‘Rocky’: 7 Iconic Philadelphia Locations From the Film Franchise

Rocky: 50th Anniversary

Special Issue

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Rocky wouldn’t be what it is without the Philadelphia-set locations that serve as the background of Rocky Balboa‘s (Sylvester Stallone) story. Below, we round up the most quintessential spots.

Rocky’s apartment

1818 East Tusculum Street

United Artists / MGM

Before Philly’s Kensington area became notorious for being overrun by the country’s current homeless and opioid crisis, the working-class neighborhood was best known for housing Rocky Balboa’s humble abode. But don’t be fooled: It was just the outsides of the red brick row homes seen on screen that are authentic to the area. The interior scenes were filmed in a rundown Los Angeles apartment that was the sort of messy that made sense for a single slob like our hero. And Butkus, of course.

Mighty Mick’s Gym

2147 N. Front St.

United Artists / MGM

The legendary location where Rocky begins his road to glory may not have been much to look at on screen, but the magic of Hollywood has made it a must-visit spot for fans visiting Philly. Many are surprised to learn that the building, built in 1910, was never an operating gym. And while it still stands today, it’s been heavily renovated to house commercial space and apartments.

J&M Tropical Fish

2146 N. Front St.

United Artists / MGM

While the interiors for Rocky’s apartment and gym were swapped out for L.A.-based locations, Adrian’s place of employment was the real deal, inside and out. Morris Marks opened the Kensington-area pet shop in 1963, and it was his co-owner and son Joseph who rented out the place to the Rocky production team for a reported $1,500. Not only did J&M provide the film with some of its most entertaining scenes (it was in the shop’s real basement that Rocky first meets Butkus), but it also gave them two of its stars: Members of the Morris family owned and still care for Cuff and Link, Rocky’s two turtles.

The Italian Market

South Philadelphia’s 9th Street

United Artists / MGM

“America’s Oldest Outdoor Market” on Philadelphia’s South 9th Street has always been a go-to favorite for fruits, vegetables, Italian fare, and countless open-air vendors, but it really gained attention when Sly jogged through in his gray sweatsuit. It’s also a shooting location in Rocky II, Rocky V, and Rocky Balboa, which features the real-life Giordano Fruit and Produce shop at the corner of 9th and Washington Ave., where he grabs ingredients for Adrian’s Restaurant. Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) even runs the same route in Creed.

The Docks

Pier 24

United Artists / MGM

It’s a parking lot these days, but in 1976 it was Pier 24 on the waterfront, where Rocky went to collect a debt for his “boss,” Mr. Gazzo. Shot with the Ben Franklin Bridge in the background, the scene reflects a time when the docks on the Delaware River were teeming with stevedores and tankers coming in and out of the watery divide between the City of Brotherly Love and Camden, New Jersey.

Philadelphia Museum of Art

2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.

United Artists / MGM

No visit to Philly is complete without a run up the steps here, free to the public and immortalized in the film’s training montage. Fans can scale the 72 steps leading up to the neoclassical structure’s east entrance and throw their hands into the air, just like the Italian Stallion. While you’re there, notice that Rocky’s footprints are emblazoned at the top, where you can take a selfie by the bronze Stallone statue.

Train Tracks

Nobel St. & Columbus Blvd.

United Artists / MGM

The legendary training montage begins on the railroad tracks in this industrial neighborhood, which the Italian Stallion runs through carrying bricks. (The tracks are long gone now.)

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Why the 'Rocky' Legend Endures 50 Years Later

For an even closer look at the locations, see the map below:

TV Guide Magazine’s Rocky 50th Anniversary Special Issue is available for order online now at Rocky.TVBooks.com, and for purchase on newsstands nationwide.