Denver vs Philly (Philadelphia: amusement parks, houses, neighborhoods)

[Quebecoise30]

We have lived in many states, and are wondering if we should now move to Philadelphia...

There's a good opportunity there. We could potentially live in the suburbs of Philly or DE.
There's also a good opportunity here, in Denver. We like Denver, it's good.

Everyone that we mention Philadelphia to, makes a funny face... I know Philly gets a bad rep, but I'm here to find out more about the historical city and its surroundings. (I've done some research online, but wanted to hear from those who have lived there or who currently live there)

Are there good reasons to move to Philadelphia vs. staying in Colorado?

[Angus215]

Philly is a great city with a great downtown, tons of history, culture, great restaurants, etc, etc. One of the few great, walkable downtowns in the country. But it doesn't have anywhere near the outdoor activities of Denver, unless you're into the beach (NJ, DE). So, I guess it depends on what you like doing with your free time. I'm sure the suburbs of Philly generally aren't a whole lot different than the suburbs of Denver.

[FindingZen]

The odds that there are former Colorado residents living in the Philadelphia area would appear to be pretty small. You might find more opinions on the City vs. City sub-forum.

What is it that you like about (metro) Denver the most? The least?

In comparison to Denver or Colorado in general, housing will tend to be older, especially in the city proper. Notwithstanding some similarities in these older styles, some are maintained better than others, depending on the willingness/ability of homeowners/occupants to maintain them. Granted, this may be less of an issue in the 'burbs.

You may feel that in the city proper, homes and businesses are often a little too "close" compared to the Mountain West or West Coast. That's due to a history that evolved from horsepower to a once-thriving manufacturing base. Even in the 'burbs, I would predict open space with "acres of land" might start to appear further out than what you're used to.

Compared to Denver, I would imagine summers might be a little warmer and humid while winters would seem mild, leaving you wondering why people are freaking out over "only" six inches of snow. For the (stereo)typical Colorado outdoor enthusiast, they might have to work a bit harder to find like-minded souls.

On the other hand, while you might find the (stereo)typical Philadelphian indulging in a cheesesteak or hoagie (your sub or grinder), the city's diverse restaurant scene has become a not-so-hidden secret.

That's all I got. But again, the City vs. City sub-forum, if not necessarily populated with people who have lived in or spent quality time in both cities, may at least provide more of a "side-by-side" comparison of those who know one city well.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by Quebecoise30

We have lived in many states, and are wondering if we should now move to Philadelphia...

There's a good opportunity there. We could potentially live in the suburbs of Philly or DE.
There's also a good opportunity here, in Denver. We like Denver, it's good.

Everyone that we mention Philadelphia to, makes a funny face... I know Philly gets a bad rep, but I'm here to find out more about the historical city and its surroundings. (I've done some research online, but wanted to hear from those who have lived there or who currently live there)

Are there good reasons to move to Philadelphia vs. staying in Colorado?

Forget about the "funny faces" other people make. Their perceptions of the city are probably outdated by a good 15-20 years--that is, if they ever knew anything about Philadelphia in the first place. Since the new millenium, Philly has made a lot of big strides. While I know next to nothing about Denver, if you take the time to explain what exactly it is you want in a city, I (along with a number of other posters) would be more than happy to weigh in on whether we think our city could be right for you.

[MikeNigh]

If you move here come with a very open mind. What philly is and what a lot of america thinks philly is are FAR apart. The quickest shortcut to get in the right mindset is small new york.

Also the area is loaded with things to do (within a few hours)... Amusement parks, poconos, new york city, DC, the beach, downtown philadelphia, king of prussia mall, etc. Very high class picture perfect america suburbs to great middle class or working class. Your choice.

I would also give living in downtown philly a thought. Fun times.

[pman]

Originally Posted by Angus215

Philly is a great city with a great downtown, tons of history, culture, great restaurants, etc, etc. One of the few great, walkable downtowns in the country. But it doesn't have anywhere near the outdoor activities of Denver, unless you're into the beach (NJ, DE). So, I guess it depends on what you like doing with your free time. I'm sure the suburbs of Philly generally aren't a whole lot different than the suburbs of Denver.

I would guess that the suburbs here are much different. many of them were built with railroads or, in many cases, before railroads which means they have a completely different built environment than post WWII places.

Philadelphia is one of the country's oldest cities. as such, its walkability is not limited to its downtown but stretches into its neighborhoods. anyway, it does not deserve its bad rap

[Quebecoise30]

Originally Posted by Tone509

In comparison to Denver or Colorado in general, housing will tend to be older, especially in the city proper. Notwithstanding some similarities in these older styles, some are maintained better than others, depending on the willingness/ability of homeowners/occupants to maintain them. Granted, this may be less of an issue in the 'burbs.

I would say that's one of the draws to Philly--the history and old homes. Love those beautiful houses. You don't see anything like that around here. All the houses are cookie cutters and bland--in my opinion.

[Quebecoise30]

Originally Posted by MikeNigh

If you move here come with a very open mind. What philly is and what a lot of america thinks philly is are FAR apart. The quickest shortcut to get in the right mindset is small new york.

Also the area is loaded with things to do (within a few hours)... Amusement parks, poconos, new york city, DC, the beach, downtown philadelphia, king of prussia mall, etc. Very high class picture perfect america suburbs to great middle class or working class. Your choice.

I would also give living in downtown philly a thought. Fun times.

I think the open mind comes with growing up in Montreal, Quebec. Open mind, check.

It sounds like there's much to do.

[Quebecoise30]

Originally Posted by Angus215

Philly is a great city with a great downtown, tons of history, culture, great restaurants, etc, etc. One of the few great, walkable downtowns in the country. But it doesn't have anywhere near the outdoor activities of Denver, unless you're into the beach (NJ, DE). So, I guess it depends on what you like doing with your free time. I'm sure the suburbs of Philly generally aren't a whole lot different than the suburbs of Denver.

I think upon moving here to Denver, we also thought there were lots of outdoors, which we were very excited about. But, we hit a wall when we realized that there's not much "swimmable" water anywhere--which is a huge downside for us.

Apart from skiing and hiking, Denver and its surroundings offer much of the same outdoors as anywhere else. The mountains are gorgeous but we don't live in the mountains.

We would love to be able to swim in a lake or river, kayak, go to the beach... anything like that in Philly? I know there are lakes around there (All Beaches, Lakes & Boating — Philadelphia — visitphilly.com), but some people have given negative feedback to those bodies of water, saying they wouldn't dare swim in those.

[Quebecoise30]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

Forget about the "funny faces" other people make. Their perceptions of the city are probably outdated by a good 15-20 years--that is, if they ever knew anything about Philadelphia in the first place. Since the new millenium, Philly has made a lot of big strides. While I know next to nothing about Denver, if you take the time to explain what exactly it is you want in a city, I (along with a number of other posters) would be more than happy to weigh in on whether we think our city could be right for you.

What exactly are we looking for?

- bodies of water we can swim in (somewhat clean--as in "not Hudson river," not ocean-cold)
- safe family-friendly neighborhoods (we have three small children)
- not necessarily the city proper, but suburbs--even in Delaware. Husband will be working just west of the city)