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Fishtown, Philadelphia — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Fishtown is a district of Philadelphia, a former fishing quarter of tight rowhouse streets set along the river on the city's edge.
About Fishtown
Where to stay in Fishtown
Not every neighbourhood fits every trip — here's what each one is good for.
Fishtown draws visitors to its rowhouse streets and riverside edge within Philadelphia, and small lodgings have taken hold among the old blocks. Rooms here lean toward guesthouses and converted buildings rather than large towers. Choices are modest but real.
Many travellers still base themselves in central Philadelphia and reach the quarter by the river line or a short ride. Those after a walkable, low-rise stay look here.
About Fishtown
What are the main landmarks in Fishtown?
Fishtown's own draw is its riverfront and rowhouse fabric more than any single monument within Philadelphia. Close by across the old core stand major heritage sites: the cruiser USS Olympia at the waterfront, the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, and the National Shrine of Saint John Neumann. The river ties them together.
Older sanctuaries such as the Free Quaker Meetinghouse and Saint Augustine Church round out the nearby landmarks.
What is the history of Fishtown?
Fishtown grew from a working riverside settlement on the northern edge of Philadelphia, its name tied to the shad fishing that once worked the water. Rowhouses filled the grid as trades and mills lined the riverbank. Fishing gave way to industry.
The quarter kept its tight streets and low brick blocks even as the wider city changed around it.
Where is Fishtown?
Fishtown sits on the river edge of Philadelphia, a compact grid of streets running back from the water near the cruiser USS Olympia.
Good for
More areas in Philadelphia
Updated July 2026