travel pa

Protect Your Trip »

Best places to visit in pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania features cities large and small, foodie spots, sports hubs, scenic state parks and more. Plus, the Keystone State experiences all four seasons, meaning you can pick your favorite time to visit. U.S. News considered sights, culture, adventurous pursuits and accessibility, in addition to expert and user feedback, to decide the best places to visit in Pennsylvania. Have a favorite spot? Vote for your top Pennsylvania destination below to help us determine next year's list.

The Poconos

Philadelphia, ricketts glen state park, lehigh valley, valley forge, delaware water gap, lake wallenpaupack.

Hershey is known as "The Sweetest Place on Earth" – and for good reason. Here, you'll find Hershey's Chocolate World, where you can take a free tour of the facility to see how Hershey's chocolate and candy are made. Once you've satisfied your sweet tooth, head next door to Hersheypark to enjoy more than 70 chocolate-themed attractions designed for thrill-seekers of all ages. For a more laid-back vacation, visit ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park to see the 200-plus animals or Hershey Gardens to stroll through its 23 flower-filled acres (don't miss the rose garden's 3,000 roses if you're visiting during the summer months).

History buffs will love Gettysburg. Travelers can tour the roughly 6,000-acre Gettysburg National Military Park (the site of the Civil War's bloodiest battle) and check out other historical attractions, such as the Jennie Wade House (where the only civilian casualty from the Battle of Gettysburg died) and the Eisenhower National Historic Site (a farm that once belonged to former President Dwight D. Eisenhower). Those who prefer a spookier glimpse of Gettysburg's past can sign up for a ghost tour. After sightseeing, visit an antiques store to find a piece of war memorabilia to take home as a souvenir.

An up-and-coming foodie destination, Pittsburgh woos travelers with restaurants that serve everything from Polish staples to mouthwatering burgers. In addition to eating your way through the Steel City, you'll want to visit the Andy Warhol Museum to see its extensive collection of the late pop art legend's work or head to the Senator John Heinz History Center for a wide array of Pittsburgh-related exhibits. Also save time for a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game (or a tour) at PNC Park and a ride on the Duquesne Incline, which takes passengers to the top of Mount Washington.

Whether you're looking for a relaxing getaway with your significant other, a vacation full of nonstop adventure or something in between, the Poconos have you covered. This mountain range in northeastern Pennsylvania is home to several state parks featuring forests, waterfalls, lakes and streams, making it an ideal place to hike, ride horses, swim, hunt and camp in summer. Plus, the Pocono Mountains draw skiers and snowboarders in droves in winter thanks to their more than 185 slopes and trails. Whenever you choose to visit, plan on staying at one of the Poconos' luxurious resorts , all-inclusive lodgings or charming inns.

Philly is one of America's most notable historical destinations thanks to top sights like the Liberty Bell (which abolitionists, women's suffrage supporters and other groups have used in their causes as a symbol of liberty) and Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were debated and signed). What's more, the city offers something for travelers of all ages: Kids will enjoy the Please Touch Museum and the Philadelphia Zoo (one of the best zoos in the country ), while adults can stroll through the Reading Terminal Market and admire Rittenhouse Square. Don't forget to try a classic Philly cheesesteak before you go.

Bordered by the Delaware River to the east, New Hope exudes both scenic beauty and small-town charm. Nature lovers can stroll through the meadows, forests and ponds at Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, or follow a historical canal towpath in Delaware Canal State Park. Meanwhile, the town's quaint Main Street is home to architectural treasures like the Parry Mansion Museum, as well as a variety of boutiques. And don't let its small size fool you; New Hope punches above its weight when it comes to top-notch riverside dining options and irresistible accommodations, which range from picture-perfect inns to luxurious carriage houses.

Ricketts Glen State Park is one of the state's most picturesque locales. Featuring more than 13,000 acres, this impressive state park in Pennsylvania's Columbia, Luzerne and Sullivan counties is home to the Glens Natural Area, a National Natural Landmark. It also offers 26 miles of hiking trails that take you through centuries-old forests and around stunning rock formations. If you only have time to trek one of the park's 11 trails, travelers recommend choosing the Falls Trail. This 7.2-mile loop travels past 21 of the park's 22 free-falling waterfalls, including Ganoga Falls (Ricketts Glen's tallest waterfall).

This valley in eastern Pennsylvania – which comprises larger cities like Allentown and Bethlehem, plus smaller towns like Easton – is packed with things to do. History buffs can learn about Lehigh Valley's Colonial days at historical sights like the 1750 Smithy and the Bachmann Publick House. Outdoor enthusiasts will find ample opportunities for hiking, biking, skiing and white-water rafting. Families will love visiting Easton's Crayola Experience and Allentown's Dorney Park. And for adults, there are dozens of breweries, distilleries and wineries to check out. For even more ambiance, arrive in fall to go leaf peeping and apple picking.

Lancaster is home to the nation's oldest Amish communities, making it an ideal place to disconnect and discover this unique way of life. Lancaster's Amish buggy rides and impressive farmers markets are popular with travelers of all ages, and visitors can learn more about the Amish lifestyle at the Amish Experience and The Amish Farm and House. Other must-dos in the area include the family-friendly Dutch Wonderland theme park, which wins praise for its variety of rides for younger kids. And don't miss shopping at the area's outlets and taking a tour of a local brewery.

Visit Valley Forge National Historical Park to spend your next vacation learning about American history. The village served as the winter encampment for former President George Washington and the Continental Army from 1777 to 1778. You can tour the encampment to see sights like the United States National Memorial Arch, Artillery Park and Washington's Headquarters. The park also offers ranger programs during the warmer months, plus 35 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. When you need a break from the village's rich history, enjoy some retail therapy at the nearby King of Prussia Mall, which features more than 450 stores.

Lovers of the great outdoors flock to the Delaware Water Gap each summer to hike and admire the area's green forests and waterfalls. Travelers can also rent canoes or kayaks and take to the water, fish at numerous lakes and streams or swim at Milford and Smithfield beaches. For those who'd rather stay on land, the roughly 70,000-acre Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area offers ample opportunities to bike, hunt and go rock climbing. Visit in winter to take advantage of cold-weather activities like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice climbing.

If you're eager to spend some time in and on water, choose Lake Wallenpaupack as your next vacation destination. This man-made lake in the Poconos is one of the largest in the state, occupying 5,700 acres. Popular summer pursuits here include swimming, water skiing, boating and kayaking, while winter activities range from ice skating to snowshoeing to ice fishing. Lake Wallenpaupack also features six recreation areas, so if you need a break from the water, head ashore to enjoy land-based activities like hiking, camping and snowmobiling.

Vote to Add these Destinations to the Rankings

Allegheny National Forest

State College

You May Be Interested In

Best Places to Visit in Virginia

Best Places to Visit in New York State in 2024

Best Places to Visit in Maine

Best Places to Hike in the USA

Best Family Vacations in the USA for 2024

Best small towns to visit in the usa.

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

Recommended

The 28 Best Water Parks in the U.S. for 2024

Holly Johnson|Timothy J. Forster May 8, 2024

The 18 Best Napa Valley Wineries to Visit in 2024

Lyn Mettler|Sharael Kolberg April 23, 2024

The 25 Best Beaches on the East Coast for 2024

Timothy J. Forster|Sharael Kolberg April 19, 2024

The 50 Best Hotels in the USA 2024

Christina Maggitas February 6, 2024

The 32 Most Famous Landmarks in the World

Gwen Pratesi|Timothy J. Forster February 1, 2024

9 Top All-Inclusive Resorts in Florida for 2024

Gwen Pratesi|Amanda Norcross January 5, 2024

24 Top All-Inclusive Resorts in the U.S. for 2024

Erin Evans January 4, 2024

26 Top Adults-Only All-Inclusive Resorts for 2024

Zach Watson December 28, 2023

Solo Vacations: The 36 Best Places to Travel Alone in 2024

Lyn Mettler|Erin Vasta December 22, 2023

26 Cheap Beach Vacations for Travelers on a Budget

Kyle McCarthy|Sharael Kolberg December 4, 2023

Free Pennsylvania Travel Guide

The simple act of booking future travel generates happiness. Let us be your guide to planning for your future happiness in PA. The 2024 Pennsylvania Travel Guide offers not-to-miss attractions, kid-focused fun, exciting events and many more great vacation ideas. Submit your information using the form below to receive a guide by mail, or view the 2024 Pennsylvania Travel Guide online !

By clicking submit, I have read the Privacy Policy and understand how my information may be collected and used. *We only mail guides within the United States. If you do not have a US address please enjoy the 2024 Pennsylvania Travel Guide online .

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use our website, we will assume that you are happy to receive all cookies (and milk!) from visitPA.com. Learn more about cookie data in our Privacy Policy

Welcome to Uncovering PA

I’m Jim Cheney, the creator, writer, and photographer of UncoveringPA.com, the first, most read, and most in-depth Pennsylvania travel blog. While there are sites out there that try to tell you the best things to do in Pennsylvania , most of them don’t actually visit the places they write about. However, I do! In fact, since starting this site in August 2013, I’ve spent more than 400 days traveling Pennsylvania and have visited well over 1,200 great destinations throughout PA. So, you can be sure that what you read on this Pennsylvania travel blog is based on my personal experiences and solid first-hand knowledge. Find out more about me and Uncovering PA here.

What are you looking for?

Our most recent articles

9 Great Things to Do in Pennsylvania in June

Visiting the Incredible Golden Age Air Museum in Berks County, PA

Gaming Fun at Pinball Perfection near Pittsburgh

8 Incredible Breweries Near State College, PA

Where do you want to go in pa.

Get the best of our PA travel information in your inbox!

Loading…

You have successfully joined our subscriber list. Look for our email every Thursday evening in your inbox. Check your spam or promotions folder if you don’t see it.

Explore PA by theme

34 Abandoned Places in Pennsylvania You Can Legally Visit

Visiting the Historic Capitol Columns in Clinton and Lycoming Counties

Exploring the Lock Ridge Furnace Museum in the Lehigh Valley

How to Get to Mill Creek Falls in Westmoreland County, PA

10 Beautiful Spots to See Spring Flowers in Pennsylvania

The 11 Best Pennsylvania State Parks (Based on My Decade Writing About the State)

Visiting Barry’s Car Barn in Lancaster County

Visiting the Fabulous Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh

Uncovering the History of Zombies at The Living Dead Museum in Allegheny County

Visting the Money in Motion Exhibit at the Philadelphia Federal Reserve

Exploring the Interactive Art at WonderSpaces in Philadelphia

Riding the East Broad Top Railroad in Huntingdon County, PA

Beer and Waterfalls at Cobblehaus at the Falls in Mercer County, PA

How to Get to Nelson Falls in Tioga County, Pennsylvania

How to Get to Quaker Falls Near New Castle, PA

Visiting the Historic North Park Water Tower: A Hidden Gem near Pittsburgh

Exploring the Unusual at Trundle Manor in Pittsburgh

Covered bridges.

Visiting Logan Mills Covered Bridge in Clinton County, Pennsylvania

Visiting the Covered Bridges of Perry County, Pennsylvania

The 10 Longest Covered Bridges in Pennsylvania

Visiting McGee’s Mill Covered Bridge in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania

• Projects & Programs
• Construction
• Road Design & Environment
• Posted And Bonded Roadways
• Research And Testing
• Public-Private Partnerships
• Multimodal Program
• Digital Delivery Directive '25
• Asset Management
• Doing Business
• Construction / Contractor Regi
• Rail Freight & Ports
• Local Government
• Online Services
• Personal Delivery Devices

Travel In PA

• Public Transit Options
• Ridesharing
• Biking / Walking
• Traffic Signals, Management
• Transportation and Health
• Welcome Centers

There is a lot to see and do in Pennsylvania, and many ways to get there.

If you're hitting the road, visit 511pa.com to see traffic and travel conditions on state-owned roadways as well as the Pennsylvania Turnpike. On the 511PA travel map, you can also see the locations of rest facilities including Welcome Centers, Rest Areas and Turnpike Service Plazas.

Getty Images/Fuse

Pennsylvania

A horse and buggy trundles through the Lancaster fog before it is overtaken by a Philadelphia-bound sports car driven by a young tech entrepreneur. In Pittsburgh, children of immigrants who work as nurses in the city's burgeoning hospitals start breaking into experimental contemporary art. In Gettysburg, descendants of Union soldiers proudly fly Confederate flags. This is Pennsylvania, which contains within her 46,000 sq miles some of the Eastern seaboard's most striking landscapes, culture clashes and contradictions.

Best Time to Visit

Best things to do, attractions, must-see attractions.

Independence National Historical Park

Philadelphia

This L-shaped Philadelphia park, bound by 6th, 2nd, Walnut and Arch Sts, protects and honors the institutions that formed the foundation of the United…

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Logan Square & Fairmount

The premier cultural institution in Philadelphia, this epic art museum would stand out even without Rocky's famous antics on the east steps. Every visitor…

Barnes Foundation

Since 2012, Dr Albert C Barnes' eye-popping collection of artworks – predominantly focused on French masterpieces from the late 19th and early 20th…

Independence Hall

The 'birthplace of American government', this modest, early 18th-century Georgian building is where delegates from the 13 colonies met to approve the…

Reading Terminal Market

Chinatown & Center City East

Getting the balance just right between food shopping hub and dining destination, Reading Terminal Market opened way back in 1893 and it's been a…

Mattress Factory

Since 1977, this art space has hosted the avant-garde. It now occupies several buildings in the Mexican War Streets neighborhood, and always has something…

Duquesne Incline

This nifty funicular and its Monongahela Incline twin down the road, both built in the late 19th century, are Pittsburgh icons, zipping up the steep slope…

Andy Warhol Museum

This six-story museum celebrates Pittsburgh's coolest native son, Andy Warhol, who moved to NYC, got a nose job and made himself famous with pop art. One…

Top picks from our travel experts

Top 15 things to do in the poconos: nature, nightlife and ski slopes.

Big Pocono State Park

While there is good hiking in Big Pocono, the main attraction at this 1306-acre park is the drivable summit of Camelback Mountain, which affords views…

Top 9 free things to do in the Poconos, from canal parks to old stone jails

Waterwheel Cafe

A scrumptious stop next to the river for a bite, with decent coffee and pastries that run a little sweet. It stays open for dinner Thursday to Saturday…

Planning Tools

Expert guidance to help you plan your trip.

Free Things to Do

If you want to learn more about history or connect with nature without busting your budget, here’s our guide to the best free things to do in the Poconos.

Best Road Trips

Whether you have a few days or a few hours, we've got five incredible road trips to help you explore the natural beauty of the Poconos.

Latest stories from Pennsylvania

Filter by interest:

• All Interests
• Adventure Travel
• Art & Culture
• Beaches, Coasts & Islands
• Food & Drink

Jul 13, 2022 • 6 min read

Jul 1, 2022 • 7 min read

Jun 24, 2022 • 9 min read

Jun 8, 2022 • 5 min read

May 10, 2022 • 6 min read

Apr 13, 2022 • 5 min read

Nov 10, 2020 • 2 min read

Nov 9, 2020 • 5 min read

Sep 1, 2020 • 0 min read

Feb 28, 2020 • 2 min read

in partnership with getyourguide

Book popular activities in Pennsylvania

Purchase our award-winning guidebooks.

Get to the heart of Pennsylvania with one of our in-depth, award-winning guidebooks, covering maps, itineraries, and expert guidance.

Pennsylvania and beyond

• Things To Do
• Preferred Destinations
• Visitor Info
• Digital Editions

Zoos & Wildlife Parks in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is home to America's first zoo, and many locations where we can discover the magic of the animal kingdom.

Chasing Waterfalls in the Poconos

Some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Pennsylvania can be found in the Poconos. These are a few of our favorites.

Plan a Summer Getaway in Bellefonte

It may not be as well-known as State College, its Centre County neighbor, but the historic town of Bellefonte offers visitors a delightful experience.

The Year of the Arts in the Lebanon Valley

At locations throughout Lebanon County the arts are being celebrated the art and music festival, theater and gallery exhibitions.

Pack Your Bags We're Headed to the Laurel Highlands

Join us on our road trip to the beautiful Laurel Highlands

Featured Articles See more articles

Pack Your Bags We’re Headed to the Laurel Highlands

FEATURED PARTNER

Penn-Mar Irish Festival

22nd Annual Penn-Mar Irish Festival is June 15 in York County: Irish music & dance, vendors, cultural talks, food, free kids activity area. Eileen Ivers headlining! Discounted advance tickets now available. #PennMarIrish

Explore Schuylkill

The Explore Schuylkill Craft Beverage Trail app is the perfect way to explore the best local breweries, wineries, and distilleries in the area. Start your adventure on our Trail today!

Explore York

Small-town charm, thriving downtowns, rolling hills, and gorgeous countryside, Spring is the perfect time to explore York County, PA! Shop, eat, play, and stay. Memories are made HERE, so start planning your trip today.

Pennsylvania Travel and Tourism

With so much to explore, see and do, the great state of Pennsylvania has more going on than you can imagine. Whether it's catching your favorite team in action, eating cheesesteaks in Philly, taking in the quiet beauty of Amish country, touring Civil War battlefields in Gettysburg, exploring northern PA 's great outdoor destinations or discovering our world-class museums, Pennsylvania will exceed your expectations.

The Ultimate PA Travel Guide

Where & When is your go-to resource for all that's happening in Pennsylvania. We've got fairs and festivals, shopping and spas, wineries and wildlife parks and more historical sites than anywhere in the US!

Whether you're looking for a day trip or a full week to travel Pennsylvania, Where & When will help you plan your exciting Pennsylvania experience.

Summertime or winter, every parent has heard their kids say, "There's nothing to do!" or "I 'm bored!" But with this PA state travel website of kid-friendly attractions, you can kick boredom to the curb.

Don't Be Out of the Loop

You know those people who always seem to know what's happening? Now, you can be on top of all the latest events and deals on PA travel and tourism.

We've also taken care of all the research, so have instant access to all kinds of attractions and events with the simple click of a button. We've even broken it down by category and region to make it easy to browse events and attractions that are perfectly tailored to your individual interests.

We're accessible on all your devices for a spontaneous night out or while you travel in Pennsylvania.

Since Where & When, Pennsylvania's travel guide, doesn't list events based on advertising, you see a larger selection of Pennsylvania travel and tourism activities. That's why Where & When is one of the most requested, recommended and respected Pennsylvania travel guides.

Share Your Ideas With Us!

We'd love to hear your favorite things to do in Pennsylvania ! Share them with us on Facebook and Twitter or just email us at [email protected] .

whereandwhen.com is the companion site to the quarterly magazine, Where & When Pennsylvania. We are proud to be the source for events and attractions in Pennsylvania for more than 50 years. Our goal is to make planning your Pennsylvania vacation easy and enjoyable.