Horsham/Willow Grove - Horsham Township, PA

Willow Grove originated in 1719 with the granting of a parcel of land called Willow Manor to a group of settlers by William Penn. Horsham has roots dating back to 1717, when Samuel Carpenter purchased the land containing much of present neighborhood. In the early 1980s, the tearing down of Willow Grove Park and the building of Willow Grove Park mall signified a major shift to shopping.

If you like baseball, the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society, located on York Road in Hatboro, has a true treasure trove to browse through. A picturesque storefront hides a diverse collection of artifacts and merchandise, including hats, baseballs and baseball apparel.

Each year, the community gathers together to celebrate the township on Horsham Day. Enjoy activities such as a petting zoo, a youth fishing contest and a car show. While there is no arts scene in either Horsham or Willow Grove, Philadelphia yields tons of venues and activities of this nature to enjoy.

The choices of cuisine in neighboring Horsham and Willow Grove range from excellent diner food to many types of international fare. These range from well-known chain restaurants to local cafés packed with tasty dishes.

Try out something different at the naBrasa Brazilian Steakhouse, located on Easton Road in Horsham. NaBrasa serves as a home to authentic, Brazilian all-you-can-eat steakhouse fare and fine dining at its best. NaBrasa's meat buffet includes the Picanha, a top-sirloin cut carved to precise thickness and the Costela, beef ribs topped with seasonings and slow-roasted for hours.

If your culinary desires lean more toward Asian flavors, Pho & Beyond, located on Easton Road in Willow Grove, serves authentic Vietnamese dishes fresh every day. Start off with a bowl of the restaurant's signature pho, and dig into a main course of Com Cà Ri Khóm.

Some of the most enticing Italian cuisine in the area can be found at Cafe Lombardi’s, located on Horsham Road. Choose from house favorites such as the Hot Sausage Special, a spicy sausage cooked with red peppers, shrimp and scallops, or the Seafood Lombardi, an amalgam of lobster tail, shrimp, scallions and mussels. Remember to BYOB

Nightlife choices in both Willow Grove and Horsham proper remain primarily limited to local pubs and restaurant/bar hybrids. However, if you find yourself in the mood to dance, many quality clubs can be found a short distance away in Philadelphia. Miller's Ale House, located on Easton Road in Willow Grove, furnishes the perfect atmosphere to grab a brew while relaxing next to the fireplace or out on the patio bar. If you want to hear some music, Big Heads, found on York Road in Willow Grove, periodically hosts local bands.

Residents of Willow Grove and Horsham usually prefer to travel by private vehicles since public transportation options are fewer than in Philadelphia proper. SEPTA provides the 22 and 55 bus routes as well as the R5 train from Willow Grove station.

Summoning a cab by telephone from Bux-Mont Transportation Services, located in Willow Grove, makes finding a car service easy. Due to its busy nature, the Willow Grove Park mall serves as a convenient hub for those looking to find a cab. Public parking can be found in the garage located at the Willow Grove Park mall for no charge. Additional public parking options remain limited to parking meters on public roads.

Several major arteries run through the Willow Grove/Horsham area. You can easily access the Pennsylvania Turnpike right in Willow Grove, connecting you to virtually every area in the region. Major non-toll roads include Pennsylvania Routes 611 and 202.

Walking and biking options abound in Horsham and Willow Grove. Horsham's residential nature ensures tons of quiet streets and safe sidewalks. Bike lanes also adorn most of the public streets in both CDPs. Willow Grove Park mall stands as one of the best places to walk in the early morning before the mall itself opens its stores.

A much quieter atmosphere than Philadelphia and a beautiful rural setting combine to create an area rife with public parks for residents and visitors to enjoy. North Willow Grove Park, located on Linden Avenue, provides a perfect atmosphere in which to play with your kids or canine companions. The park maintains a variety of activity facilities, including modular play equipment and a swing set, and does not charge an entrance fee.

Fair Oaks Park, located on Skrobul Road in Hatboro, caters to the exercise-centric with a wide range of activities and an expansive six-acre area. Enjoy a youth roller hockey rink, basketball and tennis courts, and a paved perimeter walking path, which are all available without a fee. While the Horsham and Willow Grove areas don't play host to any major annual outdoor events, many make their home a few miles away in Philadelphia.

The residential nature, excellent shopping venues and scenic landscapes of both Horsham and Willow Grove come at a price, with the average cost of living exceeding the rest of the state by about 19 percent. Pricey serves as a good word to describe the median rental for a one-bedroom apartment, as well. The $908 price tag for that type of living space rests about 37 percent higher than the rest of the state.

The cost of public transportation remains reasonable in Willow Grove and Horsham. The base price for a bus ticket stands at $2.25, and transfers cost an additional dollar. Train tickets to Philadelphia and the surrounding area begin at $3 each. Gas prices are lower than the rest of Philadelphia by about 10 percent, while a pint of your favorite brew costs about $4 at a local pub.

Shopping in both Willow Grove and Horsham is dominated by one of the largest shopping venues in the region, Willow Grove Park mall. Over 130 different specialty stores make their home in Willow Grove Park mall, which also plays host to large anchor retailers and excellent dining establishments. High-end stores exist in quantity as you get closer to Philadelphia.

If you want to deck your little ones out in the hippest fashions of the day, visit Baby Be Hip on Caredean Drive in Horsham. A seamstress, embroiderer, and graphic designer wait on hand to supply you with trendy baby clothes and gifts.

Major chain stores dominate most of the grocery shopping in Horsham and Willow Grove. However, such gems as Sam's Italian Market and Bakery do exist. Enjoy fresh breads and deli meats as well as specialty items such as homemade ravioli and hoagies. If you need quality produce from local farms, The Fresh Market, located on Welsh Road in Horsham, readily stocks both seasonal and year-round products in quantity.