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Pennsylvania Attractions
There are a lot of events and tours available at the conference. These events were designed to highlight some of the regions most popular attractions. There are many more ways to enjoy Pennsylvania during your visit and the tours provided barely scratch the surface of what our beautiful and exciting state has to offer. There is much to see and do at the conference but there is also a lot to do on the way here and on your way home! Please make good use of the following information in planning and personalizing your trip to PA.
The Liberty Bell Center and Independence Hall attract visitors to Philadelphia from all over the world. Two iconic symbols proudly recall the struggles and triumphs that led to the birth of a nation. The history of the United States started in Philadelphia with the ringing of the Liberty Bell. The area is rich in history and many lesser-known attractions are open to the public.
Located adjacent to the Liberty Bell is Independence Hall, another of the most popular things to do in Philadelphia. Independence Hall can also be viewed totally free of charge and tours are offered daily, leaving every 15 minutes during the day. Be sure to pick up a free ticket at the Independence Hall visitors center first.
Opening hours: 9am - 7:00 pm
Admission: – Tickets must be purchased and security screening performed
This is by far one of the most famous and popular things to do in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania sightseeing to the Liberty Bell, the bell which rang out when the Declaration of Independence was first read to a public audience can be viewed in Pennsylvania completely free of charge and is a major destination in the city of Philadelphia.
Opening hours: 9am - 7:00 pm
Admission: – Tickets must be purchased and security screening performed
Although this is a simple, small house in downtown Philadelphia, the Betsy Ross House has remained one of the most visited spots in Philadelphia for tourists. The former home of Betsy Ross, original seamstress of the American flag for the 13 colonies is a great place to visit and offers an interesting glimpse into life in the 18th century in North America.
Opening hours: 10am - 5pm, closed Mondays
Admission: – $3 adults and $2 children and seniors
Gettysburg National Military Park
The Gettysburg National Military Park, located in the town of Gettysburg is a major destination for Civil War buffs and history lovers. Located on the site of the Gettysburg Battle, the Gettysburg National Military Park features information about the Civil War as well as memorabilia. Nearby, the Gettysburg National Cemetery is the site of the Gettysburg Address given by President Abraham Lincoln and is also worth visiting.
Since its opening in 1997, the Zippo/Case Visitors Center has attracted thousands of visitors from over 120 countries around the world. The story of Zippo Manufacturing Company is the story of its people, from the founder, George G. Blaisdell, to the many Zippo employees, customers, and collectors who have played a part in its 75-year history. Their loyalty to Zippo has made this one of America’s great companies, one with a vivid history which is detailed here.
While traveling across the northern tier of Pennsylvania, the Zippo/Case Visitors Center is a preferred destination location.
1-888-442-1932
www.zippo.com
Found in the town of Hershey Pennsylvania, Hershey Park is a theme park with rides which was originally built by Milton Hershey as a gift to his employees. Eventually Hershey Park was opened to the public and today the area is one of the biggest family vacation destinations in Pennsylvania. Hershey is also a great place to come for golf and Philadelphia shopping and continues to draw thousands of travelers every year.
Opening hours: 10am - 10pm
Admission: – one day admission are as follows, other ticket plans available online (including a discounted combo ticket that includes admission to Dutch Wonderland)
One-Day Admission |
|
| Regular (ages 9-54) | $51.95 |
| Junior (ages 3-8) | $30.95 |
| Senior (ages 55-69) | $30.95 |
| Senior Plus (70+) | $20.95 |
| Children (ages 2 and under) | FREE |
Pennsylvania is home to many premier amusement parks: Dorney Park near Allentown, Kennywood Park near Pittsburgh, and Knoebels Park in Elysburg PA, among others. One park, Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster PA, combines the best in amusement rides with a scenic location in the heart of Pennsylvania Amish Country. With its focus on family activity, Dutch Wonderland makes a great thing to do on a Pennsylvania vacation.
Opening hours: 10am - 10pm
Admission: – one day admissions is as follows, other ticket plan available on their website
Single Day Admission |
|
| Royalty (ages 3-59) | $30.95 |
| Senior Royalty (ages 60-69) | $25.95 |
| Senior Plus Royalty (70+) | $18.95 |
| Royalty-in-Training (ages 2 and under) | FREE |
Central Pennsylvania is a wooded wonderland, with many sites for hiking, fishing, and camping, but the area is not just good for experiencing nature. Nestled in a verdant valley about three hours drive from Philadelphia, Knoebels Amusement Park is one of the largest free admission amusement parks in the United States.
Opening hours: 10am - 9pm
Admission: – free
Lake Erie
Central Pennsylvania is a wooded wonderland, with many sites for hiking, fishing, and camping, but the area is not just good for experiencing nature. Nestled in a verdant valley about three hours drive from Philadelphia, Knoebels Amusement Park is one of the largest free admission amusement parks in the United States.
Share in the spirit of imagination with your kids at Sesame Place - where you can experience Sesame Street together through whirling rides, water slides, colorful shows & furry friends. And where you’ll discover that sometimes, the best part of their childhood is rediscovering yours.
Sesame Place is located 30 minutes north of Philadelphia and 90 minutes south of New York City.
Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site
Poet and author Edgar Allen Poe lived here with his family. Follow the master of the macabre around the three storey house where he penned “The Black Cat”. Visitors can freely wander round the three permanent and two changing exhibitions. The more timid can enjoy a guided tour.
Opening hours: Wednesday – Sunday 9am to 5pm
Admission: – Free of charge
Carpenters’ Hall
Carpenter’s Hall is where delegates to The First Continental Congress to support a trade embargo against England. This was one of the first unified acts of defiance against the King, and ensured that imports from Britain in 1775 were just 3% of the 1774 total. Visitors can see the delegates’ chairs and the original banner carried during the 1788 Constitutional parade.
Opening hours: daily, except Mondays (and Tuesdays in January and February), from 10am-4pm
Admission: Free of Charge
Brandywine Battlefield Historic Site
30 wiles west of Philadelphia, in 1777 Brandywine was the site of the largest single-day land battle of the American Revolution. Today, visitors can visit a museum where artifacts from the battle are on display. There are also two houses on the site, which are only accessible on guided tours .
The Washington headquarters is the former home of Benjiman Ring, from where Washington commanded his troops. The house was lovingly restored with Revolutionary period decorations following a fire in 1931.
Gideon Gilpin offered lodgings in his home to Marquis de Lafayette a French aristocrat who fought on the American side in the Seven Years’ War. Today, the house recreates what life was like for the 19 year old Frenchman, who was to become one of Washington’s closest friends.
Guided tours of the houses are not always available, but reduced admission charges apply.
Opening Hours: vary by season please contact the museum.
Admission: Adults $5.00 Seniors $3.50 Youth (6-17) $2.50 Under 6 Free
Washington Crossing Historic Park
1112 River Road, Washington Crossing, +1 (215) 493-4076
On Christmas Day 1776, Washington led 2400 men across the icy Delaware River and began the advance towards vital battle victories at Trenton and Princeton. The Washington Crossing Historic Park, 35 miles north-east of Philadelphia, stands at the site of this crossing and visitors can explore the preserved grounds , take a ferry crossing or see the primitive medical services available in the military hospital .
Opening Hours: Tues.-Sat., 9am to 5pm Sunday, noon to 5pm
Admission: Tues.-Sat., 9am to 5pm, Sunday, noon to 5pm
This website has an interactive map of Pennsylvania that shows all the French and Indian War sites and gives a brief background of each location. It also includes information about different historcial trail including the Forbes Trail, which runs from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.
This National Historic Park commemorates the first railroad constructed over the Allegheny Mountains, an inclined plane railroad considered an engineering marvel in its day.
The opening of western Pennsylvania to settlement was the result of a decisive victory over the Native Americans at the Battle of Bushy Run, August 5th and 6th, 1763. Tours, reenactments, artifacts and interpretive exhibits tell the story of the hard-fought victory.
Park:
Wednesday - Sunday: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (year round)Visitor's Center:
April 1 - October 31
Wednesday - Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.Admission and Fees:Adults: $5.00
Senior Citizens & Groups: $4.50
Children Ages 6-17: $4.00
(Discounted rates for group tours by reservation.)
Located three miles east of Ligonier on Route 30, this restored 1799 stage coach stop offers guided tours. Features a stagecoach furnished with period pieces, cookhouse with beehive oven, the blacksmith shop with working forge, and barn housing a stagecoach and Conestoga wagon.
Open daily May through October.
Tuesday through Saturday: 11:00 to 4:00.
Sunday: 1:00 to 5:00.
Covered Bridges of Pennsylvania
Explore the covered bridges of Pennsylvania, birthplace of the covered bridge and home to over 200 covered bridges that are still standing.
Learn about the famed Whisky Rebellion at this 18th century home of David Bradford, a prominent attorney and leader in the rebellion. David Bradford and his family lived in this Washington County house -- a mansion by frontier standards -- from 1788 to 1794
Wednesdays: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Thursdays: 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Fridays: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Saturdays: 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
The full-size replica of Edwin Drake's first successful oil well, museum, and other exhibits tell the story of Sir Edwin Drake and the oil boomtown of Titusville, PA. The nearby Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad runs passengers along scenic Oil Creek, while guides tell the tale of the birth of America's modern oil industry in the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania.
Originally constructed in 1758, this historic fort in Westmoreland County was an important staging ground in the French & Indian War. The museum and exhibits tell the story of the war and the realities of frontier life in southwestern Pennsylvania. Open May through October.
Monday through Saturday: 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Fort Necessity National Battlefield was the site of the opening salvo in the war that eventually became known as the French & Indian War or Seven Year's War. Find hours, directions and visitor's tips for Fort Necessity in Western Pennsylvania.
One of 26 historic sites and museums on the Pennsylvania Trail of History, the Fort Pitt Blockhouse and museum depicts the struggle for dominance in the Revolutionary War and French & Indian War. The museum also tells the story of the early development of the city of Pittsburgh. Located at the Point in downtown Pittsburgh
Friendship Hill National Historic Site
Visit the restored country estate of Albert Gallatin, a Swiss emigrant best remembered for his thirteen year tenure as Secretary of the Treasury during the Jefferson and Madison administrations.
This National Historic Landmark town, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, showcases exhibits from Native American, Harmonist and Mennonite cultures. At the Harmony Museum see how Harmonists and Mennonites lived, tour the wine cellar and learn about the French and Indian War.
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
This National Park commemorates the site of one of the worst disasters in United States history, a flood in which over 2200 people and an entire town perished. Nearby, the Johnstown Flood Museum tells even more of the story through exhibits, artifacts, photographs, and an award winning film.
Pennsylvania's first National Historic Landmark of the Underground Railroad, LeMoyne House is one of only seven such sites in the United States. The stately stone house in Washington County is open for tours.
It is open for guided tours year round, Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., and Saturday for group tours (20 or more) by appointment only. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students. The Research Library is open Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tours of the restored rolling gristmill and covered bridge at McConnell's Mill state park are only part of the adventure. There is also striking scenery, gorgeous hiking trails, whitewater boating and two rock climbing and rapelling areas.
Meadowcroft Museum of Rural Life
This wonderful, off-the-beaten-path destination recreates the story of life in Western Pennsylvania over the past 16,000 years. Explore a charming 19th century village or the internationally-known archaeological dig at the Meadowcroft Rockshelter, where the first Americans lived over 16,000 years ago.
This tudor style house with octagonal tower and battlements has 22 furnished rooms showing the stages of change from trading post to castle. Learn about tours and upcoming events.
This Bedford County living history museum and Native American settlement helps visitors experience what pioneer life was like in 18th and 19th century Pennsylvania. Tour the log cabins and exhibits, or enjoy military and civilian re-enactments, colonial craft demonstrations and classes, and festivals.
Adult Admission $10
Students (Age 6 through College w/ ID) $5
Under Age 6 FREE
This six-acre National Historic Landmark in Ambridge, PA, is the restored 19th century home of the Harmonists, a communal Christian society led to Pennsylvania from Germany by George Rapp in search of religious, social and economic freedom. Restored buildings and more than 16,000 preserved artifacts tell their story.
The site is open March through December, Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 5:00 PM and on Sundays from noon until 5 PM. The site is closed Mondays and holidays, except Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day.
Please allow 2 hours for your visit. Visitors wanting guided tours of the site should call ahead for daily tour times. Hours may be subject to change.Admission is charged
|
This old stone farmhouse, nestled among the trees at South Park in Allegheny County, is a pioneer landmark and Whiskey Rebellion site.
Just 30 minutes south of Pittsburgh, you can climb aboard a restored streetcar and head out for a scenic 4-mile ride into the past. Almost 50 historic trolleys from various eras are on display in the museum.
Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center
Located in the Strip District, the John Heinz History Center brings 250 years of Western Pennsylvania to life. Step inside a 1790s log cabin. Discover how immigrants shaped this region. Uncover the myths of the Underground Railroad and climb aboard a 1940s Pittsburgh trolley. There's plenty here for young kids too, including Discovery Place with special hands-on history exhibits and games.
Hours
The History Center's exhibits and Museum Shop are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Library & Archives, located on the History Center's sixth floor, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. Other hours are by appointment.
For more information, please contact the History Center at 412-454-6000.
Admission
Adults: $10.00
Senior Citizens (62+): $9.00
Students with a valid school ID: $5.00
Children ages 4-17: $5.00
Children age 3 and under: Free
History Center Members: Free
The birthplace and childhood home of ecologist and author Rachel Carson (1907-1964), whose 1962 best-seller Silent Spring helped launch the modern environmental movement. Visit and experience first-hand the surroundings that made Rachel Carson a fierce and poetic defender of the natural world.
The road which built this nation, the National Road is the most historic transportation corridor in the United States. George Washington and Daniel Boone were among its first travelers. Travel the portion which crosses southwestern Pennsylvania, and enjoy its scenic vistas, historic homes and toll houses.
The Pennsylvania Lumber Museum
Experience the lumberjack lifestyle of yore. Take a tour of the grounds and view the rugged lifestyle of the woodhicks in the re-created logging camp. Every summer, at the annual Bark Peeler's Convention, present-day woodsmen compete in old-fashioned games that test woodcutting strength and skill. Potter County, PA.
Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum
This interactive 20,000 square-foot exhibit, located in the John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center, celebrates the rich sports legends and traditions of Western Pennsylvania. Explore interactive kiosks and exhibits, watch historic videos, and view historic artifacts including old Pirates banners and Franco Harris' Immaculate Reception shoes.
Woodville Plantation - Neville House
The only surviving 18th-century mansion house and garden in Allegheny County, Woodville Plantation was the home of John Neville, collector of the hated federal excise tax on whiskey, and a major target in the Whiskey Rebellion of 1794.
Touring Pennsylvania's Civil War Sites
While most Civil War battles were fought below the Mason Dixon Line, Pennsylvania hosted it's own share of skirmishes and battles. The most significant battles were fought in Gettysburg and Hanover. Today, you can tour both sites and learn more about America's Civil War. Venture out to see other pertinent Civil War sites around Pennsylvania if you have the time. Read on to learn more.
Visit the Hanover Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce at 146 Carlisle St. in Hanover. Obtain directions and other information about the self-guided walking tour of the Hanover Battlefield. Call (717) 637-6130 for hours.
Take the self-guided walking tour of the Hanover Battlefield. Follow the 18 wayside markers along Frederick Street and Broadway. Waysides identify relevant locations, including the spot where the Confederates invaded Pennsylvania, sites of repeated cavalry charges and the place where General Custer halted Confederate forces.
Stop at the Hanover Junction Train Station Museum located in North Codorus Township. The station was occupied by Confederate forces during a bridge burning campaign. Later, the station's telegraph served as a mode of communication between Union forces and Washington D.C. Many wounded solders stopped at the station before being transported to hospitals. Call (717) 840-7440 for operating hours.
Tour the town of Chambersburg, the site of a destructive fire set by the Confederates when the city failed to raise ransom. Start at the Chambersburg Heritage Center. The staff can suggest inexpensive driving tour guides to area Civil War sites. Call (717) 264-7101 for information.
Spend time in the town of Wrightsville. View the Civil War Diorama which tells the story how the local militia thwarted Confederate advances by burning one of the longest covered bridges in the world. Also visit the Historic Wrightsville Museum on 309 Locust St. in Wrightsville. Call (717) 252-1169 for more information.
Plan to spend at least two days in Gettysburg. Start at the Gettysburg Battlefield National Park Visitor Center. Tour the museum and obtain information about the park. Enjoy the park in the comfort of your own car or on a tour bus. You can also hire a Licensed Battlefield Guide.
Museums are another great way to learn about local history. Below is a link to Pennsylvania's state museum in Harrisburg followed by a list of Museums by County and their websites.
Museums By County
Allegheny County
Allegheny-Kiski Valley Historical Society
724-224-7666
www.akvhs.org
August Wilson Center for African American Culture
412-258-2700
www.augustwilsoncenter.org
Braddock's Field Historical Society
412-391-2498
www.einpgh.org/ein/braddock
Carnegie Museum of Art
412-622-3131
www.cmoa.org
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
412-622-3131
www.clpgh.org/cmnh
Carnegie Science Center
412-237-3400
www.carnegiesciencecenter.org
Center for American Music at the Stephen Foster Memorial
412-624-4100
www.pitt.edu/~amerimus/cam1.htm
Depreciation Lands Museum
412-486-0563
www.depreciationlandsmuseum.org
Elizabeth Township Historical Society
412-754-2030
www.15122.com/ETHS
Fort Pitt Museum
412-281-9285
www.fortpittmuseum.com
Frick Art and Historical Center
412-371-0600
www.frickart.org
George Westinghouse Museum
412.823.3004
www.georgewestinghouse.com
Hartwood
412-767-9200
wwww.alleghenycounty.us/parks/hwfac.aspx
Heinz Memorial Chapel, University of Pittsburgh
412-624-4157
www.heinzchapel.pitt.edu
Historical Society of Carnegie
412-276-7447
www.rootsweb.com/~pahsc/index.html.
Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation
412-268-2434
huntbot.andrew.cmu.edu
James L. Kelso Bible Lands Museum
412-362-5610
www.pts.edu/museum.html
Kerr Memorial Museum
412-826-9295
www.kerrmuseum.com
Mattress Factory
412-231-3169
www.mattress.org
Nationality Rooms, University
of Pittsburgh
412-624-6150
www.pitt.edu/~natrooms
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
412-622-6914
www.phipps.conservatory.org
Photo Antiquities Museum
412-231-7881
www.photoantiquities.com
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts
412-361-0873
www.pittsburgharts.org
Pittsburgh Children's Museum
412-322-5058
www.pittsburghkids.org
Rachel Carson Homestead
724-274-5459
www.rachelcarsonhomestead.org
Rodef Shalom Biblical Garden
412-621-6566
rodefshalom.org/who/garden
Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center
412-454-6000
www.pghhistory.org
Society for Contemporary Crafts
412-261-7003
www.contemporarycraft.org
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall of Pittsburgh
412-621-4253
www.soldiersandsailorshall.org
University Art Gallery, University of Pittsburgh
412-648-2400
vrcoll.fa.pitt.edu/uag
Woodville Plantation
412-221-0348
www.woodvilleplantation.org
Armstrong County
Leechburg Area Museum and Historical Society
724-845-8914
home.alltel.net/lamahs
Beaver County
Beaver County Historical Research and Landmarks Foundation
724-775-1848
www.bchrlf.org
Beaver Falls Historical Society
724-846-4340
www.flealess.org/beaver1a.html
Old Economy Village
724-266-4500
www.oldeconomyvillage.org
Blair County
Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum
814-946-0834
www.railroadcity.com
Fort Roberdeau Historic Site and Nature Area
814.946.0048
www.fortroberdeau.org
Bradford County
Zippo/Case Museum
1-888-442-1932
www.zippo.com
Butler County
Butler County Historical Society
724-283-8116
www.butlercountyhistoricalsociety-pa.org
Harmony Museum
724-452-7341
www.harmonymuseum.org
Zelienople Historical Society
724-452-9457
www.fyi.net/~zhs
Clarion County
Clarion County Historical Society
814-226-4450
http://www.orgsites.com/pa/clarioncountyhistoricalsociety
Cambria County
Johnstown Flood Museum
814-539-1889
www.jaha.org/FloodMuseum/oklahoma.html
Johnstown Heritage Discovery Center
814-539-1889
www.jaha.org/DiscoveryCenter/virtualtour.html
www.sama-art.org
Crawford County
Crawford County Historical Society
814-724-6080
crawfordhistorical.org
Elizabeth Township Historical Society
412-754-2030
www.15122.com/ETHS
Fayette County
Braddock Road Preservation Association
724-439-4912
www.braddockroadpa.org
Fallingwater
724-329-8501
www.wpconline.org/fallingwaterhome.htm
Flatiron Building Heritage Center
724-785-9331
www.flatironcenter.com
Fort Necessity National Battlefield
724-329-5512
www.nps.gov/fone
Frank L. Melega Art Museum
724-785-9331
www.melegaartmuseum.org
Friendship Hill National Historic Site
724-725-9190
www.nps.gov/frhi
Nemacolin Castle
724-785-6882
www.nemacolincastle.org
Greene County
Greene County Historical Society
724-627-3204
www.greenepa.net/~museum/
Waynesburg College Museum
724-852-3214
www.waynesburg.edu/visit/museum
Indiana County
Jimmy Stewart Museum
724-349-6112
www.jimmy.org
The University Museum and Kipp Gallery of the Indiana University
of Pennsylvania
724-357-6495
www.arts.iup.edu/museum
Jefferson County
Coolspring Power Museum
814-849-6883
www.coolspringpowermuseum.org
Jefferson County Historical Society
814-849-0077
www.orgsites.com/pa/jeffersoncohistsoc
Lawrence County
Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts
724-652-2882
hoytartcenter.org
Lawrence County Historical Society
724-658-4022
www.lawrencechs.com
Somerset County
Somerset Historical Center
814-455-6077
www.somersetcounty.com/historicalcenter
Venango County
Debence Antique Music World
814-432-8350
www.debencemusicworld.com
Washington County
David Bradford House
724-222-3604
www.bradfordhouse.org
Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Museum of Rural Life
724-587-3412
meadowcroft.pghhistory.org
Pennsylvania Trolley Museum
724-228-9256
www.pa-trolley.org
Washington County Historical
Society
724-225-6740
www.wchspa.org
Westmoreland County
Bushy Run Battlefield
724-527-5584
www.bushyrunbattlefield.com
Fort Ligonier
724-238-9701
www.fortligonier.com
Victorian Vandergrift Museum & Historical Society
724-568-1990
www.vvmhs.com
West Overton Museums
724-887-7910
www.fay-west.com/westoverton
Westmoreland County Historical Society
724-836-1800
www.starofthewest.org
Westmoreland Museum of American Art
724-837-1500
www.wmuseumaa.org