Clearfield Pennsylvania?? Possible transplant from FL! (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: insurance, houses, job outlook)
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Are there many other well populated cities out side of State College, or are they all a fair ways away?
Harrisburg is an hour and a half south, Philly about 3 hours south-east, and Pittsburgh I'm guessing 2 and a half south-west. Basically, the entire northern half of PA is rural as opposed to urban. If State College doesn't seem to fit and you prefer more of the urban lifestyle that you are used to in Florida, I would suggest you look into any of the three cities I mentioned, although Philly may be the best choice for what you seem to be looking for. I'm a little confused because your OP states you are "wanting to experience a big change" from the urban area you are in now, yet your opinion of State College as homely, low-key and simple makes me wonder if you really want that much of a change. Moving so far from family and where you were raised is a MAJOR life-change, especially if at your young age you are doing it alone. Be sure of what you want, the great people on cd will help you find it.
Harrisburg is an hour and a half south, Philly about 3 hours south-east, and Pittsburgh I'm guessing 2 and a half south-west. Basically, the entire northern half of PA is rural as opposed to urban. If State College doesn't seem to fit and you prefer more of the urban lifestyle that you are used to in Florida, I would suggest you look into any of the three cities I mentioned, although Philly may be the best choice for what you seem to be looking for. I'm a little confused because your OP states you are "wanting to experience a big change" from the urban area you are in now, yet your opinion of State College as homely, low-key and simple makes me wonder if you really want that much of a change. Moving so far from family and where you were raised is a MAJOR life-change, especially if at your young age you are doing it alone. Be sure of what you want, the great people on cd will help you find it.
I guess I meant "big change" as in a change in scenery, region, weather, things to do and see. I've seen and done almost everything in this state. I like the urban/suburban life, and there are things to appreciate about rural life as well. I didn't necessarily mean a polar-change as in from urban to rural. Thanks for your insight, I will look into those areas you have mentioned!
I guess I meant "big change" as in a change in scenery, region, weather, things to do and see. I've seen and done almost everything in this state. I like the urban/suburban life, and there are things to appreciate about rural life as well. I didn't necessarily mean a polar-change as in from urban to rural. Thanks for your insight, I will look into those areas you have mentioned!
State College, having PSU, has a very large multicultural scene. There are a few festivals, the largest being ArtsFest in July. The area has a plethora of different dining options, including Indian, Thai, Korean, as well as more traditional fare (For an example, visit Lionmenus.com :: State College, PA Online Menu Resource for Free Delivery, Takeout, Dine-In Restaurants & Bar Specials ). The bar scene is really good with a plethora of bars and a few nightclubs catering to a variety of people. Around the town, you can hike Mt. Nittany, go skiing/snowboarding at Mt. Tussey, among other things. State College has the comforts of a larger city tucked into a medium sized town surrounded by beautiful countryside. Taking a drive in the surrounding country visiting some of the smaller towns is also really fun (one of my favorites is PA 45 out to Lewisburg with a stop at "The Purple Cow" in between!)
Can anyone help me find a Catholic Church in DuBois, PA? I am trying to find the Church where my grandparents were married. All I know is the city. The year would have been between 1900 to 1923. I would greatly appreciate any help you could give. Thank you!
Should I go through with this plan, I will most likely be working full time and if possible I would like to continue with college.
In that case, stick to the larger cities. State College is about as small as you can go and still have some chance of finding a job. Most small towns in Pennsylvania are lousy places to find jobs, particularly those in rural areas.
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Originally Posted by PrettyMissAshley
I enjoy outdoor adventures, live concerts, night life (clubs and bars), quaint shopping districts, cafes, etc..pretty much your usual young people stuff. I assume Clearfield to be more of a suburban area, is this correct? How far is it from more urban areas?
Clearfield is hardly suburban; it's actually pretty isolated. The only counties on I-80 in Pennsylvania that are even remotely suburban are Mercer County, which borders Ohio, and Monroe County, which borders New Jersey. Everything else in between is sticks and hicks, because I-80 bypasses all the major population centers in Pennsylvania. Clearfield is basically a glorified truck stop, and the economy there is shrinking.
If you want a small town that has the amenities you're looking for, then State College would be a much better choice. It's a quintessential college town, which means that it has good amenities for a town its size. The only drawback to State College is that, like Clearfield, it's relatively isolated within the state. The closest decent-sized metropolitan area to State College is Harrisburg, which is about 80 miles to the southeast, and the closest major metropolitan area is Pittsburgh, which is about 120 miles to the southwest.
If you want a major city with a fast pace of life, there's Philadelphia. If you want a major city with a slightly slower pace of life, there's Pittsburgh. If you want a decent-sized city that's not too isolated, there's Harrisburg, York and Lancaster.
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Originally Posted by PrettyMissAshley
What are people in PA like? It seems I've met quite a few people from PA who turned out to be, quite frankly, weird! My entire dad's side of the family is from PA, and the same goes for them, a bunch of nutters! The exception being my aunt. Maybe it is the weather up there, I'm not sure! Is it like anywhere else though, or do people seem to be generally happy and friendly, or does this just depend on the area?
It probably depends on the area. Pennsylvania is a lot like Florida in that its "swing state" quality has nothing to do with being politically and culturally moderate in every way (think Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin), and everything to do with being a political and cultural cluster**** in which different tribes carve out their own sections of the state and toss grenades at the others.
I didn't have a very good impression of Clearfield. I made a special stop to go to Denny's Pub and couldn't find it. No signs and they were doing road work so the directions were useless. I don't think anybody spends a dime on signs or advertising in that area of Pa. The town itself wasn't too bad. Nothing spectacular or interesting but not a dump either. Older homes, some dog eared, some still okay. Lots of small businesses and bars. Its also on the edge of the real Pa mountains, from that point west it becomes just flat woods, and low hills, not farmland, not mountains, not real coal country, not real steel country, just non descript land.
Dubois had a lot more shopping and restaurants. But State College is by far better in its offerings and the surrounding area has a lot more scenery, farming and interesting small towns.
Welcome to Denny's Beer Barrel Pub doesn't need to spend much on advertising - I've stopped there many times on my way through, but I think it was better before the Food Network discovered it.
I don't recommend the Days Inn - I had to attend a work meeting there a while back and the night before, found the TV didn't work, and I slept on top of the bedspread. Then the meeting started and the first speaker in the conference room was interrupted by the ceiling falling down. I'd give it three stars in the negative column.
Pennsylvania is a lot like Florida in that its "swing state" quality has nothing to do with being politically and culturally moderate in every way (think Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin), and everything to do with being a political and cultural cluster**** in which different tribes carve out their own sections of the state and toss grenades at the others.
Wish I could rep you for this but used my chit in the road threads.
I only said stay out of PA, because were just about out of jobs!! And for us fokes that live here we need all we can get at this point.
Yeah, it astounds me that so many people want to move here thinking that our job market is strong. I think they have read one too many Forbes Top 10 lists and actually believe them.
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