Travel video guide
Things to Do in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 6 Places
This guide turns The Black Sheep of Philly: Arnett Woodall of West Philly Produce from JL Jupiter into a practical walking tour map with 6 saved spots around West Philadelphia, Chester, and University City. The mapped places include a place marker, an area marker, a grocery store, and a neighborhood. Use it to understand the places, food notes, and trip context before saving the map in Varedelo.
What the creator captured
JL Jupiter highlighted West Philly Produce as a unique, black-owned pillar of the community that transformed a former drug lot into a resource hub. He was impressed by Mr. Arnett's 30-year mission to provide healthy food, youth employment, and life skills programs in a former food desert. The creator emphasized the importance of supporting this one-of-a-kind shop that serves as a global model for underserved neighborhoods.
What this map is good for
- Planning a neighborhood stop or short itinerary in West Philadelphia.
- Seeing where the mapped places sit together before choosing what to visit first.
- Saving 6 mapped spots into Varedelo so the list stays usable on the ground.
- Using the original video as context, then turning it into a clean place-by-place map.
Featured spots on this map
- West Phillie Produce
Grocery Store in 18 S 62nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19139, USA, West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Hours: Hours available - Chester
Area marker in Chester, PA, USA, Chester Township, Chester, Pennsylvania, United States - West Kensington
Neighborhood in West Kensington, Philadelphia, PA, USA, West Kensington, Pennsylvania, United States - Drexel University
Research Institute in 3141 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA, University City, Pennsylvania, United States
Hours: Hours available - Market Street
Place marker in Market St, Philadelphia, PA, USA, West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States - Ludlow Street
Place marker in Ludlow St, Philadelphia, PA, USA, West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Food notes from the video
- 100% fruit smoothie
- soursop tea
Experiences captured
- Interviewed Mr. Arnett at West Philly Produce
- Toured a black-owned community produce shop
- Observed the preparation of fresh smoothies
- Learned about the shop's 22-year history
- Viewed the Tupac Shakur family peach trees
- Witnessed community members receiving free resources
- Explored the shop's food bank and feeding programs
- Discussed community impact and crime reduction
Planning notes for Philadelphia
West Philadelphia is a captivating destination rich in historical heritage, distinctive architecture, and unique family attractions. Its story begins with the Lenape people, the original inhabitants of the region, before it transformed from 18th-century country estates and farmlands into a fashionable "streetcar suburb" of the city following the 1854 Consolidation Act. This era of growth is reflected in its spectacular residential architecture, which showcases a blend of styles including **Italianate.
Must-try foods nearby
- Tofu Bánh Mì Hoagie
An iconic West Philadelphia fusion, this sandwich is claimed to have been invented at a long-standing local Vietnamese deli. - Injera with Ethiopian Wots/Stews
A staple of West Philly's vibrant Ethiopian and East African culinary scene, this is a platter of assorted richly spiced stews (*wots*) served over and with injera, a large, sour. - Classic Cheesesteak
The quintessential Philadelphia sandwich, made with thinly sliced ribeye beef, typically chopped, and served on a long, crusty Italian roll. - Teff-Battered Ethiopian Fried Chicken
An interesting and trending take on Southern comfort food, this distinctive fried chicken is battered in teff, the grain used for injera. - Chicken Maroosh Sandwich
A highly-rated local favorite from Middle Eastern delis, the Maroosh sandwich features grilled, seasoned chicken, crunchy pickles, fresh parsley, and a generous layer of fluffy.
When to go: The best time to visit West Philadelphia is during the shoulder seasons of late Spring (May) or early Fall (September-October), as this provides the most pleasant weather for walking and exploring the University City area. Expect hot.
Local tips
- Exercise common-sense safety precautions by sticking to well-lit and populated streets, especially when walking at night, as neighborhood safety varies block by block.
- Utilize the SEPTA trolleys (Routes 10, 11, 13, 34, and 36) for quick and easy transit between West Philadelphia and Center City.
- When passing locals on the street, acknowledge them with a quick nod but avoid lingering eye contact, which is sometimes interpreted as a challenge.
What travelers are noticing
- The start of the $500 million, multi-phase Westpark Apartments redevelopment project at 46th and Market streets, which is planned to nearly triple the number of units and transform the site into a mixed-income community.
- The grand opening of Level Up Records, a new state-of-the-art music and podcast studio in West Philadelphia focused on youth empowerment and violence prevention.
- Planning and anticipation for the annual Juneteenth Parade and Festival, one of the nation’s largest, which concludes with a festival at Malcolm X Park.
Planning questions
What is this video map?
It is a crawlable guide to the mapped places from The Black Sheep of Philly: Arnett Woodall of West Philly Produce, with the creator video, a static map preview, and selected spots from the trip.
Can I save these spots?
Yes. Open the map in Varedelo to save the places, keep planning notes, and revisit the guide from your phone.
Does this replace watching the video?
No. The video remains the source, and the map makes the places easier to scan, compare, and save while planning.
Use it on your trip
Save this walking tour map before you go
Keep the mapped spots, creator context, food notes, and planning details together. Varedelo turns the page into a phone-friendly map you can revisit when you are choosing where to go.