Without a doubt, Central Pennsylvania is a great place to live. And not because it’s in driving range of Baltimore, Philadelphia, and D.C. The good stuff is right here. All it takes is the drop of a hat and a full tank of gas to do whatever it takes to make the heart (not to mention the mind, stomach, or dancin’ feet) happy.

Four continually developing and diverse cities make Central PA what it is today. All within a 90-minute drive of one another, their residents have unrequited pride for them.

York, Carlisle, Harrisburg, and Lancaster breathe vibrantly day in and day out with success. The days split their population between the work force and the many tourist comings, making the streets rarely empty.

But at night, the streets are without a doubt emptier. Why? It’s the question many Central Pennsylvanians have asked for years.

Some say this is a case of a percentage of the population simply too afraid of possible crime to travel to the downtown areas to partake in their nightly social activities, ultimately leading to an emptiness of patrons in establishments; others blame the sentiment that many of the local downtown districts are now merely used as overgrown office parks, shutting down with the close of the business day.

Appraiser and Analyst for Rothman, Schubert & Reed, a real estate firm in the Harrisburg area, Greg Rothman believes there’s no lack of enthusiasm in his city, especially when it comes to entertainment and social events that are mostly geared towards adults.

"Even though the entertainment by the Whitaker Center has a great appeal to young families, and the Museum of Scientific Discovery, and of course the IMAX Theatre, bars and restaurants are still the big draw into Harrisburg proper," Rothman said.

"Nightlife is definitely focused on twenty-somethings, and it’s moving along towards families in places," said Sanko, 40, of Harrisburg. "But the bar and restaurant scenes have come along a long way over the past several years."

Crime is no stranger to cities like Harrisburg, York, Carlisle, and Lancaster. But does it really affect nightlife?

According to twenty-six-year-old Kelly Heist of Springettsbury Township, it’d be smart to think twice before heading to a downtown district late at night. Afraid that the area might attract the wrong crowd, she tends to stay away from establishments in the downtown York area.

But according to Jim Wittenauer, manager of Cobblestone’s Sports Emporium in downtown York, such fears are unjustified. "I leave here at two or three at night and feel safe," he said. "It [fear of crime] might shy some families away, but I don’t think it draws people away … If anything, Cobblestone’s has attracted patrons to the downtown area."

In Lancaster, safety at night can still be an issue, according to Lancaster Police Chief, Bill Heim. "I think Lancaster is a vibrant town, but at night when businesses close, and there isn’t a lot of activity, with the mix of not having law abiding people, it allows for predators to come forward and commit crimes," he admits. "But what people need to understand is the more people who come out and patronize restaurants and other venues, the safer, like other cities, Lancaster becomes."

Carlisle touts one of the safest downtown districts in the region. According to Wick Woodford, executive director of the Carlisle Regional Performing Arts Center, "The worst crime I’ve seen is someone snubbing cigarettes out. Parking is available everywhere, making everyone feel totally safe. It’s just a great place to stroll."

Marsha Lucidi, the executive director of the Downtown Carlisle Association, agrees, citing that she feels the low crime numbers in Carlisle are due largely in part to its burgeoning shops and restaurants. "I know it’s very safe in the downtown area," she said. "We always have a lot of people walking around. There’s constant foot traffic on any night of the week."

Such is the case in Lancaster. Lancaster’s Chamber of Commerce finance information services assistant, Diana Valentine, attests that it’s the arts and entertainment which really draw people downtown — obvious assets of an area that boasts live music and cultural venues aplenty.

The Fulton Opera House, founded in 1852 and the oldest continuously operating theatre in the United States, alone offers alternative multiple options. In 1995, the Fulton, according to executive director, Diedre Simmons, completed a $9.5 million renovation of the theatre — the first major renovation in 90 years.

"This, in many ways, was the first step towards the revitalization of the City," Simmons said. "The Fulton is a powerful economic driver in the city of Lancaster. We know that when the Fulton is in performance, the restaurants, parking garages, are filled in the city."

And, like Valentine, Simmons agrees that however ironic it might be, the fact remains that the millions of tourists who come into the county of Lancaster rarely frequent the city of Lancaster. So, in an effort to attract tourists into downtown — and to further the efforts of the revitalization of the City of Lancaster — The Lancaster Campaign was created in an effort to bring visitors into the city. Simmons hopes the efforts increase the vitality of Lancaster City.

"We really are ‘the little city who could’," she said. "For the second year in a row, the city has been nominated for the American Cities Award."

Woodford of Carlisle explains that there is great variety in his theatre’s productions, drawing in a wide demographic. "We do some retro rock acts, contemporary folk music, big bands — we have something for everyone."

In Harrisburg, the shopping life is continually growing, and more and more companies are showing definite interest in making the move downtown, according to Rothman.

"The Cinema Project in Midtown is going to be awesome," he said. "The Broad Street Market is a point of destination. [People] should promote the downtown retail trade and improve it."

And, with the Whitaker Center providing cultural events on an almost nightly basis, the downtown district is once again coming alive, bringing residents out at night — creating a chain reaction that is drawing people to the neighboring establishments and resurrecting an interest in the many arts that downtown Harrisburg has to offer. With Pol-i-tesse’s recent move, Second Street and the surrounding blocks begin to look like a restaurant district, and some midtown favorites like Nick’s and Garrason’s are also seeing heavy traffic. Garrason’s was packed last Saturday evening, and proprietor Gary Ulrich told MODE, "I’m not sure what’s bringing people out, but we’ve been seeing a serious upswing in our dinner business."

And what about York? Aware of the negative connotations sometimes associated with the City, programs such as the City Government and the York Chamber of Commerce are doing their best to shed a new light on the area. "I’m proud of the events York offers to its community," said Melissa Golden, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Chamber, listing a litany of events that include Yorkfest, a new music and art show held in August, and the Harley Davidson weekend, the Street Rod meet at the York Expo, and the First Night program traditionally held on New Year’s Eve, all of which are intended to show that safe fun can be held right in the middle of downtown.

And York’s proprietors have seen the effort and noticed the changes.

Libbie Falzone of Sam and Tony’s Pasta House in Downtown York feels that what was once a desolate area has become a vibrant and lively city because of the recent developmental plans by Main Street York and the city administration.

"We have people that walk the half mile from the Yorktowne Hotel to come here for dinner," she said. "And they have absolutely no problem. They come here and say Downtown York is safe and nice to walk through at night."

Much like Harrisburg’s First Friday’s Event, a feature attraction for community members in York is Wednesday Night Out held on Continential Square and sponsored by Main Street York.

Furthermore, The Strand draws many people into the downtown York area. "The Strand hosts events which can be enjoyed by everyone and should be a more integral part of the downtown nightlife," said York College Senior, Travis Miller, 21 of Red Lion, adding, "The Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center is something York should be proud to show off."

Clyde Lindsley couldn’t agree more. The retiring executive director of the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center, Lindsley boasted that the Strand opened their curtain 52 times in the 98-99 season, tripling the number compared to 14 years ago when he began there — an obvious indication that the numbers are improving.

Stop being part of the whining, complaining, majority and take advantage of it!