When travelling around any country or state, it is important to know exactly where to go and what to look for. This is necessary, firstly, to be able to plan your route, and to plan your budget. Secondly, only completely inexperienced or, to the contrary, very experienced travellers can go around without any plan, and bump into the best places they would otherwise never find. Most often, people without a clear route and scheduling get late everywhere, come to visit places after the working hours, and go by some of the best experiences because they have no idea what is out there on the neighboring street or town.
Therefore, check out the list of interesting places to visit, and plan your trip to Pennsylvania smartly!
Hershey
Hershey is the place where they make some of the best chocolate in the US. Besides the actual chocolate, the town has many other attractions to keep the tourists happy and entertained. The attraction park called Hershey’s Chocolate World will make both children and adults happy. The visitors can see how the chocolate is made, try and make their own chocolate bar, and of course they can taste as much chocolate as they wish. In addition, there are rides, roller coasters, and aquatic shows
The park itself was built back in 1906, originally as a recreation place for the employees working on the manufacturing facility. However, with time, the park became a main attraction for other folks, and to meet the demand, the park was expanded. It combines a factory tour and an aquapark at the same time. Hershey town is a nice place to visit at almost any time of the year.
The Nockamixon State Park
This beautiful state park is an option for people wishing to get back to nature, and spend their time away from the noisy cities. Nockamixon Lake is part of the park, and visitors can enjoy different types of watersports and entertainment. Own boats can be brought, or the facilities around the late can rent out boats, canoes, and kayaks.
If you are not into watersports, six hiking and biking trails are there for you in the huge park. There is even a 10-mile trail for mountain bikes, so people can choose the level of extreme and complexity for their activities on land. Moreover, it is possible to rent a cabin and live nearby the lake, for barbecues and evening star-gazing. Those okay with cold weather can have fun with cross-country skiing, sledding, and ice fishing in winter.
As you can see, the Nockamixon State Park offers all types of pleasures for visitors seeking outdoor activity.
The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
The huge Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area has over 67,000 acres of natural beauty, from forests and valleys, to rivers and waterfalls, and also there are some historic sites to check out. This is a perfect place for outdoor enthusiasts who appreciate the variety of the surroundings.
The area is good for hiking, offering over 100 miles of trails of different complexity, kayaking, driving along scenic landscapes, and biking along 30 miles of trails. It is also possible to enjoy some fishing, or swimming in the Middle Delaware River. One can rent out bikes and kayaks, and fishing equipment, too. There are even decent spots for rock climbing. In winter, The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area offers classic winter activities like skiing, ice climbing, and snowshoeing.
Shofuso Japanese House and Garden
Near the Pennsylvania’s Schuylkill River base, there is the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden. Few people know about this hidden place, but this is a real gem, and a powerful attraction for tourists who are aware of this place. In fact, this house and garden show the true Japanese design as it was centuries ago.
The House and Garden were made as part of the Museum of Modern Art exhibition. The complex was built in 1953, and then it was sent and assembled in New York. Shofuso is translated as Pine Breeze House, and it was Japan’s gift to the US.
After the exhibition was closed, the House and Garden were moved to Pennsylvania. It was almost ruined due to vandalism, but in 2007, it was rebuilt by a famous Japanese painter. Today, Shofuso Japanese House and Garden slowly becomes one of the greatest tourist attractions in the state.
Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens
A totally must-see of Philadelphia is Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, a stunning site that combines a fold art center, art installation location, and gallery of Isaiah Zagar. The site started as an effort to beautify the walls of the neighborhood of South Street, back in the 1990s. Besides trying to rebuild the falling apart walls, Zagar and his wife wanted to make the neighborhood more welcoming and pleasant for the eye. Eventually, the site became a true Magic Garden of colors and forms. The total space of 3,000 square feet was perfected, and today, it forms a labyrinth of gardens and courts full of objects of art.
Final Thoughts
Pennsylvania has lots of beautiful and unique places to visit. Hopefully the list above will give you some ideas about choosing where to go and what to see!
