Hidden Gems and Historic Wonders in Charming Pennsylvania
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Pennsylvania Travel and Tourism on Travel Notes
Explore the charm of Pennsylvania. Uncover the beauty of Pennsylvania's best-kept secrets and dive into its rich history with our curated travel guide. Share on Facebook
About Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is a state rich in history, natural beauty, and unique attractions.
From historical sites to natural wonders, uncover some of the best-kept secrets and attractions that make Pennsylvania a fascinating destination.
Some of the best places to visit in Pennsylvania include Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, the Pocono Mountains, Hershey, and the Pennsylvania Dutch Country.
States neighbouring Pennsylvania: New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio.
Mapping Pennsylvania
Map of Pennsylvania
Also known as the Keystone State, Pennsylvania was once referred to as 'the keystone in the democratic arch'; due to its central location among the original Thirteen Colonies.
The state capital of Pennsylvania is Harrisburg.
Pennsylvannia Overview - Declaration of Independence and Constitution
Pennsylvania is a state in the north-eastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, borderd by New York to the north, New Jersey to the east, Delaware to the south-east, Marylandto the south, West Virginia to the south-west, and Ohio to the west
Major cities in Pennsylvania include Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, and Erie.
Philadelphia played a crucial role in the drafting of both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.
Independence Hall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Amish Country
Pennsylvania is home to a significant Amish population, particularly in the Lancaster County area.
The Amish are known for their traditional way of life, including horse-drawn carriages and a lack of modern technology.
Economy
Pennsylvania has a diverse economy with strong contributions from industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, and services.
Pittsburgh has a history of steel production and is now known for its advancements in technology, healthcare, and education.
Philadelphia is a major centre for finance, healthcare, and technology.
Education
Pennsylvania is home to several prestigious universities, including the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, and Penn State University with multiple campuses across the state.
Geography
Pennsylvania is known for its diverse geography, including mountains, forests, and farmland.
The Appalachian Mountains run through Pennsylvania , and the state is also home to the Great Lakes; with Lake Erie forming its north-western border.
History
As one of the original thirteen colonies, Pennsylvania played a crucial role in the founding of the United States.
Philadelphia was the site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and served as the temporary capital of the United States, from 1790 to 1800; while Washington, D.C. was being constructed.
Pennsylvania continues to be an important and influential part of the nation.
Sports
Pennsylvania has a strong sports culture.
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh both have professional sports teams in the major leagues, including the Phillies (baseball), Eagles (football), 76ers (basketball), Penguins (hockey), and Steelers (football).
Tourist Attractions
Popular tourist attractions include the historic sites in Philadelphia (Independence Hall, Liberty Bell), the museums in Pittsburgh (including the Andy Warhol Museum), and the natural beauty of areas like the Pocono Mountains.
Visiting Pennsylvannia - Pennsylvania Highlights
Pennsylvania has diverse landscapes, so your experience can vary depending on the region and the time of year.
Whether you're interested in history, outdoor activities, or cultural attractions, you'll find it in The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Erie
Visit Presque Isle State Park for beautiful beaches and outdoor activities.
Explore the Erie Maritime Museum and the USS Niagara.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater
Located in Mill Run, Fallingwater is one of Frank Lloyd Wright's most famous architectural masterpieces.
Gettysburg
Visit the Gettysburg National Military Park and the Gettysburg Museum of History.
Explore the historic battlefield and learn about the Civil War history.
Hershey
Visit Hershey Park, a popular amusement park, and Hershey's Chocolate World.
Explore the Hershey Gardens and Hershey Story Museum.
Lancaster County
Experience Amish Country with a visit to places like Intercourse and Bird-in-Hand.
Take a tour of the Amish farms and enjoy traditional Amish cuisine.
Philadelphia
Visit Independence National Historical Park to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Explore the Philadelphia Museum of Art and run up the iconic 'Rocky Steps'.
Wander through the historic neighbourhoods like Old City and Society Hill.
Pittsburgh
Check out the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Andy Warhol Museum.
Take a ride on the Duquesne Incline for panoramic views of the city.
Walk around the Strip District for unique shops and restaurants.
Pocono Mountains
Explore the charming towns and villages in the Poconos.
Enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, and water sports, depending on the season.
State College - Penn State University
If you're a college football fan, catch a game at Beaver Stadium.
Explore the Penn State University campus and visit the Palmer Museum of Art.
Valley Forge
Learn about the history of the Revolutionary War at Valley Forge National Historical Park.
Explore the park's trails and historic sites.
Declaration of Independence
As the second state to enter the union, the people of Pennsylvania played a major role in creating the United States of America and its ideals.
Both the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the US Constitution (1787) were drawn up and signed in the state, at Philadelphia.
Harrisburg
Map of Harrisburg
Government office is in Harrisburg, as is the United States Naval Supply Depot, and the United States Army War College.
The dome of the State Capitol is modelled after St Peter's Basilica in Rome.
Native Americans occupied the Harrisburg area until about 1785.
The site was first called Harris' Ferry, after the Englishman who founded the trading post, but was renamed Harrisburg when it was planned as a town in 1785.
Harrisburg Events
Starting with the Black History Gala in January to the big New Year's Eve Celebration in downtown Harrisburg, the year is filled with a variety of fun-filled events.
PA Capital Regions
Visit Hershey & Harrisburg is the official non-profit partnership-based Destination Marketing Organisation serving Dauphin County.
Around Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania gets its name from the father of William Penn, to whom King Charles II of England granted the colony in 1681, and sylva - the Latin for wood.
William Penn, Jr. became a Quaker while at Oxford University in England. He was imprisoned three times because of his convictions, and upon his third release, the Crown granted him some territory in North America in return for a debt it owed his father, Admiral William Penn.
With a group of friends, he sailed to North America in 1682 and founded the colony of Pennsylvania.
To celebrate America's bicentennial Pennsylvania spruced up its historic sites for the visitors, and there are plenty of them.
Go PA Outdoors
Visit the best places in Pennsylvania for hunting, skiing, and fishing while exploring some of the most magnificent Blue Mountains and golden valleys in the north-east.
Pocono Mountains
The Pocono Mountains of North-eastern Pennsylvania offer 2,400 square miles of wooded peaks and valleys with numerous sparkling lakes, rushing rivers, and some of the loveliest waterfalls in the East.
The four-county region is famous for its resorts, natural scenic beauty, 150 lakes including Lake Wallenpaupack, and quaint, historic towns.
Visit Pennsylvania
Visit PA is the official tourism website of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
Gettysburg
Tourists flock to the famous site of the decisive Battle of Gettysburg (July 1863).
After one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous Gettysburg Address in return for the soldier's dedication to the Union, and the visitors can ponder if indeed they didn't die in vain.
Gettysburg
Ghost Tour by Jason McKenney:
My most memorable experience from the Gettysburg trip was my evening with a group of ghost
hunters on a haunted tour of the battlefields with Miss Betty.
Gettysburg National Military Park
The Battle of Gettysburg was a critical event in a war that determined the preservation of the nation.
Known as a turning point in the Civil War, the battlefield is preserved by the National Park Service as a symbol of America's struggle to survive as a nation, and as a lasting memorial to the armies and the soldiers who served in that great conflict.
The Eisenhower National Historic Site, near the Gettysburg National Military park, encompasses the retirement farm of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife. You can also view his collection of foreign gifts.
Erie
Pennsylvania's small stretch of shoreline is in the north-east of the state.
The community and its lake are named after the Erie Indians.
Presque Isle State Park
In 1753, a French military expedition built Fort de la Presque Isle (almost island) on the peninsula whose curve forms Erie's harbour.
When the French abandoned it in 1759 the British occupied the site and rebuilt the fort.
Fort de la Presque Isle was destroyed when the Ottawa leader Pontiac organised a confederacy of Great Lakes and Ohio Valley tribes to drive the British from their frontier possessions and re-establish Native American autonomy.
Lancaster County - Pennsylvania Dutch
The 17,000 Amish who shun modernisation are descendants of German settlers. Although referred to as the Pennsylvania Dutch, they should really be called the Pennsylvania Deutsche - Germans.
The three Capitol Trailways buses a day, between Philadelphia and Lancaster City, take about 2 hrs, while 8 daily trains cover the distance in around one hour.
Refreshing Mountain Retreat
Refreshing Mountain Retreat provides a variety of outdoor adventures, day field trips and corporate team building events on eighty acres of Pennsylvania woodland located just north of Lancaster, east of Hershey and west of Philadelphia.
Facilities available for large group retreats and rental cabins for overnight getaways.
Chester County
The historic Brandywine Valley, in southern Chester County, is where the Battle of Brandywine was fought and the paper was milled for the Declaration of Independence.
The Valley is a great place from which to visit Philadelphia, Baltimore, the Chesapeake Bay, Lancaster and Bucks county.
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is also known as the City of Bridges; there are 720 of them.
The decline of the domestic steel industry brought something good to Pittsburgh - a cleaner environment.
The Carnegie Museums:
Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick made their millions in Pittsburgh, and have given
back something to the public through their large collections of art and natural history.
Carnegie Museum of Art:
The Carnegie Museum of Art is located in the Oakland Area of Pittsburgh, at 4400 Forbes
Avenue. Collections include works of American art from the late nineteenth century, French
Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, and European and American decorative arts
from the late seventeenth century to the present. Closed on Mondays.
Carnegie Museum of Natural History:
Travel through time as you experience the awesome spectacle of some of the largest land
animals that ever lived, in the famous Dinosaur Hall.
Carnegie Science Center
Located on Pittsburgh's North Shore, Carnegie Science Center is dedicated to educating, entertaining, exciting and inspiring an audience of all ages through programs in science, sports, and technology.
The Andy Warhol Museum:
Opened in 1994, the Andy Warhol Museum features extensive permanent collections of art and
archives on one of the most influential American artists of the twentieth century. It is
also a primary resource for anyone seeking insights into contemporary art and popular
culture.
Golden Triangle
The Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers flow together to form the Ohio, and a land mark for tourists.
Point State Park is in the triangle, and you can visit Fort Pitt Blockhouse and Museum - dating from the French and Indian War.
When the French and British both laid claims to the area surrounding the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, George Washington instructed a detachment of Virginia militia to construct a fort at the fork.
They were attacked by a combined force of French and Native Americans and were forced to withdraw.
The French then completed the construction of the fortification and named it Fort Duquesne.
When the British attacked, the French destroyed the fort, and a new fort was built in its place and named after William Pitt, the British prime minister at the time.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Greek for brotherly love, is situated approximately halfway between New York and Washington, D.C.
Philadelphia is the birthplace of the nation, and was the first American city to be laid out in grid fashion.
After the Great Fire of London, William Penn Jr. decided that narrow winding streets were not such a good idea, and his new piece of land was plenty large enough.
A break in the grid system is the tree-lined Benjamin Franklin Parkway that cuts diagonally from City Hall to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
City Hall:
The heart of Center City is marked by the intersection of Broad and Market streets, the
city's two main thoroughfares. The massive French Renaissance-style City Hall is situated
at this junction.
Miles of biking, jogging, and hiking trails, as well as botanical gardens, recreational facilities, and preserved colonial and federal mansions, are all available to the public in Fairmount Park.
Fairmount Park:
The largest landscaped urban park in the United States spreads out behind the Philadelphia
Museum of Art, on both sides of the Shuylkill River.
Liberty Bell:
A crack makes the bell unringable, but at least the British didn't melt it down to fire
from their cannons. You can view America's symbol of freedom north of Independence Hall,
in Philadelphia's Independence National Historic Park.
Valley Forge:
This National Historical Park, near Philadelphia, commemorates the thousands of George
Washington's men who died of disease, cold, and starvation while barracked here during the
winter of 1777-78.
Uncle George didn't have to sleep in their cramped quarters, and you can visit his palatial headquarters.
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