Pennsylvania is a big and beautiful state. We have explored much of the south east, but still have much to see! These are the destinations we recommend to families in the areas with which we are familiar.
Greater Philadelphia Region
Philadelphia is full of history and culture. These are just a few family-friendly attractions there. If it’s a nice day, visit Love park and the fountains at Logan Square Park, for some very Instagrammable photo opportunities. I love the Philadelphia Art Museum, but my own children prefer the Philadelphia Zoo (it’s BIG!), the Benjamin Franklin Museum, and the Academy of Natural Sciences at Drexel University, mainly for the bugs.
The Benjamin Franklin Museum always has a new exhibit to check out (our favorite temporary exhibit so far was Harry Potter), and it also has lots of permanent exhibits that are always fun to explore. These include a giant model heart/play area, a huge climbable spider web, and even an area where you can a nice little electric shock (also a huge hit with my children. Kids are weird.) You can easily spend a whole day there, going from exhibit to exhibit.
About 30 minutes from Philadelphia is Linvilla Orchard, in Media, PA. We visit in the fall to get our pumpkins, but it has something going on in every season, including barnyard animals to pet (they even have some tame deer you can visit – not pet), playgrounds, pick-your-own fruits and veggies, a beer garden, and more. It’s fun and yummy no matter what’s in season.
Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA is one of the top botanical gardens in the country and is absolutely impressive any time of year. It is family friendly (but not dog friendly). Even in the colder months, the grounds are beautiful and the indoor conservatory is incredible.
An impressive train display beloved by children comes out in the fall, as well as pumpkin and harvest gardens and displays. The holiday lights are magical, but it does get crowded, so look on the website regarding reservations. The spring blooms are also popular, and for good reason.
On hot summer days there is plenty of shade, especially around the treehouses, tower, and Italian water gardens, and you can always cool off in the grotto or inside children’s garden, and play in the fountains. We come here often as members, but it’s BIG – you can easily spend a whole day, or several days if you choose to purchase membership (worth it if you’re paying for multiple children for multiple days).
Finally, Valley Forge National Historic Park is absolutely worth visiting. Set among small rolling hills, meadows and woods, it boasts preserved and restored buildings, cannons, redoubts, an excellent museum and beautiful statues and monuments, including the impressive National Arch, commemorating soldiers lost at Valley Forge. The park is entirely free.
Start at the Visitors Center, which is also the museum. Here you can see life-like displays of soldiers and colonial life, collections of weapons and medical devices (yikes), and watch a film explaining why Valley Forge can be referred to as the birthplace of the American Army.
From here you can follow signs in your car for the encampment tour, which will allow you to enter the soldiers barracks and see a glimpse of how they lived, and check out the redoubts with their accompanying cannons. The third stop is the National Memorial Arch, which is quite beautiful. Continue to see other monuments, statues, and living quarters of various figures who were significant in the war, such as Lafayette and Steuben. You can also see Washington’s headquarters and the Washington Memorial Chapel, where you can get some snacks.
Dutch Country Region
West of Philadelphia, you’ll find the capital city of Harrisburg. The PA Capital is one of the most impressive capital buildings in the country, both on the inside and outside. The architecture is stunning and even young children will enjoy it. You can walk around on your own, but if you join a tour it’s only about 30 minutes, so not too long for little ones.
Probably the most well known destination in this region is the city of Lancaster, and if you drive through the surrounding countryside, you’re sure to see picturesque covered bridges and Amish buggies making their way along the shoulders of the road, and likely you’ll see some Amish folks out and about on their farms. You’ll find them selling quality, handmade furniture and other goods, as well as delicious, Pennsylvania-Dutch style food (think German-inspired, homemade dishes).
If you’re interested in learning more about their lifestyle, you can visit the Amish House and Farm and take a tour, as well as visit the animals on your own. Your children may be fascinated by this community living (by choice!) free of electricity for the most part (yes, that includes YouTube and gaming).
Another classic Lancaster attraction for families is Dutch Wonderland, where you’ll find tons of rides geared toward the younger set, along with shows and a water park. It’s a blast!
If you’re familiar with the Lancaster area, you have likely driven over Octoraro Lake on Route 472. After spotting bald eagles flying above and great blue heron sheltering along the banks, we finally stopped one day, parking at Jim Neary’s Bait & Tackle and took a walk along the shore. There are benches and a boat launch. Someday we hope to return and rent a paddle boat to explore this reservoir.
There are some very lovely nature preserves and overlooks at the southern end of Lancaster county, along the Susquehanna River. Here you can find Susquehannock State Park and Pinnacle Overlook. The view at Pinnacle is right at the edge of the parking lot, and it’s beautiful. There are trails at either end you can take, as well as a few picnic tables and a clean portable restroom. If you take the trail on the right facing the overlook, there is no barrier and a deadly steep drop off to the river gorge, so keep a close eye on kids and dogs.
Venture just across the river into York County to see Holtwood Dam and Mill Creek Falls. There are numerous trails to access near Lock 12, as well as picnic tables, portable restrooms and a small playground, but you can also continue down the narrow gravel road closer to the dam. Before you reach the lot near the dam, you’ll see an unmarked but clear trailhead opposite the river that leads to Mill Creek Falls.
The falls can be seen almost immediately upon starting on the trail, and go on in fits and starts for perhaps a quarter mile or so. There is no barrier but the trail is well maintained and can be enjoyed by the whole family. You can climb down to rocks next to the falls in several places, but take care as it is damp, mossy and a bit slick.
Also of interest is the dam itself. Continue down the gravel road to the lot closest to the dam, and walk down to the river if it’s a clear day. (There are signs everywhere saying the river can rise with dangerous speed, thus you don’t want to explore the area near the dam when there’s potential for rain.) It is a good way for kids to learn about hydroelectric power, as you can hear, see and feel the power of the river rolling over the dam and it’s easy to imagine it being converted into electricity.
Lehigh Valley
Going a bit further north, you will come to Allentown, and the surrounding area, which is mountainous and lovely. We enjoyed the resort at Bear Creek Mountain, where there is skiing of course, and also snowtubing.
In the summer time, the Allentown Rose Garden is a really pretty little park (very photo-friendly), and about 40 minutes east of Allentown you can visit a lesser known, but really cool attraction called Ringing Rocks Park. Bring a hammer (no, it’s not for anything nefarious), and try hitting the various boulders in the park with it. You will find they produce various musical tones that your kids and you will enjoy hearing.
Poconos Mountains Region
A little farther north you will come to the Poconos, and the picturesque little town of Jim Thorp, which is considered the gateway to the Poconos. We love stopping here to throw stones in the Lehigh River, admire the train, and take a walk around the charming town.
Great Wolf Lodge Poconos is another favorite resort with my kids, if you’re looking for a waterpark experience. Finally, Bushkill Falls is a really beautiful attraction, with a fun network of wooden walkways, stairs and bridges that gives you a variety of views to enjoy.
But there are also plenty of waterfalls you can see for free! The Delaware Water Gap is a gorgeous area with a variety of hikes from easy to challenging. The hike to Dingman’s Falls is family friendly, includes boardwalks and platforms for viewing the falls from below and above, and also passes Silver Thread Falls, which is right beside the Visitor’s Center, for those who would like to enjoy a waterfall but can’t walk the mile or so to Dingman’s.
Upstate PA
We love upstate PA, and have found that the Scranton/Wilks Barr area is affordable and has a lot to offer. It’s also a fun place to find some quintessential Pennsylvania experiences. We loved the lesser known Seven Tubs Recreation Area because of the unusual formations or “tubs” created by continuous glacial melt, creating tiny waterfalls, pools, and miniature gorges in different shapes throughout the park. There is some steep and rocky terrain which was not particularly difficult, but made me slightly nervous for the younger kids (though they probably managed it more easily than I did.)
We also enjoyed taking a tour of the Lackawanna Coal Mine, where you are given a hardhat so you can ride a coal car down into the mines and find interesting historical information on this very challenging livelihood. We also loved visiting the Steamtown Train Museum and enjoying a short train ride through this picturesque area.
PA Wilds and Alleghenies
We have only had the good fortune to spend a little time in these areas of Pennsylvania, which are farther from our home. But we did love visiting Benezette, and State College. The drive up to the town of Benezette was absolutely stunning, and we were lucky to see a heard of Elks almost immediately upon parking at the Elk Country Visitor’s Center.
At Penn State University, we especially loved the Penn State Arboretum, which had a number of kid-friendly structures that ours really enjoyed. The whole area holds a great deal of natural beauty.
