Lancaster PA area...

carrie123

carrie123

Cathlete
My dh and I are relocating to the Lancaster PA area and I was wondering if anyone could give me some insight on the surrounding area, what to look for and/or avoid. High schools for our two teenagers, girl and boy. They enjoy the performing arts but are also into hockey and swimming.

I am a substitute and am also looking for a university to finish grad school in elementary edu.

I know I'm pretty specific, but they are just a few of the things I thought I'd throw out there.

Are there any great swimming/boating areas??? We love the outdoors. We also love shopping and theater.

I want to consult with a realtor but I thought of the wealth of knowledge I've been able to find from CatheNation and wanted to run things by you gals/guys first.

Thanks for any infor/advice.

Carrie
 
I can help you with some of that...

I would look into Millersville University of PA for grad school. I went there for my BA in English and enjoyed my time there. From what I understand their elementary education programs are good there. I will probably end up going back there myself next Fall for some education I need for a career change. Millersville is located just outside Lancaster.

For shopping either Park City or the Lancaster Outlets are your best bet. Park City is the nicest mall in the area and Lancaster also has two outlet centers.

I really do not know a lot about the boating/swimming areas or the high schools in the area. I do not live in Lancaster I just end up spending a good amount of time there between school and shopping. Good luck with your move and feel free to ask me any more questions if you have them
 
Jacque1038 said:
I would look into Millersville University of PA for grad school. I went there for my BA in English and enjoyed my time there. From what I understand their elementary education programs are good there. I will probably end up going back there myself next Fall for some education I need for a career change. Millersville is located just outside Lancaster.

For shopping either Park City or the Lancaster Outlets are your best bet. Park City is the nicest mall in the area and Lancaster also has two outlet centers.

I really do not know a lot about the boating/swimming areas or the high schools in the area. I do not live in Lancaster I just end up spending a good amount of time there between school and shopping. Good luck with your move and feel free to ask me any more questions if you have them
Click to expand...


Sorry, thread hijack for a minute!

BTW, Jacque are you the same Jacque that's my roommate for the AUG. RT? I'm a graduate of Millersville. I loved it there!

I think Jacque covered it. However, I have several teacher friends that live there still, so I can always find out about the high schools for you.

Namita
 
I can help a bit. I was born and raised in Lancaster, PA. It's a pretty area that is really being built up, unfortunately. It has some of the richest farm land in the country.

Public High Schools - Hempfield and Manheim Township are the best in the area. Others are okay, but avoid Penn Manor and Lampeter-Strausburg. McCaskey is the inner city school - pretty tough. And Conestoga is okay, but not the caliber of Hempfield and Manheim. There are others, but those are the ones I remember the most, and my friends who still live there say that not much has changed.

There are a lot of places to boat and swim - I have fond memories of Mt. Gretna and swimming there. Also the Poconos are a 3 hour drive north, and there are tons of lakes and mountains. Plenty of skiing and mountain biking up there. And as Millersville State and Franklin and Marshall are both in the area, there is a lot of theater and educational opportunities. Keep in mind that Philly is also very close as well, so there is even more opportunity there.

Hope I helped a little.
 
We used to go to the outlets there a lot when we lived near Philly. That is about all I know about it. Good shopping!
 
I'm not in Lancaster, but live near Harrisburg (only 30 min or so from Lancaster), so if there's anything I can do to help you, please let me know.

I know it's a beautiful area and I've been to some theater/musical events there. And the shopping is lots of fun, too! There's a large Bass Pro Shop at one of the malls here that sells a lot of boats, and I've seen plenty of them around my neighborhood, so I'll check around about boating areas and will post back with whatever I find out. (From the size of them, they can't all be on the river, here, so there must be other places.)

When are you moving?
 
Wow, you guys/gals are awesome:)

We are taking a preview trip this Thursday and will be looking around for a few days. It should take about 7 hours to drive there.

We will be moving within the next month or so, pending on the sale of our house. If it doesn't sell :( my dh will go on while I stay and try selling it. He'll be working in Coatesville, Pa.

Thank you so much for the information on the schools, education is a top priority for us. It's unfortunate that we have to go through a transition in the middle of our teenagers' high school years, but the economy's down here.

I am hoping that the area is everything we're hoping for. It sounds like a nice area. Millersville University does look like a nice option for my ECE Grad Degree. I hope they take some of my grad courses that I've already taken.

What about the Ephrata area or Reading area?


Did I mention how great you guys are;)
thanks again

Carrie
 
Carrie, I have no specifics for you, but I'm so envious! I love Lancaster, PA. Good luck with everything! :)
 
Carrie-
I went to Millersville U, just like some of the other posters. I graduated in 97 with my ECE degree and El Ed degree. I LOVED the Lancaster area, and I am originally from NE PA (Hazleton). I knew that when I found a teaching job, I wanted to settle in that general area, and I ended up in Harrisburg. Lancaster's downtown is historic and gorgeous. There is definitely crime in the downtown, but the surrounding areas are good. There is so much to do in the area (you have Philly, NY, Baltimore, Harrisburg, etc.). Lancaster has a good night life too (from what I remember).

Gracenote-I live in Harrisburg around Linglestown. Where do you live? Just curious. I have never met another Catheite in this area! I teach in a small district right outside of Hbg on this side of the river. My DH teaches in the large school district that is outside of Hbg, also on this side of the river. My DS can't get enough of City Island (he's 3 and loves the little carousel and train).

Jacque and Namiti-GO MU!

-Jen
 
Hi Jen!

Nice to meet you! I'm on the Hummelstown side of Harrisburg, so we're not far apart. Once upon a time I tried to get a little GTG going around here, and there were a few other people who were near by...maybe we ought to resurrect that idea when Carrie gets here! That would be a lot of fun.

Some Lancaster County info, including some state parks (with lakes)
http://www.padutch.com/outdoors.shtml

General PA state game commission boating info (you can check all the areas you're looking into)
http://www.fish.state.pa.us/boatinf.htm

Haven't seen the neighbors, yet, to see where they boat, but maybe those links will help you do a little checking...

Carrie, I hope all goes smoothly for you. When we moved here, DH had to come out before me, so I feel your pain if that happens! Does DH know anyone at his new work location who can suggest areas/towns to live in? If you need anything during your trip out here, don't hesitate to email me or call (I sent a PM with the email and can follow up with the phone#).

Do you have houses to look at, or are you just checking out general areas?

Good luck!!
 
Hi Gracenote-One last highjack...What is GTG? I am pregnant and due with my 2nd in October. I'd can't wait to get back into working out hard (currently, I'm doing watered down Cathe workouts). I have not met anyone who likes Cathe (or has heard of her around here).

Carrie-Don't forget to post about your trip to Lancaster. I think the neatest thing about Lancaster is that you can be right in the heart of the city, yet you will still see horses/buggies tied up outside businesses. Wal-mart even has posts for horses.

-Jen
 
This is my last hijack, too, promise! :D

GTG = get together :) nothing fancy - maybe just lunch or a hike or something. There's always Chocolate World <evil grin!>

Check your inboxes - I sent you each a PM :D
 
Pa seems alot nicer now...

It would be so much fun to get together. I LOVE chocolate, but I think I'd much rather do a hike. Being Cathe-ites we should be up to a good hike challenge (hehehe!!!)

I guess my main concern really is getting my teens into a good schoo; finding a good doctor I can really trust and of course a veterinarian for my fur-children:)

Carrie

Thanks you guys, this doesn't feel so bad anymore:):):)
 
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