Pennsylvania Road Trip Ideas: 11 Best Road Trips + Itinerary

Pennsylvania was made for road trips. No matter what we’re interested in – waterfalls, natural wonders, or small towns – we can find the best road trips in Pennsylvania. The following road trips through Pennsylvania will take you all over the state, introducing you to or reacquainting you with some of the best natural and manmade attractions. Gas up your car; pack some snacks; turn up the tunes, and hit the road on one of the best Pennsylvania road trips.

1-Day Road Trip In Pennsylvania

Flickr/Craig Fildes

• Route: Gettysburg National Military Park > Street of Shops > Sproul State Forest
• Distance: 180 miles
• Trip Time: 3 hours, 23 minutes driving time

For most of us, time is at a premium. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy a good, old-fashioned road trip in a single day. This one-day road trip, one of the best Pennsylvania road trips, promises a day full of fun, starting with catching a striking sunrise at Gettysburg National Military Park. After the sun wakes up, explore the park for a bit, starting with the visitor center. You'll then journey to Street of Shops in Lewistown for a delicious bite to eat and maybe a bit of shopping. Enjoy your time, but make sure you head to Sproul State Forest in time to catch the sunset. Even if you only have a single day, you can set off on a glorious road trip through Pennsylvania from sunrise to sunset.

3-Day Weekend Road Trip In Pennsylvania

Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli

• Route: Salt Springs State Park > Ricketts Glen State Park > Lehigh Gorge State Park
• Distance 211 miles
• Trip Time 4 hours, 28 minutes driving time

If you're looking for the best Pennsylvania road trip ideas, you can't go wrong visiting some of its state parks. Visit three of Pennsylvania's best state parks on this three-day road trip. Explore one of the trails at Salt Springs State Park that passes old-growth hemlock and cascading waterfalls before heading to Ricketts Glen State Park, on day two, a true waterfall wonderland. This Pennsylvania state park is home to 21 named waterfalls, which you can view on a single trail. It also has a sandy beach. Pitch a tent, park your RV, or rent a cabin for the night. Your three-day weekend ends at Lehigh Gorge State Park, best known for its whitewater rafting, hiking, and biking. Doesn't this sound like one of the best road trips in Pennsylvania?

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Western Pennsylvania Waterfalls Road Trip

Flickr/Anita Gould

• Route: Quakertown Falls > Cucumber Falls > Linn Run State Park > Jackson Falls > Freedom Falls > Springfield Falls > Big Run Falls
• Distance: 375 miles
• Trip Time: 8 hours, 4 minutes driving time

Chasing waterfalls promises a ton of fun in every season. This Western Pennsylvania waterfalls road trip spans less than 400 miles and takes you to some of the area's top waterfalls. Walk behind Cucumber Falls at Ohiopyle State Park, marvel at multiple waterfalls at Linn Run State Park, and go on a scenic hike to Freedom Falls in Kennerdell. This Pennsylvania road trip itinerary will take you to eight tumbling cascades. Make sure you pack comfy, sturdy shoes for your trip.

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Lititz Road Trip

Facebook/Downtown Lititz

• Route: Wolf Sanctuary of PA > Tomato Pie Café > Lititz Walking Tour > Lititz Family Cupboard > Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery > Wilbur Chocolate > Lititz Spring Park > Isabella’s Ice Cream Parlor > Downtown Lititz

Once named the coolest town in Pennsylvania, Lititz is the perfect road trip destination. Get to know this small town in Pennsylvania on a walking tour, meet endangered wolves at a unique sanctuary, and learn to twist your own pretzels at Julius Sturgis Pretzel Factory. The small town is dotted with shops - like the longstanding Wilbur's Chocolates - and restaurants. Make sure you also spend some time just strolling through Lititz Springs Park and the charming center of this small town in Pennsylvania.

Best Pennsylvania Road Trip For Spring

Facebook/Ledges Hotel

• Route: Ganoga Falls > Main Falls > Dingman Falls > Silverthread Falls > Raymondskill Falls > Ledges Hotel > Nay Aug Falls
• Distance: 181 miles
• Trip Time: 4 hours, 37 minutes driving time

Spring's rain and snowmelt make it an ideal season for chasing waterfalls. This tallest waterfall road trip in Pennsylvania will take you to seven cascades, including Raymondskill Falls. The tallest waterfall in Pennsylvania, it tumbles down a spectacular 150 feet. Nestled in Ricketts Glen State Park, Ganoga Falls is along a trail of 21 waterfalls while Main Falls is just one of eight cascades at Bushkill Falls, a waterfall park that's been dubbed "The Niagara of Pennsylvania." Bring your hiking shoes and your camera for one of the best Pennsylvania road trips that include a meal at a restaurant and hotel overlooking a waterfall.

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Best Summer Road Trip In Pennsylvania

Facebook/Laurel Hill State Park

• Route: Conneaut Lake > Poe Valley State Park > Mt. Gretna Lake and Beach > Laurel Hill State Park > Raccoon Creek State Park > Moraine State Park
• Distance: 634 miles
• Trip Time: 11 hours, 6 minutes driving time

Beat the sweltering heat of a Pennsylvania summer by road-tripping to some of its best beaches. This beaches in Pennsylvania road trip takes you to six gems from the beloved Conneaut Lake to the lesser-known sandy beach at Poe Valley State Park. Mount Gretna Lake and Beach, which requires an admission fee, promises an old-fashioned beach day with tubing, swings, kayaking, and a concession stand. Pack all of your beach gear and follow this Pennsylvania road trip map for an old-fashioned summer adventure.

Best Pennsylvania Road Trip For Fall

Flickr/Jim Mullhaupt

• Route: Presque Isle State Park > Kinzua Bridge State Park > Pine Creek Gorge > Pocono Mountains > Lehigh Gorge State Park > Washington Crossing Historic Park > Lancaster County > Gettysburg National Military Park > Ohiopyle State Park
• Distance: 883 miles
• Trip Time: 16 hours, 19 minutes driving time

You won't find a better place to go leaf peeping than Pennsylvania. This fall foliage road trip will take you all over Pennsylvania, including some of its most iconic landmarks. Time your journey to catch the peak of the foliage at Presque Isle State Park, Kinzua Bridge, Gettysburg National Military Park, and Ohiopyle State Park. One of the most stunning stops, Pine Creek Gorge (considered the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania) can be viewed from several scenic vistas or on a picturesque hiking trail.

Best Winter Road Trip In Pennsylvania

Facebook/Koziar’s Christmas Village

• Route: Longwood Gardens > Lights In The Parkway > Lehigh Valley Zoo > Candy Cane Lane > Holiday Lights on the Lake > Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens > Hersheypark > Koziar’s Christmas Village > Dutch Wonderland > Herr’s
• Distance: 737 miles
• Trip Time: 13 hours, 25 minutes driving time

Christmas just might be the most magical time of the year in Pennsylvania, with neighborhoods and attractions twinkling in shimmering lights. This Christmas lights road trip through Pennsylvania is sure to get you in the holiday spirit, even if you're feeling a bit bah humbug. It's a long one, traversing the entire state. You'll visit some of the best Christmas displays in Pennsylvania, strolling past more than a million lights at Koziar's Christmas Village and driving through Candy Cane Lane in Williamsport. Dutch Wonderland opens select rides for a holiday festival and you'll likely meet Santa and Mrs. Claus at numerous stops along the way.

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Family-Friendly Pennsylvania Road Trip

Flickr/Derrick Cleveland

• Route: Coudersport Ice Mine > Linesville Spillway > Big Mac Museum > Idlewild Park > Haines Shoe House > Red Caboose Motel/Casey Jones Restaurant > Wolf Sanctuary of PA > Cherry Springs State Park
• Distance: 708 miles
• Trip Time: 13 hours, 56 minutes driving time

Pile the whole family in the car for the best family-friendly road trip in Pennsylvania that leads to some unforgettable destinations including an ice mine where the ice freezes in the summer and melts in the winter. Feed ducks and fish, see the only wild wolves in Pennsylvania, and enjoy an evening of stargazing at Cherry Springs State Park, which boasts the darkest skies on the Eastern Seaboard. This nearly 14-hour road trip promises plenty of whimsy and unique experiences and is one of the best road trips in Pennsylvania.

Road Trip to Pennsylvania Landmarks & Natural Wonders

Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli

• Route: Ringing Rocks County Park > Archbald Pothole State Park > Seven Tubs Natural Area > Ricketts Glen State Park > Pine Creek Gorge > Cherry Springs State Park > Coudersport Ice Mine > Kinzua Bridge State Park > Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park > Dinosaur Rock
• Distance: 563 miles
• Trip Time: 11 hours, 32 minutes driving time

Journey to some of the most unique natural wonders in Pennsylvania on a road trip that will take you statewide. Bring a hammer to play music on the rocks at Ringing Rocks; take a boat ride in the only all-water cave in America, and marvel at the world's largest pothole (only in Pennsylvania, right?). The best time to hit the road is spring through fall, although Coudersport Ice Mine (the ice freezes in the summer and melts in the winter) is seasonal.

Road Trip to Best Small Towns in Pennsylvania

Flickr/Kevin Thomas

• Route: Ligonier > Hollidaysburg > Elizabethtown > Lititz > New Hope > Jim Thorpe > Bloomsburg > Eagles Mere > Smethport > Wellsboro
• Distance: 704 miles
• Trip Time: 13 hours, 53 minutes driving time

The small towns in Pennsylvania define our beautiful state and give us a glimpse of what life was like during simpler times. Travel throughout Pennsylvania to get to know just a few of its enchanting small towns including the Switzerland of PA (Jim Thorpe) and the tiny village of Eagles Mere, population 150. Take a scenic train ride in Hollidaysburg and New Hope, grab a bite to eat in Bloomsburg (technically the only town in Pennsylvania), and stroll down the darling Main Street in Wellsboro. This Pennsylvania road trip is lovely in any season.

For road trip planning and packing tips, check out OnlyInYourState’s Ultimate Road Trip Packing List. Whether you’re leaving for a single day or a week-long road trip, you can’t forget the snacks: here are 50 on-the-go snack ideas perfect for traveling.

Has all this talk of road trips in Pennsylvania sent your wanderlust into overdrive? Which Pennsylvania road trip would you like to take first? Have you taken any of these Pennsylvania road trips yet? What do you consider to be the best road trips in Pennsylvania? Let us know in the comments! If you’ve got a sweet tooth, add this road trip to the best old-school chocolate shops in Pennsylvania to your bucket list.