Pennsylvania
Visitors come to Pennsylvania for Philadelphia's colonial history, Pittsburgh's rivers and hills, the Gettysburg battlefield and the Amish farms of Lancaster County.
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Pennsylvania is a Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern US state that borders New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio and the Canadian province of Ontario. Philadelphia is the largest city, and Independence Hall there is where the Declaration of Independence was adopted and signed in 1776. Pittsburgh, the second-largest city, has rivers and hills around it and is known for its universities, healthcare and technology sectors.
Outside the cities, Gettysburg is the site of the Civil War battle fought July 1 to 3, 1863, and Lancaster and Berks counties have many Plain community residents, including Amish. Hershey grew around the chocolate factory begun in 1903 and is home to The Hershey Company. Winters are cold and snowy toward the mountains, and summers are warm and humid. Because the cities are spread across the state and Pennsylvania has no Atlantic coastline, plan your route by region.
Pennsylvania in five
- Pick Philadelphia or Pittsburgh as your entry cityPhiladelphia holds the colonial sights and the Northeast Corridor trains; Pittsburgh has the museums, inclines and the road to Fallingwater. An open-jaw flight into one and out of the other saves the 300-mile backtrack.Philadelphia in 2 days
- Treat Gettysburg as free outdoors, paid indoorsThe battlefield and visitor center cost nothing to enter. The film, the Cyclorama painting and the Museum of the Civil War need tickets, listed at $20.75 for adults on the park's fee page.Gettysburg fees
- Plan for cashless tolls on the TurnpikeThe PA Turnpike has no cash lanes. Cameras read the plate and the registered owner is invoiced about 40 days later, so ask your rental company how it passes tolls on before you drive off.PA Turnpike Toll By Plate
- Take the Pennsylvanian only if the train is the tripAmtrak's Pennsylvanian runs once daily between New York and Pittsburgh, calling at Philadelphia, Lancaster, Harrisburg and Altoona. It is a scenic ride past Horseshoe Curve, but a flight is faster between the two cities.Pittsburgh travel guide
- Book Fallingwater ahead and skip WednesdaysFallingwater, southeast of Pittsburgh, is closed on Wednesdays and is visited by booked tour. Pair it with a rental car and book your tour time before you drive out.Pittsburgh travel guide
Neighborhoods
Where to stay in Pennsylvania, the full guide
Allentown
- Best for: Moravian history, Allentown
- Price band: $$
- Bethlehem is one of the US headquarters of the Moravian Church
- Allentown's Puerto Rican community was over 40% of the city in 2000
- Easton sits on the Delaware River
Skip if you want big-city museums and nightlife on foot.
Hershey
- Best for: Families, chocolate tours
- Price band: $$
- Founded around the chocolate factory begun in 1903
- Home to The Hershey Company, a major chocolate maker
- Harrisburg, the state capital, is nearby
Skip if you want city nightlife or a train station on foot.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia is Pennsylvania's largest city, and its compact historic center, with Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, can be seen on foot.
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is a steel-era river city built on steep hills and 446 bridges, and it rewards a few days of walking its neighborhoods, museums and viewpoints.
Things to do in Pennsylvania
See all attractions in Pennsylvania
Need to know
- Airports
- Philadelphia (PHL) in the east, Pittsburgh (PIT) in the west
- Getting there
- Amtrak Northeast Corridor to Philadelphia; daily Pennsylvanian from New York to Pittsburgh
- Getting around
- Transit inside the cities; a rental car for Gettysburg, Lancaster and Fallingwater
- Best base
- Philadelphia for history, Pittsburgh for museums and rivers
- Time needed
- 5 to 7 days for both cities and one day trip
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Days with storms
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryCloudy11 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh1°Low-6°Cold, snowJanuaryCloudy
Poor
- High
- 1°
- Low
- -6°
- Precipitation
- 78 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, snow
- FebruaryPartly cloudy11 rainy days4 snowy daysHigh4°Low-5°ColdFebruaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 4°
- Low
- -5°
- Precipitation
- 88 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 4
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold
- MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh9°Low-1°Cool, variableMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 9°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 87 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, variable
- AprilRain13 rainy daysHigh14°Low4°Spring bloomsAprilRain
Good
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 107 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring blooms
- MayRain15 rainy daysHigh20°Low9°Warm, greenMayRain
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 122 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, green
- JuneRain13 rainy daysHigh25°Low14°Warm, humidJuneRain
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 139 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, humid
- JulyRain14 rainy days1 day with stormsHigh29°Low17°Hot, humidJulyRain
Good
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 127 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 1
Hot, humid
- AugustPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh27°Low16°Hot, thunderstormsAugustPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 112 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, thunderstorms
- SeptemberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh23°Low13°Warm, easySeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 121 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, easy
- OctoberPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh17°Low7°Fall colorOctoberPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 120 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Fall color
- NovemberPartly cloudy9 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh9°Low0°Cool, bare treesNovemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 0°
- Precipitation
- 68 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, bare trees
- DecemberCloudy11 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh3°Low-3°Cold, lightsDecemberCloudy
Poor
- High
- 3°
- Low
- -3°
- Precipitation
- 106 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, lights
Average daily high and low in Harrisburg, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Pennsylvania
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
17
- Feels like
- 15°
- Humidity
- 49%
- Wind
- 7 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 4%
Pennsylvania
04:56 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today19°6°4%Monday: Cloudy. High 19°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 4%.
- Tue20°8°4%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 20°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 4%.
- Wed20°8°23%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 20°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 23%.
- Thu21°11°73%Thursday: Rain. High 21°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 73%.
- Fri17°8°30%Friday: Cloudy. High 17°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 30%.
- Sat8°1°14%Saturday: Drizzle. High 8°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 14%.
- Sun11°0°9%Sunday: Drizzle. High 11°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 9%.
Updated 04:29 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 EUR = 1.116 USD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Gettysburgabout 1.5 hours by car from BaltimoreA free battlefield drive plus a paid museum, film and Cyclorama; a car is the only practical way.
- Lancaster CountyAmtrak or car from PhiladelphiaFarmland and Pennsylvania Dutch towns; Lancaster is a stop on the Pennsylvanian.
- Baltimoreabout 1 to 1.5 hours by trainA harbor city on the same rail corridor, easy to add after Philadelphia.Read the guide
Before you go to Pennsylvania
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for Pennsylvania, checked
- Gettysburg battlefield and visitor center are free; tickets for the film, Cyclorama and Museum of the Civil War list at $20.75 for adults.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
- Gettysburg battlefield roads open 30 minutes before sunrise and close 30 minutes after sunset.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
- The PA Turnpike uses all-electronic tolling: no cash, and non-E-ZPass drivers are invoiced by license plate about 40 days after travel.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
- Amtrak's Pennsylvanian runs daily between New York and Pittsburgh, with stops in Philadelphia, Lancaster, Harrisburg and Altoona.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Plan around Pennsylvania
Parks, cities, entry rules and money for a US trip
Read the guidePhiladelphia travel guideIndependence Hall, museums and cheesesteaks
Read the guidePittsburgh travel guideRivers, inclines and the Warhol
Read the guideBaltimore travel guideHarbor city one rail corridor south of Philadelphia
Read the guideNew York travel guideA short Amtrak ride north of Philadelphia
Read the guideESTA before Pennsylvania flightsSort it first if you fly open-jaw into PHL and out of PIT
Read the guidePennsylvania FAQ
Is Pennsylvania worth visiting?
Yes, for the mix: Philadelphia's founding-era sights, Pittsburgh's museums and rivers, the Gettysburg battlefield and quiet farm country. It suits history fans and city travelers, and it is rarely as crowded as New York.
How far is Philadelphia from Pittsburgh?
About 300 miles, roughly a long day's drive. Amtrak's daily Pennsylvanian is slower than flying but passes Horseshoe Curve near Altoona, so it suits travelers who want the ride.
Is Gettysburg free to visit?
The battlefield and the visitor center are free. Tickets are needed for the film, the Cyclorama painting and the Museum of the Civil War. The park's roads are open from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.
Do you need a car in Pennsylvania?
Not inside Philadelphia or Pittsburgh. You need one for Gettysburg, Lancaster County and Fallingwater. Remember that the PA Turnpike has no cash tolls, so check how the rental company handles plate tolls.
What is the best time to visit Pennsylvania?
May and September to October give warm days and few storms, and October adds fall color on the ridges. July and August are hot and humid; winter brings snow that can slow rural drives.