With summer fast approaching and the kids out of school, its a great time to plan family activities in our surrounding areas and beyond! We’ve widened our reach a bit to compile this list of fun, family-friendly day trips with something for everyone to enjoy!
State Parks & Nature Excursions
Rickett’s Glenn State Park (Benton, PA)
Scenic waterfalls, lots of trails to hike, Lake Jean with a beach to swim, boat rentals, and more!
Nescopeck State Park (Drums, PA)
Lots of educational programming and an incredible Nature Discovery Area.
Frances Slocum State Park (Wyoming, PA)
Swimming, boating, and fishing opportunities as well as a wide variety of educational programming.
Hickory Run State Park (White Haven, PA)
Amazing sights including Boulder Field, Hawk Falls, and the Lehigh Gorge.
World’s End State Park (Forksville, PA)
Two scenic vistas (High Knob & Canyon Vista), many hiking trails, and educational programming.
RB Winter State Park (Mifflinburg, PA)
Halfway Lake- swim, fish, play!- and programming at their Halfway Run Environmental Learning Center & Sheary-Linn Amphitheater.
Bald Eagle State Park (Howard, PA)
Two campgrounds, boating, fishing, swimming, the Nature Inn, and diverse habitats that are excellent for wildlife watching. We also love their DiscoverE Day Camp!
Weiser State Forest (Elysburg, PA)
Lots of bike/walking trails, as well as canoeing and kayaking options on the creek.
Harvey’s Lake (Harvey’s Lake, PA)
PA’s largest natural lake with access to swimming, boating, fishing and more!
PA Grand Canyon/Wellsboro Area
An incredible natural wonder super close to home! Hike/explore the canyon via trails and looksouts, and visit the town of Wellsboro for super cute and quaint restaurants, shops, and more!
Susquehanna Valley/Central PA Area
LEWISBURG, PA: Explore Lewisburg Recreation Area and Hufnagle Park, and/or experience their wonderful Children’s Museum! The Campus Theatre also offers kid-friendly movies throughout the year, often free!
SUNBURY, PA: Oppenheimer Playground has a water area, a huge play area, and free lunch for anyone under 18!
WILLIAMSPORT, PA: A great, fairly local spot offering so many wonderful day trip opportunities, including:
⚾World of Little League®: Peter J. McGovern Museum and Official Store-Baseball/softball themed museum with tours, a giftshop and more.
️Hiawatha Paddlewheel Riverboat– Cruise the Susquehanna river in this unique paddlewheel boat, offering many kid-centric and thematic tours.
Treasure Castle Playland– An amazing indoor playground where your kids can play, host parties, and even do summer camp!
SCRANTON, PA: Head over to Steamtown National Historic Site, which offers educational programming, museum, train rides & more; or explore Electric City Aquarium and Reptile Den, an incredible place to see, learn about, and interact with fish, reptiles and even some mammals!
HERSHEY, PA: Home of the famed chocolate company, this neat town close to our state’s capitol has a ton of family friendly options including Hershey Park, Hershey’s Chocolate World, Hershey Gardens, and lots more!
HARRISBURG, PA: Our very own state capitol, visit several museums including The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Susquehanna Art Museum, as well as restaurants, tours of government buildings and historic mansions, and many other historic and cultural destinations.
️GETTYSBURG, PA: Richly historical, this small town has a ton to offer including two state parks, several museums, guided tours, and so much more.
Knoebels Amusement Resort (Elysburg, PA)- tons of rides, games, a waterpark, golf course, campground, and more! Free parking and admission, pay for tickets or get wristbands. Such a local gem!
Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland (Allenwood, PA)- lizards and snakes and turtles, oh my! An amazing zoo with a wide variety of reptiles to see, educational programs, and indoor/outdoor spaces
Green Barn Berry Farm (Muncy, PA)- Opening in June, there are different berries to pick all summer long, as well as a gift shop with edible and other goods to purchase.
Brown Hill Farms (Tunkhannock, PA)- Beautiful flower farm with tulips in spring, sunflowers in summer and pumpkins in fall, with lots of special spots to take unique family photos.
Green’s Fruit Farm (Elysburg, PA)- Pick-your-own apples from September through November, featuring eco-friendly and sustainable practices.
OHF Orchards (Bloomsburg, PA)- Pick-your-own apples from September and October.
Joseph Priestley House (Northumberland, PA)- National Historic Landmark and home/laboratory of the English scientist, which has been turned into a museum and run by volunteers, with educational programming geared towards children and adults alike.
Lake Tobias Wildlife Park (Halifax, PA)- family centered activities and animal attractions for all ages at a 150-acre wildlife park and zoo.
⛰️Penn’s Cave & Wildlife Park (Centre Hall, PA)- America’s only all-water cavern & farm-nature-wildlife park, offering various tours and experiences for all!
⛰️Lincoln Caverns & Whisper Rocks (Huntingdon, PA)- Woodland nature trails & campgrounds around 2 show caves with crystals, stalactites & flowstones.
T & D’s Cats of the World (Penn’s Creek, PA)- Animal sanctuary for various kinds of large, wild cats, bears, canines, and more.
Green Horse Farm Animal Park & Petting Zoo (Dornslife, PA)- Interact with, touch, and feed lots of different animals!
Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine and Steam Train (Ashland, PA)- Train rides and mine tours in the anthracite coal mining region of our state.
⛰️Woodward Cave & Campground (Woodward, PA)- One of the largest caverns in Pennsylvania, experienced guides conduct a well explained, easily walked tour offering 50 minutes of nature at its best.
Rolling Hills Red Deer Farm (Catawissa, PA)- See over 400 red deer raised on the farm; during summer and early fall, hayride tours guide visitors through over 200 acres of rolling landscape to hand-feed the deer and snap pictures.
Nanny’s Indoor Play Place (Berwick, PA)- brand new to the area, its a fun, safe indoor playground for kiddos to romp and play!
Lehigh Valley/Poconos Area
ALLENTOWN, PA– Dorney Park & Wild Water Kingdom are world renowned amusement/water parks, and the Da Vinci Science Center is nearby too!
Jim Thorpe, PA- Year-round family-friendly experiences including restaurants, shopping, train rides, museums, and more!
Lehigh Valley Zoo (Schnecksville, PA)- a myriad of animals including mammals, reptiles, birds, and more with lots of events and programs for kids.
️Crayola Experience (Easton, PA)- Go on a colorful adventure at the Crayola Experience for kids and adults alike to explore art and technology, express their creativity and experience color in a whole new way!
Claws n Paws Wild Animal Park (Lake Ariel, PA)- Open air zoo with shady trails and many different kinds of animals including giraffes, tigers, wolves, and many more.
Philadelphia Area
Sesame Place (Hulmeville, PA)- Sesame Street themed amusement park with rides, water park, restaurants and live performances.
️Please Touch Museum (Philadelphia, PA)- Children learn through playing and interacting with a ton of exhibits just for them.
The Franklin Institute (Philadelphia, PA)- Incredible science museum with the Tuttleman IMAX Theatre, Fels Planetarium, and countless other exhibits.
The Philadelphia Museum of Art & Barnes Foundation– Explore two of the best visual/fine art institutions in the city, right across the street from one another!
The Philadelphia Zoo– America’s first zoo! Home to more than 1,900 rare and endangered animals, the Zoo offers award-winning animal exhibits, education and conservation programs.
Elmwood Park Zoo (Norristown, PA)- Having just celebrated its 100th anniversary, this quaint zoo has free parking, is dog friendly, and is home to a plethora of different animals.
LegoLand Discovery Center (Plymouth Meeting, PA)- The ultimate indoor Lego playground with Lego characters, a theatre, and millions of Legos to build anything your little one pleases!
CAMDEN, NJ– Home to Adventure Aquarium, featuring one-of-a-kind exhibits and over 15,000 aquatic animals, including the largest collection of sharks in the Northeast; and Battleship, New Jersey Museum, where you can tour and learn about America’s most decorated battleship.
PHILDELPHIA HISTORICAL PLACES– Do a tour of some of Philly’s most famous historical landmarks including the Betsy Ross House, The Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall.
LANCASTER, PA– An amazing place full of history, particularly Amish & Pennsylvania Dutch historical locations, as well as Hands-On House (a children’s museum) and close to The Turkey Hill Experience (Columbia, PA) where you can take an ice cream factory tour and sample lots of flavors.
Other Noteworthy Destinations
Liberty Science Museum (Jersey City, NJ)- STEM experiences galore with a wide range of science-based activities and exhibits.
LegoLand New York Resort (Goshen, NY)- Lego-themed amusement park with rides, live shows, dining, shopping, and more!