PENNSYLVANIA: THE KEYSTONE STATE
BY CLAY LARROY
Leisure
travel is
a wonderful experience that everyone should have in their lifetime. Even
business travel can be made enjoyable. There are some aspects of travel that
can detract from your enjoyment. When
planning to fly for a trip, don't forget any frequent flier miles you might
have racked up. It does you no good to hang onto those once you've already gone
on your big vacation. Even if you don't have enough miles to cover the whole
trip, many airlines will allow you to discount your rate using your miles. When you want to
plan a vacation contact me!
Leafy Pennsylvania boasts vast forests, pretty parks and glinting
lakes, along with thousands of miles of rivers and streams. In the fall,
Pennsylvania's forests blaze with autumn colors, and winding roads pass through
quaint historic towns and numerous covered bridges. The state is also something
of a cultural Mecca, with many world-class museums, and a rich mix of cultural
and ethnic communities.
As well as eye-catching countryside, Pennsylvania is steeped in colorful
history. It started out as the 'Holy Experiment' of Quaker activist William
Penn, Jr. Granted a charter by King Charles II to develop a colony in the New
World, Penn selected a lush wooded portion of the countryside, where he vowed
to welcome anyone who believed in God. Less than a century later, the country's
Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution at
Independence Hall in Philadelphia - now one of the largest cities in the USA -
and the American nation was born.
Things
to see and do in Pennsylvania
Fairmount Park
Spend time at the
Fairmount Park (www.fairmountpark.org), by the Schuylkill River,
one of the USA's largest city parks. Learn about the river ecosystem at the
Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center (www.fairmountwaterworks.com).
Go mining
Descend 76m (250ft) below
the earth to Lackawanna Coal Mine (www.thecoalminetour.com). Former miners lead
visitors on tours through the mines telling of the lives and times of the
miners. Visit Eckley Miners' Village (www.eckleyminers.org),
an authentic coal-mining town.
Hike or ski in
Allegheny National Forest
Travel through the
Allegheny National Forest, a vast area of woodlands, virgin timber, rivers and
beautiful vistas. Winter sports enthusiasts can explore 480km (300 miles) of
snowmobiling trails and seven cross-country ski trails.
Independence
National Historical Park
Visit Independence
National Historical Park in Philadelphia, and see Independence Hall where the
Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed in 1776. Gaze at
the Liberty Bell that was sounded at the first public reading of the
Declaration of Independence.
Lake Erie
Fish, boat or swim Lake
Erie. Bordering the Great Lakes, the northwestern corner of the state features
12,950 hectares (32,000 acres) of lakes, as well as hundreds of miles of
rivers.
Lancaster County
Experience the life of the
Pennsylvania Dutch in Lancaster County (www.padutch.com).
Hear interpreters weaving their story at the People's Place in Intercourse. Buy
homemade quilts, crafts and wares, detour down side roads for glimpses of
horse-drawn buggies, auctions and antique shops.
Laurel Highlands
Visit two of Frank Lloyd
Wright's masterpieces in western Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands: Kentuck Knob (www.kentuckknob.com)
and the spectacular Fallingwater (www.paconserve.org).
Old Bedford Village
Journey back in time at
Old Bedford Village (www.oldbedfordvillage.com) for a taste of living
history of the pioneer era, with costumed guides, crafts demonstrations and 40
authentic buildings.
Pennsylvania Grand Canyon
Explore the Pennsylvania
Grand Canyon on foot, horseback, canoe or river raft. The 300m- (1,000ft-) deep
gorge twists along 80km (50 miles) of Pine Creek and embraces 121,000 hectares
(300,000 acres) of forest.
Pocono Mountains
Enjoy historic towns and
the breathtaking scenery of the Pocono Mountains and their neighbors to the
west - the Endless Mountains.
Point State Park Fountain
Explore the Point State
Park Fountain in the Golden Triangle area of central Pittsburgh. It symbolizes
the creation of the Ohio River at the meeting of the Monongahela and Allegheny
rivers.
Rafting
Plunge into white water on
the Youghiogheny River. With its class III and IV rapids, it provides some of
the best rafting in the east.
Ride a steam train
Hear the bell and whistle
as you ride a steam train at Steamtown (www.nps.gov/stea).
The National Historic Site features dozens of antique railroad cars and
interpretive displays.
Valley Forge
National Historical Park
Tour Valley Forge National
Historical Park, one of the most revered shrines of the American Revolution.
Visit Chocolatetown
Indulge your sweet tooth
in the town of Hershey (www.hersheypa.com), home of the world's largest
chocolate factory, 'Chocolatetown USA', with a visitor's center, shopping
outlets and an amusement park.
Walk the battlefield
Walk the battlefield at
Gettysburg, the famous Civil War battle site, featuring the Gettysburg National
Military Park (www.nps.gov/gett) and the Eisenhower National
Historic Site (www.nps.gov/eise).
REFERENCE SITES:
The Amish communities of
Pennsylvania, despite the retro image of horse-drawn buggies and straw hats,
have long been engaged in a productive debate about the consequences of
technology.
Howard
Rheingold
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