Pennsylvania

Region · 🇺🇸 United States

Population 13,002,700

Area 117,194 km²

Time zone America/New_York

Official website www.pa.gov

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Featured Lists

Beyond My Ken / GFDL

Pennsylvania Essentials

Pennsylvania preserves the foundations of the United States through sites like the Museum of the American Revolution and Elfreth's Alley, the nation's oldest continuously inhabited residential street. Beyond Philadelphia's historic core, the state showcases world-class art at the Barnes Foundation and Rodin Museum. Industrial and cultural milestones include the world’s oldest operating wooden roller coaster, the historic Wanamaker retail landmark, and the craftsmanship of the Martin Guitar Museum.

14 places

Lexy Stevens / CC-BY-SA

Historic Heritage Sites

This collection highlights Pennsylvania's rich architectural and historical landscape. It features a diverse range of landmarks, from the novelty "Coffee Pot" structure in Bedford to the world's oldest wooden roller coaster, Leap-The-Dips. The list includes several mid-19th-century Burr arch truss covered bridges like Sonestown and Hillsgrove, alongside grand estates such as the Joseph Priestley House and Friendship Hill. Engineering marvels like the masonry High Bridge and cultural institutions like Philadelphia’s Academy of Music showcase the state’s evolution from the colonial era through the industrial age.

15 places

Beyond My Ken / GFDL

Museums and Culture

This selection highlights Philadelphia's architectural and intellectual history, from the 18th-century cobblestones of Elfreth’s Alley to the modernist Barnes Foundation. It includes the Rodin Museum’s extensive sculpture collection, the interactive exhibits of the Franklin Institute, and the Gothic ruins of Eastern State Penitentiary. The list also extends to regional landmarks like the concrete Fonthill Castle and the Martin Guitar Museum, showcasing the area's legacy in craftsmanship, the performing arts, and the American Revolution.

15 places

Beyond My Ken / GFDL

Historic Churches & Cathedrals

Explore the architectural and historical diversity of Pennsylvania's religious landmarks. This collection includes the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, the grand seat of Philadelphia’s Catholic Archdiocese, and Christ Church, a colonial-era Episcopal landmark where Founding Fathers once worshiped. The list features the Swedenborgian Bryn Athyn Cathedral, known for its Gothic and Romanesque craftsmanship, and the Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge. It also highlights the historic Little Jerusalem AME Church in Bensalem and the Neo-Gothic First Presbyterian Church in Greensburg.

6 places

Stryker33 / CC BY-SA 3.0

Nature and Scenic Views

Explore Pennsylvania’s diverse terrain, from the summit of Mount Davis, the state’s highest peak, to the glacial Archbald Pothole. This collection features the Allegheny National Forest’s vast woodlands and Cherry Springs State Park, a renowned International Dark Sky Park. Historic sites include Washington Crossing on the Delaware River and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Kentuck Knob. Nature enthusiasts can visit the unique tea-colored waters of Black Moshannon State Park or the historic iron-making remains at Greenwood Furnace State Park.

15 places

Drums600 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Scenic Lakes and Waterfalls

Pennsylvania’s diverse aquatic landscapes range from the expansive Raystown Lake, the largest reservoir entirely within the state, to the dramatic 94-foot Ganoga Falls in Ricketts Glen State Park. This collection includes engineering landmarks like the Kinzua Dam on the Allegheny River and the historic Halfway Dam, the first stone masonry dam built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. These sites offer a mix of natural glacial lakes, artificial reservoirs like Lake Wilhelm, and accessible cascades such as Cucumber Falls in Ohiopyle.

13 places