Progress/Colonial Park - Harrisburg, PA Area Guide

Lower Paxton Township, home to Colonial Park and part of Progress, has remained the same area since the township was formed in 1815. The area was settled prior to that in the 1700s, with its name of Paxton given by Scottish settlers to mean "town of peace." Another theory ascribes the name as a form of "Paxtang" that would have come from the Native Americans that had settled in the area.

European immigrants mostly settled the area as rural farm country, with Colonial Park being one of the first villages settled. The region played an important role in the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War and hosted important trails for early settlers.

Colonial Park currently hosts the East Shore Public Library, the main public library in Dauphin County.

Colonial Park hosts a wide variety of national restaurant chains, ranging from fast food to more upscale dining chains. Options such as Chipotle Mexican Grill, Red Lobster and Olive Garden, as well as Longhorn Steakhouse and Applebee's, line the Jonestown Road corridor.

One of four boutique locations in Pennsylvania, Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar serves up locally sourced, farm-to-table cuisine and features an extensive drink menu. Harvest's happy hour is a local favorite thanks to affordable artisan flat breads and appetizers and a variety of drink specials. Examples of popular seasonal flat breads include steak & Kennett Square mushrooms with carmelized onions, baby Swiss cheese and roasted sage as well as pear & bleu cheese with seasonal pears, Round Top Farms bleu cheese, baby arugula and a fig glaze. More casual bites lie on the dinner menu; favorites include grass-fed beef burgers, locally sourced bison burgers and local organic turkey Reuben sandwiches. Entrée options range from comfort food, ranging from bison meatloaf to cedar-roasted Atlantic salmon and herbs de Provence roasted duck. An extensive wine list, carefully selected craft beer and artisan cocktail menu round out the dining experience.

For a drink after work, Susquehanna Ale House supplies a huge variety of craft bottled beers, draught beer, cider and spirits. This spot serves local breweries, including Yards, Stoudt's, Appalachian Brewing Co., Boxcar Brewing Co. and Victory Brewing Co. Susquehanna Ale House's menu provides a perfect accompaniment to these local beers, with a pub-style menu that includes hand-pressed burgers, Guiness beef stew, loaded mac and cheese, and a wide selection of fries. Like some of the bars in the area, the Susquehanna Ale House also offers live entertainment.

The Colonial Park and Progress areas host several of the areas largest movie theaters. Regal Cinema Harrisburg Stadium 14, located next to The Shoppes at Susquehanna Marketplace, offers 14 screens with stadium-style seating. The cinema at Colonial Park Cinemas 4 shows discount, second-run movies as well.

In addition to the cinemas, other nightlife opportunities abound in the bars and restaurants that are located in the neighborhood. Bars and gastro pubs, such as Susquehanna Ale House, Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar, and Gilligan's Bar & Grill are popular destinations for late-night dining and drinking.

Interstate 81 and Interstate 83 run along or through the Colonial Park and Progress neighborhoods, providing very convenient highway access for regional or national travel.

The train station in downtown Harrisburg, located roughly 6 to 7 miles and 15 minutes away, provides Amtrak trains that run frequently between Philadelphia, New York City and as far west as Chicago. If you're interested in flying Harrisburg International Airport (MDT), located only about 12 miles away, provides regional flights and flights to Canada.

The residential areas here offer plenty of free on-street or parking lot parking spaces. The retail and restaurant destinations provide free parking as well.

Despite the high concentration of car transportation, most residential neighborhoods are very suitable for walking and biking safely. Several taxi cab companies operate in the Progress/Colonial Park area including Mobis Taxi Service and Nana Taxi Service, but it is recommended that you call ahead first.

Capital Area Transit (CAT) provides bus transportation throughout the Harrisburg region including Progress and Colonial Park. Base fares for the bus cost approximately $1.75 per ride, and zone fares cost $0.60. Monthly and specialty passes as well as bulk-ride purchase options are available. The parking lot at the Colonial Park Mall also hosts one of the region’s Park and Ride locations for commuters that use the CAT system.

Colonial Park hosts Brightbill Park, a 41-acre green space located behind the Colonial Commons Shopping Plaza on Route 22. The park maintains a variety of recreational spaces and equipment including softball fields, baseball fields, basketball courts and tennis courts. Amenities include picnic tables, charcoal grills, water fountains and bathrooms. The parking lot can hold 200 cars, and patrons enjoy free parking and free admission. The park also accommodates children allowing them to play on a variety of playground equipment and giving them plenty of room to run around.

The average rental rate in the Colonial Park and Progress neighborhoods is around $722 per month. Average gas prices run about 5 percent higher than the national average, with some of the more competitive gas stations offering pricing on par with the national average. Hopping a bus into downtown Harrisburg costs $1.75 per ride, and the typical price for a pint of beer is around $4.

As a major retail hub in the area, shopping helps to define the Progress and Colonial Park areas. A high density of shopping and retail centers lines the main arteries in the neighborhoods including Jonestown Road (Route 22).

Jonestown Road hosts a wide range of national big box chain stores including Target, Best Buy, Home Depot, and Costco. Other large retailers along the Jonestown Road strip include Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohl's, and Kmart.

The Colonial Park Mall, one of the largest shopping malls in the area, boasts almost 100 different brands. Large department stores include Boscov’s, Bon-Ton, and Sears, and national mall stores include PacSun, Express, Victoria’s Secret, Wet Seal, and Journey’s.

Colonial Commons Shopping Plaza hosts large retailers like Old Navy, Marshalls, and Dick’s Sporting Goods. The plaza also houses one of the area’s most popular grocery stores, Giant, which is where you can get all of your essentials.

Progress hosts one of the area's newest and most upscale shopping centers, the Shoppes at Susquehanna Marketplace. Examples of stores include Banana Republic, Eddie Bauer, White House/Black Market, Williams-Sonoma, LOFT, J. Crew Mercantile, and Chico's. The shopping center provides a relaxed shopping atmosphere, and food and beverage options include Harvest Seasonal Grill. Romano's Macaroni Grill, and Starbucks.