Pennsylvania
5
Day Itinerary •
USA
Five days in Pennsylvania lets you explore the full extraordinary breadth of the Keystone State, from the birthplace of American democracy in Philadelphia to the extraordinary Amish countryside of Lancaster County, Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece Fallingwater, the magnificent Pocono Mountains and the extraordinary architectural heritage of Pittsburgh. This route covers the complete Pennsylvania experience. The extraordinary Independence Hall and Reading Terminal Market of Philadelphia, the covered bridges and farm stands of Lancaster County, the magnificent Fallingwater and Ohiopyle whitewater, the extraordinary Gettysburg battlefield and the extraordinary Strip District and Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.
Best Time To Visit
April to June or September to November for best conditions
Getting There
Fly into Philadelphia (PHL) or Pittsburgh (PIT)
Getting Around
SEPTA in Philadelphia, rental car from Day 2 onward
Budget Per Day
Approx $120 to $200 per person per day
Difficulity
Easy to moderate, some hiking in Laurel Highlands
DAY 1
PHILADELPHIA
MORNING
INDEPENDENCE HALL, LIBERTY BELL AND OLD CITY PHILADELPHIA
Independence Hall is the most extraordinary historic building in America, the UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776 and the Constitution signed in 1787. The Liberty Bell in its glass pavilion, Carpenter's Hall where the First Continental Congress met and the extraordinary Christ Church where Washington and Franklin worshipped are all within the most extraordinary walkable historic district in America. Independence Hall free, timed entry required. Drive: 20 min walk
MIDDAY
READING TERMINAL MARKET AND THE BARNES FOUNDATION
Reading Terminal Market is the most extraordinary food market in Philadelphia, its extraordinary 1892 train shed housing 80-plus vendors of Amish baked goods, DiNic's roast pork, Bassetts ice cream and the finest Philadelphia soft pretzels in the city. The Barnes Foundation two blocks away has the most extraordinary collection of Renoir paintings in the world alongside the finest Cezanne and Matisse collections in America. Market free, Barnes entry approx $30. Drive: 15 min walk
AFTERNOON
EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY AND THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART
Eastern State Penitentiary is the most extraordinary historic prison in America, its extraordinary 1829 radial cell block design that influenced prison design worldwide now a haunting ruin open for guided tours. Al Capone's luxuriously furnished cell is extraordinary. The Philadelphia Museum of Art's iconic Rocky Steps give the finest view of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The extraordinary armor collection and the Duchamp gallery are unmissable. Penitentiary approx $17.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Elfreth's Alley in Old City Philadelphia is the oldest continuously inhabited residential street in America, its 32 homes from 1702 to 1836 giving the finest colonial streetscape in the United States. Free at any time. The most extraordinary hidden gem in Philadelphia's historic district.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Famous 4th Street Cookie Company The finest bakery in Philadelphia's Society Hill. Extraordinary rugelach, black and white cookies and strong coffee. | Lunch: DiNic's Roast Pork, Reading Terminal The most celebrated roast pork sandwich in Philadelphia. Extraordinary sharp provolone and broccoli rabe. | Dinner: Zahav, Philadelphia The most celebrated restaurant in Philadelphia. Extraordinary modern Israeli cuisine. Book months ahead.
DAY 2
LANCASTER COUNTY
MORNING
LANCASTER COUNTY AMISH FARMS AND COVERED BRIDGES
Lancaster County is the most extraordinary Amish landscape in America, its extraordinary working farms of horse-drawn ploughs, quilt lines, roadside produce stands and hand-lettered signs giving a glimpse of 18th-century Pennsylvania farmlife entirely unchanged. The Pennsylvania Dutch road between Intercourse and Bird-in-Hand gives the finest Amish country drive. The Ephrata Cloister, the oldest surviving communal religious settlement in America, is extraordinary. Cloister entry approx $10. Drive: 1.5 hr drive
MIDDAY
LANDIS VALLEY MUSEUM AND AMISH FARM HERITAGE
Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum is the most extraordinary Pennsylvania German heritage museum in the state, its extraordinary 18th and 19th-century buildings and craftspeople demonstrating traditional skills including pottery, tinsmithing, weaving and gunsmithing giving the finest insight into Lancaster County's German heritage. The heirloom seed program is extraordinary. Entry approx $14. Drive: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
BIRD-IN-HAND FARMERS MARKET AND FARM STANDS
The Bird-in-Hand area gives the most extraordinary Amish farm stand experience in Lancaster County, its network of roadside stands selling fresh soft pretzels, Lebanon bologna, shoofly pie, whoopie pies and hand-stitched quilts directly from the farm. The Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market is the finest indoor Amish market in the county. The Herr's Mill Road covered bridge is the finest in Lancaster County. Farm stands free to browse.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Hans Herr House near Willow Street is the oldest surviving Mennonite meetinghouse in North America, its extraordinary 1719 medieval German architecture giving the finest insight into the original Lancaster County settler culture. Entry approx $10. Almost entirely unknown to visitors who focus only on Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant The finest Pennsylvania Dutch breakfast. Extraordinary scrapple, eggs, shoofly pie and strong coffee. | Lunch: Miller's Smorgasbord, Ronks The most legendary Pennsylvania Dutch buffet in Lancaster County since 1929. | Dinner: The Inn at Leola Village The finest restaurant in Lancaster County. Extraordinary local Pennsylvania produce in a historic country inn.
DAY 3
FALLINGWATER AND OHIOPYLE
MORNING
FALLINGWATER, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY HOUSE IN AMERICA
Fallingwater is the most extraordinary work of residential architecture in America, Frank Lloyd Wright's 1939 house cantilevered over a waterfall in the Laurel Highlands. The American Institute of Architects named it the finest American building of the 20th century. The guided tour through the extraordinary interiors with their built-in furniture, Cherokee red floors and views of the waterfall from every window is the most extraordinary architectural experience in Pennsylvania. Entry approx $30. Book ahead. Drive: 2 hr drive
MIDDAY
KENTUCK KNOB AND THE LAUREL HIGHLANDS SCULPTURE PARK
Kentuck Knob is Wright's extraordinary 1956 Usonian house of tidewater cypress and sandstone on a Laurel Highlands ridge, entirely different in character from Fallingwater yet equally remarkable in its integration with the forest. The surrounding sculpture park with Andy Goldsworthy's extraordinary stone arch and Richard Serra's steel works is the finest outdoor sculpture collection in Pennsylvania. Entry approx $22. Drive: 20 min drive
AFTERNOON
OHIOPYLE STATE PARK WHITEWATER AND NATURAL WATERSLIDES
Ohiopyle State Park is the most extraordinary whitewater destination in the eastern United States, its extraordinary Youghiogheny River gorge giving Class III to V rapids and the remarkable natural waterslides at Meadow Run, smooth sandstone chutes into deep pools that are the most extraordinary free natural attraction in Pennsylvania. The Ferncliff Peninsula loop trail through the river gorge is the finest short hike in the Laurel Highlands. Waterslides free, rafting approx $35.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Ferncliff Natural Area peninsula in Ohiopyle State Park is the finest hidden trail in the Laurel Highlands, its extraordinary loop through old-growth forest on a meander neck of the Youghiogheny River giving close-range river views unavailable from any road. Free. The most extraordinary hidden hike in southwestern Pennsylvania.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Summit Inn Resort dining room Extraordinary Laurel Highlands breakfast before the Fallingwater tour. Local eggs and strong coffee. | Lunch: Falls Market Restaurant, Ohiopyle Outstanding casual lunch beside the Youghiogheny falls. Local craft beer and Pennsylvania cuisine. | Dinner: Lautrec, Nemacolin Resort The finest restaurant in the Laurel Highlands. Extraordinary local produce and outstanding wine.
DAY 4
GETTYSBURG
MORNING
GETTYSBURG BATTLEFIELD, THE MOST IMPORTANT CIVIL WAR SITE IN AMERICA
Gettysburg National Military Park is the most extraordinary Civil War battlefield in America, the site of the three-day battle of July 1 to 3 1863 that turned the tide of the Civil War and led to Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. The extraordinary Museum and Visitor Center gives the finest introduction to the battle. Little Round Top, Devil's Den, the Peach Orchard and Cemetery Ridge are all unmissable. The extraordinary Cyclorama painting is the finest Civil War panorama in existence. Entry approx $15. Drive: 1.5 hr drive
MIDDAY
PICKETT'S CHARGE AND THE HIGH WATER MARK OF THE CONFEDERACY
The field of Pickett's Charge on Cemetery Ridge is the most extraordinary ground in American history, its extraordinary open expanse across which 12,500 Confederate soldiers advanced on July 3 1863 in the most dramatic military assault in American history. The High Water Mark monument at the Angle marks the furthest Confederate penetration of Union lines. The extraordinary Virginia Memorial with its equestrian statue of Robert E. Lee gives the finest view of the charge's ground. Free with park entry. Drive: 15 min drive
AFTERNOON
GETTYSBURG TOWN AND SEMINARY RIDGE MUSEUM
Gettysburg town is the most extraordinary Civil War heritage town in America, its extraordinary brick Victorian streetscape of 1863 buildings, museums and the David Wills House where Lincoln finished writing the Gettysburg Address giving the finest living Civil War history experience in Pennsylvania. The Seminary Ridge Museum in the Lutheran Seminary that served as a field hospital gives the most extraordinary perspective of the battle from the Confederate side. Museum entry approx $10.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Sachs Covered Bridge near Gettysburg is the finest hidden gem in Adams County, its extraordinary 1852 covered bridge that served as a Confederate retreat route after the battle crossing Marsh Creek in the most atmospheric setting of any bridge in Pennsylvania. Free. The most extraordinary hidden gem near the Gettysburg battlefield.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: The Gettysburg Hotel dining room Extraordinary breakfast in the finest hotel in Gettysburg, operating since 1797. Local eggs and strong coffee. | Lunch: Dobbin House Tavern, Gettysburg The oldest building in Gettysburg serving lunch since 1776. Extraordinary colonial-era cuisine and local beer. | Dinner: Battlefield Brew Works, Gettysburg Outstanding local craft beer and Pennsylvania cuisine in the finest brewery in Adams County.
DAY 5
PITTSBURGH
MORNING
PITTSBURGH STRIP DISTRICT AND THE CARNEGIE MUSEUMS
The Strip District in Pittsburgh is the most extraordinary Saturday morning market experience in western Pennsylvania, its extraordinary mile of former industrial warehouses housing the finest concentration of ethnic food markets, Italian bakeries, fish mongers, cheese shops and produce stalls in the state. Wholey's Fish Market, Primanti Brothers and the extraordinary Pennsylvania Macaroni Company are unmissable. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History adjacent to the University is the finest in the eastern US. Strip District free. Drive: 1.5 hr drive
MIDDAY
POINT STATE PARK AND PITTSBURGH'S THREE RIVERS
Point State Park at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers is the most extraordinary urban park in Pittsburgh, its extraordinary 36-acre peninsula at the tip of downtown giving the finest view of all three Pittsburgh rivers simultaneously. The extraordinary Fort Pitt Museum tells the story of Pittsburgh's extraordinary role as the gateway to the American West. The Duquesne Incline above the South Side gives the most extraordinary view of the Pittsburgh skyline and bridges. Incline approx $5. Drive: 20 min walk
AFTERNOON
PRIMANTI BROTHERS AND PITTSBURGH'S BRIDGE CITY
Pittsburgh has more bridges than any city in the world, its extraordinary 446 bridges including the Three Sisters, the only trio of identical self-anchored suspension bridges in the world, giving the most extraordinary urban bridge landscape in America. The Andy Warhol Museum in the North Shore is the finest single-artist museum in America, its extraordinary seven floors of Warhol's work the most extraordinary collection of Pittsburgh's most famous son. Warhol Museum entry approx $20.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The extraordinary Mattress Factory art museum on Pittsburgh's North Side is the finest site-specific art museum in America, its extraordinary former mattress warehouse containing permanent installations by James Turrell, Yayoi Kusama and Winifred Lutz in the most extraordinary immersive art experience in Pennsylvania. Entry approx $20. One of the finest hidden museums in America.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Pennsylvania Macaroni Company, Strip District The finest Italian deli breakfast in Pittsburgh. Extraordinary cured meats, cheese and strong espresso. | Lunch: Primanti Brothers, Strip District The most legendary Pittsburgh sandwich since 1933. Extraordinary coleslaw and fries inside the sandwich. | Dinner: Cure, Pittsburgh The finest restaurant in Pittsburgh. Extraordinary local Pennsylvania charcuterie and outstanding craft cocktails.
Where To Stay
Philadelphia, Night 1 The Logan or Hotel Monaco Philadelphia. Approx $150 to $280 per night. Lancaster and Ohiopyle, Nights 2 to 3 Inn at Leola Village or Summit Inn Resort. Approx $100 to $200. Gettysburg and Pittsburgh, Nights 4 to 5 Gettysburg Hotel or Kimpton Hotel Monaco Pittsburgh. Approx $120 to $250.
Top Tips
1. Book Fallingwater tours at fallingwater.org weeks ahead , the in-depth tour is the finest architectural experience.
2. Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides are the finest interpretation of any American battlefield. Book at the VC.
3. Pittsburgh's Strip District on Saturday morning is the most extraordinary market experience in western Pennsylvania.
4. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh has the finest dinosaur hall in the eastern United States.
5. Reading Terminal Market: arrive at 9am Saturday for the Amish vendors who sell out of the finest baked goods by noon.
6. Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia is the most extraordinary historic prison in America. Entry approx $17.
Total Budget
$120 to $200/day