Anyone who lives in Pennsylvania (particularly Philly and Bryn Mawr area)?

I'm a bit north of Philly (closer to Trenton, NJ) but here's some answers that might be of interest:

1. You really start to feel fall weather toward the end of September/beginning of October. You start feeling spring weather in April. During the winter, the weather also fluxuates - some days can be really cold and others be spring like.

2. Most of the time, you get snow in January and February with chances of it starting in December and going on through March. This year, we had snow in my area at the end of October, a few days before Halloween. (Trust me, I was gripping about it! Snow shouldn't come that early!) We've also had a freak snow shower in April several years back. (I remember that because it was the weekend a friend of a co-worker got married.)

3. I think Philly itself would be an 'attraction', given its history. But here are some things I know are "in the area". Most of this depends on whether or not she has a car/can drive or can get someone to drive her.
- Pennsbury Manor - in Bristol, PA. It's a historical site, William Penn's 'summer' home. (I believe it has a website.)
- New Hope, PA/Lambertville, NJ - these are 'tourist' traps/artist colonies. Essentially cute little towns with a lot of antique/trendy shops catering to tourists. If she's there enough, she might get to know some of the locals/shop owners.
- Princeton - it's got a really good regional theatre (McCarter's) as well as being a University town which might be a big draw for a teenager. It also has several Rev War sites if she's interested in historical stuff but I would think hanging out with the college students would be a bigger draw. And it has some cute little shops too. Suggestion: Small World Cafe is a popular coffee shop in town.

4. Don't really have any answers for this one

5. Depending on what you want done with the school aspect of things but since there's a lot of Revolutionary War sites (Washington Crossing/Philly) and other historical sites (Pennsbury Manor [colonial period] and Howell Living History Farm [1890-1910 farm that's an actual working farm using historical techniques]), your MC might go field trips to these sites. They do offer tours for classes. They also have websites you might want to look into.

The stuff I mentioned are all located up the Delaware River. Another option is going into South Jersey (i.e. the Pine Barrens) or into Camden (not recommended unless one of the other character's from there) or, most likely, out to Atlantic City.

Another thing - she might hear something particularly Jersey. People in NJ say "down the shore" when going to the Jersey shore. It doesn't matter which direction you head, north or south. It's still "down the shore". Another thing you might want to look into is a magazine called "Weird NJ". That offers "weird" locations as well as interesting personalities.

I lived in the suburbs of Philly from 2000-2002 and I know that many of the kids played Lacrosse.

4. Those who can afford it and enjoy it might ride. Lots of hunt clubs, large stables, shows, and breeding farms in that general area.

For 1 and 2, look at the monthly data for that area on weather.com or similar. They usually get some 'heavy' or decent snow dumps, particularly compared to those of us not far away in Delaware.

I had to take a call and cut my last post short, but I wanted to add that Philly is full of history. There's Valley Forge Park, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell.

Craft fairs, particularly around Christmas.

tilt190 said:

Can you give me some info on what it's like in your area? Most importantly, I was wondering:
1. At what month does it start feeling like fall?

The end of september

2. From which months does it snow, and is there a lot of snow?

Philly might get 6 inches of snow once a winter, and 2 inches four or five times

3. What are some local attractions?

sports teams, Phillies, Flyers, 76ers are really really big. The fans are (proudly) the nastiest around. One time they booed and tossed beer bottles at Santa.

There is opera and theater. Younger people go down to south street for cool restaurants and shops and live music and tattoo parlors. It is about 5 blocks from independance hall and all that historical stuff.

The art museum (think Rocky running up the stairs) is on the river where there is rowing. They have great art and a cool armor gallery. The museum is free on Sundays.


4. What sport(s) are in style for the teens there (ie, in LA, skateboarding was hot. Then I moved to FL and it was all baseball and lacrosse)?

Can't help you there.

5. Anything else that you might like to mention.

Philly at a nexus of rivers. You can't go far without running into one

Thank you so much. This is research for my WIP in which my main character goes to a Bryn Mawr boarding school and it changes her life, etc.

Click to expand...

prawn

Since you've set you story in and around Bryn Mawr I'll assume you know that the area is very high end. They don't call it the "Main Line" for nothing.
The games most often played are, lacrosse, field hockey, soccer, tennis, and softball.
Philly is crammed with amusements, among these are the Philadelphia Flower Show, Dog show, Car Show, Boat Show. You get the picture.

China Town is also a big draw, if you can find a parking place! I swear Philadelphians buy cars, park them and never move them!

South of Bryn Mawr is Londwood Gardens. Significant in that, rather being the creation of a state, it is the dream of one man Pierre Francis Dupont. http://www.longwoodgardens.org/TheGardens_1_3_2.html
It's a perfect place for romance.
C

Longwood Gardens is beautiful. In late summer they have lilly pads in the ponds that are five feet across. Amazing!

I forgot about Longwood Gardens. Gorgeous.
And citymouse is correct- you should know about the Main Line if your character is going to school in Bryn Mawr.
When I first moved to the area, people kept talking about the "Main Line" and I was like, "What the heck is the Main Line?"
Here's a wikipedia link with some Main Line info.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_Main_Line

The Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and the Constitution Center are all in the same area. The Constitution Center has a very high-tech presentation. It's so well done that I was to tears.
One thing most people living in or out of Philadelphia don't know is a small row house close to Independence Hall was once the home of Revolutionary General Ludwik Tadeusz Kościuszko. It is the smallest US National Park. Yep you can tour it for free or the nice park ranger (complete with a Smokey the Bear hat) will guide you. There's a film presentation too. I love this stuff!
C