I used to hate being from Southeast Pennsylvania. I grew up in the suburbs of the greater Philadelphia area. Not rural enough to be pretty, but not metropolitan enough to be cool. Caught in the far fields of urban sprawl, the area seemed aggressively ‘nothing special’.
It wasn’t until I got older that I realized how much I had taken this for granted. Okay, it isn’t the most unique place to live. I could have grown up in the picturesque backwoods of Alaska or one of the nation’s colorful cities. Southeast PA isn’t all that special itself, but it is right in the center of many places that are. The area is an ultimate nexus between three of the most iconic cities in the country: New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C.. Not only that, but its prime location right along the East Coast allows for access to some pretty cool travel spots situated in the midst of these ‘big three’.
Though I may not have realized it, living here has actually allowed me to see quite a few valuable sights for very little effort. I couldn’t have gotten this experience anywhere else.
New York City
It wasn’t until I was in high school that I realized just how close I lived to New York City. The ‘Big Apple’ is everywhere in pop culture (seriously, the number of movies set in New York is baffling). The fact that it was so iconic always made it seem unreal, when in reality it’s pretty easy to go there whenever I please.
I’ve been many times for Broadway shows, sightseeing, and everything in between. The last time I headed up was just a few years ago—pre-pandemic—in 2019. In this particular case, I was showing around a friend from out of the country, who most definitely did not have the opportunity to see New York City whenever.
The easiest ways of getting to the city are trains (Mainly Amtrak) and buses, both of which take only 1-3 hours depending on your method. This time we had gone with an OurBus trip. We made some of the usual tourist rounds: pushing our way through the crowds of Times Square, walking the Brooklyn Bridge, biking around Central Park, and riding the Staten Island Ferry (Which is one of the best and cheapest ways to ride past the statue of liberty, but don’t tell the Statue of Liberty tourist ferry companies I said that). Even the usual tourist traps in New York are worth seeing at least once. They’re simply too famous not to.
Getting to experience the city with a friend who lived so far away made me so much more appreciative of getting to see it so often myself. And the good news is that I can go back many more times if I wish and do a whole other host of things.
The Jersey Shore
Just the other week I took a day trip to the Jersey shore, one of many that I’ve taken in my life. If i’m being honest, I have no idea if anyone anywhere else in the country even knows what the Jersey shore is, but here it’s an icon. Growing up, it was the go-to spot for a cheap but fun vacation.
This time I packed into a car with two old high school friends and all of our beach mats, umbrellas, and sunscreen (the essentials, of course). It was early. After a quick stop for coffee and lunch hoagies at Wawa we headed off toward Ocean City (If you ask anyone who grew up in the area, chances are they have a favorite Jersey Shore beach. Maybe they prefer to hit the casinos in Atlantic City, see the old architecture in Cape May, or stay at one of The Wildwoods’ kinda-sketchy-but-colorful retro motels. For my friends and I, Ocean City was our go-to).
After two hours we found ourselves at the beach, ready to grab a tasty breakfast at the iconic Uncle Bill’s Pancake House, shield our precious snacks from seagulls on the beach, and stroll the boardwalk (Yes, I had my sandwich stolen by a seagull. And yes, I’m still upset about it).
The Jersey Shore isn’t the most exotic travel spot. It doesn’t exactly live up to the crystal blue water of the Caribbean or some quaint European towns. But for myself and a lot of people in this part of Pennsylvania, it’s still an effortless and fun vacation that feels like home.
Washington D.C.
Washington DC is probably the furthest of these convenient landmarks, but one that I’m glad to have still within a reasonable distance from me. The first time I went was in middle school, and we made all the usual tourist rounds.
Maybe it’s just because I watched “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” too many times as a child, but I loved getting to explore all the museums and the history as a kid. The city also has so many national and government landmarks that are nice to see at least once in real life instead of just on the news, regardless of the actual state of the government.
Just like New York City, Washington D.C. just has so many iconic things to see (in addition to being a colorful and interesting city aside). For a lot of people, these places only ever exist on TV, or in your middle school history class, so the fact that it’s so accessible is cool to me.
The Eastern Shore (Maryland)
This one may be a bit more unknown, but it was a big part of my childhood, so I’m writing about it anyway. If you haven’t ever explored the Eastern Shore of Maryland, then buckle up. The Eastern Shore refers to any of the area to the east of the Chesapeake Bay. This can include Ocean City Maryland and Assateague Island. Both nice places, of course. My personal favorite area, however, is along the eastern shoreline of the Bay itself. Growing up (and still to this day), my family vacationed down there.
There are a lot of old bay towns you could visit, and I’ve been to many of them. Each usually offers fantastic seafood, peaceful Bay views, and a waterfront atmosphere that isn’t quite like the ocean but is its own special experience entirely. My favorite spot to head to down here is Chestertown Maryland. In fact, that’s where I’m writing this right this second.
Chestertown, like many of the places on the Eastern Shore, is a colonial town. It has brick streets, old architecture, and a tiny marina with so many boats and tall ships. I have far too many memories from here to describe any specific one. Over the years I’ve gone boating out on the Chesapeake, picked craps at a handful of crab houses, and read a good book in front of the Bay shores more times than I can count. And it is all just a two hour (give or take) drive from Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia
I had to save the best for last. For some southeast PA people, Philly isn’t even a quick trip, because it’s already home. For me, this city has always been my home base. It was the city I visited for a million and one field trips and the city where most of my friends go to college today.
The forty-five minute drive meant endless trips to the Art Museum and the Franklin Institute as a kid. As I’ve grown older, I’ve started taking SEPTA down and exploring on my own or with friends. It’s through this that I’ve seen the Magic Gardens, Reading Terminal Market, and also aimlessly wandered the streets just to take in the atmosphere.
People in other areas of the country might only think about Philadelphia in the context of Independence Hall or Rocky (really, who can blame them for that one). Iconic, but distant, which is why I’m incredibly appreciative that I’ve had the opportunity to visit often and without trouble.
I’m sure every location in the United States has its places. Maybe the people who grew up in the southernmost part of Texas or the middle of Illinois have their own list of special spots. I don’t know. I do know that my little corner of Pennsylvania is wedged in a cluster of atmosphere and culture, and that the effortlessness with which I was able to experience and continue to experience all of these places has been a privilege. As it happens, being in the middle of everything pays off sometimes.
Featured Image Credit to Kelly on Pexels
