We’ve been talking a lot about the best Philly neighborhoods around here lately, and I love that. Whether you’re new to the city or have lived here forever, neighborhoods are something relevant to each and every one of us. I’ve shared my picks for my favorite Philly neighborhoods for new residents, but the fact is: there are so many other hoods Philly ladies just like you live in and love coming home to that are not on that list. So, to give you all a more inclusive look at what the city has to offer for young women, I reached out to some of my blogger buds, blog readers, and Twitter followers to share why they love their Philly hoods. 
*These neighborhoods are listed in alphabetical order because, hey, I’m not playing favorites here. (for once…) 
How long you’ve lived there: 5 years
Why you originally choose it: My boyfriend moved here – he discovered the neighborhood by searching for a cheap, but nice, house that he and 6 of his friends could live in. He ended up stumbling upon one of the incredible victorian-style homes for a steal. We fell in love with the neighborhood and have lived in a few different places over the past 5 years, all within a few blocks.
A few words describing your neighbors: Friendly, open, socially conscious, creative, diverse.
Favorite thing about your neighborhood: West Philly is the best of both worlds. It has a residential feel with plenty of trees & a beautiful Clark Park, but is still a 15 minute trolley ride to Center City. It is a bit quieter than other parts of the city, but there are still a myriad of events going on and great restaurants to go to. It’s also made up of a wide range of individuals – students, young professionals, and families, as well as people who have lived in these homes for generations.
What you would change about your neighborhood: The only thing I would change about my neighborhood would be the lack of affordable houses to buy. Prices and taxes have skyrocketed in recent years, making it less feasible to own rather than rent.
{Check out Brigette’s design blog}
How long you’ve lived there: I’ve been in and around this neighborhood for 9 years.
Why you originally choose it: My friend Heather Jo found a teeny, two-bedroom house to rent in 2006 and we shared it for a few years. It was affordable, relatively safe, and the street had a sweet little garden, maintained collectively by the residents. It was close enough to my Center City job that I ditched my car and commuted by bike.
A few words describing your neighbors: Senior, creative, real, working, families.
Favorite thing about your neighborhood: So many cool things have opened up here, it’s inspiring just to walk around and see what people are up to. I get the feeling of a village in the city, and I like knowing my neighbors and being involved in the life of the neighborhood. You can’t walk a block around here without stopping to say hello. The rowhouses have secrets, too – gardens, pools… you never know what is behind the door.
What you would change about your neighborhood: I wish we had street cleaning below Washington Avenue. It gives a bad impression to our ever-increasing number of visitors, and it’s a super drag as as resident to live in litter. The East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District does a good job on keeping the Avenue spiffy, though.
{Follow Felicia tweeting away for everyone’s favorite donut shop}
How long you’ve lived there: 3.5 years. We rented for a year and have owned a home for the last 2.5 years.
Why you originally choose it: I love the city feel without actually being in Center City. Fairmount has great parks, lots of green space, and easy access to Kelly Drive and the main roads/highways. It has a great neighborhood feel and there are always familiar faces walking around – people really know each other here! I also love all the restaurants, coffee shops, and small businesses in the area.
A few words describing your neighbors: Warm, welcoming & kind.
Favorite thing about your neighborhood: Fairmount has a great small town feel for living in the city. I love the easy access to Center City and all the different events + activities always going on in Philadelphia. We can walk to the Zoo, to Rittenhouse Square, and can always stroll down to the Art Museum area for different events. Fairmount is a great little hidden gem in Philadelphia!
What you would change about your neighborhood: I’d love it if there was a little trolley that made it a little easier to get to some various mass transit options that are further into Center City. Wishful thinking I’m sure!
{You can find Leslie blogging at And Her Little Dog Too}
How long you’ve lived there: 2 years. Why you originally choose it: I commute via train to Bryn Mawr, and my wife drives out to Princeton. Fishtown put us near I-95 and near public transit, making it feasible for us to live together. Plus, everything I’d heard about the neighborhood reminded me of Shoreditch, where I was moving here from! A few words describing your neighbors: Two communities, old and new. Favorite thing about your neighborhood: I love the juxtaposition of the street art and historic little rowhomes that characterize the neighborhood. There’s so much history here, but it’s also changing every day. What you would change about your neighborhood: I’d make it safer for pedestrians, public transit users, and bicyclists. That’s true for the whole city, but I think Fishtown could especially benefit from better crosswalks, more bike lanes, and better bus shelters.
{Lola has a really great Twitter}
How long you’ve lived there: 3 years. I technically live just outside of this neighborhood, but I spend most of my free time in the Graduate Hospital area. Why you originally chose it: I searched long and hard for an affordable place in Graduate Hospital. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a single one bedroom apartment that could fit my enormous couch. Therefore, I ended up near the border in a Rittenhouse neighborhood. However, most of my friends ended up in Graduate Hospital. This area is full of spacious three and four bedroom homes that are very affordably priced. There’s also plenty of parking in this area if you are a commuter. A few words describing your neighbors: Diverse – mix of long standing community members and young professionals. Favorite thing about your neighborhood: Affordability! Rent in this neighborhood is amazing if you are able to share a house with a few people (everyone still has their own room). That plus the changing restaurant scene: Growler Stop is coming to 22nd and South with promises of pizza and beer. SouthGate just replaced the beloved Tangier (RIP) with delicious Korean dishes. Honey’s is a can’t miss delicious breakfast/brunch/lunch spot at 21st and South. And American Sardine Bar is a crowd favorite at 18th and Federal. What you would change about your neighborhood: I would probably add a few more affordable bar choices. Sidecar is an amazing food and beer spot, but it can be a bit expensive. Ten Stone also rarely has beers under $5. A few more regular spots with specials couldn’t hurt this area full of young professionals!
{See what Hannah’s up to on Instagram}
How long you’ve lived there: 3.5 years. Why you originally choose it: I picked a bunch of random apartments to check out knowing absolutely nothing about Philadelphia. After a bunch of open houses, I fell madly in love with my Midtown Village apartment because of the French doors leading to my bedroom. The price of rent wasn’t too bad either. I didn’t even check out what the neighborhood was like (I totally don’t recommend doing that). Luckily, I ended up loving it. A few words describing your neighbors: Young, 20-somethings / early 30s, creative, friendly. Favorite thing about your neighborhood: I have so many! There are a lot of amazing restaurants and boutiques lined up on 13th street! I also like how I can get coffee at Toast, practice yoga at Shanti Yoga Shala, and grab a glass of wine at Tria all at the same cross section (12th and Spruce). What you would change about your neighborhood: Parking. It’s a major pain. Once it took me 45 minutes to find a parking spot. Philadelphia’s SO walkable and there are various modes of public transportation. But if you absolutely need/want/like having a car, parking really sucks.
{Peek around Melissa’s lifestyle blog}
How long you’ve lived there: 2 years. Why you originally choose it: Old City was where my best friend lived (so that made it pretty easy when I moved back to the area not knowing many people in the city). It was also close to nightlife and the highway, which is important to me because I commute out of the city to work. A few words describing your neighbors: A mix of generations. Favorite thing about your neighborhood: Its proximity to public transportation and super cute boutiques (Smak Parlor, Geisha House), bars (Race Street Cafe) and restaurants (Wedge and Fig). What you would change about your neighborhood: Parking is definitely the biggest headache in Old City. If you are going to have a car, I would suggest factoring in the price of a parking spot into your budget. Also compound that headache on the first friday of every month for the First Friday festivities. Good luck getting to happy hour on time with that traffic!
{See what Jenna’s covering on Twitter}
How long you’ve lived there: 2 years. Why you originally choose it: Walking distance to 2 Street, East Passyunk, and Bella Vista/Society Hill, but still removed enough from the hustle and bustle. It’s an up and coming area, so the rent is still low. The parking rocks! A few words describing your neighbors: Watchdogs, old-school, friendly. Favorite thing about your neighborhood: How everyone looks out for each other. Once, my parked car was hit by a truck and the driver sped off immediately. My neighbor saw this happen and left a note on my car and offered to be a witness. My neighbors frequently take in packages for me when I’m not home. Even the UPS man has left his phone number on the “missed package” slip so I could call him when I got home and not have to wait an extra day for my package to arrive. What you would change about your neighborhood: The neighborhood is missing a local grocery/produce store. There were bodegas and a farmer’s market that ran throughout the summer, but somewhere in walking distance to get some basic groceries would be convenient.
{Find a new recipe on Kelley’s food blog}
How long you’ve lived there: 1 month!
Why you originally choose it: I was up in Fairmount before, and when my lease was up, I knew I didn’t want to stay. Fairmount is nice, but I felt really far from everything I wanted to do. I looked at several neighborhoods and over 20 apartments and when I went to a showing in Queen Village, I fell in love with the neighborhood. I felt at home immediately.
A few words describing your neighbors: Eclectic mix of people, diversity, uniqueness, friendly.
Favorite thing about your neighborhood: I love a lot of things, but I’ll give you the top three. First, I feel very central to everything. In the past week I’ve walked to Spruce Street Harbor Park, Washington Square West, and South Philly. For me, it’s the perfect location. Second, there is always something going on – Franklin Flea Market in Headhouse Square, the Philly 10K’s finish line over on Bainbridge, bands at the TLA, new restaurants opening almost weekly… you can’t get bored. Last, it has the small neighborhood feel. You’re part of the city, but its very quaint.
What you would change about your neighborhood: More trash cans! That may sound silly, but when I walk my dog, there is no where to throw out his poo bags! Some streets are a little dirty, and I can’t help but think that maybe if there were trash cans on the main corners, it would be a little better. Parking can also be difficult, especially if there is something happening on the weekends, but I think that goes for anywhere in Philly.
{Adventure around the city with Megan on Instagram}
How long you’ve lived there: A little over 2 years, but I’ve been working in the neighborhood for close to 6. Why you originally choose it: It’s home to my favorite restaurants, great shopping, my friends, & my work. It’s also centrally located and therefore easy to hop on public transportation or grab a cab/Uber to other neighborhoods in Philly or even the suburbs. A few words describing your neighbors: Graduate students and young professionals. Favorite thing about your neighborhood: I’m a pretty big foodie so I love being close to so many restaurants. There is just about every kind of food within blocks of my apartment. I also love having a Trader Joe’s within walking distance and am very excited for the new Target to open! What you would change about your neighborhood: I hate seeing empty store fronts. I know Center City/Rittenhouse has improved a lot over the past few years – especially Chestnut Street – but I would love to see new stores taking over some of the spaces.
{Find Abby blogging at Post Grad Slump, one of my favs!}
How long you’ve lived there: 1.5 years. Why you originally choose it: I had just gotten a job that moved me back to the city, so I had to move in with my boyfriend to his studio in South Philly – not ideal. He was applying to law schools, so we needed a sublet in case we had to move. We found our place on 10th and Spruce and it was exactly what we needed. A lot for the convince of everything, but also because we loved the neighborhood. Since then, we have fallen completely in love with the neighborhood – so much so that we’re looking to buy. I never want to leave. A few words describing your neighbors: Friendly, welcoming, hospitable. Favorite thing about your neighborhood: The location. I love being a 15 minute walk from Old City, and a 15 minute walk to Center City. Grocery stores are 4 blocks south on South Street which is super convenient, and the restaurant scene in our neighborhood is amazing (if you’ve never tried Mercato, you don’t know what you’re missing). We can hop on the El, BSL, bus, or PATCO to get anywhere we want in the city or out easily. I love the neighborhood feel we get living where we are. There is such a sense of community where we live. It feels like our own little island in the city. What you would change about your neighborhood: Honestly, right now, nothing. I love everything about our neighborhood. Maybe the helicopters the fly to Jefferson or Penn Emergency, but even they don’t bother me that much.
{Grab some inspiration from Nicole’s blog}
Thanks to ALL of these awesome ladies for helping me out with this post and sharing their opinion on Philly’s best neighborhood! Did we miss your favorite hood? Answer these questions in the comments below! xx
