Ardmore, Pennsylvania is in a small town on the border of Montgomery County and Delaware County in the Philadelphia Region.
Understand
Ardmore is located on what used to be the Pennsylvania Railroad's "Main Line" west out of Philadelphia. The town was named Athensville in 1853 but was changed to Ardmore in 1873 because the railroad's management believed the name was not distinguished enough.
- The Ardmore Initiative, 56 E Lancaster Ave, +1 610 645-0540. This is the business district authority for Ardmore. They oversee economic development, business recruitment and retention, streetscape and more within Ardmore's central business district. They can provide all types of information regarding upcoming events, living, shopping, dining, and doing business in Ardmore.
Get in
By rail
Ardmore can be reached by rail using SEPTA Regional Rail, SEPTA's Norristown High Speed Line, or Amtrak.
- SEPTA Regional Rail Take the Paoli/Thorndale line (Old R5) from center city Philadelphia. Trains come about every 30 minutes during the day and every hour in the evening and Sundays. Tickets can be purchased on the train if the ticket office is closed.
- SEPTA Norristown High Speed Line This line runs between the Upper Darby 69th Street Transportation Center and the Norristown Transportation Center. There are two stops for Ardmore: Ardmore Junction and Ardmore Avenue. These stops are both on the south side of Ardmore, about a mile from the central business district.
- Amtrak The Amtrak Keystone Service, which runs between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, stops in Ardmore at the same station as the SEPTA Regional Rail.
By bus
- SEPTA Buses- Bus lines 44, 103, 105, and 106 all stop in Ardmore. Bus line 44 comes from 5th and Market in Philadelphia and ends at Suburban Square in Ardmore. Bus 103, 105, and 106 all originate at the 69th Street Terminal in Upper Darby. The bus costs $2.25 with cash and $1.80 if you purchased a token ahead of time.
By road
U.S. Route 30 runs through Ardmore, so that is the easiest was to get into town. There is an exit for Route 30 on Interstate 476. Also, Route 30 can be reached by taking the exit on Interstate 76 for south U.S. Route 1 then turning right on Route 30.
Get around
The best way to get around is to walk or bike. Driving and public transportation are also options.
See
- Linwood Park, Corner of E Athens Ave and Linwood Ave. Open dawn to dusk. This neighborhood park is just over 1 acre opened in 2010 and provides a small green oasis for neighbors and visitors alike. It was built by volunteers at what was an abandoned parking lot.
- Ardmore Avenue Vernon Young Park, 149 W Spring Ave. The park includes a baseball field and two basketball courts.
Do
- First Friday on the Main Line. Monthly event (the first Friday of each month) which is meant to showcase the arts, restaurant, and culture of the area. Events and participating businesses are located along Lancaster Avenue from Ardmore to the town of Bryn Mawr. This is a laid-back First Friday that one might expect in a small town. Check out First Friday in Philadelphia's Old City for a more expansive offering selection.
- Clover Market, 12 E. Lancaster Ave. Open air market with over 100 vendors selling antiques, collectibles, vintage items, crafts, and more. Takes place three Sundays in the Spring and in the Fall. Check the website for exact dates. Be aware this is not a flea market, so do not expect flea market prices.
Buy
- The Head Nut, 2408 Haverford Rd, +1 610-642-3066. M-F 8AM-9PM, Sa 9AM-6PM, Su 10AM-5PM. This store provides a wide variety of dried fruits, nuts, candies, cookies, crackers and other snack foods. They also have freshly roasted coffee beans and other bulk items.
- Viva Video, 16 W. Lancaster Ave, +1 610 649-8482. The self-proclaimed "last picture store." Offering movies for rent, with a nice selection of obscure titles with a knowledgeable staff to help you out.
- Ardmore Farmers Market, Anderson & Coulter Ave. Closed Mondays, Tu-F 8AM-7PM, Sa 8AM-6PM, Su 8AM-4PM. Buy fresh fish, vegetables, fruit, cheese, meats, etc. There are also prepared food and tables, making it a nice place to grab lunch.
- Mapes True Value Hardware, 71 Rittenhouse Pl. Partly hardware store and partly odds and ends store.
- Ardmore Business District (Historic Ardmore), Four miles east of Rt. 476 on Rt. 30 (Lancaster Avenue), +1 610 645-0540. Historic downtown showcasing a delightful blend of multi-cultural restaurants and specialty shops, including antique and gift stores. Located on Philadelphia's prestigious "Main Line" just minutes from Philadelphia and Valley Forge.
Eat
- Barbacoa, 64 Rittenhouse Pl, +1 610 642-0600. Peruvian chicken joint. Specialize in rotisserie chicken, ribs, brisket, and various sides. They offer many large platter options, chicks by the half, and sides by the pound making it a great place to order food for the whole table to share.
- Firingi.
- Primavera Kitchen.
- Ardmore Station Cafe.
- Siamese Princess.
- Maido! A Marketplace of Japan (Maido!), 5 E Lancaster Ave., 40.008089°, -75.291004°, +1 484 417-6745, info@maidoardmore.com. Tu-Th 10AM-8PM, F Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 10AM-7PM. Japanese grocery store with an eat-in lunch counter doling out bento boxes, okonomiyaki & other food. 2019-03-26
Drink
- Tired Hands Brewing Company, 16 Ardmore Ave. Small brewery and restaurant whose beers are inspired by the farmhouse brewers of France, Belgium and the United States. Drinks can be enjoyed with locally-produced cheeses, meats, pickles, and breads.
- Jack McShea's.
- McCloskey's Tavern, 17 Cricket Ave, +1 610 642-9280. Small bar that is very popular with the locals and has been in operation since the 1940s. You will find it packed almost every night around dinner with people looking for some good food and drinks. Be sure to stop in for a beer and 50 cent wings on Tuesdays. 2021-02-22
- Ardmore Music Hall, 23 East Lancaster Ave.
- Rusty Nail Tavern.
- Brownies 23 East, 23 E Lancaster Ave, +1 610 649-8389. With themed specials like “Sink or Swim”, its no wonder that the surrounding Main Line college crowds pack themselves into this two level hotspot. Happy hours include 75 cent drinks and free food, and different specials are offered every night.
- John Henry's, 98 Cricket Ave, +1 610 726-9193. Relaxed atmosphere, inexpensive and friendly. The food is simple but fresh and there are some good drink specials
Cope
- Ardmore Free Library, 108 Ardmore Ave, +1 610 642-5187. M Tu 10AM-8PM, W 1PM-8PM, Th 10AM-8PM, F Sa 10AM-5PM. The library is part of the Lower Merion Library System and has all the usual resources one can expect at a library: books, multimedia, computers, printers, etc. The building the library is housed was built in 1924 by the Women's Club of Ardmore. It was an addition to the original building from 1917, which was demolished in 1981.
Sleep
There are no hotels in Ardmore. There are many hotels in Philadelphia from which Ardmore can be easily reached.
Connect
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