Moving from NYC , what to expect ( weather & safety & walkability & food ) (Philadelphia: insurance)

[domabozo]

I am a NYC resident considering a move , I have below questions about Philly


- How is summer compared to NYC ? in NYC its humid but bearable , you still can go outdoors

- How is winter compared to NYC ? NYC have many days of sun breaks where people go out to parks

-Is crime spread in each part of Philly? or it is concentrated on small and avoidable pockets

- How walkable is Philly ? can I live car free and go at night to nearby shops ? do shops close early ?

- is street food pushcarts and trucks existing in good scale & variety ? do carts work in late nights ?

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by domabozo

I am a NYC resident considering a move , I have below questions about Philly


- How is summer compared to NYC ? in NYC its humid but bearable , you still can go outdoors

- How is winter compared to NYC ? NYC have many days of sun breaks where people go out to parks

-Is crime spread in each part of Philly? or it is concentrated on small and avoidable pockets

- How walkable is Philly ? can I live car free and go at night to nearby shops ? do shops close early ?

- is street food pushcarts and trucks existing in good scale & variety ? do carts work in late nights ?

The weather is virtually identical although NY can be a bit cooler and more prone to snow. Whatever you are used to wrt outdoor activities you can easily reproduce here.

Crime is localized in some areas and easily avoidable. For instance my neighborhood is currently undergoing a baby boom I doubt that would be going on in this neighborhood if parents felt unsafe.

Walkable? I almost laughed with that question. Of course it's walkable especially within Greater Center City and University City. I got rid of my car 3 years ago because I rarely used it. Today I either take pub trans or walk. If I need to do bigger shopping I use Uber or Lyft. Keep in mind that Phila. has limited 24hr transit but it's quite reliable.

Yes, food carts and food trucks exist but they are usually in specific areas and generally are in operation during daytime hours only.

My best advise is to come and visit. There is a lot of holiday stuff going on right now in Love Park, Dilworth Park and Winterfest at Penn's Landing.

[1ondoner]

You had a car all until 3 yrs ago and ditched it because you are now retired. I think you are being dishonest about ditching your car

Originally Posted by kyb01

I got rid of my car 3 years ago because I rarely used it. Today I either take pub trans or walk. If I need to do bigger shopping I use Uber or Lyft. Keep in mind that Phila. has limited 24hr transit but it's quite reliable.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by 1ondoner

You had a car all until 3 yrs ago and ditched it because you are now retired. I think you are being dishonest about ditching your car

I would have ditched it much earlier if I hadn't had elder care duties in the suburbs for many years. Even then I didn't drive there all the time.

Being retired had nothing to do with ditching my car since I didn't use it to get to work.

Now that I'm an older adult not having a car just makes sense wrt my lifestyle choices and the things I'd rather spend my money on.

Lastly I won't have to face what many old people do: being forced to stop driving because of illnesses.

[1ondoner]

The weather is comparable though I think Philly is less humid or cooler in the Summer compared to NYC. The humdity is not a problem, may be a couple of days may be muggy but it's not that extreme. Some people handle humidity better than others, therefore mileage will vary.

Philly is walkable but again it depends on your lifestyle. Can you live without a car? Yes, but you'll have to use other modes of transport to get around depending on how far you need to travel. Do you need a car? Yes, if you can afford one - think parking, insurance, etc. I'd rather have a car and not use it when you don't need to. If you have $$$ you could live on uber/lyft and do away with the need to have a car.

Originally Posted by domabozo

I am a NYC resident considering a move , I have below questions about Philly


- How is summer compared to NYC ? in NYC its humid but bearable , you still can go outdoors

- How is winter compared to NYC ? NYC have many days of sun breaks where people go out to parks

-Is crime spread in each part of Philly? or it is concentrated on small and avoidable pockets

- How walkable is Philly ? can I live car free and go at night to nearby shops ? do shops close early ?

- is street food pushcarts and trucks existing in good scale & variety ? do carts work in late nights ?

[eliza61nyc]

Native New Yorker here.

I love Philadelphia. weather wise I find it almost identical. If it's hot and humid in July in NYC, it's pretty much going to be hot and humid in Philly

I live in the spring garden area, I walk darn near every where except work. I work in wilmington de so no getting rid of my car. totally car free? probably but a little harder here than in NY. Septa is pretty darn good.

lol, parking is a pain in center city just as it is in Manhattan so no luck there.

I love the city in the spring/summer, I think there are tons of stuff to do and a lot of it is low cost or free.

wide variety of cuisines to eat and a wide variety of cultural stuff. easy to get to some really great beaches too.

I hate winter with nuclear capability so I'm not really objective there. doesn't matter if I'm in Manhattan or Center city, lol I think it sucks.

I was going to walk over to the art museum for the Thanksgiving day parade but the 30 degree temperature with 20 degree wind chill took care of that.

[Pine to Vine]

We got rid of one car when we moved here upon my retirement 8 years ago. My husband walked to work until he retired in February. It is quite common that our car is used once a week to travel the 6 miles to a place I volunteer. Nevertheless, we retain a car for a couple of reasons: eldercare and big box runs. It’s paid for and we park in a garage. I wouldn’t want to street park in Center City, though I would guess spots are easier to find further afield.

Not sure what you’re getting at. If it’s that a car is necessary to live and work in Philly, we know lots of carless couples. Each person’s situation is specific, as is yours.