2025-12-09 06:24:35
It’s no secret that traveling with your little ones is a wonderful way to expand their horizons, introducing them to new experiences and creating indelible family memories, too. But did you know: studies show that exploring new environments also boosts confidence, adaptability, and empathy? Start planning your next adventure with the whole family in tow.
For virtually guaranteed oohs and ahhs, go underground for a kidpleasing cave adventure. At Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park in Centre Hall, you’ll tour the winding subterranean waterways by boat, cruising past stalactites, stalagmites, curtains, and other awe-inspiring formations. Laurel Caverns, near Farmington, offers a thrilling 17-story descent into the swirling sandstone abyss.
Had a great time going underground? Next, look up — for a trip to the stars! A Gold Tier International Dark Sky Park, Cherry Springs State Park, in the Pennsylvania Wilds region, offers the best stargazing in the state. For the best experience, check the events calendar and register for “star tours” of the 30,000 stars and celestial bodies visible to the naked eye on a clear night.
Pennsylvania is also brimming with all-ages hiking trails. Opt for scenery in Fulton County’s Cowans Gap State Park with the Lakeside Trail, a leisurely 1.5-mile loop around a scenic lake, or go for historic with Tuscarora State Forest’s Tunnel Trail, a 1-mile loop through peaceful woods to a spooky abandoned railroad tunnel.
Traveling also can spark a sense of adventure that convinces even the pickiest eaters to venture beyond their culinary comfort zones. To ease your kids into this mindset, start at Central Market House in York, with 50-plus vendors ready to fill baskets and bellies. Global foods likely to please young palates: arepas from Arepapi’s and quesadillas from Roburrito’s. Smorgasbord — a large, buffet-style meal popular in Lancaster County due to the influence of Pennsylvania Dutch culture — is ideal for expanding your kids’ food repertoire. Restaurants like Shady Maple Smorgasbord in East Earl and Miller’s Smorgasbord in East Ronks offer an astounding array of meats, vegetables, cheeses, breads, and desserts for trying new flavors.
Or, for a kid-friendly meal that will make everyone in the family feel cultured and cosmopolitan, try Pittsburgh’s Soju. This lively Korean gem serves traditional favorites and modern street food familystyle, so everyone can try the Cheese Tteokbokki and Killer Tofu (but still have backup bites).
Want to sneak in some learning time? At Allentown’s Da Vinci Science Center, kids can channel its namesake Renaissance man by designing their own flying machine or painting their own digital self-portrait. There’s also a Science Theater, art stations, and daily keeper-led “chats” with the Center’s resident otter family.
Reading Science Center has more than 50 interactive STEAM exhibits with a range of topics to speak to every kind of kiddo: electricity, light, sound, engineering, motion, and the microscopic world, to name just a few. Be sure to check the Center’s calendar before your visit, so you can be in attendance for monthly “Investigation Station” and Science Storytime.
At expERIEnce Children’s Museum in Erie, there are 10 distinct areas to explore, with offerings suitable for stages ranging from baby to middle school. Favorites include the Tinkering Tank (invention), smART Studio (artistic expression), and the Construction Zone (building and creating).
Penn's Cave & Wildlife Park, Centre Hall
expERIEnce Children's Museum, Erie
The Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia is just wrapping up renovations to this beloved 150-year-old building, so ALL of its wonderful exhibits, both permanent and traveling, will be ready for action. Kids will enjoy the educational play, and parents will love the walk down memory lane — with 25,000 historic toys and games, including a Philly-born favorite, the Slinky.
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