GRISWOLDDAD
Parenting, Entertainment, and Travel Tips
Things to Do in Pennsylvania
*For a list of Pennsylvania's best yearly events, click here.
Gettysburg
A turning point in the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg saw 51,000 casualties. This made it the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Today, the Battlefield can be toured. Guided tours offer the history of the battle and the war, before, during, and after. Monuments and statues to the soldiers and various states involved in the battle litter the park... as apparently bones still do! Our tour guide said people still find bullets and bones to this day! A bus tour will even take a ride through town to show you bullet holes that can still be seen in the town's buildings. Also, you can see General Robert E. Lee's headquarters during the war, The Thompson House, as well. Besides the battlefield and its many tours, there's a small Gettysburg Museum in town too.
Harrisburg
The National Civil War Museum displays the history of the American Civil War. The State Capital Building is open to tours and lets you see, "the handsomest building" President Theodore Roosevelt ever saw. Looking for something fun to do nearby? You're about 25 minutes from Hershey! (see below)
Pennsylvania Capital Building
Hershey
Hershey, Pennsylvania is the home of the Hershey chocolate company's headquarters. The company has turned this area into "the sweetest place on earth." The town has chocolate decoration everywhere, even the lampposts are topped with Hershey's Kisses. Hershey's Chocolate World lets visitors tour the factory and "enjoy one-of-a-kind attractions including the FREE HERSHEY'S GREAT AMERICAN TOUR Ride, HERSHEY'S GREAT CHOCOLATE FACTORY MYSTERY IN 4D Experience show and HERSHEY'S Create Your Own Candy Bar Attraction."
Hershey Park is an amusement park with a chocolate theme! What Milton Hershey began as a leisure park for Hershey employees has become a family fun destination with rollercoasters and many other rides.
Lancaster
Lancaster is the home of America's oldest Amish settlement. You step back in time when entering the area, and it's not uncommon to get behind a horse drawn buggy...so be patient. You can tour an Amish home and farm, visit an entire village at the Landis Valley living history outdoor musuem, take a buggy ride yourself, eat WAY too much at one of the country kitchens or smorgasbords, like Dienner's or Miller's Smorgasbord. Some of the tours included winery stops, which my wife appreciated.
Amish Country is not without its own amusement park, the Dutch Wonderland: A Kingdom for Kids. And, no, your roller coaster is not pulled by a horse! (Though the park is geared towards younger kids).
Amish Tours: The Amish Farm and House, The Amish Experience, Old Order Amish Tours
Philadelphia
It's tough to beat Boston when dealing with American Revolution history...but Philadelphia does well in the attempt! You can see the famously cracked Liberty Bell which has become the iconic symbol of American independence. You'll have to do a bit of camera warfare to get an uncrowded picture of the bell. Independence Hall, where the bell used to hang prior to cracking, was the principal meeting place of the Second Continental Congress which is who signed the Declaration of Independence and was the site of the Constitutional Convention that made the United States Constitution in the summer of 1787!
Speaking of famous signers of the Declaration, Ben Franklin's grave can be found at the historic Christ Church cemetery. Franklin's grave had plenty of coins (mostly pennies) left on it to honor his memory (he's the one that said, "a penny saved is a penny earned) and for good luck. We did NOT see any $100 bills though...
Betsy Ross (the woman that made the first American flag) lived here as well, and her house can be toured as the "birthplace of the American Flag." Valley Forge National Park honors one of the saddest moments of the revolution in which Washington and his soldiers encamped during the winter of 1777 in preparation of taking Philadelphia from the British. 2000 died of hunger and disease during the winter, but defied the odds and triumphed the next spring. Today the park has interpretive programs and reenactments, plus the encampment can be toured, with some original structures (like Washington's headquarters) and some reconstructed. It also has the United States National Memorial Arch, which was erected to commemorate the arrival of General George Washington and his Continental Army into Valley Forge.
A MUST DO for anyone in the Philadelphia area? you MUST get a Philly Cheesesteak while in town. It's a moral imperative. John's Roast Pork seems to be most commonly voted as the best place to get one. The classic "best Cheesesteak" debate, though, is between Pat's and Gino's who sit directly across the street from each other.
Betsy Ross' House
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Independence Hall
Rocky Statue
Liberty Bell
Ben Franklin's Grave
Valley Forge
Sesame Place
Once you're done with the history lesson, check out the rest that Philadelphia has to offer. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States, and should be seen for THAT reason. THAT is not what our main goal was, however!
We ran up and down the steps, jumping with our arms raised in the air like Rocky, because this is where the famous workout scene from Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky" took place.
Of course there's also the Eagles and the Phillies. Also, nearby, Sesame Street comes alive at Sesame Place, which is filled with rides, water attractions and shows based on the LONG-running Sesame Street and all of its beloved characters. Philadelphia is home to America's 1st zoo, the Philadelphia Zoo.
The Eastern State Penitentiary is also open for tours. In operation from 1829 to 1971, this was once the most expensive prison in the world and was home to a number or notorious criminals, like Al Capone. Today, it's rumored that it's still home to some of their ghosts!
Pittsburgh
Ok, I'll be honest with you. I haven't been to Pittsburgh. Not a lot was pulling me to see this city compared to Philly. As I've mentioned before, all big cities have museums, zoos, and the like. I seek out unique, different, or things that every other city has but that are so magnificent, you've GOT to see this one particular city's zoo, or museum, or amusement park, or whatever. Besides the Steelers and the Pirates, Pittsburgh has the Andy Warhol Museum and the Carnegie Museums, like the Carnegie Museum of Art, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and the Carnegie Science Center, a science museum dedicated to educating, entertaining and inspiring through programs in science, sports, and technology. So, Pittsburghians...Pittsburghers...or whatever you're called, let me know if I'm missing anything that should draw people to your city.
Scranton
If you're a fan of the Office, you already know why this town is included in the list of Pennsylvania spots to visit. The show, if you remember, really included the town in many of its episodes. Therefore, there are a lot of places to see while doing an Office tour. Most notably, the "Scranton Welcomes You" sign that began every episode has been moved to the Steamtown Mall for fans to visit. The Steamtown Mall, itself, was also featured in an episode. Other stops of interest include Cooper's Seafood, Alfredo's Pizza Cafe, Poor Richard's Pub, and Michael Scott's favorite place to eat, Chili's.
