6 last-minute summer getaways in Pennsylvania before school starts
You still have time to plan a quick vacation in Pennsylvania before summer slips through your fingers.
How is it already August, and why is it that the days seem to move faster in summer than during the dark and dreary winter? No matter, because we still have at least a few weeks to soak up the sun before the school bell starts ringing again. We’ve come up with a handful of last-minute vacation ideas to make it easier for you to quickly plan a summer getaway. Whether you and your family prefer a weekend in the city or a journey into the mountains, we’ve got you covered.
1. Go camping
Many popular vacation destinations, including campsites, are fully booked months beforehand. But even if you’re not a planner, you can still enjoy some time away in the wilderness—and the Pennsylvania State Park system even recognizes the existence of us procrastinators!
Each week, the “Camping This Weekend” section of the Pennsylvania State Parks reservation website updates with campsites and lodging that are still available to reserve for the upcoming weekend. Each state park lists whether RV sites, tent sites, and cabins are available to book. You can also filter by location in case you don’t want to travel far. Even if a state park is usually booked, it may occasionally appear on this page due to last-minute cancellations. (The last-minute trip planners are shaking the hands of the last-minute cancellers.)
Once you’ve booked your site or your cabin, make your packing list! Don’t forget the ingredients for s’mores.
2. Hit the beach in Erie
If you’re yearning for a beach vacay, take a trip to Erie! No, really! Last-minute flights to the ocean shore can be expensive, plus you’ll usually need to rent a car, rent your beach chairs, spend a lot of money eating out … no thanks! Instead, you can book an impulsive and affordable road trip to Erie’s shore.
Lake Erie may technically be a lake, but the Great Lakes are so wide and deep that they’re really quite similar to freshwater seas. In this way, Erie is home to the only “seashore” in Pennsylvania. And Presque Isle State Park has several beaches where you can enjoy this seashore, laying out in the sun or splashing in the shallow waves. You can also rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards to explore the waters in and around Presque Isle.
And when you want to spend a few hours in air conditioning, you can visit the Erie Maritime Museum to learn about Erie’s maritime history, including its role in the War of 1812, or the state park’s Tom Ridge Environmental Center for exhibits on area wildlife and views from an observation tower. The state park is also a great spot for birdwatching, hiking, and biking. You can stay at a hotel, lakeside cabin, or short-term rental along the water, or you can head to a campsite at a local campground.
3. Take a tour of Philadelphia
Philadelphia isn’t just the largest city in Pennsylvania—it’s the sixth largest city in the U.S., and it has the cuisine, culture, and urban happenings to prove it. Make like tens of millions of Americans every year and plan a trip to Philly to explore the city and its colonial roots.
The biggest attractions are in Old City Philadelphia, home to Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and the country’s oldest residential street. But you can also enjoy extravagant performance art like that at Fabrika or unique outdoor art like the mosaics of Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens. Plus, you can savor incredible cuisine like Italian pasta at A Mano or sushi at Zama—at press time, both popular restaurants had availability for upcoming weekends on Resy.
Are you local to Philly or the surrounding suburbs? Play tourist for a day in your own city. Bet you’ve never seen it from the top of a double-decker hop-on hop-off bus!
4. Explore what Pittsburgh has to offer
Pennsylvania’s second-largest city is quite the trip from the Philly area, a fact that is often little understood by people who live outside Pennsylvania. But no matter where you live in the commonwealth, Pittsburgh is a perfect place for a last-minute vacation. The city, albeit small compared to others (hi Philly), is full of cultural attractions and the kinds of things to do that city residents always ensure their visiting friends and family experience.
In Pittsburgh, you can explore world-renowned museums like the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the Carnegie Museum of Art, cycle along the city’s three rivers via the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, ride a historic funicular like the Duquesne Incline, and eat as many Pittsburgh pierogies as your heart desires.
If you’re looking for off-the-beaten-path things to do in Pittsburgh, you might check out the contemporary art installations of the Mattress Factory and then try vegan Trinidadian food at Shadobeni on the city’s North Side.
5. See the beauty of the Pocono Mountains
The Pocono Mountains were once a classic honeymoon destination; in the 1970s, the area was known for kitschy resorts with amenities like heart-shaped hot tubs. Today, the region has earned a reputation beyond its resorts of yesteryear, and while it’s still an ideal destination for couples, it’s also a perfect place to visit for families and nature lovers looking to be wowed by some of the best natural scenery close to major urban areas.
For example, the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is 70,000 acres of dramatic vistas, beautiful hiking and cycling trails, fun water sports opportunities, and interesting historic sites. You can, of course, rough it in the Pocono Mountains, like at Delaware Water Gap campsites, but you can also book a resort getaway if luxury is more your speed. Check out the special offers that lodging providers are advertising via the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. You can often score a great deal by booking a midweek trip.
6. Learn—and enjoy your time away—in Gettysburg
A major tourist attraction largely because of Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg is a small town with a great deal to offer visitors, whether or not you’re a Civil War buff.
While history lovers will be excited about the numerous museums in the town, many other travelers will relish Gettysburg’s food scene, beautiful scenery, and offbeat attractions, such as ghost tours. You should spend some time at the battlefield, where you can embark on a self-guided auto tour to see sites important to the pivotal 1863 battle as well as monuments to the fallen. If you’d prefer to join an official tour, you can explore the military park by guided car tour, bus tour, or even Scoot Coupe tour.
For food, the popular and historic Dobbin House Tavern usually requires reservations for dinner, but you usually won’t need to plan ahead if you are only going for lunch—just try to get there early. And Battlefield Brew Works, which offers comfort food, craft beer, and local spirits in a historic building, should satisfy everyone from foodies to amateur historians!
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