Pennsylvania surprised me...not with spectacle, but with soul. From the soft hush of arboretums to the thunder of coasters and echoes of battlefields, this state holds a dozen versions of America in its folds. I remember thinking, “This place is layered—every corner carrying its own heartbeat.” Whether I wandered through sculpture gardens, stood beneath blast furnaces, or listened to silence on sacred ground, I never felt rushed. Pennsylvania isn’t a place to pass through...it’s one to absorb, reflect, and return to.
Best Things to Do in Pennsylvania
Finding Stillness Among the Blooms at Longwood Gardens
Longwood Gardens didn’t just impress me—it softened me. From the grand fountains to the delicate orchids in the conservatory, the place felt like nature performing a symphony. I remember thinking, “If peace had a shape, it would look like this.” There was something sacred in walking slowly through manicured pathways, where color, water, and breeze worked in harmony.
What I Loved Most: The Main Fountain Garden show—water leaping skyward to classical music, choreographed like a ballet I didn’t know I needed.
My Highlights? A seasonal salad and a warm rosemary focaccia at 1906, the on-site restaurant—elegant, fresh, and a perfect pause between the garden’s wonders.
Plan Your Visit:
- Address: 1001 Longwood Rd, Kennett Square, PA 19348
- Hours: Daily, 10am–6pm; extended hours for special events
- Vibe: Botanical, artistic, serene
- Best Time to Visit: Spring for blooms, or holiday season for magical light displays
- Cost: Adults $25, Seniors $22, Youth $13
In the Presence of Emotion at the Rodin Museum
The Rodin Museum was small in size but vast in feeling. Every sculpture felt alive with tension and thought. I wandered slowly, tracing details in bronze and marble, letting the quiet courtyard echo with the weight of art. I remember thinking, “Rodin didn’t just sculpt bodies—he sculpted moments.”
What I Loved Most: “The Thinker” outside the museum, deep in thought under the open sky—contemplation made stone.
My Highlights? A cappuccino and almond croissant at La Colombe Coffee Roasters nearby, where I scribbled down a few thoughts stirred up by the gallery.
Plan Your Visit:
- Address: 2151 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Philadelphia, PA 19130
- Hours: Fri–Mon, 10am–5pm
- Vibe: Introspective, expressive, refined
- Best Time to Visit: Mornings for quiet reflection
- Cost: Pay-what-you-wish admission
Embracing Childhood Joy at Hersheypark
Hersheypark surprised me. I expected roller coasters—I didn’t expect the way laughter echoed through the air like a soundtrack. From chocolate-scented breezes to thrill rides that made my heart race, the park blended nostalgia with energy. I remember thinking, “This is joy without apology.”
What I Loved Most: The mix of classic carnival rides and sleek new coasters—timeless fun with a sweet twist.
My Highlights? A Reese’s Extreme Milkshake topped with peanut butter cups and whipped cream, enjoyed at Simply Chocolate after a wild ride on Candymonium.
Plan Your Visit:
- Address: 100 Hersheypark Dr, Hershey, PA 17033
- Hours: Varies seasonally; open daily in summer
- Vibe: Whimsical, nostalgic, high-energy
- Best Time to Visit: Summer or Halloween for themed events
- Cost: Day tickets start around $50; discounts available online
Walking Quietly Through Awbury Arboretum
Awbury Arboretum felt like a secret garden tucked within the rhythm of the city. Its open meadows, winding trails, and towering trees offered something rare—space to breathe. I remember thinking, “This is what it feels like to exhale slowly.” It wasn’t grand or flashy, but instead quietly generous, letting nature speak at its own pace.
What I Loved Most: The English landscape-inspired open lawns and the feeling of stepping into a forgotten poem.
My Highlights? A simple iced herbal tea and lemon scone from The Monkey & The Elephant Café nearby—light, local, and grounding.
Plan Your Visit:
- Address: 1 Awbury Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19138
- Hours: Daily, 7am–dusk
- Vibe: Hidden gem, restorative, deeply local
- Best Time to Visit: Spring for blooming trees and quiet walks
- Cost: Free
Steel and Soul with Rivers of Steel
Rivers of Steel wasn’t just about industry—it was about people. The stories of labor, grit, and innovation echoed through rusted beams and massive furnaces at the Carrie Blast Furnaces site. I remember thinking, “This is the art of resilience.” There was beauty in the decay, in the transformation, in the fierce pride preserved here.
What I Loved Most: Seeing graffiti murals across massive industrial ruins, where color and history coexisted with power.
My Highlights? A post-tour sandwich and craft cider at Engine House 25 Wines in nearby Pittsburgh—earthy, bold, and full of story like the site itself.
Plan Your Visit:
- Address: 801 Carrie Furnace Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15218
- Hours: Tour dates vary; check website
- Vibe: Industrial, artistic, gritty
- Best Time to Visit: Summer or fall for outdoor tours and special programs
- Cost: Tours start at $25
Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia
The first thing I noticed was the wind off the river—cool and constant, fluttering the signal flags above the pier. Inside the museum, it smelled faintly of varnish and canvas, and I thought, “This is the kind of place that lets you touch the past without losing your footing in the present.”
What I Loved Most: Watching my child sit at the knot-tying station, tongue poked out in concentration, determined to master a bowline like it meant something.
My highlights? Walking the deck of the USS Olympia, hearing the creak of timber beneath our steps. Inside the USS Becuna submarine, the air was close and metal-scented, and we moved through tight quarters, ducking through hatches and peering into periscope glass. Back in the main museum, we explored stories of immigrants, sailors, and shipbuilders—told not in lectures, but in lanterns, tools, and handwritten logs.
Plan your visit:
- Location: Along Penn’s Landing, Philadelphia waterfront
- Vibe: Interactive, immersive, quietly profound
- Highlights: Cruiser Olympia, Submarine Becuna, hands-on knot station, rotating maritime exhibits
- Best Time to Visit: Spring through fall for access to outdoor ship tours
- Cost: ~$18 adults, ~$14 youth; includes museum + ship access
- Good to Know: Some ship areas require climbing—sneakers and flexibility recommended
Stepping into History at the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center
Gettysburg was heavy with reverence. The museum grounded me before I even stepped onto the battlefield. Artifacts, films, and immersive exhibits pulled me into the heart of 1863. I remember thinking, “This isn’t just a history lesson—it’s an invitation to feel.” The weight of sacrifice echoed in every detail.
What I Loved Most: The Cyclorama—a sweeping, painted panorama of Pickett’s Charge that brought stillness to the entire room.
My Highlights? A reflective lunch at Dobbin House Tavern, where I had a warm bowl of turkey pot pie in a stone-walled room that whispered of centuries past.
Plan Your Visit:
- Address: 1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA 17325
- Hours: Daily, 9am–5pm
- Vibe: Historic, somber, powerful
- Best Time to Visit: Fall for fewer crowds and beautiful foliage
- Cost: Museum & Film: Adults $18.75; Battlefield tours separate
Pittsburgh’s MLK Community Mural Project: Voices Painted on Walls
I stepped onto the sidewalk and the mural rose before me—towering, raw, alive in color. In that moment, I thought, “This isn’t just paint on brick—it’s stories reclaiming their space.”
What I Loved Most: How the mural felt less like art and more like a breathing public memory—every figure painted with care, every phrase chosen for meaning.
My highlights? As I read names and faces of local activists, students, and musicians—some painted by community youth—I felt the walls speak in harmony.
Plan your visit:
- Location: North Side of Pittsburgh, on the Allegheny Center Alliance Church building, along East Ohio Street
- Vibe: Bold, community-rooted, purposefully visible
- Highlights: MLK Jr. 60-ft mural by Kyle Holbrook and youth, vibrant local imagery, message of unity and justice
- Best Time to Visit: Daylight hours for full visibility; also a meaningful stop on MLK Day events
- Cost: Free and open to the public
- Good to Know: Pair your visit with a walk through other nearby MLK murals or public art locations in East Liberty or Homewood
Bob & Barbara’s Lounge, Philadelphia
The neon glowed softly against the rain-slicked sidewalk as we stepped through the narrow door on South Street. Inside, the walls pulsed with decades of music and stories—framed posters, string lights, a jukebox humming low. I looked around at the red vinyl booths and mismatched chairs and thought, “This place never cared about perfect. Just about real.”
What I Loved Most: The blend of grit and warmth—neighborhood faces, soul music floating through the room, and the sense that time here moved at its own pace.
My highlights? The house band on a Thursday night—horns bright, drums tight, voices that wrapped around the room like velvet. We sat tucked near the stage, tapping along, my child curled beside me with wide eyes and popcorn fingers. Everyone was welcome here—students, couples, grandpas in fedoras. It felt like the kind of place people return to because it remembers them.
Plan your visit:
- Location: 1509 South Street, Philadelphia
- Vibe: Soulful, worn-in, deeply local
- Highlights: Live music (especially Thursday night jazz sets), vintage jukebox, longtime regulars, come-as-you-are feel
- Best Time to Visit: Weeknights for music, weekends for energy
- Cost: Cover charge usually ~$5 on band nights; food options limited—eat beforehand
- Good to Know: It’s small, cash-only, and louder than you think—just lean in and enjoy the rhythm
Leaving Pennsylvania, But Still Traveling Through Its Stories
What I took from Pennsylvania wasn’t just photos—it was emotion. The calm of a mossy trail, the roar of a ride, the weight of a monument. I left with more than I arrived: questions, memories, and a deeper respect for the places that carry our shared past and shape our present. I remember thinking, “Some places don’t shout—they speak softly and stay longer.” And Pennsylvania—rich with beauty, truth, and reflection—was one of those places for me.
Jump to a Spot...
- • Finding Stillness Among the Blooms at Longwood Gardens
- • In the Presence of Emotion at the Rodin Museum
- • Embracing Childhood Joy at Hersheypark
- • Walking Quietly Through Awbury Arboretum
- • Steel and Soul with Rivers of Steel
- • Independence Seaport Museum, Philadelphia
- • Stepping into History at the Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center
- • Pittsburgh’s MLK Community Mural Project: Voices Painted on Walls
- • Bob & Barbara’s Lounge, Philadelphia