If you’re craving a little adventure, plan a memorable road trip through Pennsylvania! One of the best ways to experience The Keystone State is through its small towns, and we’ve put together a road trip that does just that. Our small town road trip in Pennsylvania will take you to 10 of the charming communities that make our beautiful state so special. (Of course, Pennsylvania is home to many, many amazing small towns — this is just a place to start!) Pack your bags, gas up the car, and hit the road — let’s go on a small town road trip through Pennsylvania.
(Click here for the full directions for the road trip mapped out below.
Google Maps
- Ligonier
Flickr/Jon Dawson
Flickr/Jon Dawson A tiny town with less than 2,000 residents, Ligonier welcomes visitors with the friendliness and warmness for which small town America is known. The tiny town, which dates back to the 1760s, offers plenty of historic sites to visit, small shops, and locally-owned restaurants.
- Hollidaysburg
Flickr/David Clow
Flickr/David Clow Less than 6,000 people call Hollidaysburg home. Just south of Altoona, Hollidaysburg promises a plethora of outdoor activities, including hiking to the overlook at Chimney Rocks Park, which offers stunning views of the small town below. Hop aboard the Everett Railroad steam train for a scenic train trip.
- Elizabethtown
Flickr/Jon Dawson
Flickr/Robert Rowe Stroll through the small town of Elizabethtown, widely regarded as one of the best places to live in Pennsylvania. With a population of less than 12,000, while browsing the quaint shops like the Masonic Village Farm Market, stop for a relaxing drink at Moo Duck Brewery, or hike the Conewago Recreation Trail.
- Lititz
Facebook/Lititz Springs Park
Flickr/Rodrigo Bernal Known as America’s coolest small town, Lititz promises unique adventure at every turn, whether it’s learning how to twist your own pretzels at Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, snapping photos of the resident ducks at Lititz Spring Park, or wandering through the Saturday Farmers Market.
- New Hope
Flickr/John Herr
Flickr/John Herr Nestled in Bucks County, New Hope welcomes visitors with its many eclectic attractions. Shoppers can spend hours browsing at Rice’s Country Market, can learn about the town’s haunted history by joining Ghost Tours of New Hope, or can hop aboard The New Hope & Ivy Railroad for a scenic journey through the heart of Bucks County.
- Jim Thorpe
Flickr/Kevin
Flickr/Pauline Rosenberg Travel back in time when you visit Jim Thorpe, a small town that looks as though it’s jumped off the pages of a fairy tale. Jim Thorpe offers visitors the perfect afternoon of strolling down quaint streets, visiting cozy shops, and trying out delicious restaurants. Entertainment and outdoor activities, such as hiking and whitewater rafting, are also popular with visitors as well as townspeople.
- Bloomsburg
Flickr/Doug Kerr
Flickr/fishhawk Bloomsburg welcomes visitors with the old-fashioned hospitality for which small towns are famous. Embrace the cultural diversity on which the town prides itself by attending local festivals, such as the Renaissance Jamboree or the Ice Cream and Cake Festival. The Haas Gallery of Art is another popular Bloomsburg attraction.
- Eagles Mere
Flickr/Doug Kerr
Flickr/Lora Brueck “Let’s not forget the town that time forgot,” the small town of Eagles Mere’s motto, fits the tiny community to a T. Eagles Mere provides the perfect backdrop anytime of the year with old-fashioned tobogganing in the winter and the annual Water Carnival every summer, the latter of which is slated for August 13 this year.
- Smethport
Flickr/OZ in OH
Flickr/Doug Kerr Embrace every aspect of small town life in Smethport, starting with a walking tour of the picturesque town. Dripping with history, Smethport is home to several museums, including the McKean County Historical Museum and the Old Jail Museum.
- Wellsboro
Flickr/Bruce Faling
Flickr/J. Stephen Conn The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, perhaps one of the state’s most amazing natural wonders, calls Wellsboro home so hop on an old-fashioned covered wagon or ride the rails for spectacular views of the Pine Creek Gorge.
Ready for a road trip? This small town road trip in Pennsylvania will take you through some of the state’s most amazing small towns. Then – if you’re up for it – start planning a haunting road trip that will take you through some of Pennsylvania’s most storied ghost towns.
Google Maps
Flickr/Jon Dawson
A tiny town with less than 2,000 residents, Ligonier welcomes visitors with the friendliness and warmness for which small town America is known. The tiny town, which dates back to the 1760s, offers plenty of historic sites to visit, small shops, and locally-owned restaurants.
Flickr/David Clow
Less than 6,000 people call Hollidaysburg home. Just south of Altoona, Hollidaysburg promises a plethora of outdoor activities, including hiking to the overlook at Chimney Rocks Park, which offers stunning views of the small town below. Hop aboard the Everett Railroad steam train for a scenic train trip.
Flickr/Robert Rowe
Stroll through the small town of Elizabethtown, widely regarded as one of the best places to live in Pennsylvania. With a population of less than 12,000, while browsing the quaint shops like the Masonic Village Farm Market, stop for a relaxing drink at Moo Duck Brewery, or hike the Conewago Recreation Trail.
Facebook/Lititz Springs Park
Flickr/Rodrigo Bernal
Known as America’s coolest small town, Lititz promises unique adventure at every turn, whether it’s learning how to twist your own pretzels at Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, snapping photos of the resident ducks at Lititz Spring Park, or wandering through the Saturday Farmers Market.
Flickr/John Herr
Nestled in Bucks County, New Hope welcomes visitors with its many eclectic attractions. Shoppers can spend hours browsing at Rice’s Country Market, can learn about the town’s haunted history by joining Ghost Tours of New Hope, or can hop aboard The New Hope & Ivy Railroad for a scenic journey through the heart of Bucks County.
Flickr/Kevin
Flickr/Pauline Rosenberg
Travel back in time when you visit Jim Thorpe, a small town that looks as though it’s jumped off the pages of a fairy tale. Jim Thorpe offers visitors the perfect afternoon of strolling down quaint streets, visiting cozy shops, and trying out delicious restaurants. Entertainment and outdoor activities, such as hiking and whitewater rafting, are also popular with visitors as well as townspeople.
Flickr/Doug Kerr
Flickr/fishhawk
Bloomsburg welcomes visitors with the old-fashioned hospitality for which small towns are famous. Embrace the cultural diversity on which the town prides itself by attending local festivals, such as the Renaissance Jamboree or the Ice Cream and Cake Festival. The Haas Gallery of Art is another popular Bloomsburg attraction.
Flickr/Lora Brueck
“Let’s not forget the town that time forgot,” the small town of Eagles Mere’s motto, fits the tiny community to a T. Eagles Mere provides the perfect backdrop anytime of the year with old-fashioned tobogganing in the winter and the annual Water Carnival every summer, the latter of which is slated for August 13 this year.
Flickr/OZ in OH
Embrace every aspect of small town life in Smethport, starting with a walking tour of the picturesque town. Dripping with history, Smethport is home to several museums, including the McKean County Historical Museum and the Old Jail Museum.
Flickr/Bruce Faling
Flickr/J. Stephen Conn
The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, perhaps one of the state’s most amazing natural wonders, calls Wellsboro home so hop on an old-fashioned covered wagon or ride the rails for spectacular views of the Pine Creek Gorge.
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Address: Ligonier, PA 15658, USAAddress: Hollidaysburg, PA, USAAddress: Elizabethtown, PA 17022, USAAddress: Lititz, PA 17543, USAAddress: New Hope, PA 18938, USAAddress: Jim Thorpe, PA, USAAddress: Bloomsburg, PA 17815, USAAddress: Eagles Mere, PA, USAAddress: Smethport, PA 16749, USAAddress: Wellsboro, PA 16901, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Small Town Road Trip In Pennsylvania April 24, 2021 Sarah What are some road trips in Pennsylvania I can do on one tank of gas? Road trips in Pennsylvania are one of the least expensive and most accessible ways to explore the state. But one of the most expensive and bothersome parts of a road trips is paying for gas. So we’ve put together these 10 one-tank trips that really allow for a quick, low-cost adventure. Some of our favorite quick day trips in Pennsylvania are Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, a home-turned-museum that’s a true artistic masterpiece; Hersheypark, the state’s most iconic attraction, and a chocolate lover’s happy place; and Coral Caverns, a unique underground adventure that will surely inspire. What are some of the smallest towns in Pennsylvania? Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, and the area of Lancaster – these are The Keystone State’s largest cities. On the other side of the coin, however, you’ll discover that Pennsylvania is home to some of the most charming small towns in the U.S. In terms of small-town charm, these 10 places are a delight and offer great opportunities for exploring and really getting away from it all. In terms of population, some of the tiniest towns you’ll find in Pennsylvania are Baileyville, Hartstown, Brave, Albrightsville, and Marklesburg. Are there any inexpensive road trips in Pennsylvania? If you want to explore but don’t want to spend a ton of money, definitely check out these 11 inexpensive day trips in Pennsylvania. A mix of scenic parks and unique attractions, you’ll find that you don’t need to break the bank to see the very best The Keystone State has to offer. For example, admission to Gettysburg National Military Park, one of the state’s most historic places, is free (the museum inside, however, does charge admission). And admission to all of Pennsylvania’s state parks is free, too!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Small Town Road Trip In Pennsylvania
April 24, 2021
Sarah
What are some road trips in Pennsylvania I can do on one tank of gas? Road trips in Pennsylvania are one of the least expensive and most accessible ways to explore the state. But one of the most expensive and bothersome parts of a road trips is paying for gas. So we’ve put together these 10 one-tank trips that really allow for a quick, low-cost adventure. Some of our favorite quick day trips in Pennsylvania are Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, a home-turned-museum that’s a true artistic masterpiece; Hersheypark, the state’s most iconic attraction, and a chocolate lover’s happy place; and Coral Caverns, a unique underground adventure that will surely inspire. What are some of the smallest towns in Pennsylvania? Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, and the area of Lancaster – these are The Keystone State’s largest cities. On the other side of the coin, however, you’ll discover that Pennsylvania is home to some of the most charming small towns in the U.S. In terms of small-town charm, these 10 places are a delight and offer great opportunities for exploring and really getting away from it all. In terms of population, some of the tiniest towns you’ll find in Pennsylvania are Baileyville, Hartstown, Brave, Albrightsville, and Marklesburg. Are there any inexpensive road trips in Pennsylvania? If you want to explore but don’t want to spend a ton of money, definitely check out these 11 inexpensive day trips in Pennsylvania. A mix of scenic parks and unique attractions, you’ll find that you don’t need to break the bank to see the very best The Keystone State has to offer. For example, admission to Gettysburg National Military Park, one of the state’s most historic places, is free (the museum inside, however, does charge admission). And admission to all of Pennsylvania’s state parks is free, too!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Road trips in Pennsylvania are one of the least expensive and most accessible ways to explore the state. But one of the most expensive and bothersome parts of a road trips is paying for gas. So we’ve put together these 10 one-tank trips that really allow for a quick, low-cost adventure. Some of our favorite quick day trips in Pennsylvania are Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, a home-turned-museum that’s a true artistic masterpiece; Hersheypark, the state’s most iconic attraction, and a chocolate lover’s happy place; and Coral Caverns, a unique underground adventure that will surely inspire.
What are some of the smallest towns in Pennsylvania?
Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, and the area of Lancaster – these are The Keystone State’s largest cities. On the other side of the coin, however, you’ll discover that Pennsylvania is home to some of the most charming small towns in the U.S. In terms of small-town charm, these 10 places are a delight and offer great opportunities for exploring and really getting away from it all. In terms of population, some of the tiniest towns you’ll find in Pennsylvania are Baileyville, Hartstown, Brave, Albrightsville, and Marklesburg.
Are there any inexpensive road trips in Pennsylvania?
If you want to explore but don’t want to spend a ton of money, definitely check out these 11 inexpensive day trips in Pennsylvania. A mix of scenic parks and unique attractions, you’ll find that you don’t need to break the bank to see the very best The Keystone State has to offer. For example, admission to Gettysburg National Military Park, one of the state’s most historic places, is free (the museum inside, however, does charge admission). And admission to all of Pennsylvania’s state parks is free, too!
