Philly/South Jersey Folks - moving to area

Triathlon Forum
1

Hi! I’m about to (this summer) make a move to the Philly area. Right now, I’m considering DelCo, really north Wilmington (Brandywine area) and S. Jersey for areas to live (will be working in Jersey). No kids, so school systems aren’t a concern.

Out of curiosity, are there any towns in those areas that generally tend to be more friendly to triathletes/runners/cyclists? Or areas in general?

Run Philly and Run 865 have already been recommended to me to join :slight_smile: I’m trying to start narrowing down where the heck I want to live, and figured if there are fellow triathletes who can weigh in, that’s a nice bonus.

Thanks!

2

Don’t live in Jersey. The urban sprawl/grossness that is the Cherry Hill area (I’m assuming that’s where you’re looking at) sucks. Only good consistent riding is when you get closer to the Pine Barrens.

Of course, not even going to touch how crappy the property tax to house quality ratio is here. You’ll pay way more for a house that is way worse.

Wilmington (outside of the city) is way, way nicer for riding. A mile or two and you’re in the DE/PA countryside, and there’s amazing routes wherever you go. Plus the quality/cost of living is better.

I am unfortunately living in south jersey for work but I’d never recommend it for someone that doesn’t have to live here.

3

The riding in east delco is terrible but west of swarthmore is great, highly underrated. Running isn’t bad anywhere, if a little hilly sometimes.

I do like a good ride in the pine barrons but you have to get there first.

4

It’s not where you’re considering, but I grew up in Upper Bucks County and found it’s rural qualities to be very suitable for training. I ran on country roads with little to no cars. There’s also the Delaware Canal for long, uninterrupted runs on the dirt/gravel tow path. I also ran on college cross country courses at Lehigh and DeSales Universities in Northampton County; both schools have miles of well-maintained grass loops around corn fields. Bike riding is much the same, calm country roads; just stay off main roads, aka anything with a number, except for a few exceptions with wide shoulders. For swimming, I went to the Upper Bucks YMCA, they have several locations. As for races, there are several olympic races on Lake Nockamixon; I haven’t participated in them, so I can’t vouch for their quality.

5

I don’t know Delco that well but just to the west of it is Chester Co, beautiful area - farm country, rolling hills, twisty-turny roads around babbling brooks; I love driving there but hate riding there. Unlike the flat, mostly straight roads in NJ’s Pine Barrens the guy taking his Porsche out for a fun Saturday drive doesn’t see you until he’s right on top of you because of the terrain & Varia doesn’t help because there’s nothing behind you until it’s right behind you.

Going further north, MontCo has the Schuyllkill River Trail - stay far away from it on a nice Saturday but if you want to ride outside in crappy weather, early in the morning, or when you don’t want to be around cars it’s great!

Wherever you settle, lookup Philly Tri Club to help with local routes.

6

I’ve been in the area for 20 years, lived in the city, currently in South Jersey. If you are working in Jersey, no reason to pay bridge tolls every day…

I personally wouldn’t bother with the clubs…

We have open water swimming at the lake every Saturday and Sunday, April-September in Medford.

And from there, you can bike heading east. Hit Chatsworth Road. It’s miles and miles of no intersections bike lane. It’s basically where everyone who trains is on the weekends.

Ignore Cherry Hill. It’s suburban sprawl. You have a number of great towns. Haddonfield, Collingswood, etc.

Taxes are high, but you get something for it. It’s clean and safe.

I wouldn’t consider the city itself…at all.

I can’t speak to the Pennsylvania suburbs, but I just can’t get over the congestion…to me, it seems even a lot of the PA suburbs are jammed in row homes…

Also, that would probably depend on your budget.

If you have specific questions, let me know.

7

Don’t live in Jersey. The urban sprawl/grossness that is the Cherry Hill area (I’m assuming that’s where you’re looking at) sucks. Only good consistent riding is when you get closer to the Pine Barrens.

My husband and I will be working at Rowan, so I’ve been looking along 322, and just a little north of Glassboro (like to Sewell).

I’ve been in the area for 20 years, lived in the city, currently in South Jersey. If you are working in Jersey, no reason to pay bridge tolls every day…

I personally wouldn’t bother with the clubs…

We have open water swimming at the lake every Saturday and Sunday, April-September in Medford.

And from there, you can bike heading east. Hit Chatsworth Road. It’s miles and miles of no intersections bike lane. It’s basically where everyone who trains is on the weekends.

Ignore Cherry Hill. It’s suburban sprawl. You have a number of great towns. Haddonfield, Collingswood, etc.

Taxes are high, but you get something for it. It’s clean and safe.

I wouldn’t consider the city itself…at all.

I can’t speak to the Pennsylvania suburbs, but I just can’t get over the congestion…to me, it seems even a lot of the PA suburbs are jammed in row homes…

Also, that would probably depend on your budget.

If you have specific questions, let me know.

Definitely do not have any plans to live in the city. Not a city person at all. But the NJ advice is great, thank you! I’m happy to hear there’s ows groups and a good bike route. I need to hit up Strava and see where there are segments and rides.

Work-wise, we’ll be working at Rowan, and by nature of that job, I likely will only be in the office a couple of times a week, and only during the semesters, so the bridge tolls would not be an every day thing. I’m not all that deterred by that if it saves me thousands in property taxes. Coming from the midwest, NJ property taxes are insane. I have family on the PA/DE line, so being closer to them is a huge bonus, which is my consideration for DelCo and Delaware.

8

Ignore Cherry Hill. It’s suburban sprawl. You have a number of great towns. Haddonfield, Collingswood, etc.

I have a “complicated” relationship with Haddonfield LOL

9

I’m a current Mid-westerner (20+ years) but originally from Philly. A few thoughts:

  1. Lots of good replies so far.

  2. Consider renting first before buying?

  3. Lots of people love Wilmington DE instead of SJ/PA. (I have no experience, just heard that and no idea how tri conducive area is)

  4. People in the mid-west generally will give you lots of room while biking and move over to the left if there isnt oncoming traffic. Philly/NJ people almost never move to the left even if there isnt an oncoming car for miles. I have a friend who refuses to ride outside anywhere in the area and does almost all indoor rides except on race day.

  5. If you are a sports fan and plan to attend games, do NOT wear an opposing jersey/shirt/colors to any of the stadiums, even if they are not in the same league or playing them that day. JUST DONT DO IT.

10
  1. If you are a sports fan and plan to attend games, do NOT wear an opposing jersey/shirt/colors to any of the stadiums, even if they are not in the same league or playing them that day. JUST DONT DO IT.

C’mon… you’re just taking the fun outta things for the long time locals in the parking lot and nosebleed sections…

If the OP wants to be in PA, but not in Philly (WTF??) check out southern Montco and Delco.
The riding S and W of the city is really awesome.

But if working in NJ, you’ll quickly rack up gas and tolls, and waste a lot of time commuting on crowded roads.

11

You said no kids, but are you married? In a relationship?

Finding a pool is the toughest part. There are a few YMCA’s and if you do the Greater Philly one, then you have plenty of pool options. If you decide to live in the actual city, your pool options are a little more limited. I live in South Philly, my sister is a director at the Y, so I get a free YMCA membership. I bounce between Using the Y in the burbs or driving to South Jersey to use the pools there. Paying $5 for the toll to me is justifiable considering the ease of getting to the pool versus driving to a pool in the city or the burbs combined with signing on for work in time. It takes less time to just drive to NJ to swim than navigate city streets to get to the South Philly Y.

Biking, mostly done on the trainer, but if I want to do intervals, do them in FDR Park. For long rides, I’ll go to Port Republic where they hold Jersey Genesis Triathlon. Nice open roads, do a 20-25 mile loop and never that far from the car when doing the ride.

Running is a lot better in the city than most. There are TONS of running clubs and very good runners to link up with when here. I’ve been in Philly my whole life minus the 7 years I spent in Huntington Beach. I love being a runner in Philly. There are always tons of people that will do any workout you want to do once you get into a group. Always a ton of bikers out for group rides, that’s just not my thing. I bike for working out for races, but I’m not a casual group rider.

So I’d say, if you’re single or on the younger side (less than 40), I’d go to the city and navigate life there. If you’re over 40 and looking for more house and quieter life, I’d say West Chester area.

-Chris Naimoli

12

Don’t live in Jersey. The urban sprawl/grossness that is the Cherry Hill area (I’m assuming that’s where you’re looking at) sucks. Only good consistent riding is when you get closer to the Pine Barrens.

My husband and I will be working at Rowan, so I’ve been looking along 322, and just a little north of Glassboro (like to Sewell).

I’ve been in the area for 20 years, lived in the city, currently in South Jersey. If you are working in Jersey, no reason to pay bridge tolls every day…

I personally wouldn’t bother with the clubs…

We have open water swimming at the lake every Saturday and Sunday, April-September in Medford.

And from there, you can bike heading east. Hit Chatsworth Road. It’s miles and miles of no intersections bike lane. It’s basically where everyone who trains is on the weekends.

Ignore Cherry Hill. It’s suburban sprawl. You have a number of great towns. Haddonfield, Collingswood, etc.

Taxes are high, but you get something for it. It’s clean and safe.

I wouldn’t consider the city itself…at all.

I can’t speak to the Pennsylvania suburbs, but I just can’t get over the congestion…to me, it seems even a lot of the PA suburbs are jammed in row homes…

Also, that would probably depend on your budget.

If you have specific questions, let me know.

Definitely do not have any plans to live in the city. Not a city person at all. But the NJ advice is great, thank you! I’m happy to hear there’s ows groups and a good bike route. I need to hit up Strava and see where there are segments and rides.

Work-wise, we’ll be working at Rowan, and by nature of that job, I likely will only be in the office a couple of times a week, and only during the semesters, so the bridge tolls would not be an every day thing. I’m not all that deterred by that if it saves me thousands in property taxes. Coming from the midwest, NJ property taxes are insane. I have family on the PA/DE line, so being closer to them is a huge bonus, which is my consideration for DelCo and Delaware.

I’d go the other way on 322, towards Mullica Hill.

13

I’m a current Mid-westerner (20+ years) but originally from Philly. A few thoughts:

  1. Consider renting first before buying?

  2. If you are a sports fan and plan to attend games, do NOT wear an opposing jersey/shirt/colors to any of the stadiums, even if they are not in the same league or playing them that day. JUST DONT DO IT.

I thought about renting, but after owning for 12+ years, and looking at rent prices for what we’d need, it’ll still be cheaper to get a mortgage. Plus, I can’t stand the thought of throwing a year of payments away and not getting any equity out of it.

I’m originally from CT, and a huge NY sports fan, so I’m well aware of just how dangerous being a Giants fan in Philly will be.

If the OP wants to be in PA, but not in Philly (WTF??) check out southern Montco and Delco.

No offense to Philly! I think it’s an awesome city and can’t wait to be close to it, but I don’t have any desire to actually live IN the city.

You said no kids, but are you married? In a relationship?

Married, and my husband is also a cyclist. We are in our mid-40’s. Through my sisters (who live in the area) I’ve been to the Rocky Run YMCA (in Media, I think?) almost every time I’ve come to visit them. For the pool, I honestly figured I’d try to just use the pool at Rowan. That’s what I do at the university I currently work at.

14

I used to live in Blue Bell in Montgomery County. A beautiful area - winding roads, huge trees, nice houses. But cycling on the roads - terrible. No shoulders, winding roads, lots of vegetation so not much light. And no public land for off road running or biking. Happy to be out of there.

15

Aesthetics vs. Kinetics, you might say?

16

From a guy who went to Atlantic City High School and grew up 2 blocks from Marven Gardens:

Since you are not commuting every day, how about buying your beach house as a year-round residence and driving west to work? The relatives will be happy to see you. Margate, Longport, Ventnor, or Brigantine are nice and with quick access to the AC Expressway, you would be at Rowan in 50 min. And these towns are not completely dead in the winter. There is plenty of great road and gravel riding, running on the Boardwalk and easy access to Phila via auto or the train. And the shore weather means minimal snow for longer training season.

17

I’m halfway between Philly & AC, and I think it’s only snowed enough to use a shovel just once in three Winters

We get a semi-frozen/semi-corrosive slurry, covering rocks and sand and gravel and shoes and needles and underwear and little bottles of Fireball and hubcaps and roadkill and all sorts of other shit. When that all dries out, the slush is gone, but all that other crap is still out there, usually migrating onto the part of the road I’m using , and collecting in any number of brand new potholes

18

Wait, I thought Hammonton was just blueberries!

19

I’d go the other way on 322, towards Mullica Hill.

South Jersey Running Company

https://www.runningco.com/locations

Locations in Haddonfield, Moorestown, Medford and Mullica Hill; home of RUN 856

Horrible people … but, they accurately reflect the communities they serve; so there’s that

20

From a guy who went to Atlantic City High School and grew up 2 blocks from Marven Gardens:

Since you are not commuting every day, how about buying your beach house as a year-round residence and driving west to work? The relatives will be happy to see you. Margate, Longport, Ventnor, or Brigantine are nice and with quick access to the AC Expressway, you would be at Rowan in 50 min. And these towns are not completely dead in the winter. There is plenty of great road and gravel riding, running on the Boardwalk and easy access to Phila via auto or the train. And the shore weather means minimal snow for longer training season.

My relatives have basically done this^

I would probably get sick of the commute from PA/DE to Rowan, so I think you should consider NJ residence. I mostly just drive through South Jersey to get to Cape May County but I could see myself living outside of the reach of Philly/Beach (south of 322 or east of 206). I’m a little further west of philly (berks/lancaster/chester) but I race all over and there seems to be plenty of groups around. Check out a map of masters swim groups.