Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Welcome back to Exploring America, state by state, after the boardwalks and pine forests of New Jersey, today we're rolling into Pennsylvania, the Keystone State, a name earned because of its central role holding together the original 13 colonies. This is the birthplace of American independence, the home of rolling Amish farmland, steel city grit in Pittsburgh, and a chocolate empire built entirely around one small town.
[00:00:26] Pennsylvania stretches from the historic brick streets of Philadelphia all the way to the forested ridges near Lake Erie. And along the way it offers Revolutionary War battlefields, Appalachian mountain scenery, and some of the best road food in the entire country. Let's dig into it. Pennsylvania Route 6, sometimes called the grand army of the Republic highway, cuts across the entire northern part of the state through deep forest, small mill towns and and dramatic overlooks above the Pine Creek Gorge, often nicknamed the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania. The Lincoln highway, following old Route 30, winds through rolling farmland and small historic towns on its way across the southern part of the state. And the Laurel Highlands region in the southwest offers a mountain drive through thick forest with waterfalls and scenic overlooks tucked around nearly every curve. Ricketts Glen State park hides an entire network of waterfalls along a single looping trail with more than 20 falls packed into one relatively short hike. Jim Thorpe, a small town nicknamed the Switzerland of America, sits tucked into a steep river gorge with Victorian architecture that feels completely out of place and time in the best possible way. Presque Isle State park out on Lake Erie gives you sandy beaches and lighthouse views that most people never associate with Pennsylvania at all.
[00:01:48] And out in the Laurel Highlands, Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece home built directly over a waterfall, remains one of the most stunning pieces of architecture in the entire country. Philadelphia holds the heart of American independence, with the Liberty Bell and Independence hall sitting just steps apart in the historic district where the founding documents were actually signed. Gettysburg, a couple hours west, preserves the battlefield from the turning point of the Civil War, and walking those fields in person hits differently than any textbook ever could. Pittsburgh's skyline, best seen from the top of the Duquesne Incline, rises, where three rivers meet, a genuinely dramatic view that surprises most first time visitors. And Hershey deserves its own spotlight entirely. Hershey park is Pennsylvania's signature family destination, an entire amusement park built around the town's chocolate legacy, with roller coasters ranked among the best in the country and streetlights shaped like chocolate kisses lining the surrounding streets. Right next door, Hershey's Chocolate World lets you ride a simulated factory tour and sample chocolate straight off the line. The whole town smells faintly like cocoa, and it genuinely feels like stepping into its own little chocolate scented world for a day or two for RV travelers. Specifically who Hershey hosts America's Largest RV show every September at the Giant center and hersheypark Stadium complex, drawing manufacturers and dealers from across the entire country to show off next year's models in one place. If your trip timing allows it, this is genuinely worth building a stop around, letting you walk through hundreds of RVs side by side, compare floor plans in person and often find show only deals you won't see anywhere else during the rest of the year.
[00:03:36] A few things worth In Philadelphia, the rivalry between Pat's and Gino's cheesesteak stands is mostly hype at this point and plenty of locals will point you to quieter spots with better sandwiches and shorter lines. Around Gettysburg, ghost tour operators can be hit or miss, so ask locally which ones are actually rooted in real history rather than pure showmanship. And at Hershey's Chocolate World, some of the paid add on experiences are skippable since the free Factory tour ride already covers the highlights. Pennsylvania is well connected by interstate for RV travel with i76, the Pennsylvania Turnpike running east to west and i80 offering a scenic northern route across the state. Mountain grades through the Poconos and the Allegheny Plateau can be steep in spots, so plan extra time and check your brakes before long descents.
[00:04:30] Philadelphia and Pittsburgh both have narrow city streets better suited to parking outside downtown and using local transit for your city. Time for paid camping. Hershey RV Resort puts you within walking distance of the park itself with full hookups and family friendly amenities. French Creek State park in the southeastern part of the state offers a large, well shaded campground close to both Philadelphia and the Amish countryside for free or low cost camping. Allegheny National Forest in the Northwest allows dispersed camping across large sections of public land, one of the more generous free camping options in the Northeast with rules varying by specific district, so check current regulations before setting up the hotel. Hershey offers a genuinely grand resort experience complete with a chocolate themed spa treatment menu that leans fully into the town's identity.
[00:05:26] The Poconos region is packed with classic mountain resorts built around lakes, golf and that old school honeymoon getaway reputation the area has carried for decades. And Lancaster County's Amish Country Inns give you a quieter, slower paced stay surrounded by farmland and horse drawn buggies passing by. SEPTA covers Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs with buses, trolleys and regional rail lines reaching well outside the city center. Amtrak's Keystone Corridor connects Philadelphia to Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, making a car free trip across the state entirely possible if you plan around the rail schedule and the Pennsylvania Turnpike remains the backbone for driving across the state efficiently, with well spaced service plazas for fuel and food along the way. Pennsylvania's food identity runs deep. The Philly cheesesteak, thin sliced beef and melted cheese on a long roll is the state's most famous export, and everyone has a strong opinion about where to get the best one. Soft pretzels are a genuine Pennsylvania Dutch tradition, sold warm on street corners across the state in Amish country, Whoopie pies, two soft cake rounds with cream filling in between are a beloved regional treat you won't find quite the same way anywhere else. And in Pittsburgh, a Primanti Brothers sandwich famously stuffs french fries and coleslaw directly inside the sandwich itself, a strange sounding combination that somehow works perfectly. Take a horse drawn buggy ride through Lancaster County's Amish farmland, a genuinely peaceful way to see a slower paced way of life still thriving today. Walk the Gettysburg battlefield at dawn when the fields are quiet and the history feels closest to the surface. Chase waterfalls through Ricketts Glen or the Poconos on a summer hiking day, cooling off under the spray at nearly every stop.
[00:07:18] And spend an evening in Hershey with a chocolate tasting class learning the difference between cocoa percentages the way you might learn about wine. Summer means peak season at Hershey park, with long lines on weekends but extended evening hours to help spread out the crowds. The Poconos come alive with lake activities, hiking and outdoor festivals from June through August, and Amish country farm stands are loaded with fresh produce all summer long, making a countryside picnic one of the simplest, best ways to spend an afternoon in Lancaster County, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh run at moderate big city prices, generally more affordable than New York or Boston for comparable hotels and meals. Rural Pennsylvania, including Amish country and the northern forests, is genuinely budget friendly, with campgrounds often running 25 to $45 a night and hearty diner meals well under $15. Hershey park tickets are a bigger splurge, so budgeting ahead for that one stop makes the rest of the trip easier to manage. Cell coverage is strong along the Turnpike corridor and around Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, with reliable signal for navigation and streaming in most populated areas.
[00:08:28] Coverage drops noticeably in the Allegheny National Forest and some of the more remote stretches of central Pennsylvania, so download offline maps before heading into those quieter, forested regions. That's Pennsylvania, a state holding the birthplace of American independence right alongside Amish farmland, steel city skylines and an entire town built on chocolate. Next time we're heading into Maryland, a state where Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, historic harbor towns and rolling horse country all fit inside one surprisingly compact stretch of coastline. Pack the cooler, and I'll see you there.
