, accidents, or liabilities incurred while hiking with us.