When is a good time to visit Philadelphia? Not in July or August. This is the time that the weather in the Delaware Valley is at its worse. The locals usually flee to the Jersey Shore to have a few days of relief. Or stay home under a shade tree or air conditioning.

H-H, heat and humidity basically describes every day in  July and August. There is the rare day when a big thunderstorm blows through and cools off the area, but this doesn’t happen as often as we would like.

In July and August downtown and the historic areas of the city are filled with tourists. But if you like it hot and steamy, then you’ll love Philadelphia in the summer.

The best times to come to Philly? Spring and autumn. Both times are cool, beautiful and usually dry. But, spring and fall are when we can get rain for several days. Hum? Chance of rain or heat and humidity? I’ll take the chance of rain.

Why is Philadelphia so humid? We are located in a river valley, the Delaware River Valley. Philadelphia is basically shaped like a “Y”, with rivers running down each side. And don’t forget the Atlantic Ocean, it is just 98 miles away down the Delaware River and an hour away straight across New Jersey. That makes for tons of water evaporating into the air.

In spring the trees and shrubs bloom, well-insulated bumblebees make their appointed rounds and the resident birds begin to sing and build their nests.  This is the time I go to many places because they are no crowds and just the locals.

In the Fall (what Philadelphians call “autumn”), the deciduous trees change to brilliant colors and leaves softly fall (hence the name “fall”) to the ground. And waterfowl and hawks are migrating southward.  Monarch butterflies are migrating through Cape May State Park at the (New) Jersey Shore.

So, take it from a native Philadelphian, spring (April through early June) and fall (mid-September through early November) are wonderful times here in the Philadelphia region.

Come soak up the atmosphere, learn both early U.S. and natural history, and eat a cheesesteak.

Philadelphia Day Trips
Natural Places to visit in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties.