Pennsylvania - Pennsylvania Travel Guide 2026
Feature: Free to Be
2025-12-09 06:14:53
This is a journey centuries in the making, one that comes into sharper focus as America celebrates its 250th anniversary this year. It’s a journey through Pennsylvania’s enduring legacy of freedom, not only as a founding principle, but as a living, evolving promise.
From William Penn’s “Holy Experiment” of religious tolerance in the 1600s to the vibrant communities of today, the Keystone State has long been a place where people come to live, believe, create, and thrive on their own terms. Refugees, newcomers, and seekers of every kind have found sanctuary here: Quakers, Amish, and Mennonites who carved out lives of simplicity and faith; Jewish settlers who helped shape civic life; and generations of African Americans, from abolitionists and freedom seekers to Great Migration families who brought cultural renaissance to Pennsylvania’s cities.
The state’s landscapes echo with stories of laborers, innovators, and artists who left their mark on the nation, from the steel mills of Pittsburgh and coal mines of Anthracite Country to the murals of Violet Oakley, the plays of August Wilson, and the music of Marian Anderson, Hall & Oates, and even Taylor Swift.
Today, Pennsylvania’s spirit of inclusion lives on in its changemakers who continue to advocate for belonging and progress. Across centuries, Pennsylvania remains what it has always been: a place to be free.
Freedom of Expression
Art, literature, and music have always been vehicles of freedom in Pennsylvania — a way to reflect, resist, and reimagine the American story.
No list of Pennsylvania changemakers is complete without Andy Warhol, an LGBTQ artist whose iconic Pop Art works, Campbell’s soup cans, and portraits of celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, blurred the line between consumer culture and fine art. The Andy Warhol Museum in his hometown of Pittsburgh honors his legacy as a vital part of the state’s artistic heritage. Boasting the largest collection of Warhol’s artworks and archival materials, it’s the largest single-artist museum in North America and one of the largest in the world.
A few years before the Pop Art movement, another creative mind was born in Pittsburgh: August Wilson. The playwright used his experiences growing up in the Hill District to pen the 10-play Pittsburgh Cycle, which chronicles the challenges and resilience of Black Americans across each decade of the 20th century. His work redefined American theater with characters rooted in African American life. His voice lives through his Pulitzer Prize-winning plays and at Pittsburgh attractions such as the nonprofit August Wilson African American Cultural Center.
Steel City-born innovators brought their creativity to the food industry, too. In 1869, Henry John Heinz founded the company that would become H.J. Heinz Company, a manufacturer of products such as ketchup and pickles that remain household staples today. At Pittsburgh’s Heinz History Center, get a glimpse into the company’s early operations through photographs and memorabilia, plus gain know-how about other western Pennsylvanians who influenced American culture.
Some 25 years after Heinz was founded, Milton Hershey established his namesake chocolate company in south-central Pennsylvania. In addition to making chocolate affordable for the average American, Hershey also built a town of the same name around his factory that gave employees access to housing and schools. Savor the sweet fruits of his labor at Hershey’s Chocolate World, where you can learn how chocolate is made and create your own chocolate bar, or learn about Milton Hershey’s life and the town he created at The Hershey Story museum.
Like August Wilson, writer John Updike turned his observations and Keystone State roots into works of art. His Rabbit series, set in fictional towns modeled after Reading and Shillington, captured the struggles, desires, and disillusionments of post-World War II America. At The John Updike Childhood Home in Shillington, you can see his restored bedroom and typewriter and find out how the author’s middle-class upbringing influenced his essays, novels, and short stories.
Philadelphia has long been home to barrier-breaking artists, including Violet Oakley, the first woman commissioned for a U.S. government mural project. A muralist and illustrator, Oakley was part of the Red Rose Girls, a trio of early 20th-century women who defied the belief that only men could succeed in the creative world. Look for Oakley’s work, which championed peace and equality, at the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg and the Woodmere art museum in Philadelphia.
At the Philadelphia Art Museum, seek out American folk art paintings by Horace Pippin. After suffering an injury serving in World War I, Pippin turned to the easel as a form of healing and expression. Pippin’s work, inspired by the Black experience and his upbringing in West Chester, offers a deeply personal perspective on history and injustice. A collection of his paintings is also held at Brandywine Museum of Art in Chadds Ford.
Keith Haring, another artist and activist who made statements about current issues through the stroke of a brush, was known for his playful, graffiti-inspired imagery. By tackling issues like HIV/AIDS awareness and gay pride in the 1980s, he redefined how art can engage and educate. Pay tribute to this artist in Kutztown (his hometown), where you’ll find a bright-red steel sculpture at Kutztown Park, chalkboard murals at Kutztown Area Historical Society, and a commemorative historical marker at Normal Avenue and South Whiteoak Street. Then, check out a collection of his creations at Allentown Art Museum in Allentown.
Keystones of Musical History
Pennsylvania has played a starring role in shaping America's sound.
1939
Marian Anderson, a classical contralto singer who honed her talent in Philadelphia, serenades a crowd of 75,000 at the Lincoln Memorial — a concert that became a symbol of the Civil Rights struggle.
1974
Soul and R&B singer and Philadelphian Patti LaBelle releases "Lady Marmalade," which tops the Billboard Hot 100 the following year.
1984
Daryl Hall and John Oates — the Pennsylvanians behind Hall & Oates — are recognized by the Recording Industry Association of America as the most successful duo in rock history.
2000
Hailing from Doylestown, Alecia Beth Moore-Hart (professionally known as pop-rock artist P!NK) releases her first studio album, which garnered huge commercial success and double platinum certification.
2008
Questlove and The Roots, hip-hop stars and cultural innovators, launch the groundbreaking Roots Picnic music fest in Philadelphia.
2023
Pop megastar Taylor Swift, who was born in West Reading, embarks on the highest-grossing tour of all time.
2024
Lancaster-born Jonathan Groff wins the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his role in the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's “Merrily We Roll Along.”
Freedom of Faith and Identity
From the Quakers to today’s thriving LGBTQIA+ communities, Pennsylvania has long been a refuge for those seeking the freedom to live, believe, and be.
William Penn didn’t just establish a colony — he envisioned a bold experiment in tolerance. A devout Quaker born in 1644, Penn sought to build a society grounded in peace, civil liberties, and respect for all faiths. When King Charles II granted him land in the New World, Penn put his plan into action. At Pennsbury Manor in Morrisville, a reconstructed version of his estate, visitors can explore exhibits like "Seed of a Nation" and wander the 43-acre grounds to see how his vision of equality still echoes today.
Pennsylvania’s promise of religious freedom drew many others who longed for sanctuary. In the early 1700s, Amish and Mennonite families arrived from Switzerland and Germany, determined to preserve values of simplicity, community, and nonviolence. Bishop Jacob Hertzler helped establish their foothold in Berks County, and those traditions continue to flourish.
Today, about 43,000 Pennsylvania Amish reside in Lancaster County, a popular destination for experiencing the centuries-old “plain” lifestyle. Book a horse and buggy tour to see historic farmlands and local shops. Also visit The Amish Village, a 12-acre property in Ronks with a barn, one-room schoolhouse, and blacksmith shop. Or sample Amish-style specialties such as shoofly pie and fudge at Lancaster Central Market.
The culinary destination is also a hot spot to try Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine — think scrapple, headcheese, and chowchow — brought to the area by immigrants, along with their Palitinate German language, which has evolved into the Pennsylvania Dutch spoken today.
Jewish settlers also found opportunity here. Isaac Miranda, an early merchant and landowner, settled in Lancaster County in the early 1700s, eventually becoming the first biological Jew to hold office in Pennsylvania. He was a public servant who lived by William Penn’s philosophy of religious tolerance, where individuals of different faiths could contribute to society. Miranda’s work helped lay the groundwork for the growth of Jewish communities throughout Pennsylvania and shape the state’s cultural and religious identity.
Learn more about Jewish-American experience across nearly four centuries at Philadelphia's Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, an institution that houses more than 30,000 objects spanning over 300 years of American Jewish life. Or spend the afternoon at the Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art, whose walls are filled with contemporary works by artists such as William Anastasi and Joan Snyder.
Pennsylvania has long been a refuge for those seeking the freedom to live, believe, and be. That legacy of inclusion carried forward into the 20th century through trailblazers like Barbara Gittings, a fearless leader in the LGBTQIA+ rights movement. Based in Philadelphia, Gittings founded one of the first lesbian organizations in the United States and was instrumental in the campaign to remove homosexuality from the American Psychiatric Association’s list of mental disorders. She joined forces with activist Frank Kameny to organize one of the nation’s first public LGBTQIA+ demonstrations.
Held annually on July 4 from 1965 to 1969, the “Annual Reminder” pickets at Independence Hall boldly demanded civil rights for gay Americans. Today, a historical marker at 6th and Chestnut streets in Philadelphia honors those early acts of courage — thanks to the advocacy of Philadelphia native Mark Segal. A Stonewallera activist, Segal helped establish the Gay Liberation Front Philadelphia and went on to found “Philadelphia Gay News,” amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices and milestones for decades.
That spirit of pride and protest lives on. Midtown Village — fondly known as Philadelphia’s “Gayborhood” — buzzes with independent shops, inclusive bars, and welcoming restaurants. Throughout June, communities across the state — including State College, Erie, and counties like Delaware, Chester, Schuylkill, and York — host vibrant International Pride Month celebrations. From parades and drag shows to street festivals and family-friendly events, these gatherings champion visibility, joy, and the enduring fight for inclusivity and equality.
Freedom to Create Change
Pennsylvania’s story is also one of defiance and determination — of people who transformed suffering into activism and built movements that reshaped the nation.
While the New World offered refuge to many escaping persecution, it was a place of unimaginable suffering for the African men, women, and children who were kidnapped, enslaved, and brought to what would become the United States. Slavery remains one of America’s darkest chapters, but those who refused to accept the cruelty of bondage — in Pennsylvania and beyond — helped transform the state into the beacon of activism it is today.
Among them was David Myers, an abolitionist who risked his life for enslaved people seeking freedom along the Underground Railroad. With the help of his wife, Myers transformed his home into a vital safehouse within a broader network of resistance in western central Pennsylvania. The property is now a stop on the self-guided Indiana County Underground Railroad Driving Tour, which also includes the site of the former AME Zion Church, a historically significant African American church, and Samuel McCune Safehouse, another sanctuary house for those fleeing toward freedom. Drop by the Blairsville Underground Railroad History Center, a small museum offering insight into the lives of enslaved people and their allies.
Many other historical sites shine the spotlight on the pursuit of emancipation. In 2025, Wrightsville’s historic Mifflin Farm, an Underground Railroad site and Civil War battlefield, opened to visitors for the first time in over 200 years. Visitors also can schedule a tour of the LeMonyne House in Washington, where successful physician Francis Julius LeMoyne aided freedom seekers traveling north to Canada. You can also check out the "Underground Railroad: A Journey to Freedom" exhibit at the Bellefonte Art Museum in Bellefonte, which honors the borough’s role in the freedom-fighting network. Or step onto the hallowed ground of Gettysburg National Military Park, site of the Civil War’s bloodiest and most pivotal battle. It was here that the tide of the war began to turn — and where President Abraham Lincoln later delivered his powerful Gettysburg Address, reaffirming the nation’s founding ideals: that it was “conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”
In the 20th century, the Great Migration brought thousands of Black families north from the Jim Crow South. They settled in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Harrisburg, providing manpower to steel mills, railroads, and factories. But their contributions weren’t only economic — they sparked cultural renaissances. Pittsburgh’s Hill District and Philadelphia’s South Street corridor became cradles of Black creativity, music, culture, and resistance.
Immigrants from Europe, too, helped power Pennsylvania’s rise as an industrial giant. From coal miners in Anthracite Country to steelworkers in Bethlehem, they labored tirelessly to forge modern America. Explore these stories at Bethlehem’s Hoover-Mason Trestle at SteelStacks, a historic steel plant transformed into a modern arts and culture campus. The plant’s former electric repair shop now houses the National Museum of Industrial History, which has a vast collection of machinery on display. About 85 miles southwest in Coatesville, the 20-acre National Iron and Steel Heritage Museum has an impressive collection of large-scale steel artifacts, including a narrow-gauge locomotive and submarine sonarsphere, highlighting the capabilities of the material. Or step into the shoes of a coal miner at the Anthracite Heritage Museum in Scranton, which shines the spotlight on the brave souls who endured harsh working conditions underground. Next, head to Ashland to explore a real anthracite coal mine at Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine & Steam Train. Ride an open mine car 1,800 feet into the side of Mahanoy Mountain, then walk through the dimly lit tunnel as your guide shares stories of how coal was mined here from the late 1800s to early 1900s.
Not only did immigrants from across the world help build the cities and towns we know today, they also brought traditions and cuisines that make them such culturally rich places to live and visit. For example, traditions brought by early German-speaking settlers still thrive in cities such as Kutztown and Lansdale. Visit Kutztown’s Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center and tour Lansdale’s Peter Wentz Farmstead to celebrate the rich legacy of language, craftsmanship, food, and faith that are part of the region’s identity.
Pennsylvania has also continually welcomed new waves of refugees and immigrants — from Southeast Asia, Central America, and beyond — whose food, art, and traditions now shape daily life in cities like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown. Whether at a bustling farmers market, a neighborhood festival, or a family-owned restaurant, their presence reminds us that freedom here has always been enriched by diversity.
Freedom to Advocate Voices of Today
The legacy of sparking positive change lives on in today’s Pennsylvanians, who are reshaping communities with courage and creativity.
One local leader recently made headlines for blazing the trail in one of the state’s most historic industries: agriculture. In 2021, Christa Barfield started FarmerJawn, an endeavor she calls a “reincarnation” of the healthcare career she left behind. Since then, what started as a small plot in her backyard has evolved into a 128-acre working farm in West Chester that enables regenerative organic food production by and for underserved communities. “It all ties back to health,” says Barfield, who won the James Beard Foundation’s Emerging Leadership Award in 2024. “The FarmerJawn formula is about healing people, the planet, and the relationships within through organic, chemical-free practices."
As the largest Black woman-owned regenerative produce farm in America, FarmerJawn grows a variety of crops, from legumes and tomatoes to fresh flowers. The bounty, alongside pasture-raised goat and chicken, is sold through a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program and at farm stores. Barfield urges visitors to learn more about how the farm connects people to the land in an immersive tour of FarmerJawn. “It’s all about showcasing that agriculture is the culture, and that our food system can bring people closer to the soil and to each other,” she says. “We really want them to take away that to heal a nation is to feed them well, and that starts right here in Pennsylvania.”
Chef Cristina Martínez also proves food can be symbols of resilience and hope. Martínez learned the ancient technique of slow cooking meats as a child growing up in Capulhuac, Mexico, an art she brought to Philadelphia with the openings of South Philly Barbacoa in 2015 and Casa México in 2020. While she weathered many professional and personal challenges, Martínez remains fervent about sharing the traditions of her homeland. She’s also used her voice as a chef to advocate for undocumented immigrants, whose roles are often overlooked in the food industry, and is honored to be part of Philadelphia’s vibrant immigrant community. In 2022, her culinary talent and activism earned her a James Beard Award in the category of Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic.
“Philadelphia [welcomed] me and shined me like a diamond,” says Martínez, noting she fell in love with the city right away. “There are a lot of immigrants from different countries here and it is an opportunity for me to bring my culture to a different space … South Philly Barbacoa and Casa México were the first to make handmade tortillas in Philly. So they are places I can bring my story, my roots and share with this strong community that has embraced me.”
Joanne Wilmore — owner of Grace Manor Bed & Breakfast, the first Black-owned B&B in south-central Pennsylvania — also works to ensure visitors of all races and ethnicities feel embraced by the state’s cities and towns. A couple years ago, she founded Sojourn Noir, a tourism initiative focused on promoting travel to Black individuals to York County in response to research indicating they often feel unwelcome or discriminated against in certain destinations. By highlighting local businesses that cater to their needs and preferences and showcasing the rich African American heritage of York County, Wilmore helps Black visitors feel a sense of belonging.
The desire for belonging, safety, and inclusion extends to all individuals from all walks of life, and no one knows that better than Liz Bradbury, who has spent her life on the front lines of LGBTQ+ equality in Pennsylvania. Since the 1970s, her relentless advocacy has shaped laws in Allentown, Reading, Bethlehem, and beyond — securing protections that once seemed out of reach. As the co-founder of the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center — named for her and her partner, activist Patricia Sullivan — Bradbury has built spaces of advocacy, education, and connection. The Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center is a hub for arts projects, family programming, on-site supportive health services, and continued education training and workshops. Check the calendar for upcoming events or exhibits at its on-site art galleries, or attend the annual Lehigh Valley Pride, an annual celebration of the region’s robust LGBTQ+ community. “The Lehigh Valley has had 32 years of Pride festivals and I’m proud to say I’ve worked booths in every one,” says Bradbury.
Today, Bradbury works as the CEO and Senior Director of DEI Training for DEI Associates, a division of Boudica Publishing Inc. Over the course of her career, Bradbury has trained thousands of professionals, from healthcare workers to state officials, on LGBTQ+ equity — empowering future generations to live, work, and thrive authentically in Pennsylvania. From New Hope and New Castle to Gettysburg and Lewisburg, Pride parades light up towns big and small, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community’s strength and joy — a statewide reflection of the inclusive, enduring legacy Bradbury has spent her life helping build.
Helping future generations find belonging is what it’s all about. That’s why La Liga del Barrio was established in 2000. The organization is Philadelphia’s first Latino youth basketball team and offers programs in other sports like track and field to minorities all over the city in an effort to empower the state’s youngest community members.
“For 25 years, La Liga del Barrio has been more than a basketball league — it’s been a lifeline for Latino and minority youth in Philadelphia,” says Raymond Alvarez, co-founder, CEO and president of La Liga. “Here at Liga, kids don’t just learn the game, they discover their potential, find mentors who believe in them and gain a second family.”
La Liga del Barrio’s year-round programs have served some 10,000 kids in the City of Brotherly Love, where Alvarez hopes will be home to the organization’s first physical headquarters and gym in the future. He encourages visitors to come to experience the energy of the students for themselves. “To understand the heartbeat of Philly, you have to come to a La Liga game,” he says. “You will see leadership, pride, and resilience in every pass, every shot, every cheer from the stands full of parents that support all our youth.”
Just as sports can provide a pathway to confidence and belonging, the outdoors can, too. That’s why Marcus Shoffner works to empower young people and families in Pittsburgh — this time through nature. Growing up, he found joy camping and paddling rivers, experiences that shaped his connection to nature. But when he moved to Pittsburgh, he saw stark disparities; while the city boasts three rivers and beloved regional parks, green spaces in predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods were often underfunded and underutilized. In 2019, he founded the Outdoor Inclusion Coalition (OIC) to address these inequities and advocate for inclusive access to recreation.
Under Shoffner’s leadership, the OIC has become a powerful collective voice, working alongside residents, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies to influence park master plans, improve accessibility, and create toolkits for diversity and equity in outdoor organizations. The coalition also pushes for tangible changes, from multilingual park signage to transportation and trail accessibility, ensuring that everyone can feel welcome in public spaces.
Through programs such as beginner-friendly backpacking trips, youth adventure camps, ski lessons, and BIPOC affinity climbing sessions, the OIC gives underrepresented communities the skills and confidence to enjoy the outdoors. Find upcoming events by checking out @outdoorinclusioncoalition on Instagram.
From farms and parks to kitchens and community centers, Pennsylvanians continue to prove that freedom isn’t just a legacy of the past. It’s an ongoing pledge, renewed every day by those who dare to imagine a better future.
Plant Seeds for the Future
Have a passion for supporting sustainable agriculture? Get involved! Check the FarmerJawn calendar for regularly scheduled volunteer days focused on planting, weeding, or harvesting. No experience needed—just an eagerness to contribute.
PA Pride Picks
Looking to experience more contributions of LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians? Local advocate Liz Bradbury recommends:
• LGBTQ-themed programs at Civic Theatre of Allentown
• Keith Haring State Historical Marker, Kutztown
• Lehigh Valley LGBT Community Archive at Muhlenberg College, Allentown
• Art in the Park, Allentown
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