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Enjoy Pennsylvania's Great Outdoors
PA is home to more than 54,000 miles of rivers and streams, 116 state parks, 20 state forests, and the Allegheny National Forest. More than 100 greenways and rail trails are available for non-motorized recreation, including some of the longest bicycle rail trails in the country. Pennsylvania recreational corridors total more than 2000 miles.
Because of these protected natural resources, the state is well known for hiking, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, hunting, fishing, whitewater sports, and bicycling. These special places can be found throughout the state, always a short distance away from the cities and towns of every region.
And sometimes, getting there is half the fun. There are 19 scenic drives, including the Route 6 scenic drive and State Heritage Corridor that spans 400 miles along the state’s northern regions.
Outdoor enthusiasts will find plenty of places to roam. You’re never too far from the countryside in Pennsylvania.
Outdoor & Recreation Blog
Waterfront Winterfest
12/06/2017 - 12:00pmCelebrate the season at Philadelphia's largest outdoor ice rink located at Dilworth Park in Center City next to City Hall. The rink is open seven days a week now through February including holidays. The Blue Cross River Rink Winterfest will be transf...
Read MoreThe Height of Autumn
09/17/2017 - 1:01pmFall foliage just got a lot more fun. With so many mountain peaks throughout Pennsylvania, our mountaintop retreats, ski resorts, and obstacle courses decided to get creative with their summits for the season. Pennsylvania’s ziplining options add another exciting factor to its unbeatable reputation as one of the country’s best fall foliage desti...
Read MoreWalk Across the Sky at Kinzua Bridge State Park
08/21/2017 - 7:49pmIn Pennsylvania, we pride ourselves on overcoming the challenges Mother Nature places in front of us. To make the bend of the Alleghenies’ western slopes, we constructed the Horseshoe Curve; to cross the wide waters of the Susquehanna, we built the longest stone arch bridge ever made; when we reached the Kinzua Creek Valley in 1882, we didn’t go...
Read MoreBreak the Ice at Archbald Pothole State Park
08/10/2017 - 9:27amAround ten thousand years ago, something changed on our planet. The two-mile thick sheet of ice that had covered two-thirds of North America for 30,000 years started to melt. The ice, which had reached the northern most regions of Pennsylvania, withdrew its frozen walls, but not before it left its mark at a small location in Lackawanna County na...
Read MoreZiplining at a PA Ski Resort
07/28/2017 - 10:56amAs summer approaches, many PA Ski Resorts transform their ski slopes into ziplines. Roundtop Mountain Resort near Lewisberry offers 18 zip lines for all ability and thrill levels. For the adventurous, try out...
Read MoreThe Great Allegheny Passage: Connellsville to West Newton
06/09/2017 - 12:35pmTake the ultimate outdoor adventure along the picturesque and recently-completed Great Allegheny Passage, a titanic footpath through forest that is still vibrant with life just around those endless Pennsylvania riverbends. After three decades of construction, the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) and Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath (C&O) now c...
Read MoreCumberland Valley PA - The Perfect Long-Weekend Getaway
04/19/2017 - 9:42pmWith rushing rivers, ambling trails and an abundance of food and drink, the Cumberland Valley is, in many ways, the perfect destination for a weekend getaway.
Visitors come to the Valley for many reasons, but it’s the surrounding nature and collection of outdoor activities that consistently draw people in. Cumberland Valley has the unique...
Read MoreThe City of Bridges - Pittsburgh, PA
02/18/2017 - 10:42pmThe City of Pittsburgh is a maze of ridges and valleys. It sits at the intersection of three rivers: the Monongahela River from the south and the Allegheny River from the north to form the Ohio River. Pittsburgh is known for its steep hillsides covered with houses and streets which have steps for sidewalks. With this type of topography, the cit...
Read MoreSki Season: Experience Blue Knob Mountain
02/18/2017 - 10:30pmUntil a 1920s geological survey proved otherwise, the massive mountain dome of Blue Knob was thought to be the highest point in Pennsylvania. Today, the mountaintop still holds the title as the highest skiable peak in the state and its ski slopes, snowmobile routes, and eighteen miles of hiking trails summon people from all over the Mid-Atlantic...
Read MorePittsburgh St. Patrick's Day Parade
02/18/2017 - 10:27pmThe 2nd largest St. Patrick's Day Parade in the world. Pittsburgh's very large and active Irish community comes together each year to host this annual event. The parade in Pittsburgh dates back to as early as 1869. The purpose of the parade is to celebrate the freedom to be Irish and to enjoy the holiday to its fullest. A number of fundraising p...
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