Northern Liberties - Philadelphia, PA Area Guide

Northern Liberties was a manufacturing district in Philadelphia in its early years with immense warehouses that once housed mills, and breweries.

Crane Arts, a restored plumbing warehouse not only houses a number of art studios and organizations but also puts on special events including “Art for the Cash Poor,” where every winter and summer, local vendors sell their work for no more than $100, allowing Philadelphian’s with shallow pockets a chance to buy great art at a decent price.

The 2nd Street Festival is another locally sponsored event that has dramatically grown in popularity over the last 5 years. Over 16,000 Philadelphians were in attendance this past year, helping support local artists, shops and nonprofits. Unlike most events similar to the 2nd Street festival, the events organizers emphasize green solutions to the waste and litter that typically accompanies a large gathering of people.

Northern Liberties has everything from international restaurants to intimate drinking holes and a bass-thumping music scene. The hipster-centric neighborhood’s energy seems to stem from its nucleus, Piazza at Schmidt’s. The oval-shaped architecturally modern monstrosity caters to the wants and needs of young Philadelphians eager to spend their hard earned paychecks at some of Philadelphia’s best new restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

If you are looking for perfect date spot, take your significant other to Bar Ferdinand for an intimate dining experience. The Spanish-inspired tapas spot offers dim lighting, a sherry wine list and scrumptious hot or cold small plates. Try the baked oysters and jamon croquettes while you ponder the Picasso-esque paintings hanging on the walls or sip your glass of refreshing sangria next to the enormous glass doors that open up on warm summer nights.

With a full belly and smile on your face step outside and talk a stroll down Liberties Walk to help digest and burn off some of those tapas calories. At night, Liberties Walk offers beautifully lit cobbled streets lined with independent boutique stores and places to grab a quick snack or your next favorite meal. The Walk is Philadelphia’s take on the charming European street life that most Americans rarely get a taste of.

For a change of pace from the normal bar scene, take a group a friends and slip those Velcro shoes on for some upscale, modestly priced bowling fun. Not your average bowling alley, the North Bowl has 17 lanes, a billiards hall and two well-stocked bars, reminding you how much fun bowling can be. It doesn’t hurt that you can drink nice beer and cocktails; crunch on tater tots served 11 different ways, all without dealing with crying children or linoleum floors.

SEPTA’s Market- Frankford El is Northern Liberties' most convenient way to travel within the city limits. With stops at Spring Garden, and Girard, the elevated track provides passengers with a unique view of Philadelphia. Riding the El or hopping a cab will both get you to wherever you want to go in the city within minutes. Both Columbus Boulevard and Spring Garden Street allow residents of Northern Liberties easy access to get onto interstate highway 95. Some people enjoy walking in neighborhood thanks to the decent sidewalks, but most residents avoid it. Resident can find parking fairly easy in No Libs. The street parking is free, but you might need to circle the block once or twice to find a decent spot. The Piazza at Schmidts, Northern Liberties' main attraction, has a huge parking lot right across the street.

While biker-friendly, Northern Liberties lacks an adequate number of bike lanes for the amount of people who pedal to get where they are going. Currently the bike lanes are sparse in Northern Liberties with only three major lanes located on Spring Garden Poplar and 6th street. The city does plan to remedy the issue by adding more lanes to streets wide enough to accommodate manual modes of transportation. A bike share program is also in the works that will offer affordable and convenient bicycle rentals, promoting the use of bike riding within the city and in turn more bike lanes to accommodate.

Northern Liberties offers two privately owned public parks that were established and owned by local non-profit organizations. Both Orianna Hill Park and Liberty Lands allow residents of Northern Liberties to stretch their legs and enjoy being outside when the weather permits.

Liberty Lands is a versatile two-acre park and playground, spacious enough for an array of activities to happen all at once. Buy some fresh bread from the pop up farmers market while you kids gleefully play in the nearby playground, or simply settle in on a park bench and people watch your day away. The park balances both shaded and sunny spots, making it a great place for a Sunday picnic.

It is no secret that North Libertarians love their dogs and Orianna Hill park reflects that by offering an off leash area for our furry four legged friends. The park, fueled purely by donation from its community, offers a dog run, picnic area and community garden. Both parks are free and completely open to the public.

The cost of living in Northern Liberties is 5 percent higher than the city average. It costs no more than $2 to travel on the El to get to Center City Philadelphia and no more than $2.25 to travel by bus. The median rental rate of a one-bedroom apartment in Northern Liberties is $895. The typical price of a pint at a local pub will run you between $3 to $6.The neighborhood average gas price is 1 percent lower than the city average.

Liberties Walk is a different kind of shopping center. Instead of generic pavilions filled with mega brand-name stores, the Walk fills its storefronts with trendy independent shops that entice you to pop into each one. The creative small business owners of the neighborhood showcase stores that help make Northern Liberties one of Philadelphia's best places to shop. The independent pet store, Chic Petique, stocks its shelves with quality pet supplies, including dog foods with healthy ingredients. The shop offers the dog-loving residents of Northern Liberties a trusted pet store with a good heart. Chic Petique contributes to STAR (Street Tails Animal Rescue) and also supports Thrift for Tails, a thrift store for pets across the street from Chic Petique where a major part of the proceeds goes to finding homes for abused and neglected dogs in the Philadelphia area. Buy your four-legged friend some food, toys and apparel, and leave knowing your money is well-spent and going to a good cause.

Shop at the Swag Boutique to find reasonably priced, unique gifts for weddings, birthdays, and the holidays. Swag Boutique offers an assorted collection of items, including handcrafted jewelry. The friendly staff stand eager to help you find the trinket, novelty item or gift that you need. Buy your aspiring chef friend some new cool kitchenware, or buy a mug with a smiling feline plastered on its side for that crazy friend with four cats.

Check out Liberty Lands Park on the weekends for pop-up farmers stalls lining the sidewalks, where you can get fresh produce, homemade soups, and scrumptious baked goods. The Spring Garden Market stands as one of No Libs' independently owned grocery stores. It has an amazing assortment of Asian specialties and staples, ranging from hot spicy noodles to frozen dumplings, at great prices.