Top 10 Attractions in Pennsylvania

From outdoors activities and zoos, to museums and thrill rides, here are the Top 10 Pennsylvania attractions.

1. Hersheypark
   100 W. Hersheypark Drive
   Hershey, PA   17033
   717-534-3900
   

   No, you can't eat the roller coasters, but this chocolate-themed theme park may be the closest thing to Willy Wonka's chocolate factory we'll ever have. Pennsylvania chocolate mogul Milton S. Hershey opened the park a century ago to provide a leisurely space where his employees might forget about chocolate. A century's worth of developments later, and we're willing to bet that chocolate will be on your mind as you soar down one of the world-class roller coasters contained within this bitter-sweet Pennsylvania expanse. Milk or dark?

2. Dorney Park
   3830 Dorney Park Road
   Allentown, PA   18104
   610-395-3724
   

   Dorney Park wouldn't be a theme park for the lighthearted if it weren't for the mass of children-friendly rides and attractions which make this Allentown, Pennsylvania location a must for guests of any ages and families of every size. For avid thrill-seekers, Dorney offers gargantuan stomach-twisters Dominator and Mega-Coaster, whose sheer size will make it easy to find the park from anywhere in the Allentown region. After braving the g-forces, guests will be enticed to stretch out and re-gather their senses on a rejuvenating swan boat ride or coasting past majestic scenery in a replica steam-powered train. Make sure to plan the day around the sun, as Dorney's own Wildwater Kingdom proves to be a wet waterhole of a time with over fifteen water rides that range from the tame to the soul-drenching.

3. Sesame Place
   100 Sesame Road
   Langhorne, PA   19047
   215-752-7070
   

   A wrong turn down an old televised avenue just might be the best misdirection you've never followed, as the Sesame Street characters from our technicolored childhoods become the real live breathing creatures we always knew they were. Sesame Street is really just a movie studio; Sesame Place is where our curious multi-colored puppet-people go for a laugh after work. Hang with the furry, multi-colored cast of your past and learn the letter of the day from your pals one-on-one, or rise to the occasion and plummet down a six-story high water raft slide or mammoth roller coaster. Finally, we can tell you without a doubt how to get to Sesame Street.

4. Kennywood Park
   4800 Kennywood Boulevard
   West Mifflin, PA   15122
   412-461-0500
   

   Kennywood takes itself seriously, and why not? This Pennsylvania National Historic Landmark has been in the amusement park business since 1921, and the fully-operational Jack Rabbit roller coaster dates back to the opening year. We're confident in saying that its shocking 70' double-dip drop is classically thrilling. Even the bravest man's confidence, however, is sure to sway when faced with the tumultuous terms of Exterminator, a roller coaster in the dark which casts the rider as a sewer rat who must escape human exterminators of titanic proportions. Kennywood may have a dark streak, but its fun-filled Kiddieland area is sure to assuage all the fear you'll encounter.

5. Lancaster Amish Country
   Lancaster County, PA  
   , PA
   

   No, it's not Russian they're speaking. It's not Swahili, and it's definitely not Spanish. Pennsylvania Dutch is the Amish people's exclusive language, and is best described as a European language spoken with a distinctively American accent. Time seems to have stopped in its tracks in Lancaster Amish Country, where the plain-living Amish people have turned their territory into a truly unique one. Tour the one-story schoolhouses where generations of Amish children have received instruction, or saunter over the history of a two-hundred-year-old wood-covered bridge. All of Amish country has its origins in the earth, and handmade clothing and quilts are among the various rarities that are so commonplace in this picture from the past. Listen closely, as it's easy to miss the scintillating sound of a horse-drawn buggy crawling down a quiet country road. We're willing to bet this intriguing Pennsylvania destination will have you planning your next visit.

6. Pocono Mountains
   The Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania are divided into four counties whose totalities encompass over 2,400 square miles of wilderness. Needless to say, the call of the great outdoors is as loud as anywhere in this beautifully preserved refuge of natural American beauty. But civilization remains sparsely intact throughout this mountain haven, and cultural attractions range from naturalist museums and art galleries to music festivals and theatrical performances. Those whose thirst is virtually unquenchable will savor the avidly aquatic setting: 150 lakes, 18 waterfalls, and 170 miles of riverheads grace the Pennsylvania Pocono Mountains with an unmatched aquatic allure. It's a wonder there's still land to explore, but there is - in abundance.
   
   
7. King of Prussia Shopping Mall
   160 North Gulph Road
   King of Prussia, PA   19406
   610-337-1330
   

   This Pennsylvania mall is the actual equivalent of a giant multi-store catalogue, listing everything you could ever dream of buying in its massive span of over 400 stores and restaurants. From sunglasses and designer labels to Hawaiian jewelry and even a store devoted exclusively to crayons, it's hard to imagine walking away from King of Prussia without something. In-between sprees treat yourself at one of more than 40 restaurants and eateries, ranging from coffee to sushi. Open seven days a week for your shopping pleasure and amazement.

8. Philadelphia Historic Area - Liberty Bell, Independence Hall
   While Philadelphia may be best known for its cheese steak, it lays claim to a second vein of fame - as one of the country's founding locations, Philadelphia is father to some of the U.S.'s most cherished principles, and the artifacts which represent those principles. To name a few of the children of this historic site: the American flag, drafted and approved in 1777; the Articles of Confederation, adopted in 1781; and that all-important document, the U.S. Constitution, drafted in 1787 at the very place where you'll find yourself standing, your mind wandering off to days of yore when the preeminent thinkers of this great country made their lasting marks in this very building.
   
   
9. Route 6 Potter County
   If you drive down Route 6 at the right time of year, you just might catch some of the most brilliant colors that nature has to offer in the yellow, green and red foliage which so placidly graces this picturesque roadside. Stop off at one of the many exits where you'll find year-round camping, stunning meadow and river's edge sites, and overwhelming numbers of wildlife, ranging from herds of deer to flocks of wild turkeys and geese. Gaze wondrously at the cosmos in Cherry Springs State Park, the first dark sky preserve in Pennsylvania, where the crystal-clear night skies can truly be declared an astronomical utopia. It's no wonder the Pennsylvanians so often refer to Potter County by its more descriptive appellation, "God's County."
   
   
10. Fallingwater
    Mill Run, PA   15464
    724-329-8501
    

    The stunning organic architecture of legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright is on perhaps its most avid display in the world-acclaimed "Fallingwater" estate of Pennsylvania, voted "Best All-Time Work of American Architecture" by members of the American Institute of Architects itself. Wright's usage of sweeping horizontals and multiple staggered layers is a classic and extraordinarily inspiring amalgamation of man and nature. Completed in 1939, the building is presented to viewers completely intact, with original setting, furnishings, and art work including furniture designed by the architect himself. Don't miss this display of epic architecture at its finest.

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