Lititz, Pennsylvania, was voted as "America's Coolest Small Town" in 2013, in an online contest run by Budget Travel. While coolness is a subjective term, maybe temperature had something to do with the results? The average mean temperature in the months from October to April is less than 55 degrees. That's cool!
So just how cool do you have to be to get named "America's Coolest Small Town?" As cool as Lititz is, this little town of a bit over 9,300 residents has an incredible downtown that serves up shops, eateries, and events all in a great atmosphere. It is a bustling community, where many folks have been neighbors for years, but are still welcoming to people who want to put down roots and call it their new home.
Moving to Lititz
Vast Selection
Lititz has quite the mix of available housing units. Almost half of them are single family, detached units that give you room to spread out, but there are plenty of row homes and apartments as well. The building units cover all the time periods, with a noticeable housing explosion in the late 20th century, with 34% of the homes being built between 1970 and 1999. This means that a fair amount of houses have modern amenities and conveniences, but if you want an older, historic place, you can find them as well.
What You Need to Bring
Lititz has become a desirable town to live in, and that means that rents are high in comparison to the rest of the county, and the landlords can be selective and a bit more demanding. Make sure you've got quality references in your history, along with two months worth of pay stubs to prove you've got an income. You'll need at least two months of rent set aside for a security deposit and the first month's rent, maybe even three depending on the landlord.
When Should You Start?
Since the town is so cool and desirable, you've got a lot of people moving toward it. This means you've got to get a head start on them if you're looking for a certain type of place or a certain neighborhood. Downtown Lititz, in particular, can require a long lead time. Everyone wants to live across from the shops and bars, so those can go quickly.
The Coolest Neighborhoods in Lititz
Lititz doesn't have any specific neighborhoods, but the regions of the town definitely have differences. One thing they all have in common is that you really won't find any apartment complexes in town - you'll need to head to the outskirts of town to places such as Newport Commons or Aster Place Apartments if you are interested in multi-unit buildings and complexes.
Downtown Lititz: If you want to be in the middle of it all, and you don't mind a limitation on what you can get, start your search right here. The center of town is characterized by 2 bedroom apartments above shops, or duplexes for rent. You can walk down to one of the quaint coffee shops from your rental apartment for a wake-up cup, then stroll down to the bank to deposit your paycheck before wandering up to the Farmer's Market to pick up produce. Walking and biking is really easy from this part of town.
Southern Lititz: This section of town consists of a majority of single family houses, and most of them are owner-occupied. If you're looking for a full house to rent in Lititz, this is a great place to start. Many of the houses are larger, with three or more bedrooms. Even so, the neighborhood is fairly easy to walk or bike.
Sutter Village: A neighborhood full of duplexes, and almost entirely owner-occupied, this neighborhood is on the western side of town, which leans more towards the country - in fact, the neighborhood backs up to an expanse of farmland. This neighborhood is entirely residential, and most of the buildings are from the middle of the last century.
Living in Lititz
The first thing you'll notice in Lititz is that the downtown is the heartbeat of the town. With numerous small boutiques featuring locally made goods, from wines to chocolates to antiques, it's a shopper's haven. If there's one thing that the town does better than shopping, however, it's eating and drinking. Right on the corner in downtown is the Bull's Head Public House, home to an incredible selection of craft beers and hearty English-style pub fare. If you want some locally crafted beer, go off the beaten path to Appalachian Brewing Company, a branch of the Harrisburg-based brewery. Sturgis Haus Brewery and Restaurant also makes their own beer, and specializes in barbeque.
If you prefer to cook at home, Lititz can get you some unique ingredients from near and far. If you want local, check out the Lititz Farmers Market from May through October. If you're looking for specialized ingredients, The Savory Gourmet can hook you up with rare meats and cheeses from around the world. Ever had kangaroo, yak, or python? What about some good buttery Brie or some elegant Humboldt Fog cheeses? Give yourself a new taste experience, stop in and see what they recommend.
Lititz is huge on activities as well. Lovin' Lititz Every Second is the monthly event that features shopping, entertainment, and more all through the town on the second Friday. The yearly Crafts in the Park is a great event, but it is eclipsed by the monstrous Rotary Craft Show that brings in crafters from throughout the region. Car cruises, antique shows and more are happening every month. It all starts off in February with the Lititz Fire & Ice Festival, though.
Even with all of this, Lititz doesn't ignore those inclined to the outdoors. Chill out at Lititz Springs Park, great for walks and Frisbee. If you're a bit more active, head north of town to Speedwell Forge for fishing, boating, and hiking. A little further, and you get in to a pair of State Game Lands, ripe for deer hunting in the winter and exploring in the summer.
Getting around Lititz is pretty easy, especially with Red Rose Transit providing some bus routes through town. With plenty of industry, retail, and events within the town limits and along the bus lines, or in walking or biking distance, you can easily make do in Lititz without a car. If you need to go a long distance, the Lancaster Airport is just south of town, providing regional service. The buses also run down to Lancaster, where you can hop on Amtrak or catch a Greyhound if you need to head out of state.
