Pennsylvania has four seasons and visitors need to pack and prepare accordingly. In the center of the state, the average high temperature in summer is 81 and the average low is 62; the average winter high is 32 and the average low is 18. Summer days can be quite warm and humid, but the lower night temperatures mean that you should pack a sweater or jacket. Be sure to dress in layers during the cold winters, starting with a long-sleeved, close-fitting top that you pair with a looser sweater or fleece top. If your coat doesn't have a hood, be sure to bring a hat and scarf. Keep in mind, too, that snowy or icy winter weather can affect travel plans, whether you are driving or flying.
Pennsylvania has two major airports, in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and a number of smaller regional airports. Three Amtrak rail routes run through the state: the north-south line that runs through Philadelphia; an east-west line that runs from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh; and a line that cuts through the southwestern part of the state and runs from Washington to Pittsburgh and then to Cleveland, Ohio. Once you arrive in Pennsylvania by plane, train, or automobile, you'll find limited public transportation outside of Philadelphia or Pittsburgh and will most likely need a car to get around.
Philadelphia, the state's largest city, offers many historic sites related to colonial and Revolutionary times. Visit Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell and the National Constitution Center, a museum dedicated to the document. Run up the steps to the East Entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and raise your arms in imitation of Rocky Balboa, the fictional boxer of "Rocky" movie fame. At the bottom of the steps, you can admire the larger-than-life bronze statue of the character. About an hour-and-a-half drive from Philadelphia, you'll reach Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and be in the heart of Amish Country. Shop for handmade furniture, take a buggy ride and enjoy Pennsylvania Dutch cooking, including scrapple and shoofly pie.
Pittsburgh, once known as "Steel City," is a modern city with many museums, including the Andy Warhol Museum and Fort Pitt Museum, which highlights the strategic importance of the fort during the French and Indian War. Depending on the season, you can take in professional sports, with the Pirates baseball team, the Penguins hockey team or the Steelers football team. About 90 minutes from Pittsburgh, visit Fallingwater, the famous house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, near Mill Run. Check the website Fallingwater.org for hours and driving directions, especially as the website specifically cautions against following a GPS, as that may take you down unpaved roads.
Northeastern Pennsylvania is the home of the Poconos Mountains, where outdoors enthusiasts can ski either downhill or cross-country in winter, as well as go snowmobiling or skating. Lodging options range from rustic cabins to the region's well-known romantic getaway spots, with heart-shaped whirlpool baths and specials that can include breakfast in bed or a couple's massage. About an hour's drive further north, you can tour sites in Scranton made famous on the television show "The Office."
The geographic center of the state is the home of The Pennsylvania State University, where visitors can watch college football at Beaver Stadium in the fall -- make reservations and get tickets well in advance -- or show up in July for the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts. Don't miss a chance to get some ice cream at the Creamery on campus. About two hours away, near the state's capital of Harrisburg, you can further indulge your sweet tooth with a visit to Hershey and Hersheypark amusement park. Continue south for another hour to reach Gettysburg, a national park commemorating the Civil War battle.
