The Greater Philadelphia region is home to Fairmount Park -- one of the largest landscaped, urban parks in the United States with over 9,000 acres and 215 miles of recreation trails.

• Philadelphia Green is the largest urban greening program in the U.S., supporting community gardens, urban parks and public landscapes in Philadelphia.
• Brandywine Creek State Park, DE, offers bike and footpaths and an interactive nature center.
• New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve preserves environment for more than a thousand species of plants and animals.
• There are 11 national parks within a 50-mile radius of Greater Philadelphia.  Among them are Independence National Historic Park, home to the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall; and Valley Forge National Historic Park, site of Washington's winter camp during the American Revolution.
• Greater Philadelphia has more public libraries per capita than most of the major metropolitan areas in the country, including New York, Chicago, Dallas, Washington DC, Atlanta, Seattle, and Charlotte.
• Family activities and venues include: Adventure Aquarium, Sesame Place, Philadelphia Zoo, Please Touch Museum and Camden Children's Garden.
• 193 golf courses (79 public, 87 private, 25 semi private and 2 military).
• About Inc. rated Philadelphia as one of the top walking cities.
• Bicycling Magazine rated Philadelphia as a runner-up as best cycling city.
• The Mural Arts Program is helping to beautify neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia. 

Sources: Fairmount Park Conservancy, 2005.  Trust for Public Land 2003, National Park Service 2004.  National Center for Education Research, from Cities Ranked and Rated, 2004.