The Best Pennsylvania Road Trips You Didn’t Know You Wanted to Take (Till Now)

By Kristen Schott, Hannah Albertine, Victor Fiorillo, Bradford Pearson, Sandy Smith, and Laura Swartz·

pennsylvania road trips pa summer travel

Memories from our Pennsylvania road trips / Clockwise from top left: Bob Greenspan; Laura Swartz; Kiki Sorick; Victor Fiorillo; Sandy Smith; Alpha Stock/Alamy Stock Photo; Rusty Glessner; Bradford Pearson; dinosaur: Laura Swartz; elephant: Hannah Albertine

Ah, the open highway — the drive that takes you beyond Philly’s borders, one full of scenic vistas, nostalgic roadside stops and epic adventures. Remember all that? It’s there waiting for you this summer. So pack up the car, fire up the GPS, and head out on one of these quintessential road trips.

A map of our Pennsylvania road trips / Illustration by Eric Hinkley

When I was a kid, family vacations didn’t take us to far-flung destinations around the globe. For my mom, dad, sister and me, it was all about the road trip. We’d pile into the white Mazda minivan, fight traffic out of Southern California, and finally, gloriously, end up on our way. We’d stop at such marvels as the Four Corners, where it brought eight-year-old me such joy to get my hands and feet in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah all at the SAME TIME!! But what stands out most is the experience of it all — singing along to Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” with my dad when I got to sit in the front seat, or the sheer awe of seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time.

Here in Pennsylvania, we have a seemingly endless list of our own road-trip attractions along our 121,000 federal, state and local highways — from natural wonders and stunning vistas to bizarre tourist outposts and man-made landmarks. They’re all worth visiting, even if only for a laugh and bragging rights that you have, indeed, been to a building shaped like a Giant Coffee Pot, which food editor Hannah Albertine visited on her Lincoln Highway tour. Pennsylvania even has its own Grand Canyon, which features editor Bradford Pearson experienced on his scenic drive through Central PA to State College. (He, too, was awestruck by the 45-mile-long crevasse that’s the original’s kissing cousin.)

The best part? The five trips you’ll read about here are easily drivable from Philly. They range from overnight to five days, and they all take you off beaten paths to places you’ve likely never thought much about exploring. Prefer the finer things? We’ve got those, too, by way of a few luxurious places to stay and dine and ritzy things to do. So go ahead and wander. Get lost — and maybe discover your own roadside gems along the way. — K.S.