Live in Lancaster City without a car? (Philadelphia, Penn: buying, college)

[masonbauknight]

Many online sources say Lancaster City (not the suburbs obviously) is the most walkable city in Pennsylvania -- even more so than Philadelphia. But could anyone really live in Lancaster without a car, get groceries and most basics on foot, daily? You can easily go carless in Center City Philadelphia. Is carless in Lancaster as realistic?
Thanks.

[Jessie Mitchell]

Groceries could be a little difficult, depending on where in the city you live. There are a couple fairly comprehensive, but not large, grocery stores in the downtown area that I know about, plus a small natural foods grocery (Lemon St. Market), and the Central Market which is open Tues, Fri & Sat would have fresh fruit/veg, and some specialty foods, baked goods, fish, meat, cheese, desserts and so forth. So it's totally possible, but wouldn't be as easy as driving to a large supermarket and buying food in quantity.

Other than that I think it would be pretty simple. There is a bus system, but it has limited runs, and very limited on holidays and weekends. Also walking is a great way to move around here, but it can get very cold in the winter and horrible hot/humid in the summer so long walks are not always so great.

I live about as far as I could from the Amtrak station and still be in the city, but I have to walk that distance often (because of the limited bus service) and it takes about 45 minutes. That would likely be the very longest distance you'd ever have to walk to go to even the places furthest from you in the city... like if you lived way far on one side and had to get all the way over to the farthest point of the other side.

Would you be working in the city? The difference between here and Center City Philadelphia is that outside of that part of the city there are SOOO many other places in the Philly area a person might want to go, here outside the city there really isn't that much so there aren't a lot of reasons to have to get somewhere at a distance on a regular basis.

[masonbauknight]

Thanks for the details. I'm retired, so no commuting. I was curious, because many online sources label Lancaster a "walker's paradise," one of a few small US cities in that category. As long as the Central Market doesn't close down permanently, it looks like you have the essentials for food, which was my main concern. (I'd just shop for food more often, which I actually enjoy.) A 45-minute walk max, to me, is just fine. But it looks like a retiree, or someone working downtown, could live carless in Lancaster City, no?

[Jessie Mitchell]

Originally Posted by masonbauknight

Thanks for the details. I'm retired, so no commuting. I was curious, because many online sources label Lancaster a "walker's paradise," one of a few small US cities in that category. As long as the Central Market doesn't close down permanently, it looks like you have the essentials for food, which was my main concern. (I'd just shop for food more often, which I actually enjoy.) A 45-minute walk max, to me, is just fine. But it looks like a retiree, or someone working downtown, could live carless in Lancaster City, no?

Yes, for sure. There's even a hospital smack dab in the middle of the city. The Central Market won't close. It's longest continuous public farmers market in the country, and going strong.

[masonbauknight]

Can't thank you enough for your thoughtful replies -- so many great observations. Lancaster does have a special status for a small American city, with many articles I've read saying it even beats most of the famous college towns in terms of walkability for daily errands. Your description seems to confirm that. And there's Amtrak! The centrally located hospital is a big plus, too. I now live within walking distance of one, and that can make anyone feel more secure.

I had to ask you about the Central Market's overall viability. I'd be over there often. Thanks again!

[Jessie Mitchell]

Originally Posted by masonbauknight

I had to ask you about the Central Market's overall viability. I'd be over there often. Thanks again!

The Central Market is wonderful. The people that manage it do a really good job making sure it remains a viable place for buying fresh food, where a person can actually buy most groceries, and not let it turn into a tourist trap with a bunch of tchotchkes and whatnot for visitors. For example, if a fresh vegetable vendor leaves the market they can only be replaced by another fresh vegetable vendor. There are a few gifty type kiosks in there, but it is largely either basic foods or prepared foods of many sorts. And it's fun. It can be crowded on weekends during tourist season, but Tuesdays are excellent for regular shopping.

What it doesn't have so much are pantry staples and non-food household supplies. There is a Bravo Supermarket just a couple blocks from the Central Market where you can fill any shopping gaps.

[Max and Catriona]

Originally Posted by Jessie Mitchell

The Central Market is wonderful.
.....
It can be crowded on weekends during tourist season, but Tuesdays are excellent for regular shopping.

^ Is Lancaster's tourist season throughout the summer?

[masonbauknight]

Originally Posted by Jessie Mitchell

There is a Bravo Supermarket just a couple blocks from the Central Market where you can fill any shopping gaps.

And I see there's also a C-town supermarket in the center of town and, in the suburbs, a large Wegman's and a Whole Foods. (I'd be OK living without those last two, though I do like them.) I imagine tourists are much reduced in number in the winter, but no complaints from me about them: Tourism is an important reason for so many amenities in Lancaster City. It's all good -- I'll bet you can even walk to jury duty. I'll definitely check everything out once the cold weather is over.

Thanks so much for your informative posts. They're better than many travelogues!

[Jessie Mitchell]

I have no beef with tourism either. I have lived in one tourist place or another nearly all my adult life. I like the visitor energy, the boost for small businesses, and it gives a city or town a compelling reason to maintain a pretty and welcoming appearance and lots of opportunities for small pleasures like interesting restaurants, cultural offerings, shops and what not.

[Jessie Mitchell]

Originally Posted by Max and Catriona

^ Is Lancaster's tourist season throughout the summer?

I think it's pretty evenly distributed, spring, summer, fall. It's not like some huge impact in the sense of an inconvenience, at least not in the city. I think in the county the traffic can get bad, but inside the city everything that's of interest to tourists is in walking distance. You can park once and the car stays put as long you're there.