Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania Travel Guide 2025
Pennsylvania’s Great Lakes Region (GL)
2024-11-28 12:42:02
Pennsylvania’s Lake Erie coast features everything you’d want from a beach: gentle waves, ice cream stands — even a lighthouse. But the region boasts more than Lake Erie’s shore. Get a thrill on a snowmobile or on a wooden roller coaster. Hit the links, and then rest in luxury. Search for wildlife at a nearby preserve. Taste-test wines at a vineyard, or stroll through art galleries and exhibits. The region’s state parks and glittering lakes teem with hiking, hunting, history, and heritage, offering something for all ages.
Adventures in Erie
Whether you come to enjoy the sandy beaches of Pennsylvania’s only “seashore,” ice or in-line skating, or birding at Gull Point, there is something for everyone at Presque Isle State Park. Make a pit stop at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, offering free admission to its interactive exhibits, glassen-closed tower, and orientation movie.
Young adventurers will love the water slides, tree house, and frog-themed splash pad of Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park Resort. For even more thrills, venture to Waldameer & Water World, with more than 100 rides, slides, and attractions.
Families will also enjoy an excursion at the ExpERIEnce Children’s Museum, a vibrant, hands-on center with educational exhibits for kids, plus event space for birthdays. Erie Land Lighthouse, also known as the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse, is a lighthouse on the shore of Lake Erie.
If you prefer to eat local, this is it. The Pineapple Eddie Southern Bistro cooks up flavorful Caribbean cuisine. In warmer weather months, stop at Pier 6 Rooftop Bar & Restaurant to take in stunning views of Lake Erie while enjoying specialty burgers and a full-service bar. For a night on the town, see all the modern renovations at the historic Warner Theatre, with major Broadway shows and traveling acts.
Detour to Edinboro
Stay in one of Edinboro Lake Resort’s cozy cabins near Edinboro Lake to enjoy all the modern amenities of glamping with the outdoorsy feel of camping. In the morning, head to Lakeside Bagel & Deli for bagels, coffee, scones, and many more bites and beverages to fuel up for the day’s adventures in Edinboro. During spring or fall, stop by the seasonal Hurry Hill Farm Maple Museum to learn all about the traditional methods of maple syrup production.
SWEET SCOOPS
After sun-washed days on the sandy beaches of Presque Isle State Park on Lake Erie, find your way to one of Erie’s many longstanding ice cream shops.
Stroll over to Sara’s, a ‘50s-style diner famed for its sundaes, creamy soft-serve, and root beer floats. Denny’s Ice Cream Stand is a local favorite, known for its soft-serve orange sherbet and vanilla twists, hand-dipped ice cream, and nostalgic charm. Whippy Dip, another cherished spot, offers a lineup of creative milkshakes and sundaes, making it an ideal stop for a summer treat. Looking for some gourmet options? Maria’s Tasty Delights offers creative flavors, plus ice cream sandwiches. Romolo Chocolates (primarily known for its chocolates and sponge candy) also dishes out rich ice cream — inspired by their candy flavors, such as Peanut Butter Meltaway.
Wine Tasting & More in North East
Near the shores of Lake Erie, you’ll find a collection of delightful wineries to try. On Saturdays, sip wine on the patio and listen to live music at Penn Shore Winery & Vineyards — one of the largest and longest-established wineries in the state, reopening soon after an extensive remodel. In addition to a wide variety of delicious wines, Arundel Cellars & Brewing Co. will have its own craft brews on tap, and when the apples are ready in the fall, it’ll start its first batch of sparkling cider — best enjoyed al fresco.
Conneaut Lake & Pymatuning Lake Areas
Formerly known as Dennis Beach, Fireman’s Beach in Conneaut Lake continues to serve as a popular location for picnics and boating. Then explore one of the largest state parks in the commonwealth, Pymatuning State Park, clocking in at almost 17,000 acres and spanning the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.
When you’re ready to stop for food, find Vacavi Café, overlooking the dock at Conneaut Lake and offering coffee, snacks, lunch, and desserts. Also nearby, Silver Shores Restaurant remains a local staple on the water, serving up freshly caught seafood since 1930.
MORE LAKE ADVENTURES NEARBY
Take advantage of more lakeside activities and water sports, at one (or all!) of these other lakes nearby. From Maurice K. Goddard State Park in Sandy Lake to Shenango Recreation Area Campground in Transfer and Woodcock Creek Lake in Meadville, summer won’t be long enough to get your fill of boating, kayaking, fishing, wildlife spotting, and sunset watching.
OIL REGION NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA: Oil City & More
Considered the birthplace of the modern oil industry, find Venango Museum of Art, Science & Industry in the small town of Oil City. Here, exhibits detail the impact of the oil industry on our everyday lives. Drake Well Museum and Park in Titusville is another cultural institution dedicated to the history of oil in America — using films, exhibits, artifacts, oil field machinery, and historic buildings to tell the story of the petroleum industry’s birth.
Ride on the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad in Titusville, which takes you through scenic Oil Creek State Park, where oil history all began. The state park also offers bicycle rentals, a playground at the Petroleum Centre, biking trails, picnic areas, and camping.
For a 3-in-1 kind of trip, head to a remote section of Venango County to explore three different landmarks, from a 20-foot waterfall known as Freedom Falls to the preserved ruins of Rockland Furnace near the Allegheny River, and the historic 3,000-foot-long Rockland Tunnel.
For great live music every night, grab a bite and a beer at the local Titusville Iron Works Tap House, housed in a former manufacturing facility that once built power boilers, steam engines, iron tanks, and rig irons.
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