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Location: The place where the road & the sky collide
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chriz Brown
This is amazing. Exactly the type of information I'm looking for.
I'm the kind of tourist who doesn't like to be a tourist. When I visit a city I prefer avoiding the tourist areas and going where people in the city actually live, work, eat, etc. Like I would avoid Geno's for a cheese steak and go somewhere a local tells me about instead. I like to take in the actual city and watch the people. Its why I love public transit.
Good stuff.
Do yourself a favor. Google the Wagner Free Institute, then google Mr Wagner. If that doesn't make you want to go, look online for city maps from the 18th & 19th centuries, to go with what you already found out.
Do yourself a favor. Google the Wagner Free Institute, then google Mr Wagner. If that doesn't make you want to go, look online for city maps from the 18th & 19th centuries, to go with what you already found out.
No need for him to search - I embedded a link to the website in the post of mine to which you responded.
Your Aunt, no matter how old she is, does not and cannot represent an entire city. I lived in junkie heaven in New York for years unscathed. Some of my neighbors weren't so lucky. Desperate people do desperate things, especially in poorer neighborhoods and the thing about Philly is if you don't know where you're going, you can be in one of those neighborhoods in the blink of an eye. More so than any other city I've lived in.
Warning people about neighborhoods is not being a snowflake, it's using common sense.
I was really talking more about residents other than visitors.
Hannah, I know that she does not represent the entire city. But there is nothing wrong with pointing out what
I did. Btw, not that you care probably, her dad( my grand dad who was a master tailor) made suits for Italian and Jewish gangsters in the 20s during Prohibition. W. Phila has had other periods of violence and crime.
I'll be visiting Philly soon. I love to explore cities by walking around and using public transit. I don't care much for driving, Taxi and Uber service.
With that said. What are currently the neighborhoods or areas to avoid walking around or taking the Subway on?
I've been to Philly before, but I know things change fast in cities these days. Neighborhoods in DC and NYC that used to be bad are now safe for kids to walk around at night so I don't want to make any assumptions when I visit.
I'll chime in, both as a Philadelphian and someone who travels in the EXACT same fashion as you do (I visited the Bronx in NYC and Anacostia/Congress Heights in DC this past weekend. I stumbled past a dead man in Anacostia during that adventure). I'll give you advice by the line:
Broad Street Line: Starting at Fern Rock and heading south, I'd avoid any stop between Logan and Hunting Park. Many people would advise you to avoid any stop between Logan and Cecil B. Moore, but you'd be missing out on the chance to grab a cheesesteak from Max's on Germantown and Erie. Allegheny is also pretty safe, and I've never had a problem getting off at Susquehanna-Dauphin when I was a student at Temple.
Heading south from City Hall, there isn't a stop that I wouldn't full-on advise you to avoid. You should probably be a little more wary around Tasker-Morris, but that's only if you're heading west of Broad. Point Breeze is fine, and most of the crime that occurs in South Philly typically happens in Grays Ferry (west of 25th Street). If you do plan on walking through Point Breeze, I'd advise you to be a tad bit more wary of your surroundings west of 20th Street.
Market-Frankford Line (we locals call it "The El"):
Heading west from Frankford TC, I'd start with being cautious about getting off at Arrott TC. While there is a lot of foot traffic around that station, the area can get pretty dirty. After that, I'd avoid any stop between Allegheny and Huntingdon. That portion of Kensington Avenue is basically an open-air shooting gallery. Also, be wary if you decide to get off at either Tioga or Huntingdon. While I wouldn't consider either of those stops to be unsafe, they are at the edge of the corridor that I'd avoid.
Leaving Center City, the only stop I'd really advise you to be wary around is 60th Street. That corridor is in pretty rough shape after years of disinvestment. If you decide to get off at any of the West Philly stops west of 46th Street, I'd advise you to be aware of your surroundings if you decide to head north of Market.
Trolleys:
10: Be careful past Lancaster and Belmont Avenues, specifically between Belmont Avenue and 63rd Street (when the trolley turns onto Lansdowne Avenue). After leaving Lansdowne Avenue, you'll be in good shape. Overbrook is beautiful!
11: Woodland Avenue southwest of 49th Street is in rough shape. There are some interesting points along its length, however. Also, be VERY careful if you decide to enter Darby! Darby and Chester are worse than any neighborhood in the city.
13: Be cautious west of 49th Street.
15: The only section that might throw you off is between 52nd Street and Lancaster Avenue.
34: Be wary between 52nd and 58th Streets. Baltimore Avenue isn't really a corridor I'd worry about, but the style of housing changes significantly west of 52nd Street. That really throws some people off.
36: Be careful getting off at any point along Elmwood Avenue.
As someone who isn't scared to walk in any neighborhood in this city, it is really hard for me to tell you to avoid any neighborhood. I spend as much time exploring the roughest parts of North Philly as I spend in its trendiest. Some of the city's most beautiful architecture, interesting sites (my old neighborhood of Cecil B. Moore/Templetown had The Wagner Institute, which is a full-scale museum that I used to frequent as a Temple student), tastiest food, and fascinating stories. If you aren't familiar with the areas I've mentioned, however, just be careful. Aside from the places I've visited this past weekend, I've also explored Mattapan in Boston and Sandtown-Windchester in Baltimore. I find Philly's hoods to be the safest, but that's probably because I'm a local who was raised in a West Philly hood.
Not sure why since a tourist has no reason to go to the hood
"Always read everything before posting anything."
If you had, you would have learned that the OP isn't an ordinary tourist - he wants to see the real city whole, the places where ordinary people live, work and shop.
Go back to my long description of the transit system and read his response to same.
I'll chime in, both as a Philadelphian and someone who travels in the EXACT same fashion as you do (I visited the Bronx in NYC and Anacostia/Congress Heights in DC this past weekend. I stumbled past a dead man in Anacostia during that adventure). I'll give you advice by the line:
Broad Street Line: Starting at Fern Rock and heading south, I'd avoid any stop between Logan and Hunting Park. Many people would advise you to avoid any stop between Logan and Cecil B. Moore, but you'd be missing out on the chance to grab a cheesesteak from Max's on Germantown and Erie. Allegheny is also pretty safe, and I've never had a problem getting off at Susquehanna-Dauphin when I was a student at Temple.
Heading south from City Hall, there isn't a stop that I wouldn't full-on advise you to avoid. You should probably be a little more wary around Tasker-Morris, but that's only if you're heading west of Broad. Point Breeze is fine, and most of the crime that occurs in South Philly typically happens in Grays Ferry (west of 25th Street). If you do plan on walking through Point Breeze, I'd advise you to be a tad bit more wary of your surroundings west of 20th Street.
Market-Frankford Line (we locals call it "The El"):
Heading west from Frankford TC, I'd start with being cautious about getting off at Arrott TC. While there is a lot of foot traffic around that station, the area can get pretty dirty. After that, I'd avoid any stop between Allegheny and Huntingdon. That portion of Kensington Avenue is basically an open-air shooting gallery. Also, be wary if you decide to get off at either Tioga or Huntingdon. While I wouldn't consider either of those stops to be unsafe, they are at the edge of the corridor that I'd avoid.
Leaving Center City, the only stop I'd really advise you to be wary around is 60th Street. That corridor is in pretty rough shape after years of disinvestment. If you decide to get off at any of the West Philly stops west of 46th Street, I'd advise you to be aware of your surroundings if you decide to head north of Market.
Trolleys:
10: Be careful past Lancaster and Belmont Avenues, specifically between Belmont Avenue and 63rd Street (when the trolley turns onto Lansdowne Avenue). After leaving Lansdowne Avenue, you'll be in good shape. Overbrook is beautiful!
11: Woodland Avenue southwest of 49th Street is in rough shape. There are some interesting points along its length, however. Also, be VERY careful if you decide to enter Darby! Darby and Chester are worse than any neighborhood in the city.
13: Be cautious west of 49th Street.
15: The only section that might throw you off is between 52nd Street and Lancaster Avenue.
34: Be wary between 52nd and 58th Streets. Baltimore Avenue isn't really a corridor I'd worry about, but the style of housing changes significantly west of 52nd Street. That really throws some people off.
36: Be careful getting off at any point along Elmwood Avenue.
As someone who isn't scared to walk in any neighborhood in this city, it is really hard for me to tell you to avoid any neighborhood. I spend as much time exploring the roughest parts of North Philly as I spend in its trendiest. Some of the city's most beautiful architecture, interesting sites (my old neighborhood of Cecil B. Moore/Templetown had The Wagner Institute, which is a full-scale museum that I used to frequent as a Temple student), tastiest food, and fascinating stories. If you aren't familiar with the areas I've mentioned, however, just be careful. Aside from the places I've visited this past weekend, I've also explored Mattapan in Boston and Sandtown-Windchester in Baltimore. I find Philly's hoods to be the safest, but that's probably because I'm a local who was raised in a West Philly hood.
I'd say our assessments are pretty similar, and thanks for adding the trolleys. However: I've now ridden the 10 through Carroll Park/Hestonville on several occasions and wouldn't warn him off of riding it along Lansdowne Avenue. The blocks to the north of Lansdowne are in better shape than those to its south (my BF lives in one of those blocks, on North 53d, to be specific), but as I said above, during the day, he's probably not going to get into serious trouble in even the areas everyone else says he shoud stay away from.
Heading south from City Hall, there isn't a stop that I wouldn't full-on advise you to avoid. You should probably be a little more wary around Tasker-Morris, but that's only if you're heading west of Broad.
Be wary of Tasker-Morris? Seriously? It's a perfectly fine stop, even west of Broad. There's a library, clinic, and park filled with kids from all backgrounds right at that stop. I get on and off there every day and walk west. It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing neighborhood around, but it is far from being dangerous before you hit around 19th Street.
If anything, the only stop on the southern end of the line that can get a little weird at night is Snyder. A lot of junkies and other sketchy people hang out around the fast food and cheap retail joints at that stop when the sun goes down. It's also strewn with trash.
Be wary of Tasker-Morris? Seriously? It's a perfectly fine stop, even west of Broad. There's a library, clinic, and park filled with kids from all backgrounds right at that stop. I get on and off there every day and walk west. It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing neighborhood around, but it is far from being dangerous before you hit around 19th Street.
If anything, the only stop on the southern end of the line that can get a little weird at night is Snyder. A lot of junkies and other sketchy people hang out around the fast food and cheap retail joints at that stop when the sun goes down. It's also strewn with trash.
I was just about to say this. There is absolutely no reason to ever avoid Tasker-Morris; as the main stop for both P'unk Square and eastern Point Breeze / Newbold, it's bustling with neighborhood traffic. I live a half block away and use that station all the time, and it's never anything but fine.
Snyder is really one of the under-the-radar sketchy intersections of the city. It's slightly post-apocalyptic, but even then I've never really felt unsafe. Just kind of weirded out. :-)
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