And I'm still witnessing all the crazy-fast changes the neighborhood's been going through, especially over the past few years. Having spent nearly 29 years here I made the mistake of moving to Bella Vista for a few years in my early 20s; it was an experimental time for myself, I'll admit , I feel I have a pretty unique perspective on Fishtown and on why it's hands down the best neighborhood in Philadelphia.
So let's get started:. First and foremost and this might be pretty obvious, but it's important , Fishtown is off the grid โ literally. Fishtown's below Front Street and, therefore, below all the numbered streets. So while in most Philly neighborhoods you can get some sense of where you are just by hearing the cross streets, Fishtown requires you to know its routes and borders well.
Spoiler alert: All of the "Fishtown" apartments you're looking at on Craigslist are in Port Richmond or, worse yet, Bridesburg. This helps Fishtown feel very far removed from the hustle and bustle aka the delivery trucks parked in bike lanes and groups of slow-walking people that comes with life in Center City. And what Fishtown may lack in mini front yards again โ thank God , or even backyards, it makes up for in walkability and parks!
You really can't go more than a few blocks in Fishtown without coming across a park or some kind of green space: Palmer Park, Konrad Square, Hetzell's Playground and all the other little dog parks and gardens that sprinkle the neighborhood.
Then, of course, there's Penn Treaty Park, where I spent many sunny afternoons as a kid and still enjoy visiting today. One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to grab a milkshake from Sketch Burger or Little Baby's Ice Cream and lie in the park with some friends. In fact, Fishtown is probably the only neighborhood in Philly right now with a truly strong connection to the Delaware River.
