ATTRACTIONS

Northwest   Southwest   Northcentral   Central   Northeast   Southcentral   Southeast   National Parks

Northwest

Erie Zoo - The Erie Zoo is home to over 500 animals, representing more than 100 species, from around the world. Winding walkways take visitors through the beautifully landscaped grounds which feature 2500 specimens from 600 species of plants.

Waldameer Park and Waterworld - This family-fun complex combines a beautiful amusement park with one of the greatest water parks in the entire country. Offering over 75 rides, slides, and attractions, Waldameer Park & Water World is specifically designed to provide entertainment for your entire family.

DeBence Antique Music Museum - Thousands of visitors, young and old, have been captivated by this incredible collection of automatic music machines spanning two centuries. Intricate, beautifully-tuned music boxes, created by nineteenth-century German and Swiss craftsmen, tinkle enchantingly in the same manner as they did one hundred years ago.

Erie Art Museum at Discovery Square - Erie Art Museum offers year-round programming which includes exhibitions, concerts, classes, workshops, guided tours, lectures, and special events.

Erie Maritime Museum - Erie Maritime Museum presents the story of Niagara as the reconstructed flagship of Pennsylvania and the warship that won the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812. Offering a wide range of multi-media and interactive exhibits and coupled with lively interpretive programs, Erie Maritime Museum vividly illustrates Niagara's history and the region's rich maritime heritage.

Port of Erie - The Port of Erie is the only port on the Great Lakes and provides commercial and recreational opportunities to customers from around the world.

Baldwin-Reynolds House Museum - Once the home of a U.S. Supreme Court Justice and two mayors of Meadville, this gracious, four-story home is now open to the public as an historic house museum. The flowering bushes and trees, the herb garden and a spring fed pond give the three acre grounds a park-like atmosphere.  211 Chestnut Street, Meadville.  (814) 333-1258.  

Southwest  

Falling Water - Fallingwater is located in western Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands area, a beautiful natural area with spectacular mountain vistas, river valleys, numerous waterfalls, and rich forests.

Westmoreland Museum of American Art - The Westmoreland Museum of American Art is a vital, ever-changing place. Newly renovated. Family-friendly. And full of opportunities to explore your heritage, your country, and the art that has captured it all so beautifully.

Pennsylvania Trolley Museum - At the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum you can experience the sights, sounds and feel of an earlier era as a vintage streetcar takes you on a three mile round trip and more than a century of history! Climb aboard for a ride into the past!

Living Treasures Animal Park - Living Treasures is a wonderful setting for a great family experience. The petting zoo is the thrill of the day for young visitors, while the exotic animals fascinate young and old alike.

Frick Art and Historical Center - The Frick Art and Historical Center is a fascinating complex of museums and historical buildings located on over five acres of lawns and gardens in Pittsburgh. Exhibitions of fine and decorative art are also presented. The Center is devoted to the interpretation of the life and times of industrialist and art collector Henry Clay Frick.

Carnegie Museum of Art - Carnegie Museum of Art offers a distinguished collection of contemporary art that includes film and video works. Other collections of note 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.

Allegheny Kiski Valley Historical Society - Glass, Steel, and Aluminum industries were the economic growth engines for the A-K river valley towns that grew in the shadow of Pittsburgh, attracting entrepreneurs, immigrant labor, and union organizers. You are invited to join in the efforts of the Allegheny-Kiski Valley Historical Society to preserve and celebrate the unique history of this region.

Hartwood - Hartwood is a 629 acre estate park and it's main attraction is the Hartwood mansion. Designed in 1929 the mansion houses a fine collection of English and American Antiques. A large part of Hartwood's charm lies in its scenic setting. Reflect upon a time of elegance and style while strolling through the formal gardens or hike or horseback along its wooded trails.

Rodef Shalom Biblical Botanical Garden - The Rodef Shalom Biblical Botanical Garden is the largest of its kind in North America and the only one with an ongoing program of research and publication. We feature more than 100 temperate and tropical plants in addition to special new program plantings each season.

Carnegie Museum of Natural History - Travel back in time to the land of the pharaohs; witness the awesome beauty of precious minerals and gems; explore the practices and beliefs that link Native people to their homelands; or discover the variety of life at the Earth's extremes.

Kennywood Park - The park features thirty-one major rides, including three wooden roller coasters, the fastest steel roller coaster, the new Exterminator Roller Coaster, three water rides, and fourteen Kiddieland rides.

National Aviary - The National Aviary located in Pittsburgh features more than 500 residents, representing over 200 different species of birds.

Idlewild Park - Idlewild park features exciting rides, water slides and roller coasters. There are seven theme areas of fun to explore! It's what family fun is all about!

Jimmy Stewart Museum - At the Jimmy Stewart Museum you can see how Jimmy Stewart has been a surrogate brother, father, and friend to fans of American films. His projections on the screen are so much more than the words in his scripts. He helped teach us how to live, and how to appreciate living.

Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park--Mill Run - Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park--Mill Run, their wooded campground is nestled in the beautiful Laurel Highlands close to white water rafting, bike and hiking trails. The park offers recreational facilities and activities for all ages.

Caddie Shak - Caddie Shak offers 50 acres of action packed family entertainment. Miniature golf, go karts, bumper boats, batting cages, paint ball and much more.

Children's Museum of Pittsburgh - Expanded four times its original size in November 2004, the museum's exhibits include the Studio, Attic, Backyard, Garage/Workshop, Nursery, Theater and Welcome to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Interactive artwork by Camille Utterback, Tim Kaulen and more, classes, puppet shows, storytelling and traveling exhibits make this a destination for children of all ages.

Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium - Located approximately five miles east of downtown Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is a 77-acre facility that is home to thousands of animals representing hundreds of diverse species.

Carnegie Science Center - Carnegie Science Center offers visitors of all ages a fun-filled, firsthand look at science and technology. Explore the world from the ocean depths to the farthest reaches of space flight; travel through the galaxy in a world-class, interactive planetarium; see science come alive in three theaters; and discover the sheer fun of science with more than 250 exciting, hands-on exhibits.

Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve - Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve offers five miles of trails and 134 acres of sanctuary for animals, birds and more. Its facilities include a Discovery Room for children, the Education Building, the Teacher Resource Center, a Natural History Library, and the Audubon Center for Native Plants.

Fort Ligonier - Fort Ligonier you can relive the stirring days of young Colonel George Washington, General John Forbes and the encounters of the British and Americans against the French and Indians. Enjoy the unique Fort Ligonier adventure: where your family enjoy the excitement of our frontier heritage and the epic period of the clash for empire between Great Britain and France.

Fort Pitt Museum - The Fort Pitt Museum is located where the British and French erected the fortifications that protected their claims to the early West and the Indian trade. The exhibits recount the struggle that exploded into the French and Indian War and develop the story to the founding of Pittsburgh.

Andy Warhol Museum - Inspired by Warhol's artistic vision, The Andy Warhol Museum strives to be a dynamic art center and resource for anyone who wishes to gain insights into contemporary art and popular culture.

Sandcastle Water Park - Enjoy fifteen twisting, turning, plunging, and churning waterslides. There are pools for adults (including the world's biggest hot tub) and pools for kids (including Wet Willie's WaterWorks). Surrounding it all is the Lazy River, a gently flowing stream where you can float on an inner-tube for hours. The park also offers a Formula One Speedway, arcade, gift shop and more.

Northcentral  

Piper Aviation Museum - Piper Aviation Museum is a fun, educational place for you to learn about planes and the first ones invented and also experience the exciting adventures of past flyers and their stories. Witness the beauty and science of flight and take a journey through time with the Piper Aviation Museum.

Little League Museum - The Peter J. McGovern Little League Baseball Museum is all about the excitement of Little League Baseball and Softball! The museum is full of pictures, displays, films and exhibits about the players, equipment, history, rules, the all-around fun of Little League and information about the youth today!

Central  

Lakemont Park - Lakemont Park is home to over 30 rides and attractions, including The Island Waterpark. Lakemont Park also features The Monster Motorway Go-karts, The Slickster Slick Track, Traintown Miniature Golf, and Spins 'n Grins Kiddieland for Lakemont's younger guests.

Packwood House Museum - Built between 1796-99, it is one of the oldest log structures of its kind in Pennsylvania. The building has evolved into a three-story edifice with 27 rooms that contain a collection of 18th- through 20th-century Americana, especially central Pennsylvanian artifacts. Included in the collection are quilts, textiles, deeds, painted furniture, paintings, glass and ceramics.

Frost Entomological Museum - The Frost Entomological Museum features an insect collection collected mostly by Dr. Stuart Frost through "The Ecological Insect Survey of Pennsylvania". After his retirement in 1957, Dr. Frost regularly collected insects from Florida which were also added to the collection. The research collection comprises over 500,000 specimens of insects representing about 10,000 species.

Knoebels - Knoebels is Pennsylvania's Hometown Park. Highlights include the Phoenix, rated one of America's ten best roller coasters, Skooter Bumper Cars, and timeless favorites like the Giant Wheel. Take a refreshing dip in sparkling Crystal Pool, or take the Giant Flume ride. At Knoebels, every day is full of action-packed family fun.

Shaver's Creek Environmental Center - Shaver's Creek Environmental Center provides a variety of educational and recreational opportunities. Enticing trails wind through the surrounding woodlands, hillsides, and marshlands. During your visit, we encourage you to explore our discovery rooms, tour the raptor center, take advantage of the network of trails, and visit our natural history bookstore.

Swigart Antique Auto Museum - The Swigart collection emphasizes the era when America was first becoming a mobile society. The collection features many rare, and in many cases, one-of-a-kind vehicles. Each car has a history that deserves taking time for recounting. Each car is a work of art that bears testimony to a nearly-forgotten era when motor carriages were built by craftsmen.

Leap the Dips - Leap-the-Dips is one of about 250 rollercoasters of its kind that were stationed in parks throughout the world. It has stood on the same site since 1902. It is also the world's oldest standing roller coaster and is the last known example of a side-friction figure eight roller coaster.

Children's Museum of Bloomsburg - At the Children's Museum, children of all ages have fun learning in Bloomsburg's very own ""hands-on"" museum. This year they will be building the 2001 Summer Art and Science Center. Everyone will touch, hear, and see the world of science and the humanities!

Clyde Peeling's Reptiland - Giant alligators, cobras, mambas, pythons, vipers and a myriad of other reptiles and amphibians await visitors at this AZA accredited, specialized zoo. During summer months tortoises, iguanas, and birds are moved outdoors to tropic-like gardens.

Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum - The Boal Mansion has been home to nine generations and after 212 years, the original family, furnishings, and buildings are still here.  The Columbus Chapel contains the most important Columbus collection in North America -- an incredible collection of Columbus relics, fine art, and religious relics.

Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum - Located at Penn State's Stiedle Building, you'll find the halls lined with crystals, gems, carvings, and fossils.

Northeast  

Shawnee Place Play and Water Park - Shawnee Place Play & Water Park located at Shawnee Mountain Ski area is a great place for the family to relax and have fun. There is a cool activity pool with Rain Drop & Lemon Drop Fountains, two great waterslides & Splash Down Pools. Ball Crawls, Cloud Bounces, Cable Glides, Toddlers Area & Kids Venture River Ride. Daily magic shows & Activities, Video Games, Gift Shop & Picnic Area.

Camelbeach Waterpark - Camelbeach Waterpark features a total of eight waterslides, from small slides, all the way up to the Ultimate Waterslide! So the whole family can have a great time! Camelbeach also includes The Titan which is still the world's largest slide of its kind!

Carousel Water and Fun Park  - Carousel Water and Fun Park is a family amusement park offering water slides, bumper boats, go-karts, mini-golf, batting cages, kiddie kars, a game room and lots more.

Everhart Museum - Founded by Dr. Isaiah Fawkes Everhart in 1908. Dr. Everhart held a fond interest in natural history and conceived the idea of assembling a comprehensive collection of Pennsylvania's native birds and animals. A skilled taxidermist, he started a collection of mounted specimens which soon expanded into one of the finest and largest collections in the United States.

Pennsylvania Fishing Museum - The Pennsylvania Fishing Museum at Pecks Pond houses historical fishing items of yester-year. The museum features a cross section of fishing tackle from the late 1700's to the 1950's. The ice fishing display exhibits fishing spears to working ice tip ups. You can view exhibits of rods, reels, lures, fly fishing, ice fishing, folk art and fishing art, decoys and other miscellaneous items.

Dutot School and Museum - This museum is in the town's original school (circa 1860). It features art exhibits presented in showcases throughout the year (with an opening-night reception). Upstairs is an exhibit of artifacts from the town's history back to its beginning in 1793. It also presents an audiovisual show of the development of the Gap from its earliest history to the present.  Delaware Water Gap.  (570) 421-5809.

Southcentral  

Hershey Museum - Hershey Museum is as fun and yummy as it's chocolate! You can see how they make the chocolate in Hershey, visit the exciting Discovery room, walk through the galleries and much more!

Hershey's Chocolate World - The official visitors center of Hershey Foods Corporation. Open year-round and absolutely FREE, here you’ll explore the art of chocolate making on a simulated factory tour ride that concludes with a delicious sample.

Williams Grove Amusement Park - Williams Grove amusement park is home to a classic wooden roller coaster the Cyclone, a German all-steel Wildcat coaster, and a special steel coaster for the kids.

Zoo America - Zoo America North American Wildlife Park is an 11-acre walk-through zoo which exhibits plants and animals native to five regions of North America. More than 150 animals, representing some 70 species, serve as ambassadors to provide us with a new perspective on our natural environment.

Maple Grove Raceway - Maple Grove Raceway has become one of the top NHRA race facilities in the country. Annually hosting events from March through November, Maple Grove plays host to over 400,000 spectators and participants each season. The track, which has been in operation since 1962, has one of the richest histories in the Motorsports community.

Lake Tobias Wildlife Park - Lake Tobias Wildlife Park has been fascinating patrons with its wild, exotic animals, adventure-seeking safari tours, petting zoos, and a reptile building featuring the African Ball Python, Cockatoo, Iguana, Lizards and more!

Americana Museum of Bird-in-Hand - At the Americana Museum of Bird-in-Hand you can take a relaxing walk through small town America at the dawn of the 20th century. Visit a barber shop, millinery, woodworking shop, tea parlor, toy store, print shop, blacksmith shop, and much more!

Heritage Map Museum - Heritage Map Museum displays the collection of James E. Hess in a large and beautiful facility in Lititz, PA. The new building is a fine 1200 square foot space of Gallery space featuring the fine antique maps and books. You will be able to closely examine the works of Schedel, Munster, Ortelius, Mercator, Blaeu, Hondius, and many others from the late 16th to the 19th century.

Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park - Located in the heart of PA Dutch Country, Dutch Wonderland offers 48 acres of fun. The park features 28 rides plus attractions and live shows featuring the Great American High Diving Team. From rollercoasters, watercoasters and bumper cars to the Giant Slide, Carousel and Riverboat, there's something for everyone in the family.

People’s Place - The People’s Place is an educational and heritage center about the Amish and the Mennonites.

Mary Merritt Doll Museum - The Museum's collection is the result of years of collecting by Robert and Mary Merritt. They scoured the United States and Europe and built this unbelievable museum to house the dolls they found during their travels. As a result of their efforts, the collection spans the expanse of time from ancient Egypt to the 20th century.

Adventure Sports in Hershey - Adventure Sports in Hershey offers fun for the whole family. Adventure Sports in Hershey includes batting cages, Adventure golf, Go-karts and more!

Southeast  

Brandywine River Museum - Exhibiting American art in a 19th-century grist mill, the Brandywine River Museum is internationally known for its unparalleled collection of works by three generations of Wyeths and its fine collection of American illustration, still life and landscape painting.

Philadelphia Museum - The Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest and most important art museums in the United States. The collection of Asian art, Japanese art, European and French includes ceramics, sculpture, paintings, and decorative objects and stained glass.

 Franklin Institute Science Museum - The Franklin Institute Science Museum is a hands-on museum dedicated to Ben Franklin and the great scientific legacy he left behind. The museum features exhibits in astronomy, bioscience, electricity, mathematics, mechanics, aviation and lots more.

Sesame Place - Sesame Place is a family theme park with rides, attractions and entertainment featuring Sesame Street characters.

Longwood Gardens - Over 1,000 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows; 20 outdoor gardens; 20 indoor gardens within 4 acres of heated greenhouses; 11,000 different types of plants; spectacular fountains; and 800 horticultural and performing arts events each year, from flower shows, gardening demonstrations, courses, and children’s programs to concerts, organ recitals, musical theatre, and fireworks displays.

 The Academy of Natural Sciences - The Museum of the Academy of Natural Sciences is located on Philadelphia's beautiful Museum Mile on Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The Museum develops and presents exhibits and programs for the Academy's varied audiences. Visitors can find permanent exhibits on Dinosaurs, Dioramas, and Academy research as well as a space for traveling exhibits.

Discovery Center - The Center promotes science learning through hands-on activities in a variety of science areas ranging from biology to electricity. The exhibits throughout the Center are designed to help show the connection in everyday science applications.

Lights of Liberty Philadelphia - Lights of Liberty let's you experience the American Revolution, told as it happened, where it happened – told through state-of-the-art technology. The story is told through beautiful hand painted images that are projected up to 50 feet high onto the buildings where the events actually took place over 200 years ago.

Gettysburg National Military Park - Located 50 miles northwest of Baltimore, the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was the site of the largest Civil War battle ever waged in the Western Hemisphere.

 Philadelphia Zoo - Visit America's first zoo. The Philadelphia Zoo is a 42 acre park located within minutes of Center City, the Avenue of the Arts, and the Liberty Bell.

Elmwood Park Zoo - Elmwood Park Zoo features more than 15O fascinating wild animals of North America including, jaguars, cougars, wolves, bison, elk, prairie dogs, otters, bobcats, alligators, eagles, owls, and many more. All exhibits present the animals in their natural settings where they can be viewed at close range.

 Independence Seaport Museum - Go on a journey of discovery through the history and traditions of the Delaware Valley's maritime past. Enjoy family-oriented, interactive exhibits, step inside a wooden boatshop, tour Admiral Dewey's 1892 cruiser Olympia and go below deck of WWII Submarine Becuna - both National Historic Landmarks.

American Swedish Historical Museum - The American Swedish Historical Museum is an outstanding example of twentieth-century Swedish interior design. From early Pennsylvania history to decorative arts to architecture to science and technology there is much to explore!

Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom - Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom is a family fun oriented, amusement and water park with over 100 rides and attractions. From high speed world-class roller coasters to soaking wet water slides, you're sure to enjoy a day spent at the park.

Allentown Art Museum - Allentown Art Museum features beautiful European and American art, textiles, paints and drawings, work by Frank Lloyd Wright, Lectures, performing arts, and much more to enjoy!

Crayola Factory - Roam through a crayon and marker factory, explore the magic of light and color, and experiment with cool art techniques. It's all under one roof at the Crayola factory in Easton, Pennsylvania.

 Philadelphia Trolley Works - Philadelphia Trolley Works and Connective Tours is Philadelphia’s largest provider of sightseeing and specialty transportation. Visitors can enjoy a sightseeing tour of Philadelphia's attractions, regional day tours or majestic horse drawn carriage tours.

Banana Factory - Banana Factory offers beautiful art, sculptures and galleries plus studio artists and their breathtaking work.

National Parks

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site - The Allegheny Portage Railroad was the first railroad constructed over the Allegheny Mountains. This inclined plane railroad operated between 1834-1854 and was considered a technological wonder in its day and played a critical role in opening the interior of the United States to trade and settlement.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail - The Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a 2,167-mile (3,488 km) footpath along the ridge crests and across the major valleys of the Appalachian Mountains from Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in north Georgia. The trail traverses Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia.

Delaware National Scenic River - In 1978, Congress designated the section of the Delaware River within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area as part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The river flows 40 miles through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and offers excellent opportunities for swimming, boating and fishing.

Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor - Settlement patterns, from Native Americans to today's immigrants, continue to change the patterns in the tapestry known as the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. It began because of the magnificent scenery and the discovery of the widest range of natural resources found anywhere in the world.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area - This park preserves 40 miles of the middle Delaware River and almost 70,000 acres of land along the river's New Jersey and Pennsylvania shores. At the south end of the park, the river cuts eastward through a scenic water gap in the Appalachian Mountains. Canoeing, camping, fishing, swimming, hiking; viewing wildlife, geologic features and natural scenery.

Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site - This is the 1840s home of Edgar Allan Poe, one of America's finest and most influential writers. The small brick house now connected to 530 North Seventh Street was Poe's home, 1843-1844. During the entire six years (1838-1844) that Poe lived in Philadelphia, he attained his greatest successes as an editor and critic, and he published some of his most famous tales, including, "The Gold Bug," "The Fall of the House of Usher," "The Tell-Tale Heart," and "The Murders in the Rue Morgue".

Eisenhower National Historic Site - The farm designated Eisenhower National Historic Site is the only place President and Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower ever called home. In 1950, the Eisenhowers, looking forward to retirement, purchased the Allen Redding farm adjoining Gettysburg National Military Park. The original 189 acre farm was transformed by stages into the 230 acre country estate of the 34th President of the United States. During his Presidency, President and Mrs. Eisenhower used the farm as a weekend retreat, a refuge in time of illness, and a comfortable meeting place for world leaders.

Fort Necessity National Battlefield - Colonial troops commanded by 22 year old Colonel George Washington were defeated in this small stockade at the "Great Meadow". This opening battle of the French and Indian War began a seven year struggle between Great Britain and France for control of North America. Great Britain's success in this war helped pave the way for the American Revolution.

Friendship Hill National Historic Site - The park preserves the country estate of Albert Gallatin, a Swiss emigrant who served his adopted nation during the early years of the republic. Gallatin is best remembered for his thirteen year tenure as Secretary of the Treasury during the Jefferson and Madison administrations in which he reduced the national debt, purchased the Louisiana Territory and funded the Lewis & Clark exploration. Gallatin's accomplishments and contributions to the late 18th and early 19th century American Republic are highlighted through exhibits and programs presented in his restored Friendship Hill house.

Gettysburg National Cemetery - To properly bury the Union soldiers who died at Gettysburg, a "Soldiers Cemetery" was established on the battleground near the center of the Union line.  Today, the Gettysburg National Cemetery is the final resting place for American veterans from all of this country's major wars and conflicts.

Gettysburg National Military Park - Located 50 miles northwest of Baltimore, the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was the site of the largest Civil War battle ever waged in the Western Hemisphere.