Mount Airy Casino Resort
A self-contained holiday destination in Pennsylvania’s Pocono mountains, less than two hours by road from Philadelphia, New York City or New Jersey. The complex contains a vast casino, hotel, nightclub, several restaurants and an 18-hole golf course. mountairycasino.com
Pocono Mountains
Other than Mount Airy, the Pocono mountains, in Pennsylvania’s northeast, offer a vast range of outdoor activities (biking, hiking, white-water rafting, golf and more) and historic sites (several relating to the legendary native American athlete Jim Thorpe, after whom one town in the area – Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania – is named). Anyone interested in seeing a distinctily American sporting sub-culture up close could time their trip to coincide with the stock car auto racing season at the renowned Pocono speedway. 800poconos.com
Scranton
This has become something of a cult destination since being made the setting for the American version of The Office. The website of Scranton’s newspaper, the Times-Tribune, offers a guided tour of the locations that appear in the series, including the fabulously unappetising sounding Anthracite Heritage Museum. scrantontimes.com
Valley Forge
About 30km northwest of Philadelphia, Valley Forge represents an ideal outing for anyone torn between historical sightseeing and the desire to take advantage of Pennsylvania’s tax-free clothes shopping. Valley Forge National Historical Park commemorates the site where George Washington’s revolutionary army endured a terrible but crucial winter in 1777-78. The nearby King of Prussia Mall is the largest on the east coast of the US. valleyforge.org
Gettysburg
In July 1863, the bloodiest battle of the US Civil War was fought here. A few months later, Abraham Lincoln gave one of the most famous speeches in American history here – the terse, moving 246 words remembered as the Gettysburg Address. Today, the battlefield benefits from the care and imagination that characterises American museums and memorials – various sorts of guided tours are available, including walking, driving, bus and horseback. gettysburg.com
Brandywine Valley
Easily accessible by road or rail from Philadelphia, and worth visiting just for the natural scenery along the Brandywine river, which flows through Pennsylvania and Delaware. Beyond that, there’s the site of the Battle of Brandywine – a British victory in the American War of Independence – and its associated attractions, as well as museums, gardens and wineries. thebrandywine.com
Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania’s second city is often overlooked, but it was named ‘America’s Most Liveable City’ in 2007, and is highly visitable, as well. Pittsburgh’s downtown Cultural District heaves with theatres, galleries and restaurants. Pittsburgh is known for its steep, stepped footpaths, which can be turned into an urban hiking tour, and for its Carnegie Museums, which include the Carnegie Science Center, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Andy Warhol Museum. pittsburgh.net, pittsburgh.com
Allegheny National Forest
Situated in the far northeastern reaches of Pennsylvania, the Allegheny National Forest – known as the Alleghenies – is an enduring reminder that Sylvania is a Latin word meaning forest land, and potentially an entire holiday of its own. The seven distinct areas of the Alleghenies between them contain attractions both man-made and natural. Outdoor types can choose from an abundance of activities – hiking, cycling, canoeing, fishing, bird-watching, and the vast Rock Run Recreation Area for all-terrain vehicles. thealleghenies.com
Read about Pennsylvania's capital city in The Philadelphia story
