When I think of the apocalypse, there’s lots of zombies, stranded shopping carts everywhere and big, eery retail stores that look as though they’ve seen a better day by about at least a few decades ago. So, when I rolled up off of good old Eddy Pike, just a short exit off of I95 to discover this particular Walmart, I was immediately transported to a place where suddenly the world didn’t feel quite right. Once I passed the few very obviously abandoned cars that had more graffiti on them than any car I had ever seen, I was immediately greeted by some pan-handlers who were obviously up to no good, before I made my way to the front of the store, where not 1, but 2 security cruisers were parked, which should have made me feel safer, but instead I felt quite the opposite.
That said, should you find yourself heading north or south on the busiest interstate highway on the eastern coast (that would I95) and just a short distance from PHL (otherwise known as Philadelphia International Airport) and looking for a quick stop over even an overnighter, than if the introduction to this particular review wasn’t clear enough for you – I wouldn’t recommend you shop here at this Walmart, let alone park at it. But if you do decide to park here – for whatever deranged reason you might be able to conjure up – then be sure to pack that Kevlar vest and if you can, mount some of those video cameras on each corner of your mobile living room, because you’re going to either want or project a very serious defensive position while in or near the Eddystone Crossing Shopping Mall complex.
Because you are right next to the busiest highway thoroughfare that runs from Maine to Florida, don’t expect this place to be a bastion of peace & quiet – in fact, it’s quite the opposite, especially when you consider your close proximity to one of the busiest airports in New England – so hopefully you have some nice sound-proofed walls in your RV or you have a really great pair of noise-cancelling headphones or tight earplugs. Additionally, as this surrounding area is quite transient and the residential area it is surrounded by is fairly down-trodden, you should definitely keep your eyes peeled and ears alert for potential trouble. In short, I would strongly encourage you to keep your guard up at all times.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Um, don’t stay here. You’ll regret it – in some shape or fashion. There’s TONS of other options around here, so unless your idea of a good time is tempting fate, I would look for alternative accommodations; (2) In the event that you might be RVing with your four-legged friends, then you’ll be incredibly grateful to know that, believe it or not, there are a number of close by options such as Osprey Memorial Park due southwest of your location or just due east, on the other side of I95, there’s Willow Park that makes for a great place to get a long walk or decent bike ride in, further north of that, S. Warthmore Avenue park, which has a softball field and some pavilions with picnic tables or lastly, Leedom Estates Park, from which you can enjoy a great view of Darby Creek where above the horizon, makes for really great plane watching; (3) When you grow tired of trying to conjure up that next meal from the remains of what is in your onboard mini-fridge or you simply want to try out some local fare, for the most part, you’ll have drive-by, fast food restaurants like Wendy’s and McDonald’s to contend with, but if you don’t mind a short drive east of here along Industrial Road, there’s a handful of little local dive restaurants and bars like Coaches Bar & Grille, Monaghan’s Pub, Americas Pie, R.J.’s Hot Dog Stand, Femi’s Pizzeria, J.D. McGillicuddy’s, Lehman’s Restaurant, Miller’s Café and Romano’s Pizzeria& Italian Restaurant; and (4) The only redeeming quality about this particular area is that there is an Uno’s Pizzeria, and while not my top choice for Chicago-style deep dish pizza (that would go to Giardano’s from this Windy City native), it is good to know that even when you are in the middle of somewhere you have no business being in, there’s still some great pie to be had.
While scoring criteria may vary from one person to the next, here are the 5 most important criteria that informed my rating of this overnight location: convenience (EZ on- and off-access), safety & security, quality (of facilities), peace & quiet and amenities (either on-site or nearby). Here’s how I ranked this particular overnight spot:
Convenience: 2
Safety & Security: 0
Quality: 1
Peace & Quiet: 1
Amenities: 1
Overall, I scored this location a 1
Happy Overnighting!
