Graffiti Pier

I had never been to Philadelphia prior to this visit. I wanted to explore the touristy sites and the not so touristy, off the beaten path, and possibly unknown even to locals kind of sites. Graffiti Pier, officially known as Pier 124, happened to be on the latter part of my tour that I wanted to see. I came across photos on Instagram simply by typing in a certain hashtag that brought me to this awesomeness.
Two of my friends that I traveled with Kathleen D., and Sari A. came on this ‘underground’ outing with me. My GPS brought us right to the spot where we needed to park and find the place to the entrance. Luckily, Kathleen had been here on a previous excursion which helped a lot too.
The area that it is located is sketchy. Particularly where we parked down from there was a sports/​coop car outing of some sort that was disassembled not too long after by police when we returned to my car after the visit to the graffiti pier. It was pretty happening. They even had a food truck in tow which I found amusing. They dispersed, thankfully.
We ventured down a beaten path that led us to a gate block that wouldn’t allow car access down the road. Instead the foot path is only accessible via going through the gate that blocks the entrance. Once you walk down just a little ways you end up at the pier. Several people were down there.
Decommissioned in 1991 due to Baltimore increasing their coal circulation; they closed down the pier and its activities is still
It is still owned by the company who used to run the coal shipping here. It pretty much has remained unchanged and untouched since they left leaving it for street artists and graffiti enthusiasts to make their mark.
When walking around, I saw some people climbing up a tree to get to the top of the pier. It had railroad spikes hammered pretty hard into the tree. My friends climbed it with a little trouble. I tried to at first, but with me wearing a dress; I wasn’t about to show the world what I had nor was it worth the risk of me falling and breaking my neck. Others ascended it without much issue as if they had been there before.
Instead of venturing from the top of the concrete pier, Sari, Kathleen and I wandered around on the bottom of it. It really is like a labyrinth where it keeps going and going with no end. Here, you see tons of graffiti, and trash. It made for a great photo op though. Several people were ‘modeling’ in front of the graffiti. I will be the first to admit I was one taking selfies too. I couldn’t help it! It was such a cool chance to pull my best Kim K look. Oh wait… I’m cuter than her.
Once you walk through the first concrete pier there is a big open space between it and another big concrete pier that eventually ends at the water. I saw a graffiti artist doing some repelling. He was creating a skull while hanging from his rope on the side of the first pier. It was incredibly intense as he sprayed with one hand and balanced himself on the wall with the other.
I continued walking through the other pier only to find a fantastic view of Philadelphia once the second one ended. There were some people fishing over there, listening to music and smoking a substance of which I will not name. He was kind to get a photo of me and Kathleen together along with offering us a hit, but we rejected it. Bottom line — this place was pretty chill on the second leg of the pier.
We ventured back and gathered where we began rejoining my other 2 friends who had climbed on top of the first pier. Sari ended up getting bit by either chiggers or mosquitoes, but man it didn’t look good what ever it was. They swarmed her.
My biggest suggestions for visiting here are the following:
* Wear tennis shoes
* Wear long pants and if you can stand to – long sleeves to avoid getting eaten alive.
* Come with people. Don’t come alone.
* Visit while it is light out. No telling what kind of riffraff activity goes on here during the evening hours.
* Leave valuables in the car unless you’re bringing you spray cans… or camera.
* Take it all in and enjoy it for what it is. There probably isn’t many other places like this in the city, so enjoy it uniqueness and the views you are offered of both the graffiti art and view of the Delaware River and the cityscape of Philly.
All in all, I loved it here. I found it incredibly fascinating and would love to come here when it is cooler outside to see what it looks like with the fall colors or even in the snow.

For the artists types among you, Graffiti art represents some kind of self-​expression.
For the rest of us … it represents disgrace for art, and a punishable crime.
Hold on a second, go to the «Graffiti Pier», aka, Graffiti Underground, aka, Graffiti mecca, and look around. You may like what you see.
This past Saturday, Kathleen D, Mary Kate M. and I decided to venture and checkout Graffiti Pier. It was a 10 minutes drive from the city, and the GPS took us to a parking lot off Richmond Street, which was full of cars, and people. Why? Don’t ask.
We parked our car at the far left end, and walk down a «trail» for few minutes, and TA DA!
We were at Graffiti Pier. I admit, I was a bit out of my comfort zone, but ironically, once I saw the abandoned pier that extend into the Delaware River, I started admiring the beautiful/​controversial, huge graffiti canvas. They were big, they were bold.
Clarification:
I am not trying to support Graffiti, but when a controversial art uses old/​abandoned spaces and transform it, then why not give it a shoutout.
Advise:
— It is beautiful, COOL/​RARE spot, but also sketchy. Don’t go at night, and do NOT go alone.
— Eek! I got stung by something all over my legs! So, If I were you, I won’t wear shorts. Cover your legs.
Enjoy Gra.philly. Just not too much.
Four Unilocal