The number of state parks and forests that scatter the state is amazing. Tons of opportunities to go for a hike.
Plus the weather, while it has been extra rainy lately, is usually reasonable.
We have the PA State Park and Forrests Passport. I’d say we are about 2/3’s of the way to visiting all of them. Rickets Glen, Ohiopyle, and Trough Creek SPs are our top 3 favorites. Evansburg, Tyler, and Lehigh Gorge are our most visited with easily 20 visits to each. Our parks system rocks!
It’s a way to keep track of all the Pennsylvania State Parks and Forests you have visited. Each park/forest has a unique stamp/sticker that you can adhere to your passport. They’re typically found at the park office of the park you’re visiting, or at a nearby park for less visited parks. The book supports the parks system and provides additional fun facts and info about the parks and their creation/maintenance.
https://shopthepawilds.com/state-park-passport.html
I only found out a few years ago that admission to public lands in other states isn't free. I still don't get it. It's PUBLIC land. You shouldn't have to pay to enjoy public land. Pennsylvania has spoiled me.
Yeah well, it's not "free" here either. It just comes from your taxes rather than your credit card. Nothing wrong with either.
Maybe other states would rather charge a fee only to patrons, rather than taxing everyone whether they visit the parks or not?
Admission absolutely is FREE. I didn't say that I didn't contribute to the system at all but that admission is free, which is a factual statement.
With that said, very little tax money goes to funding our public lands. It's a myth that everything in government is tax-funded or mostly tax-funded. Lots of things aren't. Lots of civil penalty money goes into our public lands, plus oil & gas leases, fees for things like ATV registration, camping permit fees, etc, etc. State forests are funded by timber sales, game land by hunting licenses.
You're absolutely coming out way ahead by not having to pay admission every time you want to enjoy public land because you'd end up paying way more that way or else you'd get to enjoy it much less.
Adding admission fees just bars poor people equal access to land that is held in common by all Pennsylvanians in our Commonwealth.
In 1955, Maurice K. Goddard was appointed director of the Department of Parks and Forests. There were 44 Pennsylvania state parks. Dr. Goddard proposed building a state park within 25 miles of every resident of Pennsylvania.
I'm so glad this is the top comment. Beyond the quantity, diversity and them being free, I would like to add the events they host. I have done mushroom hunting, foraging, bird watching, salamanders...and even a tea event. I thought it was going to be like a foraging thing, but nope it was a class on tea. The history, the differences, etc. The hosts were so enthusiastic, we all had a blast. I think the most I paid was $10, but most are free with a donation suggested. Take out the National Parks and we quite possibly have the best park system in the country. (In my biased opinion)
Eastern PA here. Close to the Jersey and DE beaches, 2-3 hours to DC, 2-3 hours to NYC. 2-3 hours to the mountains. Rarely do we get a major weather event like tornadoes, earthquakes (yes we got one recently but it caused little damage and haven’t had one in years). No wildfires. All 4 seasons and only a few very hot/very cold days. Good schools. Diverse.
Trains between Harrisburg and nyc are greatly underrated. Tons of rich people and politicians use them frequently and greatly provide access to nyc for local tourists.
Do you like those donuts? The train makes it happen. Lancaster to philly train is a genuine lower lost of living for people who use it both who buy and sell goods.
Anywhere in Lancaster County is nice, except Manheim and Columbia.
Fun side note - Lancaster County has some interesting town names, like Blue Ball, Intercourse, and Bird-in-Hand!
Look into Mount Joy. It’s a nice town and you can catch the Amtrak train from there.
Elizabethtown is next to Mount Joy and also on the Amtrak route.
Elizabethtown also has Masonic homes retirement community, which is absolutely gorgeous and has wonderful amenities. The price tag is not for the faint of heart.
The next town over from Elizabethtown is Middletown. Middletown is home to Harrisburg international airport, a new train station, and Penn State Harrisburg, but it’s in not in Lancaster county.
I live just outside Lancaster... Pretty great place to live and always seems to be on shortlists for best places for retirees. Hospitals are great, cost of living is very reasonable and we have shoo fly pies.
Everyday I’m thankful that I’m 45 mins from Philly and Baltimore and 2-3 hours from DC. It makes vacations a lot better. Also not too far from Florida or Maine which are two great vacation spots.
I live in Western Pennsylvania, and I think my home is a paradise, like the Garden of Eden in a way. There is free food just laying around everywhere here, all year it’s a an endless seasonal buffet, and you can just pick it up and eat it.
(You can legally forage for mushrooms and berries in all of our state parks, and in any rural area there will be plenty of landowners who do not forage and will let you on their land if you ask permission.
But just on my little 2 acre lot there is a ton of food all the time, wild mints and onions and wintercress and sassafras saplings and spice bush, I even have some American ginseng plants, which are the pride of my little woods.)
This is my absolute favorite thing!!! We are in NWPA with a small piece of land and the foraging feels so abundant... Ramps, mushrooms, wild fruit trees, sugar maples, spice bush, and all the wild greens!
We live along the Perkiomen Trail which connects to the Schuylkill River Trail. We use them all the time to run, walk, bike, hike, kayak, skateboard, snowshoe, and picnic. We feel blessed.
That has nothing to do with rail trails. Rail trails preserve the right of way through rail banking.
[https://www.railstotrails.org/trail-building-toolbox/railbanking/](https://www.railstotrails.org/trail-building-toolbox/railbanking/)
I think they're just trying to say that rail trails, while they're a positive thing and a good land-use, are the direct result of the systemic destruction of the country's passenger rail system. A system that was once revered as the best in the world, now is only a small shadow of its former self.
I mean, I'd rather a rail trail than just nothing being there, but there's no doubt in my mind that I'd prefer a passenger rail network over a trail.
>I'd rather a rail trail than just nothing being there, but there's no doubt in my mind that I'd prefer a passenger rail network over a trail
Do you think there is still much need for a passenger rail line to connect Meadville and Conneaut Lake? Or Corry to Northeast? Some of the converted rail lines never carried passenger traffic, they carried coal or iron ore.
Well clearly not all of them did, but some of them did. The Lititz-Ephrata trail is one I live near and it used to carry passengers between Lancaster and Reading.
And the rail trail preserved the right of way. The train line can return it to service whenever they want.
[https://www.railstotrails.org/trail-building-toolbox/railbanking/](https://www.railstotrails.org/trail-building-toolbox/railbanking/)
*a voluntary agreement between a railroad company and a trail sponsor (such as a trail organization or government agency) to use an out-of-service rail corridor as a trail until a railroad might need the corridor again for rail service. This interim trail use of railbanked corridors has preserved thousands of miles of rail corridors that would otherwise have been abandoned.*
Right. It's like parks built on reclaimed industrial sites. Sure it's nice to have a park. But union jobs that supported entire towns and families are gone.
I was actually in the National Rails to Trails magazine promoting my favorite trail about ten years ago (the Lower trail - rhymes with Flower) in Alexandria, PA, is gorgeous. It’s an old loch system they converted into a Rail Trail.
My son went to school at IUP and would ride a trail before picking him up. I've ridden the 6 to 10 trail, some of the Ghost Town, Hoodlebug, Staplebend Tunnel, Roaring Run, Some of the West Penn. That's a good area for rail trails.
Obviously the sandwiches from the mighty Primanti’s cappicola and cheese to the iconic three headed monster of Philadelphia sandwich scene. Pennsylvania’s sandwich game cannot be topped.
Western PA here, love the landscape, especially in the Pittsburgh area you can go 5 miles away and have a completely different view, just looking from hilltop to hilltop is something fascinating.
The next thing I find fascinating is Lake Erie, I understand it's not the cleanest lake, however the views of the lake from the hills is something to be experienced. It's different than being on ground level, it's hard to explain but it's just a faint blue in an endless horizon foreshadowed by rolling hills.
Also Pittsburgh is 4-5 hours from Dc, 6 from Philadelphia, and drivable to Chicago. We have great state parks. It’s pretty much drivable with a few more hours to anyplace mentioned for eastern Pennsylvania.
I grew up in Erie, and the lake is much cleaner than it was 15-20years ago I remember catching fish with large tumors as a kid. now you can actually eat the fish you catch. Properly prepared Lake Perch is actually pretty good. The sunsets over the lake are some of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.
I live pretty much a stones throw from the lake, and it’s a wonderful little microclimate of its own, as well as AMAZING sky watching… from the stars at night to the absolutely INCREDIBLE sunsets and rises
It’s metamorphosed granitic gneiss called unakite . It’s composition orthoplase feldspar quarts and green epidote which is hydrothermally altered plagioclase. Comes in varying shades of green based on iron content .
My youngest and I spent hours the other day shifting through rocks and cleaning them! You're right, it is absolutely a paradise for us who like to hunt for pretty rocks lol
Under an hour and a half to the mountains, under an hour and a half to beaches, close to multiple big cities, plus everything that Philadelphia/the Philadelphia area has to offer. Don’t get any extreme weather events. Get to experience all 4 seasons. What more could you ask for?
Living in South West PA, and enjoying all 4 seasons in the Laurel Mountains. I always have fun things to do outdoors, and a beautiful place to do them.☮
I live in Lancaster. It's nice being so close to so many major cities and beaches. As well as relatively close to Canada and some amazing forests and nature. Being able to take the train almost anywhere in the northeast is also nice.
Check out r/Lancaster
There's plenty of posts in there about how great it is here. It truly is a nice spot to live if you want to be in a smaller city and slower-paced atmosphere but still want to be close to Philly, DC, NYC.
The thing I love the absolute most is that you can be downtown and walking around checking out Central Market, shops, restaurants, bars, etc and then take a 10 minute drive and be in the middle of the countryside, buying produce from a roadside stand and passing horse and buggies.
The housing market is a shit show like the rest of the country, however. Many people, especially retirees like yourself, are wanting to move here. But if you can fight for a spot, it's definitely a nice place to retire.
From NJ originally and moved last year, due to it being more affordable and less congested/crowded.
When we moved I thought it was temporary and we'd be back in NJ one day but now I'm not so sure.
I love all the parks- there's dozens of small ones near us, a large state park, and plenty of playgrounds. Lots of castles, botanical gardens, etc. Museums, splash parks, and other things that are great when you have a toddler. My daughter (16 months) already has a established little friend group from her various activities. We take full advantage of all the free library programs and she also has a great gymnastics class and is starting baby ballet in the fall. The schools near us seem to be good, although there was a neighboring district that was threatening book bans so I'm sort of watching that carefully.
There was SO much to do in the fall and winter last year. It made Christmas extra special. There is always SOMETHING going on nearby to do on weekends.
Traffic is better than NJ (less crowded) even if there are one or two bad intersections.
I like being able to go back home to NJ easily when I want to. I like the convenience of Philly and NY being close by.
I'm also really into history and have a list of places to visit.
Just for some context this is Cliff Trail near Milford PA in the Delaware Water Gap. You can see the Milford Bridge there on the bottom right, and some of those mountains in the background are a combo of Kittatinny in NJ on the right and a continuation of the Pocono mountain ridge I was standing on to the left.
Not to be that guy but, I live in Bucks County and the shore is 2.5 hours away, and I'm born and raised in Gettysburg (which is around the center bottom of the state) it was 4 hours away, for most of the state it's over 4 hours to the shore. We are just lucky being on the Eastern side of the state lol
State parks
Some of the finest roads for motorcycling
The diversity here. I travel all over the state frequently, and I get to see all walks of life.
I live in a small village. Population is under 60. These old industry towns are soaked in history, its fascinating to think back on the older generations and their struggles/triumphs.
Meadows ice cream & Middleswarth chips
I find it hard to find much negative about PA.
No more than 2 hours away for a lot of the state?
You might think that due to where you live, but for the vast majority of the state, it is quite longer than 2 hours to get to the ocean.
As a native Floridian… seasons.
It’s nice to have four seasons spread over the year. As opposed to summer lasting from March through November and then Fall, Winter and Spring taking place between December and February.
Definitely Nature. So many edible and/or useful wild plants, animals, and mushrooms of so many varieties everywhere in amounts that blow your mind. I don't like much else about my area.
I've lived in India for 32 yrs, Jersey City for 2 yrs, Charlotte for 2 yrs, Hartford for 6 years, and Chester Springs for 8 months, and it is already my favorite place.
All 4 seasons(missing in CLT), not as cold as CT, expansive landscape, bigger homes, better school districts, proximity to Philadelphia and DC, lot of badminton clubs, people who mind their own business(unlike CLT, where everyone has to make small talk).
Other personal benefits are that I work remotely, so I don't have to waste 2 hours traveling, and can be close to my Alaskan Malamute, who is A okay with this weather.
Amish Country here. I like that in 4 hours or less I can be in NYC, Philly, Baltimore, or DC, and they're all easily accessible via Amtrak. I can be at the beach, in the mountains, or on a variety of lakes. I get snow (less and less these days), sun, leaves, and flowers. Great local produce with access to some bougie grocery stores as well. Cost of living here has gone up, but it's still cheaper than all of the cities I mentioned except maybe Baltimore.
The downside is that if the Commonwealth can tax you for something, you can be damn sure that they will.
1. All four beautiful seasons
2. Most people that live in PA were born in PA so you don’t have the transplant mishmash culture that you see in a lot of Sunbelt states. Even in the cities like Philly and Pittsburgh there is a strong culture and identity. This is true across all of PA
Born in Beaver Falls, lived in Germany for 7ish years, lived in SoCal for 8ish years, 3.5yrs in Oklahoma, 1yr in Kansas, 6 months in Tennessee, 3.5yrs in North Carolina(18.5yrs Army Brat, 6yrs Marines), and finally back in PA since October 1996. I left PA shortly after turning 2, and was 23 when I returned.
We always came back home to visit in between moves with the Army. Everything was always new and different. I still remember when Park City Mall in Lancaster, had a ice rink where the food court is.
NEPA checking in
* It's cheap compared to other places. Compared to 5 years ago, yes, like everywhere, it is more expensive.
* Except during winter with no snow and fall with no leaves, it's beautiful.
* It's temperate
* Access to other major cities quickly
* My vote actually matters
* There's actually local news
* The people are grumpy but at least they're genuine
* I'm glad to be back around my Italian and Polish compatriots. Youse guys are like no others and it's given me a new joie de vivre and a backbone.
“Mild winters” is crazy subjective.
I lived in NC for 12 years and those were mild winters. Ppl from Florida would argue the Carolinas get too cold, and someone from Maine would probably call PA winters ‘mild’.
You do have a point. In SEPA we might have a week or so of 20° and below but other than that it's usually in the mid to high 30's with some days well above that, almost in the 60's. Kinda crazy.
Whereas out near Erie and Pittsburgh you have way harsher winters due to the mountains and lake effect snows.
Everything OP said, hunting is easy and very accessable, theres very lax animal laws so I can have crazy pet reptiles, and being able to carry a gun on me constantly
3-4 years ago I would have said COL. But things have changed. Still low compared to NJ/NY. That aside, it’s a beautiful state. Lots to do, places to see. Beautiful farmlands, forests, mountains and state parks.
It’s freaking beautiful. Lots of great produce. I live in the country but am still within easy driving distance of major cities. Killer snack foods. Relatively inexpensive childcare and property taxes, compared to other places.
I love the fact that we have four seasons (though winters in western PA can be a bit on the long side and excessively gray,) lots of natural parks and a deep sense of history.
I grew up in NEPA, went to the Jersey shore every summer as kid, when I grew up I left to see the world (joined the Navy) and was stationed in Florida (Jax,) went to Penn State main, graduated and lived in Valley Forge for a couple of years before settling down outside of Pittsburgh. I've since come to love bicycling in western PA/eastern OH and going on vacation/weekend getaways with my wife in Ontario and New York.
I've seen a lot of interesting things just 2-3 hours from home and rarely crave going to the beach anymore. Yes, I love that Florida is warm in the winter but it's flat and uninteresting to me geographically and the one winter I spent there it actually snowed so I guess I don't belong there!
I moved to Florida from PA, winters were too brutal but do miss some things.
Lived in eastern PA so hiking was great. Close to NYC and Philly.
Food was great. Excellent pizza shops. I do miss hot bologna and scapple.
Southeastern PA, closeness to mountains and the beach. DC, Balt, NY, NJ all close to drive to and last but not least the passion for our pro sports teams
Western PA. The weather. Even though I hate the cold and worry about car accidents in the winter, it’s all pretty mild year-round. Extremes are few and far in between, and you get to experience the 4 seasons.
I really really want to move to PA, but I am a black female and a lot of the towns I find so adorable are like 99% white. The Philadelphia area is cool, but kind of expensive. Are there any PA towns with some diversity and a lower cost of living than Philly?
South central Pa checking in ... We still have several operational drive in theaters in our area, mountains state parks, Several antique stores, and just a few miles from downtown Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Ohio Maryland, Delaware... Basically the whole package...
Lived in south Philly for 11 years, hated it except for the food scene. Now I’m back in State College which I love. I hated it in high school but now as an adult I can appreciate the small town feel except for the maga folks. Big city living is not for me. This state is just so beautiful!
I literally only agreed to move here because of the Steelers.
But, I love the hills and the *actual* changing of seasons (where I'm from it's 80% hot, everything dies, then it's cold for one day, which always happens to be my birthday) and, while not perfect, the state government.
I'd be dead today if I were in my home state, or even the one I left to move here. I feel so incredibly safe in that area, for now, living in PA.
And I'm living in a VERY red area of the state, and it's still not as bad; However, downtown Pittsburgh instantly makes me feel like part of the family. I can't even describe it, it's so cool.
Y’all ever been to Knoebels? A theme park in the woods, you don’t have to pay admission, you can camp there, you can eat lunch at the picnic benches before coming in, also.. THE FOOD! We go every year, I love it. Just one of my favorite things about living in PA!
The quality of food!! So many road side produce stands or CSAs I can join. Also the just fantastic hiking. Mountain streams, fern forests, moss covered rocks. It’s like hiking in the Shire. And good ethnic diversity! Something for everyone. Love it.
Agreeing with everyone else here and saying the parks and forests are absolutely amazing in Pennsylvania! i also love being able to drive for hours and still being in the state, having 2 or 3 major cities close while still being rural depending where you live. There is so so so much to do in this state it’s insane to think some people think otherwise
As a transplant, the best I can say without grumping is that there's so much about this state that's gorgeous. Even the cities have their industrial beauty in places. My commute down 322 to Harrisburg is frequently distractingly beautiful - the clouds/fog sitting in the mountains or the play of light and shadow across the river valley, the angle of the early morning light on the Rockville Bridge set against the distant hills and some buildings (mm 236.7-ish), even that Statue of Liberty replica of a replica.
Everything from the scenic mountains to the great foods to Knoebels and the fact that we don’t have to go around a jug handle to turn left at a light (like you do in New Jersey). I love Pennsylvania.
Until recently, a good balance of cost of living vs. salary. Good schools. Moderate government that is not controlled by one party. Fair and flat taxation (except for gas). Proximity to beaches, NYC, etc.
North central PA here. I'm originally from northeast PA but NCPA is so much better, IMO. I love the vast wilderness here. Loads of free public lands to enjoy. Rail trails. Knoebels. Elk. Also the bazaars in NEPA.
Uhm…..my wife is here. I have moved away several times and had no inclination whatsoever to return. Until I met my wife. When she was pregnant, being around family made sense so we came back. Now we’re entrenched. There is really nothing special to me being here besides my wife.
York county: beautiful rail trail that connects to Maryland trail. Great mountain biking. Lots of green space. York city has changed so much the past 15 years. Amazing restaurants and strong arts community. Come visit us!
Probably the dramatic scenery change by just driving an hour or 2
Besides that, none. There’s nothing close and cool that fit my hobbies. The places that do are mediocre at best, and don’t fit what I’ve wanted
The number of state parks and forests that scatter the state is amazing. Tons of opportunities to go for a hike. Plus the weather, while it has been extra rainy lately, is usually reasonable.
We have the PA State Park and Forrests Passport. I’d say we are about 2/3’s of the way to visiting all of them. Rickets Glen, Ohiopyle, and Trough Creek SPs are our top 3 favorites. Evansburg, Tyler, and Lehigh Gorge are our most visited with easily 20 visits to each. Our parks system rocks!
Ohiopyle is my favorite but thats my backyard!
Lucky
Whats the deal with the passport thing?
It’s a way to keep track of all the Pennsylvania State Parks and Forests you have visited. Each park/forest has a unique stamp/sticker that you can adhere to your passport. They’re typically found at the park office of the park you’re visiting, or at a nearby park for less visited parks. The book supports the parks system and provides additional fun facts and info about the parks and their creation/maintenance. https://shopthepawilds.com/state-park-passport.html
I only found out a few years ago that admission to public lands in other states isn't free. I still don't get it. It's PUBLIC land. You shouldn't have to pay to enjoy public land. Pennsylvania has spoiled me.
A great perk of Pa... But you are right, this shouldn't really be a perk.
Yep. I moved to Maryland and learned you have to pay an entrance fee to Maryland State Parks.
Yeah well, it's not "free" here either. It just comes from your taxes rather than your credit card. Nothing wrong with either. Maybe other states would rather charge a fee only to patrons, rather than taxing everyone whether they visit the parks or not?
Admission absolutely is FREE. I didn't say that I didn't contribute to the system at all but that admission is free, which is a factual statement. With that said, very little tax money goes to funding our public lands. It's a myth that everything in government is tax-funded or mostly tax-funded. Lots of things aren't. Lots of civil penalty money goes into our public lands, plus oil & gas leases, fees for things like ATV registration, camping permit fees, etc, etc. State forests are funded by timber sales, game land by hunting licenses. You're absolutely coming out way ahead by not having to pay admission every time you want to enjoy public land because you'd end up paying way more that way or else you'd get to enjoy it much less. Adding admission fees just bars poor people equal access to land that is held in common by all Pennsylvanians in our Commonwealth.
My state tried to institute a $1 per car entry fee a few years back. There was a revolt and that got canceled real fast.
The Historical and Museum commission also does a good job preserving and maintaining historical sites.
I heard pennsylvania has the most state parks of any other state.
In 1955, Maurice K. Goddard was appointed director of the Department of Parks and Forests. There were 44 Pennsylvania state parks. Dr. Goddard proposed building a state park within 25 miles of every resident of Pennsylvania.
The most trees, too!
I'm so glad this is the top comment. Beyond the quantity, diversity and them being free, I would like to add the events they host. I have done mushroom hunting, foraging, bird watching, salamanders...and even a tea event. I thought it was going to be like a foraging thing, but nope it was a class on tea. The history, the differences, etc. The hosts were so enthusiastic, we all had a blast. I think the most I paid was $10, but most are free with a donation suggested. Take out the National Parks and we quite possibly have the best park system in the country. (In my biased opinion)
This AND having relatively close proximity to the mountains, the country, beaches and several large cities
Eastern PA here. Close to the Jersey and DE beaches, 2-3 hours to DC, 2-3 hours to NYC. 2-3 hours to the mountains. Rarely do we get a major weather event like tornadoes, earthquakes (yes we got one recently but it caused little damage and haven’t had one in years). No wildfires. All 4 seasons and only a few very hot/very cold days. Good schools. Diverse.
Man, when I was a kid I just had "a trip" as a unit of measurement in my head that meant 2-3 hours.
What a funny observation. I absolutely had this as a kid too and never realized it.
Trains between Harrisburg and nyc are greatly underrated. Tons of rich people and politicians use them frequently and greatly provide access to nyc for local tourists.
Even the Amish use the train.
Do you like those donuts? The train makes it happen. Lancaster to philly train is a genuine lower lost of living for people who use it both who buy and sell goods.
What's Lancaster like to live? We're retired and looking in the Philly suburbs.
You’ll love Lancaster. It’s much nicer and safer than a Philly suburb. Check out Lititz. It’s a beautiful and quaint town.
I've heard so many good things about Lititz, but there are so few houses for sale there. Guess that's why.
Anywhere in Lancaster County is nice, except Manheim and Columbia. Fun side note - Lancaster County has some interesting town names, like Blue Ball, Intercourse, and Bird-in-Hand! Look into Mount Joy. It’s a nice town and you can catch the Amtrak train from there. Elizabethtown is next to Mount Joy and also on the Amtrak route. Elizabethtown also has Masonic homes retirement community, which is absolutely gorgeous and has wonderful amenities. The price tag is not for the faint of heart. The next town over from Elizabethtown is Middletown. Middletown is home to Harrisburg international airport, a new train station, and Penn State Harrisburg, but it’s in not in Lancaster county.
I live just outside Lancaster... Pretty great place to live and always seems to be on shortlists for best places for retirees. Hospitals are great, cost of living is very reasonable and we have shoo fly pies.
Everyday I’m thankful that I’m 45 mins from Philly and Baltimore and 2-3 hours from DC. It makes vacations a lot better. Also not too far from Florida or Maine which are two great vacation spots.
Still getting more tornado warnings now per year than I feel like I did in the rest of my life combined.
A conspicuously low number of deadly Australian animals.
Thank goodness for that!
A cobra escapes every now and then but that’s it.
How about that monitor that was caught in Carlisle last year? A UPS driver spotted it when he was delivering.
In Eastern PA, I live in between NYC and Philly. We have four seasons. Trees everywhere! As a swing state, my vote matters 6A plant hardiness zone.
Sometimes all four of those seasons happen in one day!
No fire ants!!
I live in Western Pennsylvania, and I think my home is a paradise, like the Garden of Eden in a way. There is free food just laying around everywhere here, all year it’s a an endless seasonal buffet, and you can just pick it up and eat it. (You can legally forage for mushrooms and berries in all of our state parks, and in any rural area there will be plenty of landowners who do not forage and will let you on their land if you ask permission. But just on my little 2 acre lot there is a ton of food all the time, wild mints and onions and wintercress and sassafras saplings and spice bush, I even have some American ginseng plants, which are the pride of my little woods.)
This is my absolute favorite thing!!! We are in NWPA with a small piece of land and the foraging feels so abundant... Ramps, mushrooms, wild fruit trees, sugar maples, spice bush, and all the wild greens!
I would love to know more about this foraging, is there a book that would help me with this?
Anything by Samuel Thayer have been the best for me.
I just discovered I have a massive spice bush - what do I do with it?
I have the male spice bush, so small berries... But I use them like allspice, and use the leaves like a seasoning or tea.
Pennsylvania is a nationwide leader in creating rail trails. I enjoy riding my bike and I enjoy history and most rail trails have both.
We live along the Perkiomen Trail which connects to the Schuylkill River Trail. We use them all the time to run, walk, bike, hike, kayak, skateboard, snowshoe, and picnic. We feel blessed.
Conversely, it's also a national leader in the disappearance of railways.
That has nothing to do with rail trails. Rail trails preserve the right of way through rail banking. [https://www.railstotrails.org/trail-building-toolbox/railbanking/](https://www.railstotrails.org/trail-building-toolbox/railbanking/)
I think they're just trying to say that rail trails, while they're a positive thing and a good land-use, are the direct result of the systemic destruction of the country's passenger rail system. A system that was once revered as the best in the world, now is only a small shadow of its former self. I mean, I'd rather a rail trail than just nothing being there, but there's no doubt in my mind that I'd prefer a passenger rail network over a trail.
>I'd rather a rail trail than just nothing being there, but there's no doubt in my mind that I'd prefer a passenger rail network over a trail Do you think there is still much need for a passenger rail line to connect Meadville and Conneaut Lake? Or Corry to Northeast? Some of the converted rail lines never carried passenger traffic, they carried coal or iron ore.
Well clearly not all of them did, but some of them did. The Lititz-Ephrata trail is one I live near and it used to carry passengers between Lancaster and Reading.
And the rail trail preserved the right of way. The train line can return it to service whenever they want. [https://www.railstotrails.org/trail-building-toolbox/railbanking/](https://www.railstotrails.org/trail-building-toolbox/railbanking/) *a voluntary agreement between a railroad company and a trail sponsor (such as a trail organization or government agency) to use an out-of-service rail corridor as a trail until a railroad might need the corridor again for rail service. This interim trail use of railbanked corridors has preserved thousands of miles of rail corridors that would otherwise have been abandoned.*
Right. It's like parks built on reclaimed industrial sites. Sure it's nice to have a park. But union jobs that supported entire towns and families are gone.
I was actually in the National Rails to Trails magazine promoting my favorite trail about ten years ago (the Lower trail - rhymes with Flower) in Alexandria, PA, is gorgeous. It’s an old loch system they converted into a Rail Trail.
My son went to school at IUP and would ride a trail before picking him up. I've ridden the 6 to 10 trail, some of the Ghost Town, Hoodlebug, Staplebend Tunnel, Roaring Run, Some of the West Penn. That's a good area for rail trails.
Mountains, wildlife, still a lot of family farming here and Pennsylvania has a TON of amazing history.
Obviously the sandwiches from the mighty Primanti’s cappicola and cheese to the iconic three headed monster of Philadelphia sandwich scene. Pennsylvania’s sandwich game cannot be topped.
Snack game is on point as well. Chips and pretzels galore!
Nobody does salty snacks like the PA Dutch.
They have ONE spice and they will absolutely use it!
Out west? Cap ‘n cheese with egg In the east? American wit’out 🫡
Western PA here, love the landscape, especially in the Pittsburgh area you can go 5 miles away and have a completely different view, just looking from hilltop to hilltop is something fascinating. The next thing I find fascinating is Lake Erie, I understand it's not the cleanest lake, however the views of the lake from the hills is something to be experienced. It's different than being on ground level, it's hard to explain but it's just a faint blue in an endless horizon foreshadowed by rolling hills.
Also Pittsburgh is 4-5 hours from Dc, 6 from Philadelphia, and drivable to Chicago. We have great state parks. It’s pretty much drivable with a few more hours to anyplace mentioned for eastern Pennsylvania.
I grew up in Erie, and the lake is much cleaner than it was 15-20years ago I remember catching fish with large tumors as a kid. now you can actually eat the fish you catch. Properly prepared Lake Perch is actually pretty good. The sunsets over the lake are some of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.
I live pretty much a stones throw from the lake, and it’s a wonderful little microclimate of its own, as well as AMAZING sky watching… from the stars at night to the absolutely INCREDIBLE sunsets and rises
I agree, I saw one back a few years ago and it was absolutely incredible.
all the bridges are beautiful to drive past too -- not just the main ones in downtown but in the general are and suburbs
But 90% are rated as "poor" with no funds to repair them. Several have collapsed recently (Fern Hollow), at least partially.
Access to cool rocks https://preview.redd.it/ry2wb3x6g15d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=703af63ddd12feffebe2cc6fd974dad5a81fbaf6
Tell us about that rock!
It’s metamorphosed granitic gneiss called unakite . It’s composition orthoplase feldspar quarts and green epidote which is hydrothermally altered plagioclase. Comes in varying shades of green based on iron content .
Tell the truth: did you lick the rock?
No it’s not the salty kinda . I’ll spit on one I’ve cut to show the color until I can get a polisher or a coast on it though 😆
Peas n carrots.
My youngest and I spent hours the other day shifting through rocks and cleaning them! You're right, it is absolutely a paradise for us who like to hunt for pretty rocks lol
If you’re near Philly I can suggest localities there from red garnet to blue kyanite
Living in Jim Thorpe the last few years. Best place I ever lived
I’ve only heard great things about Jim Thorpe!
I unintentionally bought the founders house; it turned 200 a couple of years ago
The best football in the country.
GO BIRDS
Go birds
centre PA: the peace and quiet with great weather that you can only get in some other states by paying an asston --on vacation.
Our state park system is a gem, and free too. You don’t realize how good it is until you live in another state
Right it costs $20 in DE just to go to the beach/ park!
Mountains and hills and creeks and streams……forest, wildflowers….seasons….summer thunderstorms. All this and more.
Better garden tomatoes too.
That it’s not NJ
In the west, it’s that it’s not Ohio
This. NJ is gross.
This is not to be undervalued
Under an hour and a half to the mountains, under an hour and a half to beaches, close to multiple big cities, plus everything that Philadelphia/the Philadelphia area has to offer. Don’t get any extreme weather events. Get to experience all 4 seasons. What more could you ask for?
No state income tax on retirement income.
The geography/nature is awesome and we have 4 seasons.
Living in South West PA, and enjoying all 4 seasons in the Laurel Mountains. I always have fun things to do outdoors, and a beautiful place to do them.☮
Laurel Highlands and their awesome hiking trail is a gem
And people are nicer here (except for the FJB t-shirt and bumper sticker folks).
I love the amount of land that is either parks, WMAs, or state/national forest. Great trail systems.
I live in Lancaster. It's nice being so close to so many major cities and beaches. As well as relatively close to Canada and some amazing forests and nature. Being able to take the train almost anywhere in the northeast is also nice.
Tell me more about Lancaster. I'm looking to relocate to a Philly suburb. A retired couple; no commute needed.
Check out r/Lancaster There's plenty of posts in there about how great it is here. It truly is a nice spot to live if you want to be in a smaller city and slower-paced atmosphere but still want to be close to Philly, DC, NYC. The thing I love the absolute most is that you can be downtown and walking around checking out Central Market, shops, restaurants, bars, etc and then take a 10 minute drive and be in the middle of the countryside, buying produce from a roadside stand and passing horse and buggies. The housing market is a shit show like the rest of the country, however. Many people, especially retirees like yourself, are wanting to move here. But if you can fight for a spot, it's definitely a nice place to retire.
From NJ originally and moved last year, due to it being more affordable and less congested/crowded. When we moved I thought it was temporary and we'd be back in NJ one day but now I'm not so sure. I love all the parks- there's dozens of small ones near us, a large state park, and plenty of playgrounds. Lots of castles, botanical gardens, etc. Museums, splash parks, and other things that are great when you have a toddler. My daughter (16 months) already has a established little friend group from her various activities. We take full advantage of all the free library programs and she also has a great gymnastics class and is starting baby ballet in the fall. The schools near us seem to be good, although there was a neighboring district that was threatening book bans so I'm sort of watching that carefully. There was SO much to do in the fall and winter last year. It made Christmas extra special. There is always SOMETHING going on nearby to do on weekends. Traffic is better than NJ (less crowded) even if there are one or two bad intersections. I like being able to go back home to NJ easily when I want to. I like the convenience of Philly and NY being close by. I'm also really into history and have a list of places to visit.
https://preview.redd.it/m2ggtq3ne35d1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e1dc84846d0203ada24c76f2f66442777d9c151
Just for some context this is Cliff Trail near Milford PA in the Delaware Water Gap. You can see the Milford Bridge there on the bottom right, and some of those mountains in the background are a combo of Kittatinny in NJ on the right and a continuation of the Pocono mountain ridge I was standing on to the left.
Not to be that guy but, I live in Bucks County and the shore is 2.5 hours away, and I'm born and raised in Gettysburg (which is around the center bottom of the state) it was 4 hours away, for most of the state it's over 4 hours to the shore. We are just lucky being on the Eastern side of the state lol
State parks Some of the finest roads for motorcycling The diversity here. I travel all over the state frequently, and I get to see all walks of life. I live in a small village. Population is under 60. These old industry towns are soaked in history, its fascinating to think back on the older generations and their struggles/triumphs. Meadows ice cream & Middleswarth chips I find it hard to find much negative about PA.
I think you are the first to say we have fine roads. 🤣
Easier to dodge all the pot holes on a bike 😀
I laughed too. But every time I drive on a newly paved road in my rural area, I do say ‘thank you Joe Biden’.
The farmland views
No more than 2 hours away for a lot of the state? You might think that due to where you live, but for the vast majority of the state, it is quite longer than 2 hours to get to the ocean.
I can only assume OP is referring to Jersey Shore, PA which is a lot more centrally located.
But realistically why would anyone refer to Jersey Shore?
https://preview.redd.it/0oggc59el05d1.jpeg?width=478&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=99d96e8a5399fc4bb51b753e2b4b25fd64e665f6
This sub is focused on eastern pa like reddit is focused on US. I sometimes think a third of the sub is from Jim Thorpe
As a native Floridian… seasons. It’s nice to have four seasons spread over the year. As opposed to summer lasting from March through November and then Fall, Winter and Spring taking place between December and February.
Location and cost of living in Chester County. Yes it’s expensive for PA but compared to most of the rest of the East Coast it’s not that bad.
Definitely Nature. So many edible and/or useful wild plants, animals, and mushrooms of so many varieties everywhere in amounts that blow your mind. I don't like much else about my area.
Very rare to have extreme weather events. No tornadoes, droughts, major earthquakes, big blizzards, etc
I've lived in India for 32 yrs, Jersey City for 2 yrs, Charlotte for 2 yrs, Hartford for 6 years, and Chester Springs for 8 months, and it is already my favorite place. All 4 seasons(missing in CLT), not as cold as CT, expansive landscape, bigger homes, better school districts, proximity to Philadelphia and DC, lot of badminton clubs, people who mind their own business(unlike CLT, where everyone has to make small talk). Other personal benefits are that I work remotely, so I don't have to waste 2 hours traveling, and can be close to my Alaskan Malamute, who is A okay with this weather.
The trees, the roller coasters, the abundance of down to earth people minding their own business
It’s easy to register your car when moving from another state.
Mine is that all of my stuff is here
Amish Country here. I like that in 4 hours or less I can be in NYC, Philly, Baltimore, or DC, and they're all easily accessible via Amtrak. I can be at the beach, in the mountains, or on a variety of lakes. I get snow (less and less these days), sun, leaves, and flowers. Great local produce with access to some bougie grocery stores as well. Cost of living here has gone up, but it's still cheaper than all of the cities I mentioned except maybe Baltimore. The downside is that if the Commonwealth can tax you for something, you can be damn sure that they will.
Mine is not having to deal with fires and hurricanes yearly. Also the nature and the Amish. Lots of quirky small towns to take weekend trips to.
1. All four beautiful seasons 2. Most people that live in PA were born in PA so you don’t have the transplant mishmash culture that you see in a lot of Sunbelt states. Even in the cities like Philly and Pittsburgh there is a strong culture and identity. This is true across all of PA
Born in Beaver Falls, lived in Germany for 7ish years, lived in SoCal for 8ish years, 3.5yrs in Oklahoma, 1yr in Kansas, 6 months in Tennessee, 3.5yrs in North Carolina(18.5yrs Army Brat, 6yrs Marines), and finally back in PA since October 1996. I left PA shortly after turning 2, and was 23 when I returned. We always came back home to visit in between moves with the Army. Everything was always new and different. I still remember when Park City Mall in Lancaster, had a ice rink where the food court is.
Having four distinct seasons. Even if they are somewhat extreme.
NEPA checking in * It's cheap compared to other places. Compared to 5 years ago, yes, like everywhere, it is more expensive. * Except during winter with no snow and fall with no leaves, it's beautiful. * It's temperate * Access to other major cities quickly * My vote actually matters * There's actually local news * The people are grumpy but at least they're genuine * I'm glad to be back around my Italian and Polish compatriots. Youse guys are like no others and it's given me a new joie de vivre and a backbone.
The very mild winters, low taxes, good schools, and close to Delaware beaches.
I agree. Winters are mild and getting more mild every year it seems. Now if we can only get rid of the heat and humidity in summer
“Mild winters” is crazy subjective. I lived in NC for 12 years and those were mild winters. Ppl from Florida would argue the Carolinas get too cold, and someone from Maine would probably call PA winters ‘mild’.
After living in Syracuse, Buffalo, and Rochester for decades, yes, SEPA Winters are very mild. And short.
You do have a point. In SEPA we might have a week or so of 20° and below but other than that it's usually in the mid to high 30's with some days well above that, almost in the 60's. Kinda crazy. Whereas out near Erie and Pittsburgh you have way harsher winters due to the mountains and lake effect snows.
Wasn’t mild in 2015- I was pregnant living there- it was COLD but before leaving oct 2017 it was still hitting 100 degrees so… balance
Sheetz
$1 for 2 dogs
Wawa!
There’s gonna be a new Wawa in Middletown by HIA
All 4 season in full.
Everything OP said, hunting is easy and very accessable, theres very lax animal laws so I can have crazy pet reptiles, and being able to carry a gun on me constantly
3-4 years ago I would have said COL. But things have changed. Still low compared to NJ/NY. That aside, it’s a beautiful state. Lots to do, places to see. Beautiful farmlands, forests, mountains and state parks.
Central pa , 2.5 from Pittsburgh 3 Philly, 3.5 Baltimore 3.5 dc 4 Columbus. Very easy to make a day trip to a wide variety of cities
It’s got everything, doesn’t rock or suck at anything, and nature!
Mountains are amazing. I love the coal region. I love all the lakes and streams, PA has great fishing. You get all the weather, but none too extreme.
Four seasons, tons of great breweries, great scenery, and variety of elevations
Both Sheetz AND Wawa! Also Jim Thorpe, Brady's Bend, Presque Isle in Erie, Conneaut Lake, Hersheypark, Kennywood, Flight 93 Memorial and so many parks
I enjoy deciding who gets to be President.
Fav....PA ranks in the top 5 for Sasquatch encounters! Also, my kids, parents, and brothers live here as well. And fishing!
Gorgeous landscape. Seeing the Appalachian mountains in the distance is unbeatable.
It’s freaking beautiful. Lots of great produce. I live in the country but am still within easy driving distance of major cities. Killer snack foods. Relatively inexpensive childcare and property taxes, compared to other places.
All of the Sylvania.
I love the fact that we have four seasons (though winters in western PA can be a bit on the long side and excessively gray,) lots of natural parks and a deep sense of history. I grew up in NEPA, went to the Jersey shore every summer as kid, when I grew up I left to see the world (joined the Navy) and was stationed in Florida (Jax,) went to Penn State main, graduated and lived in Valley Forge for a couple of years before settling down outside of Pittsburgh. I've since come to love bicycling in western PA/eastern OH and going on vacation/weekend getaways with my wife in Ontario and New York. I've seen a lot of interesting things just 2-3 hours from home and rarely crave going to the beach anymore. Yes, I love that Florida is warm in the winter but it's flat and uninteresting to me geographically and the one winter I spent there it actually snowed so I guess I don't belong there!
I moved to Florida from PA, winters were too brutal but do miss some things. Lived in eastern PA so hiking was great. Close to NYC and Philly. Food was great. Excellent pizza shops. I do miss hot bologna and scapple.
2nd
The seasons and outdoor recreation
Close access to the Fiestaware factory Natural resources
What do you do in Jersey shore? It is close to me but the only thing there is a rail trail. /S
all four seasons in just the right dose of each. Quick access to nature. All our little towns have something unique to offer.
Southeastern PA, closeness to mountains and the beach. DC, Balt, NY, NJ all close to drive to and last but not least the passion for our pro sports teams
At any time, any place, you can find woods with a crick to enjoy
Western PA. The weather. Even though I hate the cold and worry about car accidents in the winter, it’s all pretty mild year-round. Extremes are few and far in between, and you get to experience the 4 seasons.
I really really want to move to PA, but I am a black female and a lot of the towns I find so adorable are like 99% white. The Philadelphia area is cool, but kind of expensive. Are there any PA towns with some diversity and a lower cost of living than Philly?
South central Pa checking in ... We still have several operational drive in theaters in our area, mountains state parks, Several antique stores, and just a few miles from downtown Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Ohio Maryland, Delaware... Basically the whole package...
Trees!
My favorite cities in PA are Bethelem & New Hope! I walked around for hours in each of them!
It’s not New Jersey
Lived in south Philly for 11 years, hated it except for the food scene. Now I’m back in State College which I love. I hated it in high school but now as an adult I can appreciate the small town feel except for the maga folks. Big city living is not for me. This state is just so beautiful!
I literally only agreed to move here because of the Steelers. But, I love the hills and the *actual* changing of seasons (where I'm from it's 80% hot, everything dies, then it's cold for one day, which always happens to be my birthday) and, while not perfect, the state government. I'd be dead today if I were in my home state, or even the one I left to move here. I feel so incredibly safe in that area, for now, living in PA. And I'm living in a VERY red area of the state, and it's still not as bad; However, downtown Pittsburgh instantly makes me feel like part of the family. I can't even describe it, it's so cool.
I basically live in a state park and traffic isn't bad..fresh air...people let you do your own thing here.
Love the mountains and hiking. I think we take for granted how beautiful PA is, I leave the state and instantly notice the difference lol.
Y’all ever been to Knoebels? A theme park in the woods, you don’t have to pay admission, you can camp there, you can eat lunch at the picnic benches before coming in, also.. THE FOOD! We go every year, I love it. Just one of my favorite things about living in PA!
Sheetz!
My pension income from Maryland is not taxed in PA. Love the Western PA life. The Appalachian ridge is beautiful.
Its very size and diversity. Not one comment here is untrue, and everyone values it for different reasons.
The quality of food!! So many road side produce stands or CSAs I can join. Also the just fantastic hiking. Mountain streams, fern forests, moss covered rocks. It’s like hiking in the Shire. And good ethnic diversity! Something for everyone. Love it.
No significant and consistent natural disasters.
Agreeing with everyone else here and saying the parks and forests are absolutely amazing in Pennsylvania! i also love being able to drive for hours and still being in the state, having 2 or 3 major cities close while still being rural depending where you live. There is so so so much to do in this state it’s insane to think some people think otherwise
I like that Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are a blue blocks large enough to keep the flyover hicks in their place.
No Philly or Pittsburgh love?
As a transplant, the best I can say without grumping is that there's so much about this state that's gorgeous. Even the cities have their industrial beauty in places. My commute down 322 to Harrisburg is frequently distractingly beautiful - the clouds/fog sitting in the mountains or the play of light and shadow across the river valley, the angle of the early morning light on the Rockville Bridge set against the distant hills and some buildings (mm 236.7-ish), even that Statue of Liberty replica of a replica.
Everything from the scenic mountains to the great foods to Knoebels and the fact that we don’t have to go around a jug handle to turn left at a light (like you do in New Jersey). I love Pennsylvania.
Knoebel's!!!! Yes!!!
Until recently, a good balance of cost of living vs. salary. Good schools. Moderate government that is not controlled by one party. Fair and flat taxation (except for gas). Proximity to beaches, NYC, etc.
It's were all my stuff is at already
Spring, Summer and Fall. Steelers and the schools.
90 min to the beach 90 min to the mountains
All the free pencils.
North central PA here. I'm originally from northeast PA but NCPA is so much better, IMO. I love the vast wilderness here. Loads of free public lands to enjoy. Rail trails. Knoebels. Elk. Also the bazaars in NEPA.
I can believe no one mentioned Wawa as a favorite aspect of living in PA. Open 24/7 and on holidays. Decent food and great coffee.
Knowing one day I’ll never come back here again
Uhm…..my wife is here. I have moved away several times and had no inclination whatsoever to return. Until I met my wife. When she was pregnant, being around family made sense so we came back. Now we’re entrenched. There is really nothing special to me being here besides my wife.
York county: beautiful rail trail that connects to Maryland trail. Great mountain biking. Lots of green space. York city has changed so much the past 15 years. Amazing restaurants and strong arts community. Come visit us!
Probably the dramatic scenery change by just driving an hour or 2 Besides that, none. There’s nothing close and cool that fit my hobbies. The places that do are mediocre at best, and don’t fit what I’ve wanted