Recommended Routes to Regatta Site

Directions

Google Map of Schuylkill River and surrounding area

Registration Area – Lloyd Hall and University Barge Club

GPS Decimal Degrees: 39.969255N -75.185399W        GPS Address: #7 Kelly Drive, Boathouse Row, Philadelphia PA 19130

To get you close to the Traffic Barrier at the top of the racecourse 

GPS Decimal Degrees: 39.995626, -75.191661             GPS Address: 2400 Kelly Drive, Philadelphia   

From New York/New England:

From southbound New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) take exit 6 to Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276 West). Follow PA Turnpike to exit 20 (Mid County). Take this exit (keeping to the left) and follow signs to I-476 South (Chester). Travelers from Scranton: pick up I-476 at same exit from Route 9 South (PA Turnpike Northeast Extension.)

After toll, take I-476 South to exit 16 to 16A (junction with I-76 East. Take this exit and follow signs for Philadelphia. Now follow NORTHERN APPROACH directions below.

Travelers from Harrisburg on PA Turnpike East, take Exit 34 and transfer to I-76 East (Schuylkill Expressway.) Proceed towards Philadelphia.

Northern Approach:

Take I-76 East to exit 340A (Kelly Drive/Ridge Avenue – Warning, this exit is on the left side of the road). Take this exit and get into the LEFT lane as you go over the bridge across the Schuylkill River. Look for sign on left for Kelly Drive. The ramp will spiral downwards in a counter-clockwise direction and will merge you onto Kelly Drive, southbound (switch to right lane after merging at bottom of spiral). Continue along Kelly Drive through three traffic lights. Stay in right lane to approach Traffic Barrier (you will need an access pass to get through barrier).  If you do not have an access pass, stay in left lane and continue up Strawberry Mansion Drive, following signs for parking area.

From Washington, DC, Baltimore, Wilmington:

Take I-95 North through Wilmington or I-495 North (Port of Wilmington) until it re-joins I-95 at the Delaware-Pennsylvania line. Continue north on I-95 to Exit 7 (marked I-476 Plymouth Meeting.) Instead of continuing north on I-95 past the airport and into central Philadelphia, consider taking I-476 (known as the “Blue Route”) northwards to Exit 6, then I-76 East (Schuylkill Expressway.) Then follow NORTHERN APPROACH directions above. This route will be longer but possibly faster than the alternative, which is to follow I-95 to I-676 West (or Route 291 to I-76 West) into Philadelphia and pick up SOUTHERN APPROACH directions below.

From South Jersey:

Via the Walt Whitman Bridge, take I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway) to Exit 340A. The follow SOUTHERN APPROACH directions below. Via the Ben Franklin Bridge, take I-676 West (cross-town expressway) to I-76 West (Schuylkill Expressway to Valley Forge) then follow SOUTHERN APPROACH directions below. Via the Betsy Ross Bridge, take I-95 South to I-676 West, to I-76 West (Schuylkill Expressway to Valley Forge) then follow SOUTHERN APPROACH directions below.

Southern Approach:

Follow I-76 West towards Exit 340A. As you approach Exit 34 (U.S. Route 1 North – Roosevelt Expressway) take care to be in the CENTER lanes (follow the sign to Valley Forge.) Do not be lured off to the right or the left, or you will miss Exit 340A. After rounding a left curve, you will see the sign for Exit 340A (Kelly Drive/Ridge Avenue.) The exit will take you off to the right, but get into the left-most lane as you go over the bridge across the Schuylkill River. Look for sign on left for Kelly Drive. The ramp will spiral downwards in a counter-clockwise direction and will merge you onto Kelly Drive, southbound (move to right lane after merging at bottom of spiral). Continue along Kelly Drive through three traffic lights. Stay in right lane to approach Traffic Barrier (you will need an access pass to get through barrier).  If you do not have an access pass, stay in left lane and continue up Strawberry Mansion Drive, following signs for parking area.

Please allow for plenty of travel time. If transporting boats, consult state police in each state through which you will travel to check on trailer lighting and overhang regulations.

Parking During The Regatta:

Part of Kelly Drive, the main road along the river, will be closed off to regular traffic by the police during the regatta. There will be very limited parking within this area for cars that display a Head of the Schuylkill Regatta Access Pass. Distribution of this tag is limited, and is done before the regatta. Priority is given to coaches, competitors and event volunteers. The access tag does not guarantee parking.  If your vehicle has a access pass but you can’t find a legitimate parking spot in the closed-off area, be advised that you will have to exit the closed area and follow directions (see location map) to one of the city-supervised offsite parking areas ($20-cash only).  You may utilize the drop-off zone nearby the Three Angels, then proceed to off-site parking.

Without the hang tag, no vehicle will be allowed to enter the closed-off area. Instead, as it approaches the police barrier, it will be routed to the through-traffic diversion. Along this route, there are signs that lead to two city-supervised offsite parking lots. The all-day charge for paid parking in these lots is $20 – cash only.

The regatta plans a shuttle-bus service that will loop continuously from the offsite parking lots to the regatta site. You may hail a regatta shuttle bus at any point, and once aboard, you may request the driver to drop you off wherever you choose.

On a space-available basis, there is additional off-site parking in the area of Boathouse Row. On Kelly Drive at the far end of the Row (closest to the Museum of Art and Center City Philadelphia) you can make a right turn onto Waterworks Drive or a left turn onto Sedgley Drive. Both lead to parking areas that are open to the public. There is no charge for parking in these areas, but there may be portions of them that are time limited.

WHEREVER YOU PARK, PLEASE RESPECT AND DO NOT DAMAGE THE GRASS, TREES AND NATURAL BEAUTY OF FAIRMOUNT PARK. Philadelphia is proud to be the home of the nation’s largest urban park system.