Manayunk

Manayunk in Philadelphia – Philadelphia Neighborhoods

A Glimpse of Manayunk in Philadelphia

Manayunk in Philadelphia is a small neighborhood that hugs the Schuylkill River just west of Center City. It has an unique small town charm in an urban setting. Main Street is the heart of Manayunk with boutiques, trendy restaurants and lively bars.

The streets of Manayunk are narrow, giving it a European feel. The hills in this area are infamous thanks to the annual Philadelphia International Championship professional bicycle race. The steep hill that begins at Main Street and continues up Levering Street and Lyceum Avenue is widely known as “The Manayunk Wall”.

Although Manayunk is an ever growing community that is very hip and trendy, the history here is very rich. The historic canal sometimes referred to as the Manayunk Tow Path, is a part of the Manayunk Main Street Historic District. It was once widely used as a water system to link Western Pennsylvania to Eastern Pennsylvania through the Delaware and Schuylkill River. There are many old buildings that are currently converted into restaurants and homes but were once large factory mills.

Wondering where the name Manayunk came from? Well it came from the Lenape Indians who were among the first to settle in this area. The Lenape referred to the Schuylkill River as “Manaiung”, their word for “river”, which literally translates as “place to drink”. The word was slightly altered to Manayunk, what we know it as today.

Visit Manayunk to experience the vibrant nightlife at the many bars and pubs. Take a stroll along the old Manayunk Canal or challenge yourself to ride your bike up “The Manayunk Wall”. There is a lot of charm to be discovered here.