Pennsylvania's Safest City Is A Quaint Suburb With A Small-Town Vibe And Picturesque Parks

Easter Egg hunts. Fishing derbies. Movies in the park. If you look at the community calendar for Cecil Township, Pennsylvania, you'll find events that are just heartwarmingly wholesome. The township even maintains a special page for local fishing, as well as a slideshow of footbridges in Cecil Park. Located just southwest of Pittsburgh, Cecil Township is a pastoral little community of about 15,000 residents. You could easily drive through without realizing where you are, yet Cecil has a striking distinction: According to the home security research firm Safewise, it's the No. 1 safest place in Pennsylvania.

To be fair, Safewise identifies Cecil Township as the state's safest "city," a somewhat iffy label for a largely rural place. A "township" is a fairly archaic term for a small municipality in the countryside, smaller than a borough but larger than a town, and Pennsylvania has more than 1,500 of them. There's no question, though, that Cecil Township is a very safe place; the website Crime Explorer reports an "A" grade for violent crime, with rates nearly 70% below the national average.

So, what is Cecil Township like? It's pretty quiet in this wooded suburb, and it's hard to believe that the bustle of downtown Pittsburgh is only 30 minutes away by car. Most tourists to Western Pennsylvania overlook this bucolic nook, but there are a few reasons for coming out this way. You'll find parks, some shopping, and one of the most underrated rail-trails in the Keystone State. Cecil Township may not be Pennsylvania's number one must-visit small town, but it could be worth a day-trip from the 'Burgh.

The main recreation area in Cecil Township is Cecil Park, where you'll find tennis courts, a playground, and a baseball field. The park is modest but pleasant; you could walk its perimeter in less than half an hour. A pretty stream gurgles through it, and a pavilion is available for picnics or events.

One of Western Pennsylvania's most surprising gems is the Montour Trail, a rugged rail trail that stretches about 47 miles west and south of Pittsburgh — and cuts straight through Cecil Township. Many locals may have never even heard of this trail, which replaced the Montour Railroad line and welcomes hikers and cyclists with a bed of crushed limestone. This crescent-shaped route is actually the longest suburban rail-trail in the U.S., stringing along bridges, tunnels, and small towns along the way. Organizations have hosted trail running races of various lengths, and cyclists can pedal all day and still find miles to ride. About 9 of those miles meander through Cecil Township, and a row of restaurants along Millers Run Road makes Cecil a natural place to pause and grab lunch. The trail overlaps this hidden nature preserve with scenic trails and lush forest groves.

The sleepy suburb got a boost in 2006 with the development of Southpointe Town Center, a 610-acre business park in the township's south corner. The exclusive Southpointe Golf Club has attracted members since the 1990s, and the course is well known among Pittsburgh-area golfers. The Town Center radically expanded Southpointe's reputation as a retail and dining hub; rows of multi-use buildings contain restaurants, wellness services, and three different hotels. For out-of-towners, the Loft Conference Center hosts a wide range of events, putting Southpointe Town Center on the national map.

Most travelers visiting Cecil Township will probably use Pittsburgh as a home base. Part of the township's appeal is its location on Interstate 79, one of the main arteries leading into the Steel City; this makes the drive fairly fast, a boon for both visitors and resident commuters. The township is also located right next to Canonsburg, a much denser borough of nearly 10,000 people. Canonsburg is known for the PA Trolley Museum and the Little Lake Theatre Company, both worth the half-hour drive from Pittsburgh.

Cecil Township and Canonsburg are technically accessible by bus, but a much more sensible option is to drive. For ambitious cyclists, the Montour Trail offers riding from many starting points, though there's no easy or direct route from Pittsburgh itself. Its location on I-79 makes the township a convenient stopping point for drivers on the highway, whether you're headed east or west.

Southpointe Town Center has changed the game in terms of accommodations; there aren't many affordable hotels in Pittsburgh proper, and many visitors end up staying in the suburbs anyway. Cecil Township is a tranquil place to stay, as is neighboring Canonsburg. If you're flying in, this municipality is about 30 minutes by car from Pittsburgh International Airport, which has gotten a much-needed makeover and redefined U.S. air travel in the process.