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What's Pennsylvania like?
- Thread starter Clay
- Start date
I love the Amish country area, I visit 3 times a year. I'd love to live there.
Central PA is fine. Its sparsely populated and mostly quiet.
Eat Kettle Cooked Middleswarth BBQ chips. Visit Hershey Park and Knoebels. Stay away from Wilkes-Barre and Scranton (seriously there is nothing from The Office there if you even had the notion to visit because of that). Sheetz is better than Wawa. Don't bother with Penn's Cave, its dumb and chintzy.
Eat Kettle Cooked Middleswarth BBQ chips. Visit Hershey Park and Knoebels. Stay away from Wilkes-Barre and Scranton (seriously there is nothing from The Office there if you even had the notion to visit because of that). Sheetz is better than Wawa. Don't bother with Penn's Cave, its dumb and chintzy.
Cookie tables are amazing. You're going to the wrong weddings. Fries on sandwiches is also amazing! What the hell is this. Fiori's we can agree on.
Weather does suck.
Yeah the roads are really crappy here.
Penn State is in kind of the middle of nowhere. But if you like college towns you will enjoy it there. You will have a decent drive to get a city, but one of the big advantages of the east coast is that several major cities are within driving distance (Philly, Boston, Pittsburgh, NYC, DC).
You will notice that people in the northeast are probably not the nicest (that is not the case at Penn State as that is a college town). You are not going to see a lot of smiling people in Philly or New York. But that is equally true in any city. There is an edge to people here.
Oh and get a damn shovel. The winters here are no joke.
If you or your wife are into competitive pinball, the world pinball championships are held near Pittsburgh.
I live in the Philly area so the summers here are usually humid.
Also, Wawa obliterates Sheetz
I live in the Philly area so the summers here are usually humid.
Also, Wawa obliterates Sheetz
Except State College. The counties that Pittsburgh, Penn State and Philly are in were the only ones to vote for Hillary in 2016. Penn State and the immediate surrounding areas are nice.
Also unless you are an alcoholic, I don't see what's really wrong with the liquor laws. Like... you can't buy beer at a gas station. But, so what? Just go to any number of other places nearby that sell booze. I believe our alcohol is slightly more expensive than other states though.
Weather is fine. Like cold/snowy winters and hot summers isn't exactly unique to Pennsylvania.
we started as enemies, now we are brothers.
seriously, why can we not pave a damn street
Whatever you do stay away from PA Home Owner Associations. They will do whatever they can to gauge you. Some will be poorly managed and may attempt to talk you into debt or at least a hefty bill. They will do very little for you and hate the fact that you expect to get something out of them for paying their dues.
Also if you're unlucky enough to get involved with an especially crafty HOA they will tie your water bill to their dues. Which means if you don't pay the dues they WILL shut off your water and it will be completely legal.
Also if you're unlucky enough to get involved with an especially crafty HOA they will tie your water bill to their dues. Which means if you don't pay the dues they WILL shut off your water and it will be completely legal.
Used to be no tax on clothes there, I don't know if that's changed. Never lived there but our company had offices in Pittsburgh so when we'd travel the ladies would be hyped to shop.
Edit: Also I know of a ghost town there, Centralia. Look it up, it's wild. There's an underground coal mine fire that's been burning there for like 60 years and forced everyone out.
Edit: Also I know of a ghost town there, Centralia. Look it up, it's wild. There's an underground coal mine fire that's been burning there for like 60 years and forced everyone out.
No tax on clothes, shoes and essential foods. No bottle/can tax.
Born and raised in PA, only moved out of state a bit over a year ago.
Also if you live anywhere that isn't a city and are anything left of Republican DO NOT TALK POLITICS WITH ANYONE UNLESS THEY BRING IT UP FIRST. You will get upset with them and they won't think too kindly of you. This is just my experience and it could just be my area.
Don't forget bags of salt to spread on your front steps and driveway, unless you don't mind the jarring sensation of your ass separating from your spine as you leave for work in the morning and forget to "flat-foot" it to the car.
6 years at PSU for PhD. I did enjoy my time over there but I had a really fun circle of friends. Penn State is one of the best party schools for a reason. Although I was not married at the time and the town did get somewhat boring after I got married :) The liquor laws of PA are really terrible. You do adapt but it is very weird. IIRC there is a single shop per zipcode to buy hard liquor and 1-2 beer shops (yes they are exclusive, liquor shops don't sell beer). The town is very convenient for students (buses etc.), I was able to live with the PhD salary (with roommates). Moving to Bay Area and now Boston was a major shock.
State College is a generally left-leaning place. As a middle eastern person, I was pretty comfortable. However, if you leave the bubble, people do stare you like actual aliens. One time we went to a (pretty nice) restaurant at Harrisburg and everyone was typical blonde white and the waitress asked where we are from before asking for our order.
Academically, it varies per department but the name of PSU does carry some weight.
State College is a generally left-leaning place. As a middle eastern person, I was pretty comfortable. However, if you leave the bubble, people do stare you like actual aliens. One time we went to a (pretty nice) restaurant at Harrisburg and everyone was typical blonde white and the waitress asked where we are from before asking for our order.
Academically, it varies per department but the name of PSU does carry some weight.
This isn't true anymore. Giant Eagle Get-Go gas stations and I believe some Sheetz sell beer in Pittsburgh. But yeah, when I first moved to PA 10 years ago the only places you could get beer was at distributors. Now you can get them at grocery stores and gas stations, although typically not in cases at those places (usually ~12 pack limit). For cases you'll still need a beer store.
Interestingly enough, a beer store near me sells singles, as well as booze-y slushies in to-go cups. For a state as backwards as others when it comes to alcohol I find that funny.
You are correct about it being more expensive. Beer is a tad more expensive than - for example - Ohio. A 12-pack of average light beer is a dollar or two more. Good bourbon is usually like $3-$5 more expensive.
I grew up in the area and live in Harrisburg. I agree with the sentiment above. This area isn't OMG amazing, but calling it Pennsyltuckey is a stretch. However, there are plenty of areas in the state that totally qualify as Pennsyltuckey.
Edit: isn't OMG amzing
It's a big state that is both great and awful.
Which PSU campus would the program be at? The state can be really hit or miss depending on where you live. If it's state college you'll be living in a bubble. I hope you like the outdoors because State College is a college town and you will run out of things to do after a year. However, you can usually make a day trip to a bigger city if you
Liquor laws suck but they're slowly getting better, plus marijuana reform is creeping up on the state.
Going to PSU is a good opportunity and PA doesn't suck enough to turn it down. Unless it's the Behrend campus and you're in Erie. Fuck Erie.
Which PSU campus would the program be at? The state can be really hit or miss depending on where you live. If it's state college you'll be living in a bubble. I hope you like the outdoors because State College is a college town and you will run out of things to do after a year. However, you can usually make a day trip to a bigger city if you
Liquor laws suck but they're slowly getting better, plus marijuana reform is creeping up on the state.
Going to PSU is a good opportunity and PA doesn't suck enough to turn it down. Unless it's the Behrend campus and you're in Erie. Fuck Erie.
Pittsburgh is pothole central. But, it is a nice spot, especially for buying older games. Good proximity of Exchange stores throughout the city. Two in Downtown alone. Almost anything with "Carnegie" in its name is something worth checking out. I've lived in Pittsburgh all my life and I only scratched the surface on how much there is to do there.
Haha, yeah, a couple of guys from Philly bought the beer distributor near me and put in a slushie machine. I was talking to them one day and asked them if it was legal (I live in the Western suburbs of Philly). They said yeah, they sell them from their store in West Philly all day. I was skeptical but they're still selling them, pretty good too. Strong.
I'm a PhD Student at Penn State (University Park), have been here 5.5 years. The following is assuming you are looking at University Park/State College.
It is the middle of nowhere, but New York and DC are not crazy far, nor are Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Philly. You can fly out of the airport here, which is nice but can get pricey but is usually worth it over hoofing it to somewhere else.
The restaraunt situation is not great. PA people seem to like things pretty bland. The Mexican here will haunt your dreams. There's lot of farms around so if you're into fresh and local produce (and even stuff like milk and eggs), it's good for that.
The weather is also not super awesome, you will definitely want to invest in winter clothes. A serious winter coat, hat, gloves, boots, etc. I even carry crampons in my backpack since it can get really icy. If you walk a lot you will need some good rain gear.
I don't think anyone cares about Californians, but the two Californians I met here couldn't go very long without mentioning how they were, in fact, from California. People here are definitely not as outgoing or friendly to strangers as people in CA, or the southwest... or the south, though. I grew up saying hi to other pedestrians, here that's a nope.
Don't live too far within or near downtown, directly south of campus. That is where drunk undergrads live, and drink. A lot. Housing here is very student driven, so start looking early for next year, and you will want to look very specifically for "grad/professional" housing.
I live just outside undergrad-land and walk to campus, and one of the nicest things is that downtown and university are very walkable, and there's a decent bus system which I almost never use since I have a car. However, I normally drive my car only once a week, to get groceries.
Feel free to PM if you want more specific advice.
It is the middle of nowhere, but New York and DC are not crazy far, nor are Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Philly. You can fly out of the airport here, which is nice but can get pricey but is usually worth it over hoofing it to somewhere else.
The restaraunt situation is not great. PA people seem to like things pretty bland. The Mexican here will haunt your dreams. There's lot of farms around so if you're into fresh and local produce (and even stuff like milk and eggs), it's good for that.
The weather is also not super awesome, you will definitely want to invest in winter clothes. A serious winter coat, hat, gloves, boots, etc. I even carry crampons in my backpack since it can get really icy. If you walk a lot you will need some good rain gear.
I don't think anyone cares about Californians, but the two Californians I met here couldn't go very long without mentioning how they were, in fact, from California. People here are definitely not as outgoing or friendly to strangers as people in CA, or the southwest... or the south, though. I grew up saying hi to other pedestrians, here that's a nope.
Don't live too far within or near downtown, directly south of campus. That is where drunk undergrads live, and drink. A lot. Housing here is very student driven, so start looking early for next year, and you will want to look very specifically for "grad/professional" housing.
I live just outside undergrad-land and walk to campus, and one of the nicest things is that downtown and university are very walkable, and there's a decent bus system which I almost never use since I have a car. However, I normally drive my car only once a week, to get groceries.
Feel free to PM if you want more specific advice.
If you like to buy your cars used, be really thorough about looking out for rust. It's not like much of California where that's little to no concern, it destroys cars around here. Keep the underside clean in the winter, the road salt eats metal pretty fast.
one of the most diverse states out there, seriously. the middle of PA at Center Valley/Harrisburg couldn't be further from Philly. it's basically Kentucky. And Pittsburgh is totally different as well.
Scranton, Allentown, Lancaster, Pocanos three smaller cities/areas just in Eastern PA but all different as well.
that being said, go visit philly and you'll be fine.
Scranton, Allentown, Lancaster, Pocanos three smaller cities/areas just in Eastern PA but all different as well.
that being said, go visit philly and you'll be fine.
Philly part of PA is in that mid-Atlantic sprawl, where all sorts of different people live and things are happening. Pittsburgh is all right. The rest of the state is largely rural, with parts that feel Midwestern, and then parts that feel Appalachian. Penn State is an island in the middle of the state. It's a huge school, lots of partying, stuff to do, but you won't find much outside of the college.
Pennsylvania weather is going to take some getting used to. Summers are hot and humid. Winters are cold. Compared to California the roads are terrible due to the water and freezing/melting. Also, PA does salt-and-chips in the winter, a mix of salt and gravel. It'll shred your car's paint.
Pennsylvania weather is going to take some getting used to. Summers are hot and humid. Winters are cold. Compared to California the roads are terrible due to the water and freezing/melting. Also, PA does salt-and-chips in the winter, a mix of salt and gravel. It'll shred your car's paint.
Pennsylvania is the only place I've driven where I've seen large roadside signs from the County Sheriff warning people to watch out for drunk drivers.
I don't know. Most of Harrisburg's streets look like the city was bombed.
Schools used to close for the opening day of deer hunting season as a holiday, if that tells you anything.
Except, strangely enough, the municipality of Carnegie. Although there are come decent places to eat there.
Yeah, between Harrisburg, Hershey, the West Shore (Camp Hill, Lemoyne, Mechanicsburg) and then Lancaster which is a bit further away, there's a lot to go see and do. Lancaster is actually really nice comparatively.
yeah, people are gonna say its fine but honestly if youre not used to it, it can be pretty shitty.
born and raised in NEPA (WB/Scranton), lived in Philly, visited Pittsburgh, spent a lot of time in State College (had friends who went to Penn State). apart from Pitt and Philly, the rest of it really is kinda true to the Pennsyltucky epithet. State College itself is a good example of what to expect - a reasonably bustling town center with a reasonable amount of activities, and just outside of that... nothing, for miles and miles.
whenever id drive home to WB from Philly, id start taking the backroads to avoid the 476 tolls and man, it legit is just nothing between the two points but farms and small towns. for two to three hours worth of driving.
i live in central Vermont now and it honestly reminds me a lot of small town PA, just writ-large.
Born, raised, and live in PA. Some notes from me:
- Happy Valley is a nice place. It's super rural all around it though.
- The Penn State Creamery has incredible ice cream.
- PA has some of the worst road quality in the entire country. I've been in 46 of the 50 states and the one I live in is the WORST.
- The state is filled with fantastic rural road scenery though. It's great for motorcycling for this reason.
- Lots of good hiking and camping in PA.
- The Susquehanna River is awesome.
- The ends of the state lean left but in between has a lot of right. There are a lot of racist people living in the rural areas.
- The Amish are great, they make great furniture and cook fantastic food. Just watch out for horse and buggys.
- Run up the Rocky stairs at least once.
- Happy Valley is a nice place. It's super rural all around it though.
- The Penn State Creamery has incredible ice cream.
- PA has some of the worst road quality in the entire country. I've been in 46 of the 50 states and the one I live in is the WORST.
- The state is filled with fantastic rural road scenery though. It's great for motorcycling for this reason.
- Lots of good hiking and camping in PA.
- The Susquehanna River is awesome.
- The ends of the state lean left but in between has a lot of right. There are a lot of racist people living in the rural areas.
- The Amish are great, they make great furniture and cook fantastic food. Just watch out for horse and buggys.
- Run up the Rocky stairs at least once.
This is accurate. I'd say I prefer Pittsburgh to Philly though. You get a city with a small town vibe.