Northeast Philadelphia Guide

Neighborhoods

Northeast Philadelphia was once the home of rich farmland and a getaway destination for some of America’s wealthiest industrial families to escape the hustle of center city life (of course center city Philadelphia was much different from what we know it as today). Over the past approximately 50 years, Northeast Philadelphia has blossomed from farmland and escape mansions into an elegant blend of urban meets suburban. It’s an area with deep rooted history, charming greenery, incredible pride, and strong diversity. It offers great access to Center City Philadelphia (a hub of culture and history), but at a fraction of the cost of Center City living. It affords some of the benefits of city life but in a more suburban and residential environment.

Northeast Philadelphia is divided by the City of Philadelphia into two sections: Near Northeast and Far Northeast, respectively. If you move or are thinking about moving to Northeast Philly, you will also often hear locals identify with a specific neighborhood. Each neighborhood has its own character, from the quaint charm of Fox Chase to the greenery of Pennypack.

Below are some of the main neighborhoods:

Pennypack Park – Ranked 3rd best neighborhood in Philadelphia per StreetAdvisor.com
Bustleton – Ranked 4th best neighborhood in Philadelphia per StreetAdvsior.com
Fox Chase – Ranked 5th best neighborhood in Philadelphia per StreetAdvsior.com
Rhawnhurst – Rhawnhurst on StreetAdvisor.com
Somerton – Somerton on StreetAdvisor.com

Please Note: These links are to a third-party site (www.streetadvisor.com) and are provided for your convenience only. We do not control the links or endorse the accuracy of the content. Read full disclaimer

Please Note: Map boundaries depicted are an approximation only and DO NOT necessarily correlate with the boundaries referenced on third-party sites (i.e. StreetAdvisor.com), The School District of Philadelphia, Neighborhood Schools, any city of Philadelphia neighborhood boundaries, legal boundaries, or any other references made to neighborhoods in this guide.

Public Schools

The public schools are part of The School District of Philadelphia.

The School District of Philadelphia offers three different types of public schools.
Neighborhood Schools, Citywide Schools, and Special Admission Schools.

Learn more about options and selection process.

Some of the highest rated elementary schools in the city are located in the Northeast ⁶ including: Joseph J Greenberg Elementary (K-8), Anne Frank Elementary School (K-5), Comly Watson (K-5), and William H. Loesche Elementary School (K-5).

Some of the highest rated middle and high schools in the city are located in the Northeast including ⁶ : Joseph J Greenberg Elementary (K-8), C.C.A. Baldi Middle School (6-8), and high schools include: The Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush (special admission).

Charter Schools

There are also Charter schools.

“Charter Schools are independently operated public schools that are funded with federal, state and local tax dollars. These schools are established to provide families with more educational alternatives for their children.” ⁷

“…[C]harter Schools operate independently of the School District of Philadelphia and of each other, with a few exceptions…” ⁸

Since Charter schools are still public schools, they are also tuition free. One disadvantage, however, is there is no guarantee of admission. Students must apply directly with the charter school they are interested in enrolling (with few exceptions).

Learn More about Charter Schools in Philadelphia.

2016 Parent & Family Guide to Charter Schools.

Some of the highest ranked charter schools in the city are located in Northeast Philadelphia, including:

MaST Community Charter School was ranked as the #1 Best Charter High School in the state of Pennsylvania and a top 100 best public high school in Pennsylvania from Niche.com.
Franklin Towne Charter High School (on Tacony Street) was ranked as the #2 Best Charter High School in the state of Pennsylvania and a top 100 best public high school in Pennsylvania.
New Foundations Charter School was ranked as the #7 Best Charter High School in Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Academy Charter School was also highly ranked as the #13 Best Charter High School in Pennsylvania.

Private Schools

There are also many private schools in the area including: Father Judge High School (boys), Holy Ghost (boys), Archbishop Ryan High School, Nazareth Academy (girls). Outside of the area, but within the greater Philadelphia area includes: Abington Friends (Jenkintown, PA) and Calvary Christian (Philadelphia, PA).

Please Note: About School Information

You are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of this information and that the information meets your needs.
The schools listed have different grade levels, religious affiliations, and restrictions. Be sure to check out each school and conduct your own research on them and other schools to learn more. Read full disclaimer

Colleges/Universities:

The colleges located in Northeast Philadelphia include:

Holy Family University (Main Campus)
Community College of Philadelphia (Northeast Regional Center)

Other colleges nearby include:

Cairn University (Langhorne, PA – 11 mi.)
Penn State Abington (Abington, PA – 7 mi.)
Bryn Athyn College (Bryn Athyn, PA – 5 mi.)
Manor College (Jenkintown, PA – 5 mi.)
Salus University (Elkins Park, PA – 6 mi.)

A short ride to Center City or head Southwest to the Main Line and you’ll find many more colleges, including: University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, Drexel University, Philadelphia University, Villanova University, Saint Joseph’s University, and more.

Fun Fact

The School District of Philadelphia is the 8th largest school district in the nation. ⁵

Transportation:

The area is generally accessible by car but like any city, traffic does exist and can be extensive (especially during rush hour).

The intra-city public transportation source is SEPTA.

SEPTA has ample bus and train stations throughout the greater Philadelphia area and in the Northeast.
For easy access to center city Philadelphia, check out Septa’s Regional Rail Line (West Trenton and Fox Chase), Broad Street Line, and Market-Frankford Line.

There are also various on-demand services in much of the area including Uber, Lyft, Taxis, and more.

For easy access to major cities like New York and Washington D.C., you can either drive/take SEPTA to center city and utilize AMTRAK, or there are many bus services available as well.

Note: SEPTA train and bus times and routes vary, especially on the weekends. Check SEPTA’s website for more information on the latest routes and times.

Restaurants

Just like the rest of Philly, local favorites include cheesesteaks, pretzels, wings and pizza. Northeast Philadelphia is also ethnically diverse so prepare for lots of great international cuisines from Italian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and more.

As the famous Philadelphia food critic Craig LaBan said: “There may be no Philly food destination more dynamic than Northeast Philly.“

Check out

Yelp listings by neighborhood

Zagat’s Northeast Philadelphia listings

Outdoor

Pennypack Trail

At nearly 15 miles in length from Byberry Road (Huntingdon Valley) and State Road (Holmesburg), Pennypack trail offers a blend of history, small town charm, and outdoor serenity.

John F. Byrne Golf Club

Near Grant Ave and Frankford Ave, this respected golf course was purchased by the City of Philadelphia in the early 1960s, and was named after famous Philadelphia councilman, John F. Byrne. You can book tee times online.

Pennypack Park

A getaway nestled in Northeast Philadelphia and part of City of Philadelphia’s Parks & Recreation. According to Friends of Pennypack Park, Pennypack is dubbed “The Green Heart of Northeast Philadelphia.” It also “covers approximately 1600 acres and is composed of woodlands, meadows and wetlands.” This historic park has structures dating back to the late 1600s.

Sesame Place

Based on the award-winning Sesame Street Show, Sesame Place, located in Langhorne, PA (just outside the city) is an outdoor park for families with young children. The park has “11 mechanical dry attractions, 9 water attractions, and 5 interactive play elements.” A fun fact: Two other Sesame Place parks were opened in Texas and Japan, but both have since closed. The park is not open year-round so be sure to check their latest schedule online.

Indoor

Dave and Buster’s

At Philadelphia Mills, enjoy the classical Dave and Buster’s experience for food, games, and parties.

Sky Zone Trampoline Park

Skyzone is set to open at 9490 Blue Grass Road. Check their Facebook page for the latest information.

Burholme

Golf range, arcades, 18-hole mini-golf, batting cages, and more – Burholme can be a great indoor or outdoor activity.

Palace Roller Skating Center

Birthday parties, private parties, skating lessons and more, Palace Roller Skating Center is located at 11586 Roosevelt Blvd.

Cultural

Bryn Athyn Cathedral

In close proximity to Northeast in the borough of Bryn Athyn, although it remains an active house of worship, regardless of religious affiliation, it is a lesser known local secret to admire the Cathedral’s architecture, craftsmanship, and history. The Cathedral offers guided tours and self-guided tours. Call ahead to confirm the Cathedral will be open for a tour.

Cairnwood Estate

Just steps away is the Cairnwood Estate, lived in by thelate John Pitcairn from 1895 until 1916 (co-founder of Pittsburgh Plate Glass). It is open for guided historic tours during certain days of the week. Check the schedule and call ahead to make a reservation.

A short distance away, head to Center City for a plethora of activities, including:

Reading Terminal Market
One Liberty Observation Deck
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Parks
Catch a sporting event – Eagles, Flyers, 76ers, Phillies
and so much more.

Or in the nearby greater area explore:

LEGOLAND – about 40 minutes from NE Philly opened April 2017
Peddler’s Village – about 50 minutes away
Valley Forge National Historic Park – about 45 minutes away
Longwood Gardens – about 90 minutes away

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Before deciding on any activities, you should carefully evaluate and assess whether any activities are suitable for you and understand any potential risks, including, among other things, health risks, safety risks, and physical condition.

Moving to Northeast Philadelphia?

Have you been struggling to learn more about the Northeast Philadelphia area? Whether you’re moving for work, family, or fun, hopefully this guide gives you a great start.

Below are some of the main neighborhoods:

Some of the highest ranked charter schools in the city are located in Northeast Philadelphia, including:

The main roads that run North and South in NE Philly include:

The main roads that run East and West in NE Philly include:

A short distance away, head to Center City for a plethora of activities, including:

Or in the nearby greater area explore:

Hockey

Soccer

For more general youth sports organizations, check out the various organizations below:

Resources: