jfromal

Logan Square is one of the most beautiful parts of Philadelphia, thanks in large part to the Swan Fountain in the middle of the park. A popular spot for both locals and tourists, this fountain is the place to dip your feet in and cool off when the weathers hot. On nice days, it's also a popular spot for people of all ages to hang out and meet up with friends.

Logan Square is home to several museums, including the Franklin Institute and The Academy of Natural Science. Walking or driving around this area, you'll most likely see an even mix of tourists and residents. The residential parts of Logan Square can either be found in large apartment/condo buildings or in townhouses a little bit farther away from the square. Most of the housing options seem nice, but not as nice as on Rittenhouse Square. Expect to shell out some serious dough to live in Logan Square without getting much space in return - here you are paying for the privilege of saying that you live on the square!

Parking in Logan Square is generally non-existent, as spots are taken up by those who have zoned residency passes or tourists who are parking for the museums. Traffic is normally chaotic as well, especially during the warmer months when more people are out exploring the city.

Like most cities, Philadelphia's Chinatown is a hot spot for cultural immersion and great, authentic Chinese food. Walking around the streets of Chinatown, you'll see everything from meats hanging in windows to knick-knacks.

Chinatown is also home to festivals throughout the year, the biggest of which happening on the Chinese New Year. There is also a mid-Autumn Festival, a Moon Festival and the Chinatown Night Market, when food trucks, live bands, arts & crafts and more lined the streets of 10th and Race Streets.

Visiting Chinatown is one of the more touristy things to do in Philadelphia, so just like Old City, there are bound to be crowds here whenever you visit. This also makes parking a nightmare, so take public transportation or be prepared to park in an expensive parking garage when visiting.

Chinatown is also a great place to live because of the relatively low cost of living and the easy access to Center City. There are several large loft/condo buildings in addition to row homes. By walking just a few block to the south, you'll hit Market Street and other popular Center City streets. However, be careful when walking this neighborhood at night, as crime is an issue just like in other parts of the city.

Having only driven through this neighborhood a few times, I can't comment on much other than the beautiful Pennypack Park!

Mostly residential, the Pennypack neighborhood seems like a wonderful place for families. Located in Northeast Philadelphia, this small section of NE Philly has a few smaller neighborhoods with nice twins and row houses. Most homes seems to have their own ample sized yards, and the streets definitely seem safe to walk on.

Pennypack Park is one of the most overlooked areas of the city, since it often gets overshadowed by Fairmount Park. However, Pennypack is a great place to walk dogs, ride bikes, take the kids on hikes and just enjoy the outdoors. Since this park is lesser known, it doesn't get the heavy amount of traffic that Fairmount has when the weather is nice!

I have mixed feelings about Port Richmond. Having lived in Kensington for a year, I wound up in Port Richmond a lot because of the wealth of stores that the area has - Target, Home Depot, etc. However, I don't think I would ever want to live in Port Richmond, simply because the residents that live there seem to be so tightly knit since their parents and their grandparents and their great grandparents all probably lived in the neighborhood as well.

It seems as though as other areas of the city fill up, like South Philly, Graduate Hospital and Fairmount, more and more people are looking north for housing options and considering Kensington and Port Richmond. The area is attractive due to the relatively low cost of living. You can rent or buy in Port Richmond for much less than places closer to Center City. However, getting to the city gets a little tricky from Port Richmond. It doesn't have the closeness to the El that Fishtown and Kensington have, so you're left with taking a bus, or hopping on 95 and driving into the city.

As with most areas where an influx of people are moving into, parking seems difficult in Port Richmond. Also, with so many renters moving into the area, there seems to be an elevation in crime as the lower income residents take advantage of this flood of new people.

Rittenhouse Square is definitely one of the most expensive places to live in the city, but for good reason. This neighborhood is at the center of it all in terms of location, shopping, and dining. If having a well-known address in Philadelphia is important for you, than look no further than the streets surrounding Rittenhouse Square.

Rittenhouse Square is desirable because any abode within this neighborhood is close to theaters, museums, music halls, restaurants and Walnut Street shopping. For those that like to go out at night, Rittenhouse is also close to some of the best bars and clubs in the city.

Around Rittenhouse Square, tall condo and loft buildings with great views of the square and the city house the wealthy. The side streets jutting out from the square feature million dollar (or multi-million dollar) town homes and condos. This is s great neighborhood for families as well, with some of the top private schools in the city also residing in Rittenhouse Square.

About 8 miles outside of Philly, Manayunk holds its own as a sort of "Little Philadelphia." Complete with a Main St and several little neighborhood-esque areas within the neighborhood itself, there is a lot to discover about this tiny place that runs along the Schuykill.

Residents here are mostly college students or recent graduates. This means that each townhouse in Manayunk most likely houses between 3-5 people, making parking miserable and the lines to get into bars during the summer slightly out of control. However, if you're looking for a place to meet new friends that are in the 20-26 age range, you couldn't find a better place than Manayunk.

The restaurants and bars in Manayunk have stepped up their game to accommodate the growing population of this neighborhood. Spots like the Brew Pub, Pitchers Pub, Kildares and Bourbon Blue are all great spots to grab a bear. Several great restaurants, like Chabaa Thai and Manayunk Tavern serve up great food and offer outdoor seating when the whether is nice. And if going out in Manayunk isn't your thing, you can always hop on the train and be in the city within 20 minutes.

In my opinion, the good outweighs the bad in this neighborhood. The rowdy college atmosphere, lack of parking and large population of under-30s would most likely prevent many people from buying here, but it is a great area for renters.

As one of the nicer areas of the city, residents and visitors to Washington Square can expect to see people sitting outside at coffee shops, old cobblestone streets, tree lined alleys, small shops and cute little parks. There seems to be a good ratio of renters to home owners, which creates an eclectic and exciting feel.

One of the biggest complaints people have about living downtown in Philadelphia is the lack of good grocery stores nearby. Washington Square West is lucky to have two grocery stores right on South Street, a Whole Food and an Acme, in addition to CVSs and other convenient stores. Pine Street is also home to quaint little shops and antique stores.

If you want to live or rent in Washington Square West, be prepared to empty out your pockets. This neighborhood is desirable, and it's easy to see why. Washington Square is nestled between Market Street and South Street, two of the hubs in the city. However, it does have it's downfalls. Lack of parking and constant traffic noise are enough to keep some people out of this neighborhood.

Tons of restaurants and bars make this neighborhood worth visiting on a weekday or weekend night. You can find nearly any type of food you are looking for here, from BYOB italian restaurants to pub food to upscale seafood. Philadelphia's Gay-berhood is also found within the Washington Square West neighborhood limits.

Having lived in Kensington for a year, I grew to know this neighborhood fairly well. While it's not the nicest or the safest neighborhood in the city (hard to find one of those!) Kensington definitely has its perks. A relatively small neighborhood, Kensington is tightly packed between Northern Liberties, Fishtown and Port Richmond.

If you're moving to this area, stay close to Fishtown and Northern Liberties, as these are the nicer and safer streets. Be cautious at night walking alone, and absolutely never leave car doors or house doors unlocked. If you're aware of your surroundings, you'll be ok.


Because properties are so inexpensive in this area, there seems to be an influx of remodels and new, eco-friendly buildings popping up left and right. This makes for an interesting dynamic with older row homes standing next to super modern, newly built townhouses. This area is great for renters, who can find affordable townhouses or great industrial loft apartments for much less than in Center City. Getting into the city is quite easy from Kensington with the El running right downtown with three stops along Front Street in Kensington.

The nightlife and restaurant scene continues to grow, and residents of this neighborhood are loyal patrons to certain spots. Bigger named chefs are realizing this area is up-and-coming as well, with names like Stephen Starr moving in on Frankford Avenue.