Top Places to Visit in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania's top visitor destinations span the birthplace of American democracy in Philadelphia, the Civil War's defining battle at Gettysburg, the Amish heartland of Lancaster County, and the Laurel Highlands' Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece.

Philadelphia: Independence National Historical Park
The most significant concentration of American Revolutionary history in the US — Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were debated and adopted), the Liberty Bell (in its own pavilion with a view of Independence Hall), Carpenters' Hall (first Continental Congress), and Congress Hall (where the first Congress met) are all within a few blocks. The National Constitution Center, the Betsy Ross House, and the Museum of the American Revolution complete the historic district.

Gettysburg National Military Park
The most visited battlefield in the US — the three-day Battle of Gettysburg (July 1–3, 1863) was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War and the turning point of the Confederate invasion of the North. The 6,000-acre park preserves the battlefield with 1,400 monuments and markers. The Gettysburg Address was delivered here on November 19, 1863. The Cyclorama (a 360-degree painting of Pickett's Charge) and the Museum and Visitor Center are excellent starting points.

Fallingwater (Bear Run, Laurel Highlands)
The most famous house in American architecture — Frank Lloyd Wright designed Fallingwater in 1935 over a waterfall on Bear Run in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania. Built for Pittsburgh department store owner Edgar J. Kaufmann, the house cantilevers dramatically over the waterfall it was built to view. Fallingwater has been called "the greatest American architectural achievement of the 20th century." Tours must be reserved in advance; the 90-minute tour goes through all rooms.

Lancaster County (Pennsylvania Dutch Country)
The largest Old Order Amish community in the world — approximately 45,000 Old Order Amish live in Lancaster County, farming by horse-drawn equipment and living without electricity. The farmland landscape (rolling hills, red barns, horse-drawn buggies) is unlike anywhere else in the US. The Amish Farm and House, the Lancaster Central Market (the oldest publicly operated farmers' market in the US, established 1730), and the Intercourse and Bird-in-Hand village shops are accessible visitor experiences.

Presque Isle State Park (Erie)
A sandy peninsula jutting into Lake Erie — Pennsylvania's only seacoast equivalent. Presque Isle has 11 distinct beach areas, the Tom Ridge Environmental Center, migratory bird concentration (particularly in spring and fall), and a lighthouse (Presque Isle Light, 1872). The peninsula is geologically active — it migrates eastward 4 feet per year.