The park, about 5 miles (8 km) north of the county seat of Media, offers many recreational activities, such as hiking, biking, fishing, and picnicking.

Highlights include a 5-mile (8 km) paved multi-use trail, a formal garden designed by the Olmsted Brothers, and Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation, which recreates daily life on a pre-Revolutionary farm.

The bulk of the property was acquired in the late 1960s from the estate of well known horse breeder Walter M. Jeffords Sr. and his wife Sarah, a niece of Samuel D. Riddle.

The Jeffords had acquired the land starting about 1912 in small parcels, until they had over 2,000 acres (8.1 km2), which was the largest private undeveloped property in the Philadelphia area by the 1960s.

[8][9] The location of Ridley Creek State Park, just 16 miles (26 km) from downtown Philadelphia, has led to its popularity.

The 12 miles (19 km) of hiking trails at Ridley Creek State Park are popular with dog owners.