How does anyone live in Wilmington? (new home, neighborhood, casino)

[Youngun7]

I’ve lived here for several months now and...man. What an awful place.

There’s literally nothing. Bardea and La Fia are the only halfway decent restaurants. The supposedly cool Trolley Square are is just a handful of fake Irish sports bars overcrowded with super drunk frat bros. The river front has like half a dozen ultra generic and highly mediocre bars.

Downtown is of course awful.

The only places that aren’t a run down ghetto are extremely boring suburban areas with nothing going on. There isn’t even a Whole Foods unless you drive half an hour.

Are there hidden pockets of niceness I’ve missed somewhere?

[Icarus7]

Originally Posted by Youngun7

I’ve lived here for several months now and...man. What an awful place.

There’s literally nothing. Bardea and La Fia are the only halfway decent restaurants. The supposedly cool Trolley Square are is just a handful of fake Irish sports bars overcrowded with super drunk frat bros. The river front has like half a dozen ultra generic and highly mediocre bars.

Downtown is of course awful.

The only places that aren’t a run down ghetto are extremely boring suburban areas with nothing going on. There isn’t even a Whole Foods unless you drive half an hour.

Are there hidden pockets of niceness I’ve missed somewhere?

Where are you coming from and what are you expecting?

Delaware isn't exactly a target place for young professionals to hang out. These folks typically take a trip up to Philly. Or even live in Philly and work in Delaware.

You can choose to live in those kinds of places. You will also pay to live in those kinds of places. But if that's your priority and you can move, you probably should do so. Delaware is mostly lower key. And yes, unfortunately pretty spread out

[nuts2uiam]

Originally Posted by Youngun7

I’ve lived here for several months now and...man. What an awful place.

There’s literally nothing. Bardea and La Fia are the only halfway decent restaurants. The supposedly cool Trolley Square are is just a handful of fake Irish sports bars overcrowded with super drunk frat bros. The river front has like half a dozen ultra generic and highly mediocre bars.

Downtown is of course awful.

The only places that aren’t a run down ghetto are extremely boring suburban areas with nothing going on. There isn’t even a Whole Foods unless you drive half an hour.

Are there hidden pockets of niceness I’ve missed somewhere?

Ok so I need to ask. Were you forced to live there? Did you just throw a dart at a map and decide that was where you were going to live ? I assume you are a 20 something and therefore you should have had some degree of responsibility for where you were going to live. If you are working then you should be making enough to move out of an area you find so awful. There is a degree of responsibility here that seems to be missing.

[pete lynch]

A lot of people do this:
1. Get a new job
2. Decide to move closer to new job
3. Go on the internet to find a place to live
4. Read about how great the area is
5. Move there before asking questions about area at City-Data forum
6. Find only 2 halfway decent restaurants and half a dozen ultra generic and highly mediocre bars
7. Decide they don't like the area they moved to
8. Go on City-Data forum to complain about it.


That or the OP is a 1-post drive-by troll. Or was really frustrated about something else and wanted to vent.

I hope it's neither and they come back and explain further.
Happy Thanksgiving!

[lyndyb]

I admittedly don't know a lot about Wilmington, but I have a 20-something relative who relocated there and loves it and recently bought a home there - with great difficulty due to the extremely competitive housing market. There were some areas she didn't want to live and others that were more appealing and she rented for over a year to get acclimated - as well as save more. She seems to feel there are a ton of great places to eat and she loves the proximity to so many retailers just a few miles away in Christiana, where there are even more restaurants. Sure, many of them are chains, but many offer a good meal and fun atmosphere. I'd suggest you explore a bit more and in a larger area. It could be you'll find another section of Wilmington or even the surrounding area where you may be happier and find something you like more - sometimes you have to dig deeper.

As an aside and an example - friends had a vacation trailer home for decades and had it demolished when two blizzards in 2 weeks collapsed the flat roof and they sold the property. We bought our retirement home in Sussex County about the same time they sold the property and it turned out that it was 1-2 miles from where our new home was going to be built. They're surprised we moved here because they think there is nothing to do here and they would be bored living here. We lived in a relatively big city before relocating here and are probably busier now than when we worked, with a lot to do. Aside from the beach, there are a ton of state parks, many places to explore, events, etc. When we've talked to them since moving, they have never heard of many places, exhibits, etc., that we talk about having seen or been. They obviously didn't scratch the surface with things to do. Sometimes things to do and places to go are obvious and sometimes you have to be looking for them. If you have to live in Wilmington, I'd suggest making an effort to explore - and connect with other people. Sometimes what you're doing and where you're doing it is incidental if you're with friends and having fun. Good luck!

[Pine to Vine]

I did two short career stints in Wilmington - once when I was in my mid-20s and another time in my early thirties. This was a few decades back when Wilmington was even more boring. Both times, my top priority was to leave, and I did. Wilmington is not going to change, so short of commuting from Philly (which would seem to me fairly draining on a daily basis), I’d suggest you follow my example.

All that said, I still find many areas in Wilmington and the environs to be quite charming. But it is no place for a young professional who is looking for a more lively social scene. Best of luck

[doolish1]

I'd move to N Wilmington for financial reasons, not for entertainment value or convenience. Anything exciting, you just go to philly. Stay home to enjoy the quiet.

[rdlr]

Originally Posted by doolish1

I'd move to N Wilmington for financial reasons, not for entertainment value or convenience. Anything exciting, you just go to philly. Stay home to enjoy the quiet.

You're very level headed. I admire that!

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by doolish1

I'd move to N Wilmington for financial reasons, not for entertainment value or convenience. Anything exciting, you just go to philly. Stay home to enjoy the quiet.

Except the OP states this:

Originally Posted by Youngun7

The only places that aren’t a run down ghetto are extremely boring suburban areas with nothing going on.

That certainly describes north Wilmington.

[doolish1]

I will answer the question....

How does anyone live there?

They like the safety of the neighborhood, the quiet and low property taxes. Most stores you need for everyday living is close. Philly and all it offers is 30 minutes by car..... the major airport is closer......and you are 10-20 minutes away from a casino......

They live there because they don't want to hear their neighbor's every move, an ambulance every hour and don't mind spending 20-30 minutes in a car to see a ball game.