Tyler Run-Queens Gate - York, PA

The town of York, founded in 1741, served as a temporary capital of the Continental Congress during the American Revolutionary War and treated thousands of Union soldiers wounded at the battles of Antietam and Gettysburg in the vast York U.S. Army Hospital. Quickly industrializing after the Civil War, York remains an industrial and agricultural center. Five museums celebrate York's historical contributions from agriculture and industrialization to daily life in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.

Tyler Run-Queens Gate residents head to the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center on the corner of George and Philadelphia in downtown York for entertainment. The five-building complex presents live music, family shows, comedy, and Broadway productions. The center also shows less well-known but highly acclaimed independent and foreign films.

The York Fair celebrates country music with live bands during an annual 10-day festival in September.

Most restaurants in Tyler Run-Queens Gate operate from strip malls along the community's main drag, Springwood Road, offering locals good food at good prices.

Locals stop for lunch at the Festive Board Deli and Bakery, which stocks over 100 different kinds of domestic and imported cheeses. A wide variety of meats, including mortadella, capicola, and genoa salami, paired with homemade bread and tasty spreads, make for top-notch, flavorful deli sandwiches. Top the savory with something sweet with some homemade cannoli cookies or a monstrous slice of chocolate peanut butter cake. The Festive Board caters events as well.

Crimson American Grill serves American fare in a casual setting. One of the few restaurants in the area with a liquor license, the Crimson's friendly pub features a good bar menu and domestic drafts. Be sure to try the tuxedo tuna appetizer, a tasty seared tuna dish with ginger-sesame sauce and black and white sesame seeds. Locals insist on a bowl of homemade French onion soup at every visit.

For a satisfying sushi fix, head to Mitsuru-Ya, a Chinese and Japanese restaurant that offers a wide selection of sushi rolls as well as Chinese entrees. The inviting atmosphere encourages good conversation over spicy tuna or sweet potato rolls and a side of subtle ginger rice. Bring your own adult beverages -- the servers open, heat, or chill your selection as well as serve it.

Locals drive a mile or two into downtown York when they want great beer selection and a welcoming, laid-back pub vibe. The beer-savvy staff of Holy Hound Taproom provides expert advice on the 30 rotating craft beers on tap. Located on the ground floor of the historic National House Hotel, the taproom provides live music from ragtime to funk to acoustic rock on Fridays and Saturdays. Those who remember listening to vinyl records can bring their favorite for Bring Your Own Vinyl Tuesday nights and take a trip down memory lane.

While Tyler Run-Queens Gate is easily traveled on foot or by bicycle, locals mostly choose to drive. Ample free parking makes driving even more attractive. Interstate 83 bounds the area to the south, connecting residents with Harrisburg to the north and Baltimore, MD to the south.

Mass transit fans hop from destination to destination via Rabbit Transit, which serves York and the surrounding areas. Greyhound commuter express lines travel to Harrisburg, Baltimore, and Washington D.C., while Capital Trailways bus lines take commuters as far as Philadelphia or New York City.

Recreational cyclists enjoy a scenic 22-mile trail that winds through Heritage Rail Trail County Park from York to the Maryland state line.

Just south of the neighborhood sits Richard M. Nixon County Park, which features 187 acres of meadow, woodland, and aquatic habitat. Six miles of free trails wind through the park with the sole purpose of creating a peaceful union with nature. Pets, horses, and cyclists are not permitted in the park. Locals get their sports fix from two dog-friendly local parks just outside the neighborhood boundaries. Spring Garden Memorial Park has nine softball fields, tennis courts, and batting cages. A state-of-the-art ice arena features two NHL regulation ice surfaces, a family arcade, a party room, and a pro shop. Most of these facilities require a fee. Fans of York Township Park can organize a game of sand volleyball or join a game of pickup basketball. Horseshoe pits and bocce courts provide slower-paced competition, and several playground areas entertain the youngsters.

Median household income in York ranks slightly lower than the state average, but Tyler Run-Queens Gate compares favorably to the rest of York in terms of higher incomes. A one-bedroom apartment rents for $732, significantly less than neighboring Philadelphia's one-bedroom rental rate of $1,094. Gas prices follow this trend, with Tyler Run-Queens Gate gas prices weighing in at 10 percent less than Philadelphia's average, although the national gas price per gallon sits three percent lower. Grab a seat on Rabbit Transit for just $1.50 for travel within the greater York area, but express bus fares run closer to $3 one way for travel to bigger cities. Tip back a pint for $3 in the average York pub.

Queensgate Shopping Mall serves as the locals' destination for just about any suburban need. Catch a movie on date night at Frank Theaters and pop into Sweet Frog York afterward for ice cream flavors that tempt the taste buds. During Saturday errands, bring the dry cleaning, get your teeth cleaned, and head to Bon-Ton to find just the dress for your work party. The mall also houses Weis Markets, Inc., the closest grocery option for locals. Giant Food Stores sits just outside of Tyler Run-Queens Gate boundaries, south of Interstate 83.

Higher-end stores like Bon-Ton and The Strawberry Shop, a European-style gift shop, reside at Queensgate Shopping Mall. Locals shop for artisan jackets and other high-end items at Chico's Women's Clothing at the top of the hill on Queen Street. Right next door, you'll find the Shoe Gallery, a great place to browse fashion-forward women's clothing and accessories.

For fresh fruit and veggies and gourmet specialty items, head to York's Central Market, a continually-operating farmer's market that has been around for 125 years. Sip gourmet coffee while listening to live music and admiring artisan crafts. Queue up at the pretzel twist booth before gathering locally produced vegetables for the dinner table.