You might say, “Diane, besides the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, what exactly is in Pennsylvania that would make me want to visit?” Well my friends, I would have said the same exact thing if it wasn’t for one man’s silly comment made to a classroom filled with sarcastic, cynical teenagers dying to get out of school.
It was during 11th grade American Lit that I realized Pennsylvania really was a beautiful state. My teacher, Mr. Maguire, said, “If there was a Garden of Eden on earth, it would have been in Pennsylvania.” The whole class laughed at the absurdity that Pennsylvania would have been the Garden of Eden, but it’s been more years than I’d like to admit and every year that statement seems more and more true.
The basis of his grand statement is the mild weather we have all year long. Yes, it gets hot in the summer, in fact, we’re in the middle of a heat wave right now, but not Texas hot. And yes, it does get cold in the winter, but we’re generally not snowed in for a majority of the winter. The weather here in the Keystone State is ideal for many outdoor activities.
Pennsylvania is home to Pine Creek Gorge in Tioga County, known as the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. The area is surrounded by more than 165,000 acres of Tioga State Forest. It stretches about 47 miles. The maximum depth of the canyon is 1450 feet. At the canyon, visitors can hike past waterfalls and other areas of beautiful scenery. Visitors may camp in the forest from April to October with a wide range of camping styles to suit the novice to the extreme outdoorsman. In the winter, Tioga State Forest has 177 miles of snowmobile trails. It truly is a year-round spectacle.
One of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie, borders the western tip of Pennsylvania, and this state will not let you forget it. The Lake Erie region offers not only beautiful scenery and lakeside activities, but great shopping, arts and entertainment.
For those travelers who are looking to sit back and relax, but still enjoy the great outdoors, tubing down the Delaware River offers just that.
It might be summer, but the Pocono Mountains offers more than just great skiing and snowboarding to guests. The Poconos offers a wide range of hiking, fishing, boating, water parks and family play parks. Hotels and resorts are available for families and campers to honeymooners.
Other outdoor must-sees are Crystal Cave in Kutztown, Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and the Appalachian Trail in Kempton, and many, many state and national parks.
A view from the top of Hawk Mountain, where you can see large migrating birds.
Me, my husband and my stepson at a trail head along the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania.
Cannons seen at Valley Forge National Historic Park.
If you are thinking of visiting PA, the one thing you cannot miss throughout the state is the rich history that has taken place here. Since we are still thinking about being outdoors, a few noteworthy National Parks throughout Pennsylvania include, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Brandywine Battlefield and Washington Crossing Historic Park. Of course, these historic treasures are surrounded by fabulous shopping, dining and family recreation.
Let’s get down to some historic nitty-gritty. Yes, there is the Liberty Bell, but did you know about Philadelphia’s brand new National Constitution Center, America’s most interactive history museum. Within walking distance of the Constitution center, you will find Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Philadelphia is also home to the Betsy Ross House, the Edgar Allan Poe House, and the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, which claims to be the first Masonic Temple erected in the United States.
Of course there are many other historic places throughout Pennsylvania, but what about the thrill seekers in the family? Well, my friends, never fear because we’ve got you covered with our amusement parks. First, I found this great Web site for amusement park enthusiasts. A few major parks include, Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom, Sesame Place, Hershey Park and Dutch Wonderland.
OK, OK, not everyone is all about standing in long lines for roller coasters, so here are a few other attractions.
The Philadelphia Zoo is America’s first zoo and this year has just opened its brand new Lemur Island. The Franklin (formerly known as the Franklin Institute) is the science museum to beat all other science museums. Even the non-science fans in the family will enjoy this interactive museum. The Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Rodin Museum, The Museum of Natural Science, the Mutter Museum, the Mercer Museum, and Eastern State Penitentiary are just a few of the many wonderful exhibits Pennsylvania has to offer a traveler looking for something to do. The Kimmel Center, is a newly build, state-of-the-art performing arts hall. It must be seen to be fully enjoyed. Plan on stopping by for a show, or just a quick looksy, it will be worth your while.
Pennsylvania is a huge state and I couldn’t possibly mention every single wonderful experience you could have during a trip here. The one thing you can count on, no matter where you end up, you are guaranteed to have an adventure.
Sunshine's Note: As a courtesy, and just to be a decent human being, during the travel series posts, only positive comments will be tolerated. Consider these posts as a love letter to the place people live or grew up. Dissing someone's home is like telling them their kid is ugly. It's rude. To many people, their home is a very important part of their identity and what makes their lives special. Don't crap all over that. These posts about places around this great land of ours are meant to be personal and informative, not an opportunity for commenters to leave negative comments about someone's home. If you don't care for one of the places being posted about, keep your comments to yourself or they will be deleted. Use the opportunity to learn something new, even if you think you know it all. Thanks!
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9 comments:
It is truly always "A beautiful day in Pennsylvania." Okay, once in a while you may have to look a little deeply to see the underlying beauty, but it really isn't that difficult to do that either. As a native Pennsylvanian, lived here for well over 55 years, as Diane said there are so many great places to see and things to do here, it can be a bit overwhelming at times. In addition to her suggestions, I have a few more to add to her list -Horseshoe Curve in Altoona, The Railroader's Museum there too. Conneaut Lake and Conneaut Lake Park are great places to visit. Pittsburgh has so many wonderful things too -the Phipps Observatory comes to mind, plus they also have a fantastic zoo among others. Gettysburg -gee, who could forget that battlesfield, as it's a definite "must see" too! And right smack dab in the center of the state we have Penn's Cave, Indian Caverns and my alma mater, Penn State University as well. Thanks, Diane for a really great post about a really great state!
We used to go camping in Dingmans Ferry or around that area....can't quite remember as it was so long ago. We would also canoe down the Delaware.
It's definitely a scenic state!
Well, that was an education! I didn't know most any of the things you wrote about. I am familiar with the Pocono Mountains only because I spent a short honeymoon at Ceaser's Pocono Palace. I want to visit Hershey some day. There is much more to see than I was aware of.
Don't forget all the great wineries in the state. There is an actual wine trail that includes the Lake Erie region, which has great temperatures for wine production thanks to the lake. And many of these wineries offer picnics and events in their vineyards. Blue Mountain Winery in New Tripoli has jazz bands on the deck every Sunday and they sell bread, cheese and wine and you are free to bring your own food.
My dad was born in western Pennsylvania, and when my sister and I were kids we went back to visit every summer. I'd actually like to spend some more time in Philadelphia at some point. Thanks for a great tour!
My mom is a native Pennsylvanian. Allison - on the Pittsburgh side of the state. I loved visiting.
There is definitely something for everyone in Penn! I didn't know much about the place (only what one friend has told me from her experience). Sounds like a lovely place to visit and more :) Thanks for sharing.
I went to college in Philly and married into a Philly family, and I claim it as my hometown now. I lived within a block of the Kimmel Center through every phase of construction, from the demolition of the buildings that used to be there, through opening day; and there's a sketch of it hanging on my living room wall as we speak. It really is pretty impressive!
We're coming back to PA someday, we have this dream of living in the mountains...only 12 years until DH retires from the Navy. Your post totally reminded me of why we want to come back. :)
I didn't know you were in Peee Aaay. I grew up on the Pen/ Ohio border. I have been there so many times I could not even begin to count but have never been to Philly! Guess I should voyage over that way :)
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