Pennsylvania, AL Road Trips

Pennsylvania is a geographically diverse state with a Great Lake on one shore and a major seaport on the other. The climate of Pennsylvania is pleasant, with cold, often snowy winters, mild to hot, humid summers, gorgeous green springtimes, and spectacular displays of colorful autumn foliage. Pennsylvania hosts a number of vital cities, from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. The city of Philadelphia, the state's largest city, houses the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, two major national historical landmarks. The interior of the state has a number of subcultures worth exploring, including the famous Amish countryside, a religious community. Pennsylvania is also home to a diverse group of people, with ethnic enclaves of black and Hispanic populations in its major cities. The culture also differs from region to region, with the eastern half of the state around the city of Philadelphia being largely of Mid-Atlantic character, and the western half, including around the city of Pittsburgh, having a more Midwestern character. The Appalachian regions have a culture akin to that of West Virginia in the South. Pennsylvania is also diverse in that the south central and southeastern parts of the state are urban and densely populated, while much of the rest of the state is rural and/or mountainous. Pennsylvania is a swing state in presidential elections. The state is bordered by New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Ohio. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are the state's two largest cities followed by Allentown, Reading, and Erie.

There is quite a lot to see in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is a historic city with a neighborhood full of mostly 18th- and early 19th-century buildings downtown, and was the nation's capital before Washington, D.C. was constructed, with historical buildings to match. It also has a world-class art museum and Fairmount Park, a huge park designed in great part by Vaux and Olmsted, who also designed Central Park in New York, and is in general a great city. On the other side of the state, Pittsburgh has a great skyline, world-class art and science museums including the Carnegie Museum which houses the best dinosaur collection in the world with holotypes for many dinosaurs including Tyrannosaurus Rex, and some of the most beautiful university buildings in the country, and its geographic position at the confluence of three rivers, with hills rising steeply from their banks, is quite striking. Drake Wells and surrounding sites in Titusville house the remnants of where oil was first struck in the nation and where the world's first oil drill was invented. Closer to the center of the state, Harrisburg is a much smaller city with some pleasant buildings and a great Capitol with a park next to it. Not far from there is the battlefield site in Gettysburg. In the southeastern part of the state, between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, is the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, which includes Amish farming towns where the vehicle of choice is still the horse and buggy. Pennsylvania is also a state of much rural land, with small towns, forests and some gorgeous waterfalls.

Pennsylvania has many attractions throughout the state, from amusement parks, historic sites, beaches along Lake Erie, world-class casinos, campgrounds and more! Pennsylvania is home to some of the country's well-known amusement parks, such as: Conneaut Lake Park. Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom. Allentown Hersheypark. Hershey Kennywood. Pittsburgh Knoebels. The largest free-admission theme park in America Sandcastle Water Park. Pittsburgh Waldameer Park and Water World Erie Camelbeach Waterpark. Tannersville Pennsylvania has legalized casino gambling. Some of the following casinos are also horse-racing facilities, while others stand alone. Harrah's Chester Casino & Racetrack. Chester (Philadelphia area) SugarHouse Casino. Philadelphia Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. Harrisburg The Meadows Racetrack, Casino & Bowling. Pittsburgh area Mohegan Sun. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Mount Airy Casino Resort Golf. Poconos Parx Casino & Racetrack. Philadelphia Presque Isle Downs & Casino. Erie Rivers Casino. Pittsburgh Pennsylvania has Zoos of all sizes. Erie Zoo. Erie Lehigh Valley Zoo. Schnecksville Philadelphia Zoo. Philadelphia Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium. Pittsburgh

Hoagie — A sandwich made of a long loaf of bread filled with various meats, cheeses, vegetables, seasonings, and sauces. Commonly referred to as a "hero" or "submarine sandwich" beyond the Philadelphia Region. Cheesesteak — A famous sandwich famously native to Philadelphia — A hoagie roll filled with chopped steak, melted cheese, and (optionally) onions. "Primanti's" Sandwich — A sandwich of hot meat, french fries and vinegar cole slaw on sliced Italian bread, local to the Pittsburgh Region. A common offshoot is putting french fries on your salad, as well. Pennsylvania Dutch Cuisine: scrapple, funnel cake, shoofly pie, whoopie pie, apple butter, root beer, soft pretzels, etc. Hershey's Chocolate — The iconic candy company is headquartered in the eponymous town of Hershey. Tastykakes — Prepackaged pastries and cakes, local to the Philadelphia Region.

Birch beer and Sarsaparilla (softdrinks). Yuengling The oldest brewery in the United States still produces this eponymous, locally-cherished beer. Yuengling is available in almost every bar and beer distributor in the state, but is seldom found outside of the Mid-Atlantic region and the Deep South. Tours are available at the brewery in Pottsville. The locals traditionally order a Yuengling Lager with the term, "Lager." It is one of the best domestic macro beers you can get in the US. Yuengling also produces several other beers that are worth trying. However, Pennsylvania is home to many other beers. It is the birthplace of Rolling Rock — "#33". Serious beer drinkers, however, probably know Pennsylvania for its wide selection of craft breweries. Hundreds of fine ales are produced each year. Some great labels that every visitor should try include Yards, Sly Fox, Victory, Lancaster, Troegs, Philadelphia Brewing Company, and Stoudts. Pennsylvania's alcoholic-beverage laws are not only restrictive but confusing. There is a good reason that the last thing you usually pass before driving across the state line from most neighboring states is a liquor store. The drinking age is 21 as it is in every other state. Pennsylvania is a liquor-control state, meaning that all hard liquor is sold in state-run stores, along with most wine (although wineries in-state can sell directly to visitors).

Pennsylvania has many country inns in the Northeast and some grand old hotels in big cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. And naturally, you'll also find branches of national chain hotels and motels at various price points throughout the state. As there are many universities in the state, you may also want to inquire about whether you can stay in a dorm during intersessions or in the summer, as you might be able to save money that way.

Pennsylvania is a densely populous state in a densely populous part of the country, with many roads in and out. Interstate highways lead most traffic into the state. Major national interstate highways leading to Pennsylvania include I-95 S from New England, I-95 N from the American South, and I-70 E, I-80 E & I-90 E from the American West and Midwest. Specifically, clockwise from north of Harrisburg: from Montreal & Ottawa to Scranton and Harrisburg: I-81 S. from Boston to Scranton: I-90 W to I-84 W. from Boston to the Lehigh Valley and Harrisburg: I-84 W to I-91 S to I-95 S to I-287 W to I-78 W. from Boston to Philadelphia: I-84 W to I-91 S to I-95 S. from New York City to Scranton: I-80 W. from New York City to the Lehigh Valley and Harrisburg: I-78 W. from New York City to Philadelphia: I-95 S. from Baltimore to Philadelphia: I-95 N. from Baltimore to Harrisburg: I-83 N. from Baltimore to Pittsburgh: I-70 W. from Washington, DC to Philadelphia: I-95 N. from Washington, DC to Harrisburg: I-95 N to I-83 N. from Washington, DC to Pittsburgh: I-270 W to I-70 W. from West Virginia to Pittsburgh: I-79 N. from Columbus and Indianapolis to Pittsburgh and Harrisburg: I-70 E. from Cleveland to Pittsburgh: It's close, but complicated. from Cleveland and Chicago to Erie: I-90 E. from Toronto and Buffalo to Erie: I- 90 W. Also, U.S. Routes 219, 15, and 220 (soon to be I-99) all enter the state at alternative points from both the north and south. State-operated Welcome Centers and Comfort Facilities are found just inside the borders at all major crossings into Pennsylvania.

Information on Pennsylvania transit can be found here. In addition to the Interstate highways that enter Pennsylvania and travel throughout: The Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) is a toll freeway that is the main east-west route between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, with state capital Harrisburg along the way. Take note of the four tunnels through Appalachian ridges. The Turnpike's "Northeast Extension" (I-476, also toll) reaches north from Philadelphia to Allentown and Scranton. Another tunnel is found along it. U.S. Route 322 travels diagonally from the Philadelphia area to just below Erie. Many portions have been converted to freeway, but numerous small towns still lie directly on the way. U.S. Route 22 is an alternative, more mountainous path west through Altoona and Johnstown to Pittsburgh. U.S. Route 6 is a long, rural, scenic drive across Pennsylvania's "Northern Tier". Go west from the northern Poconos through the valley of Scranton and its suburbs, follow the Susquehanna River through the "Endless Mountains", spend three hours through state and national forest land, and end near Lake Erie. U.S Route 30, also named the Lincoln Highway, is a section of the first coast-to-coast paved road in the United States. The highway is especially nice in the central part of Pennsylvania where it passes agricultural areas and is the main street of many small historic towns. Many of these towns have attempted to capitalize on their location on the Lincoln Highway by preserving original structures and opening them as visitors' centers.

Outside of Greater Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the Lehigh Valley, crime is not a major problem in Pennsylvania. Gang activity is high in the larger cities, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Reading. You know you are in a rough area when you see graffiti, abandoned houses and vehicles, and shoes tossed over telephone wires, known as shoefiti, to mark that drugs are for sale. Street drag racing and prostitution are also problems in the state's urban areas. As with most locations in the United States, a major cause of injury and death in Pennsylvania comes from automobile accidents. Drivers can be down-right hostile on some of the more notorious urban freeways, such as the Schuykill Expressway in Philadelphia (usually it's a parking lot anyway), route 22 in Allentown, the 376 in Pittsburgh and on the Interstate 95 corridor in the southeast section of the state. The roads in Pennsylvania are notoriously bad, so be careful. Road rage can be a problem during rush hour, so if you aren't familiar with the highway system, stay out of the left hand lane. The key to safe driving is to stay defensive, you are in unfamiliar areas and while you may feel wronged, it may be the norm. Motorcyclists are not required to wear helmets in Pennsylvania, but it is still advised. Rural mountain roads can sometimes be steep, and impassable in times of heavy snowfall. In many parts of the state, especially around Pittsburgh, steep cliffs reside next to major roads, and rock slides can occur, though rare.