It’s hard to imagine that Shadyside once was nothing but wide swaths of farmland dotted with the trees that inspired the name of the local Pennsylvania Railroad station – and eventually the surrounding neighborhood itself. Now, with its plentiful shops, restaurants and entertainment options, Shadyside has evolved into one of the city’s trendiest areas for visitors and residents alike.

Saturday afternoons often find Shadyside sidewalks full of shoppers in one of the neighborhood’s two primary business districts. Walnut Street is home to a number of national chain stores, such as Sephora and Williams-Sonoma, but a number of locally-owned establishments, like Kards Unlimited and Ten Toes, are thriving there as well.

On the other hand, Ellsworth Street, just a few blocks to the north, is a big box-free zone and provides a totally different shopping experience. Populated by galleries and one-of-a-kind boutiques, Ellsworth Street offers a variety of unique gifts, household items, clothing and accessories and is not to be missed.

With all that shopping, it doesn’t take long to work up an appetite, and Shadyside is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat, too. Diners can nosh on everything from crepes to Peruvian cuisine to pub grub, and it’s tough to pinpoint an ethnic cuisine that’s not covered by one of the neighborhood’s numerous restaurants. Mediterranean, sushi, tapas and Thai are among the many offerings.

For those who are more thirsty than they are hungry, Shadyside features a robust nightlife, too. The scene ranges from upscale lounges to sports bars. The deck at Doc’s is a hot spot in the summer, while Cappy’s karaoke packs ’em in year-round.

Speaking of summer, the annual Jam on Walnut outdoor concert series offers live music on the last Saturday of June, July and August, when crowds fill the street to hear a variety of local bands and drink a little beer, to benefit charity, of course. During the early fall, the neighborhood’s annual arts festival also gets a big turnout, and the yearly house tour gets out a lot of visitors, too.

While many Pittsburghers choose to spend some of their free time in Shadyside, others decide to put down roots there. In fact, Shadyside is home to an eclectic group of residents that includes students and business executives and nearly every demographic group in between.