Pennsylvania Cities
Philadelphia & Pittsburgh Neighborhoods
Neighborhoods are parts of a city, not separate municipalities. These guides cover local character, restaurants, housing, parks, transportation and nearby attractions for each one.
Philadelphia
City guideCenter City
Center City is the commercial and cultural core of Philadelphia, running from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill. It packs offices, hospitals, universities, theaters and restaurants into a compact, walkable grid served by two subway lines.
Old City
Old City occupies the blocks around Independence National Historical Park, between Chestnut and Spring Garden streets. It holds the largest concentration of colonial-era buildings in the country alongside galleries, bars and converted warehouses.
Society Hill
Society Hill sits east of Washington Square between Old City and Queen Village, known for the largest collection of 18th- and early-19th-century residential architecture in the country.
Rittenhouse Square
Rittenhouse Square centers on one of William Penn's five original city squares, surrounded by high-rises, townhouses and the city's densest concentration of restaurants and boutiques.
Washington Square West
Washington Square West, often called Wash West, sits between Center City and Society Hill. It includes the city's Gayborhood and a mix of historic townhouses, apartments and restaurants.
Queen Village
Queen Village stretches along the Delaware River south of Society Hill, named for the Swedish queen who sponsored the area's early settlement. It is known for its Fabric Row and a lively restaurant strip on Fabric Row's southern end.
Bella Vista
Bella Vista sits south of South Street around the Italian Market, one of the oldest continuously operating outdoor markets in the country. It remains a diverse neighborhood of rowhouses and small businesses.
Graduate Hospital
Graduate Hospital, also called G-Ho, lies south of Center City between Broad Street and the Schuylkill. It takes its name from the former hospital building that anchors the neighborhood.
Fitler Square
Fitler Square is a small neighborhood along the Schuylkill River south of Rittenhouse Square, centered on a leafy square with a fountain. It is one of the city's most desirable residential pockets.
Fairmount
Fairmount sits north of Center City between Spring Garden Street and Girard Avenue, at the base of Eastern State Penitentiary and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It has become one of the city's most popular young-professional neighborhoods.
Spring Garden
Spring Garden lies between Fairmount and Northern Liberties, a mixed neighborhood of rowhouses, lofts and industrial conversions along Spring Garden Street and Callowhill.
Northern Liberties
Northern Liberties sits north of Old City between Spring Garden and Girard Avenue, a former industrial district transformed into one of the city's liveliest residential and nightlife areas.
Fishtown
Fishtown runs along the Delaware River north of Girard Avenue, one of Philadelphia's fastest-changing neighborhoods. Former working-class rowhouse blocks now mix with breweries, restaurants and galleries along Frankford Avenue.
Kensington
Kensington is a large neighborhood north of Fishtown along the Delaware River, historically a textile and manufacturing district. It has faced significant challenges with opioid addiction and housing instability in recent years.
Port Richmond
Port Richmond sits along the Delaware River east of Kensington, historically a Polish-American working-class neighborhood. It retains a strong rowhouse fabric and a commercial strip on Richmond Street.
Manayunk
Manayunk sits along the Schuylkill River in northwest Philadelphia, a former mill town whose Main Street is now a restaurant and retail destination. Its steep hills and canal towpath give it a distinct look.
Roxborough
Roxborough occupies the ridge above Manayunk in northwest Philadelphia, a largely residential neighborhood of rowhouses and singles with a commercial spine along Ridge Avenue.
Chestnut Hill
Chestnut Hill sits at the city's northwestern edge along Germantown Avenue, known for its historic architecture, independent shops and garden-like residential streets.
Mount Airy
Mount Airy straddles Germantown Avenue in northwest Philadelphia and is known for its racial and economic diversity, historic housing and strong community institutions.
Germantown
Germantown runs along Germantown Avenue in northwest Philadelphia, settled by German and Dutch immigrants in 1683. It holds a remarkable concentration of National Historic Landmarks.
University City
University City sits west of the Schuylkill, home to the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and a growing innovation district around Schuylkill Yards.
Powelton Village
Powelton Village lies north of University City, known for its large Victorian homes and tree-lined streets. It was developed as a suburb for factory owners in the late 19th century.
Spruce Hill
Spruce Hill sits south of Penn's campus around Clark Park, known for its Victorian homes and a diverse population that includes many university affiliates and international residents.
Cedar Park
Cedar Park sits west of University City around 49th and Baltimore, a West Philadelphia neighborhood of Victorian homes and a strong block-organization culture.
East Passyunk
East Passyunk runs along Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia, one of the city's best-known restaurant strips. It sits between the Italian Market and the Tasker-Morris area.
Point Breeze
Point Breeze sits south of Graduate Hospital and west of Broad Street in South Philadelphia. It has seen significant new construction and rising prices in recent years.
Brewerytown
Brewerytown sits along the Schuylkill north of Fairmount, named for the breweries that once lined the river. It has become a popular neighborhood for new construction and young buyers.
Frankford
Frankford sits in the city's northeast along Frankford Creek, one of Philadelphia's oldest settlements. It has a historic commercial core and a large stock of affordable rowhouses.
Tacony
Tacony sits along the Delaware River in northeast Philadelphia, a residential neighborhood of rowhouses and twins with a small commercial district on Torresdale Avenue.
Pittsburgh
City guideDowntown Pittsburgh
Downtown Pittsburgh, the Golden Triangle, occupies the wedge of land between the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. It is the region's financial and government center, with Point State Park at its tip and Market Square at its heart.
Strip District
The Strip District runs along the Allegheny River just northeast of downtown, formerly a wholesale produce and warehouse district. It now mixes markets, restaurants, tech offices and residential conversions.
Lawrenceville
Lawrenceville runs along Butler Street east of the Strip District, divided into Lower, Central and Upper sections. Once a working-class mill neighborhood, it has become one of the city's most active dining and shopping districts.
Shadyside
Shadyside sits east of Oakland, known for Walnut Street's shopping district, Victorian homes and leafy residential streets. It is one of Pittsburgh's most desirable neighborhoods.
Squirrel Hill
Squirrel Hill sits east of Oakland, a long-established residential neighborhood with a busy Forbes and Murray Avenue business district. It has a significant Jewish community and a strong stock of historic homes.
Oakland
Oakland is Pittsburgh's university and hospital district, home to the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon, UPMC Presbyterian and the Carnegie museums. It is a dense mix of institutions, students and long-time residents.
South Side Flats
South Side Flats stretches along East Carson Street across the Monongahela from downtown, known for the longest intact Victorian commercial district in the country and a busy nightlife scene.
South Side Slopes
South Side Slopes climbs the hillside above East Carson Street, known for steep streets, city steps and dramatic views of downtown.
Mount Washington
Mount Washington rises directly across the Monongahela from downtown, famous for the Grandview overlooks and the Duquesne and Monongahela inclines.
Bloomfield
Bloomfield sits east of Lawrenceville along Liberty Avenue, long known as Pittsburgh's Little Italy. It retains a strong Italian-American identity alongside a growing diverse population.
Friendship
Friendship is a small residential neighborhood between Bloomfield, Shadyside and East Liberty, known for its tree-lined streets and historic homes.
East Liberty
East Liberty sits at the center of Pittsburgh's East End, rebuilt around a commercial district that includes Bakery Square, East Liberty Station and the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater.
Highland Park
Highland Park surrounds one of Pittsburgh's largest city parks, with grand homes along Highland Avenue and a quiet, established residential character.
Point Breeze
Point Breeze is a residential neighborhood east of Frick Park, known for large homes, quiet streets and proximity to the park's trails.
North Shore
The North Shore lines the Ohio River across from downtown, home to Acrisure Stadium, PNC Park and the Andy Warhol Museum. It mixes stadium parking, museums and new riverfront development.
North Side
The North Side is the collective name for Pittsburgh's neighborhoods north of the Ohio and Allegheny rivers, including the Mexican War Streets, Deutschtown, Allegheny West and Manchester.
Mexican War Streets
The Mexican War Streets sit within the North Side, a historic district of restored rowhouses named for battles of the Mexican-American War.
Deutschtown
Deutschtown, also called East Allegheny, sits along East Ohio Street on the North Side and was the center of Pittsburgh's German community. Its historic commercial buildings now house restaurants and shops.
Greenfield
Greenfield sits on a hilltop south of the Monongahela, a largely residential neighborhood with a commercial strip along Murray Avenue.
Brookline
Brookline is a large residential neighborhood in Pittsburgh's South Hills, known for its rowhouses, parish churches and a busy Brookline Boulevard business district.
Beechview
Beechview sits in Pittsburgh's South Hills along Broadway Avenue, a residential neighborhood served by the light-rail line and known for its hillside views.
Polish Hill
Polish Hill sits on a bluff between downtown and Lawrenceville, named for the Polish immigrants who settled it. It is known for the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and its skyline views.
Regent Square
Regent Square sits east of Frick Park, straddling the Pittsburgh city line with Edgewood and Swissvale. Its tree-lined streets and small business district along South Braddock Avenue give it a village feel.
Hazelwood
Hazelwood sits along the Monongahela River east of the South Side, a former steel neighborhood now at the center of a major riverfront redevelopment effort.
Allegheny West
Allegheny West sits on the North Side near the stadiums, a historic district of Victorian mansions and restored rowhouses. It was once home to industrialists and now mixes residences with offices and inns.