Moving to Lehigh Valley - Interested in New Tripoli

[toobusytoday]

I think cp123 has a point. It might take awhile but if you really want to live in the country then you cannot expect the shopping convienences of less rural areas. I think the trade off is pretty good though. You just change the way you shop. When my kids were little and each shopping trip meant taking them with me, I shopped less often and when I did shop I tried to do it when my husband was home so I went kid-less. Now that my kids are mostly grown I stop at the grocery store almost daily on my way home from work.

[moving2lehigh]

Wow, thanks cp123! And also to toobusytoday. I had no idea how helpful this forum would be for our move to Lehigh Valley and the New Tripoli and you've all been so helpful. I feel armed and ready to go house hunting once we arrive. We have found some beautiful old homes in New Tripoli and I feel much more comfortable knowing about the area from locals.

We've been researching more and more for shops around New Tripoli and didn't know about the ones in Trexlertown. I did know about the shops in Whitehall and Slatington. Those aren't terribly close, but you're right that you sacrifice convenience for countryside.

New Tripoli is also close to the mountains - anyone know about hiking trails and other outdoor activities that are close by?

[graysmom8]

Bear Creek Resort in Macungie has skiing, snowtubing and snowboarding in the winter, as well as mountain bike trails and possibly hiking in the summer. It would probably be about 40 min or so from New Tripoli.

Not super close, but Jim Thorpe has lots of beautiful hiking and biking paths to explore, as well as kayaking. You can google Jim Thorpe or the Lehigh Gorge to get an idea of what is there.

If you're looking for biking trails in the area, let me know and I'll ask my husband (he rides road, moutain and cyclocross).

[Soccer25]

There are plenty of outdoor activities in the New Tripoli area and in the Lehigh Valley in general; graysmom8 touch on some of them. As far as hiking goes, two of my favorite are Hawk Mountain and the Appalachian Trail (or the AT as the hard-core hikers call it). Hawk Mountain has plenty of trails and also has beautiful scenery, and of course in the fall you can see the hawk migrations. The part of the AT that I usually go on is around Bake Oven Knob. I always thought it was exciting to know that the trail you're hiking on leads all the way up to Maine and all the way down to Georgia. Also at the Game Preserve, there are some small trails to hike, along with a small creek to wade in (a great place for little ones). There are also picnic benches there.

Those are just a few, but there are plenty more in the surrounding area. There is another major skiing place, Blue Mountain Ski Area, which is in the Palmerton area. The area also has a small lake, Leaser Lake, which at the moment is drained. However, in the next year they are finally going to refill it. This is a nice place to either go fishing, or canoing, or other small boating activities. It is also a nice place to have a picnic. It's nothing spectacular, but still a nice area, even though not alot of people go there anymore.

[eyzinf]

Hi, New Tripoli is a very nice place. My stepdaughter has been in the local daycare system from 1997-2001 and currently going to 6th grade in the Northwestern Lehigh School District. They are currently renovating both Elementary Schools, and I think the Middle School is only about 8-10 years old. My stepdaughter has really liked all of her teachers so far, and they seem to show a genuine interest in her well-being.

[doxielover]

A new grocery store will be built above the LaMar Center in Fogelsville. I believe they are breaking ground this fall. As for traffic in the area, you might encounter an occasional tie up for an accident, but otherwise the traffic is nothing at all.

I am a teacher in another district and my children went to Northwestern. 99% of the teachers were good or great. The few they encountered who weren't have since retired. My children did make use of AP courses, independent study, and took additional courses at the two neighboring community colleges. Northwestern is a small district and simply can't offer everything that a larger disctrict can offer. But we liked the small community atmosphere and felt they were wewll prepared for college.

[Lv'n in New Tripoli]

I've lived in New Tripoli for 30 years. I love it! New Tripoli is a quiet area overall. Unfortunately, more developers are moving in all the time changing the whole feel of the area. Yes, there are still plenty of open spaces, but the growth has affected our schools and our roads. "City" people moving to the country still want city amenities and don't want to live with the inconviences of country life. Example: When I first moved here, from Allentown, if I need a loaf of bread or a quart of mile, the thought of driving "all the way to the store" was a hassle. You have to learn to write down items as you need them and take a list with you when you go out if you do not want to be wastiing both precious time and fuel. Another example of "City" people would be school bussing. Everyone seems to think that their child needs to be picked up at the door. You rarely see children walking to the bus stop. Parents drive them. Society tells us kids are getting fatter and need more excercise. It also tells us that we need to use less fuel and leave less of a carbon impring on our planet. Parents could accomplish both by having their kids walk to the bus stops.

One very large drawback to living in New Tripoli would be things to do for children. There is a good athletic program put on by the NYAA, however, if you have a child that is not into sports, there is nothing for them to be involved in. I feel that the schools are just ok. My son went to the NW schools all his life and if I had to do it over again, I would consider private schools. NW talks a good talk but I don't feel they offer the children what they need to be successful in college or in life. The school provides little in the way of sports that can be played throughout life, limited golf, no swimming, tennis. Sports like football, basketball and soccer are played little by adults. There is no place for kids to hang together. Drugs and alcohol become a big part of the party life of our teenagers. This is unfortunate but true. You can always pay for camp, dancing lessons, etc. but there are no playgrounds for kids to just go to and play, be kids.

I know this comes across as being negative, and I don't mean it too. However, I feel it is necessary to tell you like I see it. That being said, New Tripoli is a wonderful place when you consider the options of crowded cities. I would suggest you look in Weisenberg Township or Lowhill Township if you don't want to be too far from Fogelsville. Lynn Township is more rural than, and less developed, but you will have to travel a bit further, however not more that 30 minutes. The Northwestern Lehigh school district is made up of 4 townships, Weisenberg, Lowhill, Lynn and Heidelberg.

If you have any questions I would be happy to answer them if I can. I'd be interested to know what you decide.

Happy Home Hunting