18 Surprising Under-the-Radar Places in Pennsylvania to Explore

Add these spots to your travel to-do list.

Sponsored By Visit Pennsylvania

18 Places

Pennsylvania is home to many well-known, popular destinations, including historic sites in Gettysburg, chocolate inspiration in Hershey, old-growth forests in Cook Forest State Park, and architectural feats like Falling Water, just to name a few. Dig a little deeper and Pennsylvania will wow you with its unusual natural wonders, industrial heritage, quirky museums and other surprising sites. At Atlas Obscura, we specialize in highlighting lesser-known places so we know Pennsylvania has no shortage of spots you’ll want to visit. Enjoy!

Wellsboro, Pennsylvania

Pine Creek Gorge

This lush forest valley was once mined for lumber to the extent that it was once nicknamed "The Pennsylvania Desert."

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Added by thomasharper

Nazareth, Pennsylvania

Martin Guitar Factory

Explore nearly 200 years of guitar-making history

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Added by Leslie Y

Mount Holly Springs, Pennsylvania

Amelia S. Givin Public Library

This stately 19th century library pushed architectural boundaries at a time when the public library movement was just taking off.

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Added by myransom

Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Thomas Pursell’s Escape Burial Hatch

A retired firefighter created this contraption so he and his family wouldn't die if accidentally buried alive.

Added by Rachel Gould

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Electric City Trolley Museum

A museum dedicated to the history of electric interurban transit near the home of the first electric trolley system in the United States.

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Added by Ophelia Ravenia

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Troy Hill Art Houses

Discover these whole-house works of art in Pittsburgh’s Troy Hill neighborhood.

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Carlisle, Pennsylvania

U.S. Army War College Erased Names Plaque

Honorable ranks graduating from the prestigious Army War College work hard to maintain their high standards of honor and erase those who don't.

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Added by Traveling Maven

Indiana, Pennsylvania

Jimmy Stewart Museum

The hometown of movie legend, military officer and All-American guy next door, honors this great actor.

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Added by ltherapy

Kennerdell, Pennsylvania

Rockland (Woodhill) Tunnel

An abandoned railroad tunnel transformed into a creepy path for hikers and cyclists.

Added by tockticking

Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania

Phoebe's Little Wax Works

Intricate storybook scenes are tucked inside these shadow boxes, which are tucked inside a library in the Pocono Mountains.

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Added by Jane Weinhardt Goldberg

Kutztown, Pennsylvania

Barn Stars of Berks County

Decorative folk arts dot the countryside barns of Berks County.

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Yorklyn, Pennsylvania

Haines Shoe House

An outlandish shoe shaped house built by an eccentric millionaire.

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Added by michelle

Ephrata, Pennsylvania

The Ephrata Cloister

What looks like a simple quaint estate in rural Pennsylvania was in the 18th century home to a small monastic community.

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Added by alleywaykid

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

'Newspaper Reader'

This iconic Lancaster everyman has been reading the same story since 1980.

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Added by bakedinthehole

Wyalusing, Pennsylvania

French Azilum

A planned settlement in Pennsylvania once housed the aristocratic refugees of the French Revolution.

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Added by urvijabanerji

Salisbury, Pennsylvania

Mount Davis

Pennsylvania's highest point is spotted with boulders which were pushed to the surface by nothing but cold.

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Added by thomasharper

Farmington, Pennsylvania

Wharton Iron Furnace

This historic furnace was once used to produce cannonballs during the Civil War.

Added by keslar

Worthington, Pennsylvania

Yellow Dog Village

Hidden in the hills of Western Pennsylvania lies one of the best-kept ghost towns in America that you can legally visit.

Added by joshyohman

Pennsylvania, It’s a Trip

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