When it comes to South Philadelphia neighborhoods, places like East Passyunk, Newbold, and Point Breeze get most of the attention. While the accolades might be well deserved, people looking for homes in South Philly should know that those aren’t their only options. One often overlooked area is the Whitman neighborhood, located below Snyder Avenue on the eastern side of South Philly. Whitman might be more under-the-radar than its sister neighborhoods, but it has a lot to offer in terms of value and convenience.
Community Focus
One of the focal points of Whitman is Mifflin Square, a park that takes up an entire city block in the middle of the neighborhood. Admittedly, Mifflin Square has a checkered past. But in recent years, the Friends of Mifflin Square have made a big effort to bring a community focus back to the park. The group organizes regular park cleanups as well as events such as flower planting days, read-a-thons, and yoga in the park.
Aside from the official Friends of Mifflin Square group activities, Mifflin Square is a place for people to spend time enjoying the outdoors. When the weather is warmer, you might find people enjoying a game of volleyball, kids playing on the playground, or vendors selling street food, such as grilled chicken, on the cheap.
Easy to Navigate, Easy to Live In
Another perk of Whitman is that, like other South Philadelphia neighborhoods, it’s easy to get around. WalkScore gives it a rating of 91 for walking, 87 for biking, and 68 for public transportation, meaning you can get most of your daily errands done on foot. The Broad Street subway is roughly a mile away from the neighborhood. There are several buses that travel through the area, too, taking you to Center City, North or West Philly, and beyond.
Even though it’s easy to travel to and from Whitman, pretty much everything you might need can be found within the confines of this neighborhood. Whitman Plaza is home to a supermarket, a gym, clothing stores, and more. Several banks are nearby, as are diners, pizza places, and Tony Luke’s, one of Philly’s many cheesesteak outlets.
Need to head out of Philadelphia altogether? Whitman gives you easy access to the highways: The entrance to 95 is right at the southern edge of the neighborhood. You can also get to 76 East from Whitman without having to drive too far out of your way.
Not Much Nightlife
One big drawback of the Whitman neighborhood is that there isn’t much in the way of fine dining or nightlife. Fortunately, neighborhoods with plenty of action, such as East Passyunk or the South Street district, aren’t too far away. The neighborhood is scheduled to get its own bowling alley, but that’s still a work in progress.
Whitman might never be as cool as other South Philly neighborhoods. But there’s plenty to love about it, and plenty of reasons to call it home.
Image Source: Flickr
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Having recently moved to Whitman neighborhood, I could not be more happy. The houses are more spacious than other South Philly homes and I have my own lawn. The neighborhoods are safe and quiet, but within walking minutes of public transportation and the Whitman shopping center.
The downside is that there are a lot of families, but not a lot of young professionals. There are diners, but not many choices for hip brunches or wining with the girls. Obviously I can just hop on a bus or subway to Passyunk or Center City for the night life, but it would be nice if more new businesses opened up nearby. The South Bowl bowling alley and taco place on 6th and Oregon that just opened are top notched and I know other young professionals would love to see more places like that open up here in Whitman.
I love Whitman. It’s safe and the neighbors are neighborly in a way these new rising neighborhoods just don’t have. The prices are good and it’s convenient biking paths help me get around. Being close to 76 is a plus too.