Outdoors Attractions

Experience the great outdoors with Choice Hotels. Our Pennsylvania hotels are conveniently located near a number of picturesque gardens, stunning parks, and astounding wildlife. Take a look at the scenery and greenery that Pennsylvania offers.

Philadelphia & Countryside

Forks Township Recreation Trail
6292 Sullivan Trail
Nazareth, PA   18064
610-258-5909

This pavement and gravel trail is a betwixt-city trek through the beautiful scenery and rocky outcroppings of the Delaware River shoreline. Offering stunning vistas and river views, this Pennsylvania trail forks its way past old stone fencing from the town of Laplume to the neighboring principality of Factoryville.

Crystal Cave
963 Crystal Cave Road
Kutztown, PA   19530
610-683-6765

The most popular natural attraction in Pennsylvania just happens to be on the outskirts of its most popular city - or should we say under the outskirts? Discovered by humans in 1871, Crystal Cave has since been visited by millions who come in droves to witness its sparkling underground treasures. Tours through the cave are conducted every day from March 1st through November 30th. Aboveground, guests can enjoy miniature golf, fast food, and an antique ice cream parlor.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
1700 Hawk Mountain Road
Kempton, PA   19529
610-756-4468

2,400 acres of natural beauty in southeastern Pennsylvania are the site of this world-class raptor observation area. Peak time for hawks, eagles and falcons is August through December, when approximately 18,000 of these fair-winged friends make their ways across the skies of Hawk Mountain. Scenic vistas at uncompromising elevations make this natural destination a favorite for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts alike.

Pittsburgh & Countryside

Whites Woods Nature Center
North 12th Street
Indiana, PA   15701
724-463-3473

Whites Woods Nature Center is a beautiful conservatory of Pennsylvania nature as it is and always has been. 250 acres of wooded area come complete with trails for the hiking enthusiast, and areas marked off for cross-country skiing make this natural haven an activity-rich naturalistic haven year-round.

Armstrong Trail
200 N. Jefferson Street
Kittanning, PA   16201
724-543-4478

This scenic Pennsylvania river valley tempts lovers of nature with its lush beauty and its bubbling riverside location. But it also tempts visitors who come for glimpses of the past, as the trail winds around such fallen landmarks as the remains of a large resort hotel, abandoned mines and rail tunnels, and miscellaneous remains such as stoves, bottles of coke, and even a turnaround steam engine.

Alleghenies & Valleys

Coral Caverns
121 Cavern Street, #31
Manns Choice, PA   15550
814-623-6882

The fame Coral Caverns of Bedford County are sure to allure you with their sub-ground offerings. Coral Caverns is named after its distinctive coral reef, a towering fossil wall which has preserved the remains of coral and protozoan sea creatures whose fates ended up in these cavern walls. An amazing insight into the world of 400 million years ago (imagine!), when Pennsylvania was partially covered by sea.

Conemaugh Gap
PA Route 56
Johnstown, PA   15907
814-536-7993

Conemaugh Gap offers a seven-mile trek along a drastically scenic route which winds its placid way through the Laurel Mountain Ridge. Culminating in an overlook which lends stunning vistas to endurance-laden hikers, the trail is blazed amidst a biologically diverse array of plant and animal life. Come to Conemaugh Gap and tell your friends about your hike through the deepest gorge east of The Mississippi.

PA Great Lakes Region

Clear Lake Trail
PA-77
Spartansburg, PA   16434
814-333-1258

An abandoned Penn Central railroad has been converted into a hiking trail upon which visitor may wander through the wooded hillsides, working Amish farms and wetlands of the Great Lakes region of Pennsylvania. Northern and southern trailheads offer convenient access from any by-road you may take in.

Pymatuning Wildlife Learning Center
12590 Hartstown Road
Linesville, PA   16424
814-683-5545

Guests to Pennsylvania will delight in the rich educational experience provided at the Pymatuning Wildlife Learning Center. Hands-on exhibits and displays on native animals and birds will prepare you for your journey down the Learning Center's nature trail, and all encounters you have with the lush array of wildlife are sure to be both memorable and informative.

Pennsylvania Dutch Country

Indian Echo Caverns
368 Middletown Road
Hummelstown, PA   17036
717-566-8131

A visit to Indian Echo Caverns, located in beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch Country of Pennsylvania, will provide a valuable insight into the workings of the underworld. Tours of the caverns are 45 minutes in length and are led by a professionally trained interpretive guide. Learn all you want to about the cavern's geology and history, and revel in the pure beauty found underground at this Pennsylvania site.

Boyd Big Tree Preserve Conservation Area
Fishing Creek Valley Road, State Road 443
Harrisburg, PA   17112
717-567-9255

Enjoy over 10 miles of serenely beautiful hiking trails at this lush nature sanctuary located on the outskirts of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Among the various interests that naturalists will afford themselves: some of the largest trees in the country have taken root in these wooded areas, and multiple species of deep-forest birds have built their nests throughout the Conservation Area.

Round Top Campground/Gettysburg
180 Knight Road
Gettysburg, PA   17325
717-334-9565

The campground found at Round Top is central to some of the most picturesque wildlife to make its home in Pennsylvania. We're willing to bet that more exciting is this campground's proximity to the Gettysburg Battlefield - less than three miles away from the notoriously historic site. Picture the long days and nights of that battle as you never would have been able to before, and enjoy the beautiful surroundings that the natural area offers in abundance.

Northeastern PA Mountains

Lake Wallenpaupack
Route 6
Hawley, PA   18428
570-226-3191

Situated on a vast man-made lake built in 1927 for hydroelectric power, this Pennsylvania location features hundreds of acres of forest lands, hiking trails, and boating. Take in the scenery before heading down to the visitor's center, which is sure to have an army of information for curious travelers.

Raymondskill Falls
Route 209 to Route 2001
Milford, PA   18337
570-426-2418

Come to Raymondskill Falls and witness the towering gargantuan beauty which is the prize of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Mountains - the Falls are the highest waterfalls in the state of Pennsylvania. Marvel at the falls as they plummet down their watery paths, offering a firsthand glimpse of why water truly is the most powerful element on our earth.

PA Wilds Region

Little Drummer Historical Pathway
Laurel Mill Road
Ridgeway, PA   15853
814-776-6172

Flat hiking trails are given added dimension by the lush natural beauty which surrounds Little Drummer Historical Pathway. The trail parallels a haven of waterfowl such as the Wood Duck, American Coot, and other aquatic-dwelling birds. 15 ponds dot this Pennsylvania trail, making for a scenic and tranquil hike that you're not likely to forget.

Susquehannock State Forest
3150 E. 2nd Street
Coudersport, PA   16915
814-274-3600

Find yourself in a haven of unique habitats, including plant life and animals as diverse as lizards and songbirds. 5 miles of Pennsylvania's finest hiking trails offer grounds for you to explore the vast array of wildlife this park's expanse contains. Stunning overlooks offer motivation for the tired hiker to pack his trail-mix and hit the dirt.

[Back to Top]