 Discover the natural beauty of Pennsylvania's Allegheny National Forest. Take a look at the Laurel Highlands -- Pennsylvania's natural playground. Ski, swim, sail, and ride the rapids.
Watch a Pennsylvania fall unfold! These time-lapse movies bring autumn's colors to life.
Pennsylvania offers an abundance of arts and entertainment experiences throughout the Commonwealth. Visitors will find magnificent art museums and galleries in every corner of the state, in cities and towns both large and small. In addition, thrilling live theatre and other performing arts can be found throughout the Commonwealth.
Big city style with touches of old-world charm. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are modern, dynamic cities, both with an extraordinary sense of history.
If you're searching for The Promised Land, it's approximately 10 miles north of Canadensis in Pike County. Looking for World's End? That's here, too.
In fact, these are just two of Pennsylvania's 116 State Parks that offer a heavenly dose of family camping, swimming, biking, boating, fishing and hiking.
But that's just the tip of the mountain. Pennsylvania's 4.5 million acres of public lands include the finest woodlands and natural areas in America. Our name itself means "Penn's Woods" and our public estate is just that, often mountainous and filled with a myriad of creatures, plants and natural wonders.
What's more, you're never more than 15 minutes away from one of our state parks, state forests or game lands. We invite you to explore all the natural splendor that Pennsylvania has to offer.
From Philadelphia's Independence Hall, where a nation was born, to Gettysburg, where the Union was preserved, Pennsylvania is home to major milestones in the development of the nation.
Visitors to Pennsylvania can explore Valley Forge, where General George Washington's troops braved bitter cold and miserable conditions in the fight for U.S. independence. The nation's industrial history also forged ahead in Pennsylvania, and our industrial heritage is preserved throughout the state in museums devoted to the steel, coal, and railroad industries which forever altered the face of the nation.
Gettysburg, the high-water mark of the Confederacy also proved to be its downfall. Today, the battlefield has been preserved as a tribute to the uncommon bravery and valor displayed on both sides of the War Between the States. Visitors are awestruck by the quiet solemnity of the site, and numerous options exist for tourists wishing to learn the story of the Battle of Gettysburg.
The Flagship Niagara stands tall in Erie, PA's harbor - a living reminder of the epic battle that turned the tide in the War of 1812. Under the command of Commodore Perry, the Niagara and eight other ships won a decisive battle over the British Navy, providing a much-needed victory. Today, visitors are welcomed aboard the Niagara, to view an important piece of U.S. history and a symbol of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
From football to festivals, falling waters to fantastic bargains, there's an almost endless variety of fun things to see and do in Pennsylvania.
But no matter where you're headed, you'll find that the best reason to visit is Pennsylvanians themselves. The many different cultures of the people who settled Pennsylvania make for a surprising and delightful variety of residents, all of whom enjoy sharing their heritage with visitors. In fact, Pennsylvania is often described as a "Pocket Edition of the World" because of the incredible diversity of its residents.
We invite you to explore our many visitor attractions and the fascinating people who live here. You'll find interesting things to see and do in every corner of the state, and delicious food and comfortable lodging is never far away.
The unspoiled natural beauty of Pennsylvania's Lake Erie region is perfect for lovers of nature! See how the Erie region.
Relaxed, unique and authentic just a few of the words to describe Pennsylvania's Hershey/Gettysburg/Dutch region. Visit the Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch, then shop the Reading outlets for unbeatable bargains. Explore the Hershey/Gettysburg/Dutch region.
Philadelphia draws tourists to see the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Franklin Institute and the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, while the Poconos attract honeymooners, golfers, and fishermen, and the Delaware Water Gap and Allegheny National Forest appeal to boaters, hikers, and nature lovers. Another attraction are the many covered bridges in the state, as Pennsylvania has more covered bridges than any other state. Fourteen slots casinos, the majority of which are either in the process of being awarded licenses from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board or are under construction, are expected to make up a good portion of tourism in the Commonwealth.
The Pennsylvania Dutch region in south-central Pennsylvania is a favorite for sightseers. The Pennsylvania Dutch, including the Old Order Amish, the Old Order Mennonites and at least 35 other sects, are common in the rural areas around the cities of Lancaster, York, and Harrisburg, and Hershey with smaller numbers extending northeast to the Lehigh Valley and up the Susquehanna River valley. There are also scattered communities in the northern and western parts of the state.
The term "Dutch," when referring to the Pennsylvania Dutch, means "German" or "Teutonic" rather than "Netherlander." Germans, in their own language, call themselves "Deutsch," which in English became, misleadingly, "Dutch." The Pennsylvania Dutch language is a descendant of German, in the West Central German dialect family. The language is only very rarely used as a first language among Pennsylvanians; however, in eastern and south central areas of the state it is a common second language and greatly influences dialect and accent.
Pennslyvania History
Before the Commonwealth was settled, the area was home to the Delaware (also known as Lenni Lenape), Susquehannock, Iroquois, Eries, Shawnee, and other Native American tribes.
John DickinsonIn 1681, Charles II granted a land charter to William Penn, to repay a debt of £20,000 (around $30,000,000 in 2007) owed to William's father, Admiral Penn. This was one of the largest land grants to an individual in history. It was called Pennsylvania, meaning "Penn's Woods", in honor of Admiral Penn. William Penn, who had wanted his province to be named "Sylvania", was embarrassed at the change, fearing that people would think he had named it after himself, but King Charles would not rename the grant.
Penn established a government with two innovations that were much copied in the New World: the county commission, and freedom of religious conviction.
Between 1730 and when it was shut down by Parliament with the Currency Act of 1764, the Pennsylvania Colony made its own paper money to account for the shortage of actual gold and silver. The paper money was called Colonial Scrip. The Colony issued "bills of credit" which were as good as gold or silver coins because of their legal tender status. Since they were issued by the government and not a banking institution, it was an interest-free proposition, largely defraying the expense of the government and therefore taxation of the people. It also promoted general employment and prosperity since the Government used discretion and did not issue too much to inflate the currency. Benjamin Franklin had a hand in creating this currency, of which he said its utility was never to be disputed, and it also met with the "cautious approval" of Adam Smith.
After the Stamp Act Congress of 1765, Delegate John Dickinson of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania wrote the Declaration of Rights and Grievances. The Congress was the first meeting of the thirteen colonies, called at the request of the Massachusetts Assembly, but only nine colonies sent delegates. Dickinson then wrote Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, To the Inhabitants of the British Colonies, which were published in the Pennsylvania Chronicle between December 2, 1767, and February 15, 1768.
When the Founding Fathers of the United States were to convene in Philadelphia in 1774, 12 colonies sent representatives to the First Continental Congress. The First Continental Congress drew up and signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, but when that city was captured by the British, the Continental Congress escaped westward, meeting at the Lancaster courthouse on Saturday, September 27, 1777, and then to York. There they drew up the Articles of Confederation that formed 13 independent colonies into a new nation. Later, the Constitution was written, and Philadelphia was once again chosen to be cradle to the new American Nation.
Pennsylvania became the second state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on December 12, 1787, five days after Delaware became the first.
The "Redbrick Capitol", used from 1821 until it burned down in 1897Dickinson College of Carlisle was the first college founded in the United States. Established in 1773, the college was ratified five days after the Treaty of Paris on September 9, 1783. The school was founded by Benjamin Rush and named after John Dickinson.
For half a century, the Commonwealth's legislature met at various places in the general Philadelphia area before starting to meet regularly in Independence Hall in Philadelphia for 63 years. But it needed a more central location, as for example the Paxton Boys massacres of 1763 had made them aware. So, in 1799 the legislature moved to the Lancaster Courthouse, and finally in 1812 to Harrisburg. The legislature met in the old Dauphin County Court House until December 1821, when the Redbrick Capitol was finished. It burned down in 1897, presumably because of a faulty flue. The legislature met at Grace Methodist Church on State Street (still standing), until the present capitol was finished in 1907.
The new state Capitol drew rave reviews. Its dome was inspired by the domes of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and the United States Capitol. President Theodore Roosevelt called it the "the most beautiful state Capitol in the nation", and said "It's the handsomest building I ever saw" at the dedication. In 1989, the New York Times praised it as "grand, even awesome at moments, but it is also a working building, accessible to citizens ... a building that connects with the reality of daily life".
Pennsylvania accounts for 9% of all wooded areas in the United States.
James Buchanan, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was the only bachelor President of the United States. The Battle of Gettysburg — the major turning point of the Civil War — took place near Gettysburg. An estimated 350,000 Pennsylvanians served in the Union Army forces along with 8,600 African American military volunteers.
Pennsylvania was also the home of the first commercially drilled oil well. In 1859, near Titusville, Pennsylvania, Edwin L. Drake successfully drilled the well, which led to the first major oil boom in United States history.
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