11 Best Sights in Manayunk, Germantown, and Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia

The grounds take up an entire block, and its unique history, impressive architecture, and the guides who spin a good yarn combine to make Cliveden perhaps the best visiting experience of the historic Germantown homes. The elaborate country house was built in 1767 by Benjamin Chew (1722–1810), a Quaker and chief justice of the colonies, and something of a fence-straddler during the Revolution. Cliveden was at the center of the Battle of Germantown, occupied by British troops, and the walls still bear the marks of American cannon fire. Except for a brief period of time in the late 1700s when it was owned by a privateer (legalized piracy), the house remained in the Chew family until 1972, when it was donated to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The original house has been completely opened to the public. A shining example of Georgian style, it has Palladian windows and an elegant entrance hall. The family-owned furniture includes a mahogany sofa by Thomas Affleck and looking glasses by James Reynolds. An elaborate reenactment of the Battle of Germantown is held here annually on the first Saturday in October. The house, on 6 acres, can be seen on a 45-minute guided tour.

There are many great sections of Fairmount Park, but the 1,800 acres around Valley Green known as Wissahickon Park may be the most stunning. Miles and miles of trails running along and above the river lead to covered bridges, a statue of an Indian chief, 17th-century caves of a free-love cult, large boulders that drip water, and ducks. Forbidden Drive, on which cars are forbidden, runs from Northwestern Avenue (the westernmost part of Chestnut Hill) all the way to Lincoln Drive, where it connects to a bike and walking path. This leads eventually to Manayunk and Kelly Drive, where there are additional bike paths that can take you to the city or out along the Schuylkill. Admission to the park is free, but permits are required for bicycles and horses along some trails outside the Forbidden Drive, and a fishing license is required for anglers. There are also many miles of surprisingly difficult mountain-bike trails. The Valley Green Inn is a decent restaurant located on Forbidden Drive and Valley Green Road, and there is a refreshment stand there as well.

Philadelphia's only mid-19th-century house-museum is a Victorian Gothic extravaganza of elongated windows and arches. This gorgeous 1859 suburban villa is used to illustrate the way Victorian social mores were reflected through its decoration. The downstairs highlights the Rococo Revival (circa 1860), the upstairs is fashioned after the Renaissance Revival (1880s), and the difference is striking, especially the Art Deco–like wall details you may not associate with the time. Also striking is the chamber pot in the dining room that the men used after the ladies retired to the parlor. What makes this house particularly interesting is that it was home to middle-upper-class residents, and so much of the decoration represents the norm of what people in that class strove to be. The house is two blocks from the Tulpehocken stop on SEPTA's Chestnut Hill West line.

Formerly called the Deshler-Morris House, the Germantown home was where President Washington lived and held cabinet meetings during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793–94, making it the seat of government of the new republic for a short time, and also the oldest "official" residence of an American president. A major renovation completed in 2009 has put new life into the house. Interpretive exhibits are displayed in the house next door, and the house itself has been restored to the time Washington was there. The emphasis has also shifted to telling the stories of the entire household, from the slaves who worked there to the president and his wife. In October 1777, during the Battle of Germantown, the house was the headquarters for British general Sir William Howe. As one of the many Germantown houses built flush with the road, it has enchanting side and back gardens. The house, which has moved beyond its "Washington slept here" renown into something much more interesting, is part of the Independence National Historical Park.

The blood of General James Agnew, who died after being struck by musket balls during the Battle of Germantown, stains the floor in the parlor of this Georgian house. Built by Philadelphia merchant and wine importer John Wister in 1744, Grumblethorpe is one of Germantown's leading examples of early-18th-century Pennsylvania-German architecture. The Wister family lived here for 160 years, and during the Revolution a teenage Sally Wister kept a diary that has become an important historical source for what that time was like. On display are period furnishings and family mementos, but probably the best part of the house is the large garden. Wisteria, the flowering vine, is named after Charles Wister (John's grandson), who was an avid botanist and amateur scientist, and there is plenty of it in the garden. There are also an enormous hundred-year-old rosebush, a peony alley, a two-story arbor with climbing clematis and a grapevine working its way across its base, and a number of tulips.

North America's first paper mill was built here in 1690 by Mennonite minister William Rittenhouse. Over the next 150 years, 10 generations of his family lived on the site and operated the mill. His most famous offspring, born in 1732, was David Rittenhouse, astronomer, statesman, and first president of the U.S. Mint. You can stroll any time through these 30 picturesque acres along the Wissahickon; on summer weekends, the one-hour guided tour of the seven outbuildings gives insight into this self-sufficient industrial village, which is now a National Historic District. Special events include papermaking workshops, cooking demonstrations, and an annual 5K race.

After bringing visitors through the hidden back entrance of this 1768 home, guides retrace the experience of slaves who found a haven here when the Johnson House was a key station on the Underground Railroad. They weave the story of the Johnson family, Quakers who worked to abolish slavery, with that of Harriet Tubman, who was sheltered here with runaway slaves and later guided them to freedom. Visitors see hiding places, including the third-floor attic hatch that runaways would use to hide on the roof when the sheriff came by, learn Underground Railroad code words, and view slavery artifacts, such as ankle shackles and collars. The home has contained the gamut of American history; in 1777 the house was in the line of fire during the Battle of Germantown; the shutters still show the impact of the musket rounds. In the early 1900s it was saved from demolition when it became a women's club. The house itself does not amaze, but hearing the stories of the home when you are standing within it is interesting. It's best to call ahead for tours.

This is one of the best arboretums in the country, and makes for a great stroll. Begun in 1887 and bequeathed to the University of Pennsylvania in 1932, this 92-acre arboretum was based on Victorian-era garden and landscape design, with its romantic winding paths, hidden grotto, a fernery, a koi pond, and natural woodland. The highlights are the spectacular rose garden and the swans. Large modern sculptures, some of which are spectacular, are sprinkled throughout the property. The arboretum has 3,500 trees and shrubs from around the world, including one of the finest collections of Asian plants outside Asia. Twice annually, the popular Garden Railway exhibit features an elaborate model railroad surrounded by miniature replicas of historic Philadelphia landmarks and other notable buildings crafted from natural materials. You may want to drive, as it's a good hike from the top of Chestnut Hill and a very hilly but short bike ride.

James Logan may not be a household name, but he was a seminal figure in pre-Revolutionary America. He was secretary to William Penn and managed the daily affairs of the colony. Logan, who went on to hold almost every important public office in the colonies, designed the 1730 Georgian manor himself and named it for his father's birthplace in Scotland. He used it to entertain local luminaries and Native American tribal delegates. It was also where he kept one of the area's first libraries, at a time when books were looked upon with suspicion. George Washington was a guest of James's grandson on his way to the Battle of Brandywine, and British General Howe claimed it for his headquarters during the Battle of Germantown. The Stenton mansion is filled with family and period pieces; the site also includes a kitchen wing, barn, and Colonial-style garden. The guided 45-minute tour interprets the life of three generations of the Logan family and the life of the region from the 1720s through the American Revolution. This house has one of the best interiors of any of the Germantown homes. It's best to call ahead for a tour.

This modest-sized museum has trouble drawing a crowd due to its location halfway down the other side of the hill from Chestnut Hill's shops and restaurants. You can spend a pleasant half hour here, however, taking in the varied modern, 20th-century, and 19th-century art from artists mostly based in the region. Perhaps the best collection is of mid-1900s woodcut and other prints, and the museum has been doing a good job of rotating exhibits and bringing in special exhibitions. There are also some interesting 19th-century Pennsylvania landscapes. The grounds have varied modern outdoor sculpture.

Between the 1690s and 1973, Wyck sheltered nine generations of the Wistar-Haines family. Their accumulated furnishings are on display, along with ceramics, children's needlework, dolls, and artifacts generally contemporary with the mid-1800s. On one side is the oldest rose garden of in the United States, dating to the 1820s, which blooms in late May, as well as a magnolia tree from that time. Out back are a large lawn, where you can picnic, and a vegetable garden—the land has been continuously farmed since 1690. Known as the oldest house in Germantown, Wyck was used as a British field hospital after the Battle of Germantown. The home's current form dates to 1824, when William Strickland made alterations. Tours are offered and should be scheduled in advance, but the grounds are open for wandering, and there is a farmers' market offering fruits and produce grown on the grounds on Friday afternoons from May to November.