Pennsylvania Travel Guide

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Top Things to See

Old Bedford Village
Journey back in time at Old Bedford Village (www.oldbedfordvillage.com) for a taste of living history of the pioneer era, with costumed guides, crafts demonstrations and 40 authentic buildings.

Laurel Highlands
Visit two of Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpieces in western Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands: Kentuck Knob (www.kentuckknob.com) and the spectacular Fallingwater (www.paconserve.org).

Lancaster County
Experience the life of the Pennsylvania Dutch in Lancaster County (www.padutch.com). Hear interpreters weaving their story at the People's Place in Intercourse. Buy homemade quilts, crafts and wares, detour down side roads for glimpses of horse-drawn buggies, auctions and antique shops.

Pennsylvania Grand Canyon
Explore the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon on foot, horseback, canoe or river raft. The 300m- (1,000ft-) deep gorge twists along 80km (50 miles) of Pine Creek and embraces 121,000 hectares (300,000 acres) of forest.

Lake Erie
Fish, boat or swim Lake Erie. Bordering the Great Lakes, the northwestern corner of the state features 12,950 hectares (32,000 acres) of lakes, as well as hundreds of miles of rivers.

Independence National Historical Park
Visit Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, and see Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed in 1776. Gaze at the Liberty Bell that was sounded at the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Valley Forge National Historical Park
Tour Valley Forge National Historical Park, one of the most revered shrines of the American Revolution.

Fairmount Park
Spend time at the Fairmount Park (www.fairmountpark.org), by the Schuylkill River, one of the USA's largest city parks. Learn about the river ecosystem at the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center (www.fairmountwaterworks.com).

Point State Park Fountain
Explore the Point State Park Fountain in the Golden Triangle area of central Pittsburgh. It symbolises the creation of the Ohio River at the meeting of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers.

Pocono Mountains
Enjoy historic towns and the breathtaking scenery of the Pocono Mountains and their neighbors to the west - the Endless Mountains.

Top Things to Do

Go mining
Descend 76m (250ft) below the earth to Lackawanna Coal Mine (www.thecoalminetour.com). Former miners lead visitors on tours through the mines telling of the lives and times of the miners. Visit Eckley Miners' Village (www.eckleyminers.org), an authentic coal-mining town.

Rafting
Plunge into white water on the Youghiogheny River. With its class III and IV rapids, it provides some of the best rafting in the east.

Ride a steam train
Hear the bell and whistle as you ride a steam train at Steamtown (www.nps.gov/stea). The National Historic Site features dozens of antique railroad cars and interpretive displays.

Visit Chocolatetown
Indulge your sweet tooth in the town of Hershey (www.hersheypa.com), home of the world's largest chocolate factory, ‘Chocolatetown USA', with a visitor's center, shopping outlets and an amusement park.

Hike or ski in Allegheny National Forest
Travel through the Allegheny National Forest, a vast area of woodlands, virgin timber, rivers and beautiful vistas. Winter sports enthusiasts can explore 480km (300 miles) of snowmobiling trails and seven cross-country ski trails.

Walk the battlefield
Walk the battlefield at Gettysburg, the famous Civil War battle site, featuring the Gettysburg National Military Park (www.nps.gov/gett) and the Eisenhower National Historic Site (www.nps.gov/eise).