Lewisburg in the Winter (State College, Williamsport: rentals, safe area, schools)

[Velvetmoon]

Hi All I am originally from suburbs in the NW of philly area and now live in Florida and am looking to relocate to PA. We really miss our winters and look forward to the chance of a white christmas. I LOVE snow and was wondering what the winters are like in Lewisburg, Pa . We are looking to possibly move there next fall..any info would be great on the area, schools, people, activities for young kids, safe? etc. I read somewhere that they average about 40 inches of snow a year ..does that seem accurate? What is the town like around the holidays? and is there skiing nearby? From what I have seen in pictures the town is just beautiful..we looking for a small, very safe, quaint, down to earth people with community involvement etc. Also are they alot of renting options to transition there that aren't near student housing? Thanks for any info.

[Dawne]

I think you've made an excellent choice in Lewisburg. It's a beautiful small town with excellent schools. There are an abundance of parks and playgrounds, summer activities, parades, downtown events, etc. It is a safe area.

The winters vary - some can be so white that you never see the grass until spring, and then some winters have barely any snow. The average snowfall during any given storm can range from 1 to 15 or more inches. We tend to have wet, heavy snowfall here - not the light, fluffly snow in less humid areas.

Lewisburg is beautiful around the holidays. They also have (in February?) an ice festival with a huge ice carving in one of the downtown parks, and smaller ice sculptures at some of the downtown businesses.

There are skiing areas but you have to drive a bit to get to them, such as State College (Tussey Mountain), north of Williamsport (I knew it as Ski Sawmill but not sure if it's the same name or not) and the Poconos (Jack Frost, Big Boulder, etc.).

I'm sure there are tons of rentals in Lewisburg, and you may very well find some away from the student housing. I would think there are a number of professors who rent and would not want to live right with the students. Your best bet would be to check with a reputable local realtor, who can steer you in the right direction. There are some areas to be careful of regarding flooding also - even some you wouldn't normally consider because there are only small streams nearby. A realtor can help you with that also.

I wish you the best and hope your upcoming move will be stress-free.