Endless Summer Fun: Sports and Activities
Be king for a day
Five hundred smackeroos buys you a social membership and your own personalized tailgating tent at Tinicum Park Polo Club, on the Delaware River in Bucks County. There are “sport of kings” matches every Saturday from May through October. And put on the Ritz in that tent — we suggest New Hope caterer Jamie Hollander (415 South York Street, 215-862-9809, jhollandergourmet.com). Cost: $$$.
Or skip the tent and pay $300 for a season-long reserved tailgating spot on the TPPC grounds. You still get to hang out with players and friends at the après-match buffet (not to mention the post-season party and the Winter Gala).Cost: $$.
Better yet — crash the party! Five bucks gets you and a carful of lowlifes in the gate, so you can ride Charlie Chukkah, stomp divots, goggle at the peculiar outfits (July 12th is Hat Day!), and make like you’re to the manor born. Cost: $.963 River Road, north of Point Pleasant, 908-966-3321, tinicumpolo.org
Watch baseball
Root for the world-champion Fightin’ Phils in style, with four Row 5 Diamond Club seats for as little as $110 apiece. Cost: $$$. Citizens Bank Park, 215-463-1000, phillies.com
Or take it down a notch to the AA Reading Phils, who make their home at FirstEnergy Stadium. You’ll pay no more than $24 per Blue Field Box seat — with a two-and-a-half-hour all-you-can-eat buffet thrown in. Cost: $$. 610-375-8469, readingphillies.com
Our favorite way to root for future Phils? The AAA Lehigh Valley IronPigs at Coca-Cola stadium in Allentown, where general admission lawn tickets are $6 each, and the giveaways — dog leashes! Replica World Series rings! Maracas! — defy belief. Cost: $. 1050 IronPigs Way, 610-841-PIGS, ironpigsbaseball.com
Scavenge around
Watson Adventures will custom-craft a two-and-a-half-hour scavenger hunt tailored to your interests (Art? History? The Mafia?), for you and up to 15 friends; clues lead to city sites and cultural institutions. From $600, plus any clue-destination admission fees. Cost: $$$. 877-946-4868, watsonadventures.com
City Hunt’s “Old City Picture Safari” challenges you and the fam (or friends) to capture urban happenings on digital cameras. Ages 10 and older get two-plus hours of scavenging for $20 a head. Cost: $$. 877-HUNT-FUN, cityhunt.org
Or do it yourself. Our suggestion for hunting grounds: lovely-but-creepy Laurel Hill Cemetery. Stop by the office to pick up a $5 guide to the tombstones of the rich and famous, then create your own haunted hunt. Admission is free — and on a steamy summer day, it’s nice and cool among the dead, overlooking the river. Cost: $. 3822 Ridge Avenue, 215-228-8200, theundergroundmuseum.org
Get some cul-chah
Totally busted? Take advantage of the burgeoning First Friday phenomenon to get live entertainment, food and drink, local artists’ exhibits and more — absolutely free. Find the good times on the Main Line (firstfridaymainline.com) and in Phoenixville (myspace.com/phoenixvillefirstfriday), Doylestown (firstfridaydoylestown.com) and Philly (oldcityarts.org), among other choices. Cost: $.
Ride a bike
Wissahickon Cyclery has a house brand: Engin bikes, custom-fitted and made one at a time, by hand, right here in Philly. The base price is $1,550; add options from there. (Want a custom paint job?). Every bike has a five-year warranty. Cost: $$$. 7837 Germantown Avenue, Chestnut Hill, 215-248-2829, wiss-cycles.com
Not ready to commit yet? Rent your wheels instead, from Trophy Bikes — a Marin Muirwoods ’08 for $25 for four hours or $35 for 24 hours, which includes rack, lock and helmet. You’ll need a credit card and photo ID (3131 Walnut Street, 215-222-2020, trophybikes.com). Or try Breakaway Bikes on Kelly Drive, at $10 an hour or $30 for the day, helmet and lock included (same credit card/ID required)(Lloyd Hall, Kelly Drive, 215-568-6002, breakawaybikes.com). Cost: $$.
Hand over your photo ID at Tri-County Bicycles in Pottstown, and they’ll hand you a comfy yellow beach bike, with helmet and lock if you like, for absolutely free! It’s thanks to Bike Pottstown, a community bike-share program. Cost: $. 248 East High Street, Pottstown, 484-941-6000, bikepottstown.org
