A visit to Pennsylvania’s small towns allows us a glimpse at a simpler time when everyone knew each other, mom and pops ran shops and restaurants, and life moved at a slower pace. We’re incredibly fortunate to have countless charming small towns in Pennsylvania – from Indiana, the hometown of beloved Pennsylvanian Jimmy Stewart, to Boiling Springs, a darling town almost frozen in time. This scenic road trip leads to just five of the many charming small towns that dot the state.
Here are the Google Map directions for this road trip that leads to five of Pennsylvania’s most charming small towns. Drive time clocks in at just under seven hours as you’ll travel 332 miles. You can easily customize the map to add stops and tailor it to your needs and interests.
Let’s kick off our road trip to Pennsylvania’s most charming small towns in Lititz. You really will feel as though you’ve stepped back in time in this friendly town that’s home to such attractions as Wolf Sanctuary of PA, Lititz Springs Park, and the Lititz Historical Foundation. Join a walking tour with Historic Lititz Walking Tours, and learn how to twist pretzels at Julius Sturgis Pretzel Company.
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2. New Hope
We’ll next make our way to New Hope, a delightful small town that offers a unique opportunity. Cross the bridge over the Delaware River to the small town of Lambertville, New Jersey, a bonus stop on your road trip if you have the time. New Hope promises plenty to do, including shops and restaurants. Take a scenic ride with the New Hope Railroad; or stroll through Bowman’s Wildflower Preserve. If you want to go a bit further afield – around five miles – head over to nearby Peddler’s Village in Lahaska.
3. Jim Thorpe
Our next stop brings us to the enchanting mountain town of Jim Thorpe, affectionately known as the Switzerland of Pennsylvania. Start your visit with a stroll through downtown, where you’ll find an eclectic selection of shops and restaurants. Try to time your visit for the annual Jim Thorpe Fall Foliage Festival, held the first three weekends in October, or Winterfest in February. A ride aboard the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway and a visit to the Old Jail Museum are both musts on your itinerary. You might also want to book an overnight stay (or two) at the Inn at Jim Thorpe; it’s said to be haunted.
4. Bloomsburg
A small-town Pennsylvania road trip must include Bloomsburg. This darling town, after all, is the only official town in Pennsylvania. It also hosts the annual Bloomsburg Fair, an epic multi-day festival, held every September. While you’re in town, stop by the Bloomsburg Children’s Museum, the Gallery at the Greenley Center, and the University of Bloomsburg. Spend some time exploring downtown, too.
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5. Gettysburg
Gettysburg is a borough and the county seat of Adams County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The town hosts visitors to the Gettysburg National Battlefield in the Gettysburg National Military Park.
We’ll end our road trip to some of the most charming small towns in Pennsylvania in the historic town of Gettysburg. Considered by many the most haunted town in the United States, Gettysburg appeals to history buffs, novice and seasoned ghost hunters, and those who enjoy small-town life. If it’s your first visit, you might want to join a walking or biking tour to get to know this delightful small town that’s home to such historic sites as Gettysburg National Military Park, the Jennie Wade House, and the Farnsworth House Inn.
What are your favorite of Pennsylvania’s most charming small towns? What others would you add to this scenic road trip? Let us know in the comments! If you’re up for another adventure, follow this road trip to six stunning lakes in Pennsylvania. Before you hit the road, check out the OIYS road trip packing essentials guide.
Spend Three Days In Three State Parks On This Weekend Road Trip In Pennsylvania
A 3-day road trip in Pennsylvania covers Salt Springs, Ricketts Glen, and Lehigh Gorge State Parks, offering hiking, waterfalls, and whitewater rafting.
A weekend road trip in Pennsylvania just sounds heavenly, doesn't it? We have so many amazing destinations that it can be tricky to narrow down what to pack into three days. If you're a fan of the outdoors, hit the highway on this road trip to three of the best state parks in Pennsylvania. One day is dedicated to each of the parks, so you can pack in a whole lot of fun in this 3-day road trip in Pennsylvania.
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Here are the Google Map directions for the road trip. You can easily customize them, adding your starting and ending points, or switching around the days you visit the parks
Our epic three-day road trip doesn’t require a ton of driving – just 211 miles over 4.5 hours. The minimal driving means you get to spend more time in each state park, rather than on the road.
Spanning a cozy 405 acres, Salt Springs State Park is an often overlooked, absolutely gorgeous state park that’s perfect for exploration. Bring your hiking shoes for your adventure. The park boasts 16 miles of hiking trails, and you’ll definitely want to follow the Fall Brook Trail. It passes along a picturesque boardwalk, past towering hemlock trees that are more than 300 years old, and to several cascading waterfalls. This is one trail where you'll want to make sure you have your camera. It’s a great start to one of the best roads trips in Pennsylvania.
Bring a pair of binoculars, too, because the lush park with fern floors is brimming with wildlife – deer, red foxes, porcupine, beaver, flying squirrels, and red squirrels. Fishing is permitted, and you’ll definitely want to enjoy a leisurely picnic. Explore during the day and reserve one of the rustic camping cottages for an overnight. While the cottages have electric lights and outlets, you’ll have to use the rustic bathrooms nearby. Whatever you do, make sure you get a good night’s sleep, because tomorrow is going to be absolutely epic, especially if you love waterfalls. Here's the official website of Salt Springs State Park.
Ricketts Glen State Park is always a natural choice for a road trip destination for one specific reason: waterfalls. The gorgeous state park is huge, tallying more than 13,000 acres. One of the highlights is, undoubtedly, the 21 named waterfalls, including the 94-foot-tall Ganoga Falls. You can see them all, too, on the challenging 7.2-mile Falls Trail. While the trail is quite challenging due to its rough terrain, the rewards are more than worth it. The park also features more than a handful of other trails, some of which give you a glimpse of some of the waterfalls, or you can also explore on horseback. The perfect stop for this weekend road trip in Pennsylvania.
Bring your beach gear along, too, if you’re roadtripping during the summer. Ricketts Glen features a beautiful sandy beach that leads into Lake Jean. The beach has everything you need for a relaxing time – a concession stand and picnic tables, and you can rent a boat if you want to explore the water.
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You can camp out overnight too, in one of the modern cabins (which feature bathrooms), by pitching a tent, or parking your RV. Get all of the details on the official website of Ricketts Glen State Park.
Our final day brings us to Lehigh Gorge State Park. Adventure awaits, especially if you’re a daredevil. If you are, go whitewater rafting through the gorge. The water trail promises a ton of fun and gorgeous scenery. You can also find local outdoor outfitters to lead you on a tour. A great final stop on one of our favorite road trips in Pennsylvania.
The best way to explore, however, is probably on one of the scenic hikes. (Biking is also popular at the park.) Lehigh Gorge State Park boasts 33 miles of hiking trails, including the 1.2-mile Buttermilk Falls and Luke’s Falls Trail. You’ll pass such beautiful scenery as waterfalls, and you’ll stroll through a cave. Learn more on the official website of Lehigh Gorge State Park.
Remember that chill of terror that ran down your spine as you hid under the blankets as a kid, peeking out so you wouldn't miss the scariest part of a horror flick on TV, but afraid of what might happen next? Enjoy chilling moments once again when you embark on this haunted road trip in Pennsylvania that may bring you face-to-face with the paranormal. Are you brave enough to face the most haunted places in Pennsylvania?
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When you're ready to hit the road, view the Google Map directions.
Pennsylvania is arguably one of the most haunted states in America. Fitting every haunted spot into this spooky road trip simply isn't possible. The itinerary, however, will take you to some of the scariest places in Pennsylvania. Add stops to your itinerary. Remove stops. Or, mix up the order of your road trip. However you plan it...have fun!
Start your haunted journey at Hill View Manor in New Castle, at the top of the list of scariest places in Pennsylvania. Originally a home for court-ordered mental patients and the elderly with nowhere to go when it opened in 1926, Hill View Manor eventually became solely focused on caring for the elderly before it shut in 2004. During its long history, Hill View Manor saw countless natural deaths and suicides. One hundred bodies are said to be buried on the site while their spirits still roam the facility. The most famous ghost, Mary Virginia, had a great love of dolls and is often seen wandering the building. This is definitely one of the best haunted attractions in Pennsylvania. Here's the official website of Hill View Manor.
Enjoy a production at the Mishler Theatre in Altoona, but expect to be entertained by far more than the actors and actresses on the stage. Named after its one-time owner, the Mishler Theatre was so loved by Mr. Mishler that his spirit is said to remain there today. Theater-goers often tell of smelling cigar smoke, a favorite of Mr. Mishler, and seeing the smoke spiral upwards but no one's there. Some have even seen Mr. Mishler walk into a wall, where the door to his office once stood, and disappear. Will your ticket to the Mishler Theatre include an impromptu meeting with Mr. Mishler's apparition? If you've been looking for "haunted locations near me," you won't find better! Check out the official website of Mishler Theatre.
Editor's Note: Centralia is on private property, so please avoid trespassing.
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Centralia is a virtual ghost town with less than half a dozen residents still remaining. An underground fire, which started in the mines in 1962, continues to burn in Centralia, drawing curious onlookers from around the state. Except for the homes in which the remaining residents live, the remainder of Centralia has been condemned and experts state that the fire could burn for several hundred more years.
While you can't visit Centralia, you can get a peek of it in 2023. Check out this video by Rapid Retrospect on YouTube.
Sure, a leisurely drive along Hansell Road, which leads into the forest, may seem like a peaceful way to spend an hour or so. But, if you believe in the paranormal, you may find that tranquility shattered when you begin to see mysterious objects, such as orbs glowing from the trees. Some describe the orbs as eerie eyes staring at them while others liken their shape to that of a traditional lantern. A spooky road trip certainly wouldn't be complete without a journey down this haunted road.
Local legend tells two different haunted tales of what happened on Van Sant Bridge - now known as Crybaby Bridge. In one tale, a man viciously murdered a woman and her infant on the bridge. His deed was repaid when he was hanged from the rafters of the bridge. Others tell a slightly different version of the story, asserting that the mother murdered her infant. Whatever the true story, visitors tell of seeing an apparition hanging from the covered bridge by a noose and of catching sight of the distraught mother looking for her child. The cries of an infant are also frequently heard. Learn more about Van Sant Covered Bridge.
Visit this 17th century inn for a delicious meal with a side of the paranormal. During its storied history, the King George Inn II, which is the longest continuously operating inn in the United States, has welcomed a long list of esteemed guests, including George Washington, John Adams, and James Madison. Today, diners tell of ghostly sightings, including that of a man neatly dressed in a top hat and tails walking through the inn. Others tell of paintings suddenly falling off of the walls and doors opening and closing when no one's there. Stop by the official website of The King George Inn II for more information.
More than 70,000 prisoners passed through Eastern State Penitentiary from the time it opened in 1829 until it permanently shut down in 1971. Originally designed to have only solitary cells, prisoners spent 24 hours a day alone, driving most to insanity. By the early 20th century, however, two to three men crowded into a tiny cell, but that was only the beginning of their suffering. The warden encouraged such torture as dunking the men into freezing water in the winter then hanging them against the wall and tying them up for days at a time so they couldn't move their limbs. Today, visitors talk of seeing apparitions and hearing wails as they tour the prison, which also features a nighttime haunted house in the autumn months. Here's the official website of Eastern State Penitentiary.
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8. Pennhurst State Hospital and School – Spring City
Originally designed to be a safe haven for the mentally ill when it opened in 1908, Pennhurst State Hospital and School became a virtual prison for those who entered - and never left. The overcrowded facility often checked in the mentally ill as well as those who were both physically and mentally healthy. Horrific tales of abuse - such as patients' starvation and unexplained bruises - still run rampant, decades after the facility permanently closed in 1987. Many believe that the spirits of those who suffered at Pennhurst remain in the facility. Part of the former mental hospital turns into a spooky haunted house each autumn. Visit the official website of Pennhurst Haunted Asylum.
Gettysburg is known as Pennsylvania's most haunted town and for good reason. Over 55,000 men were injured or killed during the three-day battle of Gettysburg in 1863. (One civilian - a woman named Jennie Wade - also died during the epic battle.) Many of those who died were left unburied. Some were buried then had their bodies moved. Their spirits are said to remain in Gettysburg and at Devil's Den, an area used for snipers, in particular. Past visitors tell of visiting Devil's Den as day turns to evening. A mist appears in the sky while the sound of marching fills the air. You might also spot a bright light and see the shadows of soldiers marching across the field. Still others talk of having mishaps with their otherwise fine cameras or smartphones when on the battlefield while many have met a friendly man in a floppy hat who's agreed to have his picture taken. Only problem? He disappears on the field and in the photo as soon as the photo is snapped. Here's the official website of Gettysburg National Military Park.
Plan your visit to Coulterville Cemetery in McKeesport, outside of Pittsburgh, after dark to increase your chances of experiencing the paranormal. (It just might be one of the scariest places in Pennsylvania after dark, so be wary.) Long ago an orphanage stood in place of the cemetery. A tragic fire ripped through the orphanage in the dark of night, killing many of the young children. Listen carefully as you enter the cemetery, either by vehicle or by foot, for you may just hear the footsteps and giggles of those lost children. When you leave the cemetery, glance out your rearview mirror. Others before you have claimed to see the shadows of the orphanage on fire. Pull over after you've left the cemetery lot to see if a child's handprint appears on your window.
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Who's ready for a haunted road trip in Pennsylvania? We're never too far from the paranormal in Pennsylvania. It's also never a bad time to visit the most haunted places in Pennsylvania, and you may just want to add some spooky ghost towns to your itinerary, too.
You might even want to take a camera with you, especially to Gettysburg. Will you run into the man with the floppy hat?
