18. Tour the industrial treasures at WA Young & Sons Foundry and Machine Shop
Rice’s Landing
Take a trip back in time with a visit to WA Young & Sons. Located in Reice’s Landing Historic District, this machine shop is an incredible industrial treasure. Built in 1900 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 2017, the shop has supported local small businesses by manufacturing parts for steamboats, coal mines and railroads. Visitors can tour the blacksmith, pattern shop, ironmongery and foundry, and marvel as machines are turned on during live demonstrations of turn-of-the-century technology.
19. Ring in the New Year at Ringing Rocks
Upper Black Eddie
Be sure to bring a hammer when visiting Ringing Rocks Park to appreciate the beauty of this unique 123-acre park and hear the sounds of the boulders being hammered. While you’re in the park, be sure to explore and see High Falls, the largest waterfall in Bucks County.
20. Enjoy history and art on Mercer Mile
Doylestown
Comprised of three historic sites, Mercer Mile lets you learn about and celebrate the incredible life, work and collections of archaeologist, potter and industrialist Henry Chapman Mercer. Tour Mercer’s former home and National Historic Landmark at Fonthill Castle, explore six floors of history at the Mercer Museum, featuring 50,000 artifacts representing 60 early American trades, and watch tiles and mosaics being made before your eyes at the Tileworks. Looking for a venue to host a special event? Try Aldie Mansion, where Henry’s brother William Mercer once lived with his wife Martha.
21. Pick your own produce at Limbilla Orchards
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Lynvilla Orchards has been a Philadelphia staple for more than a century. The 300-acre family-run farm is a must-visit in Pennsylvania, offering outdoor fun for kids and opportunities for people of all ages to sample the bounty of Pennsylvania produce. Peruse the pick-your-own section, go fishing on Orchard Lake, or sip an artisanal lager at the seasonal Ship Bottom Beer Garden. Even after harvest season is over, there’s still plenty to enjoy, as the Farm Market and Garden Center is open year-round and includes a bakery with fresh pies, breads, desserts and seasonal specialties.
22. Check out the artwork at the Brandywine Museum of Art
Chadds Ford
Located on the banks of the Brandywine River, the Brandywine Art Museum is known worldwide for its incredible collection of Wyeth family illustrations, portraits, and oil paintings. Be sure to check out their calendar of current and upcoming exhibitions featuring works by well-known and lesser-known artists across a variety of artistic genres.
23. Relax amongst the wildflowers of Chanticleer Gardens
Wayne
Chanticleer Gardens is tucked away in the quaint suburb of Wayne, just 30 minutes from downtown Philadelphia. For over 30 years, this public garden has enchanted visitors who are invited to explore the orchards, wildflower meadows, and woodlands that are a must-see gem surrounding the historic Rosengarten family home. The gardens are open from late March to early November and feature a variety of features, including terraced gardens, stone ruins, and elevated walkways above flowering meadows. On Friday evenings, you are welcome to enjoy a picnic in the designated picnic areas or anywhere in the gardens.
24. Bike the Pine Creek Rail Trail
Lycoming
Spend a beautiful Pennsylvania day on the Pine Creek Rail Trail, named one of the best bike tours in the world by USA Today. With its southern terminus near Williamsport, this 62-mile converted railroad trail traverses Pine Creek Gorge at the canyon floor. With an almost imperceptible gradient, this trail makes for a fun bike ride and is perfect for all skill levels. Bring your own bike or check with a local outfitter near you for equipment rentals and excursion information.
25. Experience Pennsylvania Dutch in Lancaster County
Home to the oldest and largest Amish settlement in the country, Lancaster County is the perfect place for a great Pennsylvania getaway. Step back in time and experience the “Amish way of life” as you enjoy everyday activities at a slower, more gentle pace. From private tours with Amish families to horse-drawn carriage rides through picturesque farmland, shopping for handcrafted products at local roadside stores and savoring authentic Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine, Lancaster offers the full Amish experience.
26. Stand on the “Top of the World” at Bucktail Lookout
Driftwood
Bucktail Lookout in Elk State Forest, better known as the “Top of the World,” is a drive-in lookout that offers spectacular 360-degree panoramic views of Sinnemahoning and dark skies perfect for stargazing. Nearby Fred Woods Trail is a great hike to add to your trip to the lookout. Along the 4.5-plus miles of trail, you’ll find incredible rock formations and two spectacular vistas.
27. Take a nature cruise to Moraine State Park
Portersville
Each year, more than one million outdoor enthusiasts visit Moraine State Park, nestled among the rolling hills and lush forests of northwestern Pennsylvania. The 16,725-acre park is the perfect place for adrenaline-pumping activities, including hiking, biking, horseback riding and boating. The 3,225-acre Lake Arthur is the park’s centerpiece, with 42 miles of beautiful shoreline. Spend a relaxing afternoon on a nature cruise aboard Preston’s Pearl, an enclosed pontoon boat with two open-air decks.
28. Pay your respects at the Flight 93 National Memorial
Shanksville
Flight 93 National Memorial is the final resting place of United Airlines Flight 93, one of four aircraft hijacked in the attacks of September 11, 2001. The extraordinary courage of the plane’s 40 passengers and crew is commemorated in powerful tributes along Memorial Plaza, culminating in the Wall of Names, featuring 40 polished and carved white marble stones. The Visitor’s Center features an equally powerful reenactment of the events that took place on that fateful day. Listen for the sound of 40 wind chimes ringing from the 93-foot-tall Tower of Voices, representing the voices of those who lost their lives.
29. Watch birds of prey migration at Hawk Mountain Preserve
Kempton
Renowned as the world’s first raptor sanctuary, Hawk Mountain is a 2,600-acre wildlife refuge in southeastern Pennsylvania. Every year, visitors from around the country flock to the mountain to enjoy the spectacular views from its scenic overlooks. But the refuge’s real draw is the opportunity to get up close and personal with bald eagles soaring overhead, heralding the start of the fall raptor migration, which begins in mid-August.
30. Experience history at the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine
Ashland
Get a first-hand look at Pennsylvania’s coal mining history at Pioneer Tunnel Mine as you travel 1,800 feet straight up Mount Mahanoy. Climb aboard one of the original mining cars, converted to carry passengers, and be transported deep into the heart of Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal region. Once deep inside the mine, disembark to see the mine’s coal seams and reclaimed-timber tunnels, and learn about deep mining methods from your experienced guide in the 1900s. Then, board the 1920s narrow-gauge steam locomotive, Henry Clay, for a quarter-mile ride up the slopes of Mount Mahanoy, enjoying the sights of the open-cut mine.
31. An afternoon at historic Union Canal Tunnel Park
Lebanon
Enjoy a day of Pennsylvania’s best outdoor activities at Union Canal Tunnel Park, home to the oldest surviving transportation tunnel in the United States. With more than 100 acres of recreation and historic areas, you can explore the park’s nature trails or take an interpretive boat tour of the canal tunnel, a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, from June through the second Sunday of October (weather permitting). Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy eating al fresco at the picnic tables and benches located throughout the park.
32. Tour Pennsylvania’s hot spots with Cornish Iron Furnaces
Cornwall
Designated a National Historic Landmark District, Cornwall Iron Furnaces is one of the most complete charcoal-fueled iron-making facilities in the U.S. The five-acre site was originally built by Peter Grubb in 1742. Today, visit on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday to tour the facility and explore the spacious Gothic Revival buildings where cannons, stoves, and pig iron were once cast.
33. Visit where a legend was born at Fighters Heaven
Deer Lake
Tucked away in a wooded hillside along the Kittatinny Ridge in the Blue Mountains, Fighter’s Heaven is a retreat dedicated to world-class athlete Muhammad Ali. Spread across six acres, this rural facility was once the training camp where the three-time heavyweight champion prepared for his biggest fights. Today, conservation and restoration have transformed the old gym into a museum celebrating Muhammad Ali’s incredible and inspiring life.
34. Take in the iconic view of the Reading Tower
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An iconic and intriguing landmark for the city of Reading, the Pagoda should definitely be on your list of places to visit on your great trip to Pennsylvania. Built over 100 years ago in 1908, the Pagoda was originally intended to be a luxury hotel, built by William Whitman to resemble the pagoda at Nagoya Castle in Japan. Although this never came to fruition, the Pagoda, built on the southern end of Mount Penn and secured to the mountainside by 16-ton bolts, has been owned by the City of Reading since 1911. It is currently closed for renovations, but the breathtaking 30-mile panoramic views of the city of Reading and the surrounding countryside from the Pagoda are not to be missed.
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