Philly best choice for European lifestyle in US?

[NoCode1437]

if you want to be in the city (which is ideal) CHESTNUT HILL is definitely the neighborhood. A much calmer pace to city life with most of everything within easy walking distance, on two train lines to center city!! restaurants, markets, parks, schools (chestnut hill academy and/or springside are private schools that might have interest for various higher level language teachers) ice skating rink, cricket club, everything in a safe and friendly URBAN neighborhood.

if you are looking at the suburbs, i'd stay on the MAIN LINE... a series of towns that developed before cars on the train line west out of philly... from Ardmore, to Wayne (and everywhere in between check out SEPTA R5 for all the little town stops, most are the same town with different names i.e. st. davids, radnor, wayne are all one town), each is a relatively short train ride to center city, has their own center of town with shops, restaurants, parks, schools... although suburban, these are all walking urban centers unlike new suburbs further west or the typical sprawl in most US cities. these schools are also very competive (radnor, lower merion... better than most private schools) and offer lots of arts and foreign languages (programs which aren't always available in city public schools). In Wayne middle school students walk to school! living near an R5 stop is key in this area because one can live north or south of the train and still have the town name in the area but may not be a part of the urban culture. (one can be fooled by developments that have the town name on the address but are isolated and require vehicular transportation to do anything, i.e. the Chesterbrook development uses a Wayne address).

anyways CHESTNUT HILL is the best, i know many people who have moved into MT. AIRY and still others that a have moved to Univeristy City because of the Penn-Alexander Catchment (great public elementary/middle school)

[NoCode1437]

did anyone mention Philly enjoys the largest urban park system in the world along with the most public art and many unique foods, cultures, and events (did i hear MUMMERS)

[loose cannon]

Great Museums, great restaurants, but again it is not an International City.

[Hobokenkitchen]

Originally Posted by loose cannon

Great Museums, great restaurants, but again it is not an International City.

I would say it is. It's smaller than London or NYC obviously, but I would definitely call it an international grade city.

[Soju]

Originally Posted by newmarlig

I think the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is very European visually. It was, in fact, planned after the Champs d' Elyse and is a very quick walk into center city. The Art Musuem and the Rodin Musuem are there along with many other cultural institutions (the zoo is also very close). You are also within walking distance of the train station, so your wife could get a job in a suburban school district and take the train (or if salary isn't an issue, perhaps at a private school in Center City - Friends Select for one is at 17th and the Parkway, so she would walk to work). Oh the airport is about 1/2 hour away.

I agree, also little neighborhoods in Queen Village and Ritten House Square area.

[Soju]

Originally Posted by loose cannon

Great Museums, great restaurants, but again it is not an International City.

What would make it more of an International city?

[Virtus]

I would recommend Canada as a better alternative. The Niagara Peninsula is just outside New York State and 1-2 hours from Toronto. You have several cities and towns that are more European feeling than anywhere in the US I know. Also Victoria, BC has a very English flavor. Canada is rather liberal politically with socialized medicine. Toronto is worth investigating, or the smallerneighbor of Hamilton is no longer a steel factory town, but has a nice nightlife area around Hull St., if I remember correctly.

In the US, there is Madison Wisconsin. I've never seen anything in Pennsylvania that remotely made me think of Europe.

[JacksonBradu]

Originally Posted by Virtus

I would recommend Canada as a better alternative. The Niagara Peninsula is just outside New York State and 1-2 hours from Toronto. You have several cities and towns that are more European feeling than anywhere in the US I know. Also Victoria, BC has a very English flavor. Canada is rather liberal politically with socialized medicine. Toronto is worth investigating, or the smallerneighbor of Hamilton is no longer a steel factory town, but has a nice nightlife area around Hull St., if I remember correctly.

In the US, there is Madison Wisconsin. I've never seen anything in Pennsylvania that remotely made me think of Europe.

This topic hasn't been posted in for 3 years and the OP hasnt logged on in 4 years. Was bumping this really necessary?

[FindingZen]

I would agree with the poster preceding me.

Closed.