Are you guilty of daydreaming of a different reality? I know I am. With the large increase in time spent at home, you, like many others may often find yourself cozied into your little sunken-in spot on the couch, binge-watching yet another show on your favorite streaming service, and falling into reoccurring daydream dazes as you turn your head and gaze blankly out the window…dreaming of what could be…

But your 2021 experience does not have to pick up where 2020 left off! What if I told you that you don’t need plane tickets to Europe in order to have an adventure? Interested?

Well, it’s time to wipe the sleep crust out of your eyes, (and the cookie crumbs off your sweatpants), and plan your next local adventure! 

With this first installment of the backyard adventure guide for the United States, Pennsylvanian’s will learn to leave those daytime PJs behind and explore the hidden gems found in the Keystone state. 

Follow along with me in this Pennsylvania travel guide to find your next great adventure…

A Guide to Pennsylvania’s Hidden Adventure Spots

If you are struggling to come up with focused Pennsylvania vacation ideas, I have put together a list of COVID-safe destinations in Pennsylvania that I would visit myself. My hope is that you can use some of my favorite destinations for summer 2021 will help inspire you to make an adventure out of your vacation, day trip, or weekend wander.

Thousand Steps – The Standing Stone Trail

The Standing Stone Trail (SST) is an 80-mile historic trail in the mid-state region, and was named as one of the linking trails on the larger Great Eastern Trail Network, (a network of trails that travel from the Alabama state line to the Finger Lakes in New York), in 2006. While thru-hiking the whole SST can be a great option for some eventful backpacking, there is also many portions of the SST that can be reached off of public and private lands in the mid to southeastern part of the state, and they are perfect for a day hike.

Thousands Steps is a particularly compelling part of the standing stone trail, not only because of the challenge the name presents, but also for its historic origins dating back to the stone quarries and logging routes that were prevalent in the area in the late 19th – mid 20th century. Actually, the Thousand Steps were originally built into the side of Jack’s Mountain to ease the commute of those working in the quarries. You can learn more with a visit to the area, or to the trail’s website.

If you are an avid hiker, this trail may be the perfect unsuspecting challenge for you. While the elevation and setting are not particularly challenging, the wildly uneven and rocky terrain, uniquely Pennsylvanian, can make you think twice before each step.

Some of the most inspiring vistas along the entirety of the STT include, but are not limited to; The Throne Room, Thousand Steps, Butler Knob, the Hall of the Mountain King, and the Northern Terminus.

Penn’s Cave

When it comes to legends and history, the story of Penn’s Cave has plenty to capture your attention and your imagination. A cave system that was first discovered and used for refuge and discipline by the Seneca Tribe, Penn’s cave exists today as tourist destination, with centuries old historical roots that have been compelling many more visitors in the recent years.

There are not many places around where you can float through a beautiful, and relatively open, cave to marvel at earth’s magic, so I recommend taking the opportunity to visit when it is presented.

According to the Park’s website, Penn’s Cave lies within the geological region of the country that is called “the Ridge and Valley section of the Appalachian Highlands,” which is known for caves, sinkholes, springs and surface streams that often disappear underground, which is most likely due to geological pressure and erosion over time. So, a visit to Penn’s Cave not only allows you to marvel at one of the U.S.’s few all-water access caverns, and can also be an amazing place to snap some banger photos for “the gram!”

Buttermilk Falls & Blue Pools – Kitanning

Just off of the Cowanshannock Creek, right at the creek’s junction with the Allegheny River, Buttermilk Falls provides you with some secluded, peaceful scenery for a nice afternoon splashing around on a hot summer’s day. While calling the spot a waterfall is a bit of a stretch, (I would lean into labeling it as some exaggerated, yet calm, rapids myself), the blue pools that lie just beyond Buttermilk Falls draw locals out to the beautiful creekside trail system for a fun afternoon full of sunscreen and bathing suits, and maybe a picnic lunch!

Personally, my favorite spot on Cowanshannock Creek is not the area right by the falls, but actually the spot that is a half a mile-or-so down the trail, which has larger rocks and calmer, deep water, so you can jump off the rocks and in to the creek without injury. If you are lucky, there is even usually a rope swing in a few of the best spots so you can really maximize the fun!

While the spot is beautiful, there are a few downsides if you visit at the wrong time. First of all, locals, from my experience, are very oblivious to the destruction their garbage has on the area. If you are going to visit with friends for a picnic lunch and an afternoon swimming or lounging through the blue pools, I would hasten to remind you to pack out what you pack in with you. My last visit there culminated in my family and another couple packing out SIX BAGS of trash. You read that right- 6, S-I-X, BAGS.

Secondly, since it is a popular gathering spot for young locals, hot weekends in the summer present a heavy chance that you will not have much space to yourself. So, I would recommend going on a sunny weekday afternoon, if you can, to have a litter-free, quiet afternoon at the falls if that is more your speed. (And, if you think of it, bring some gloves and some trash bags and help keep Pennsylvania Beautiful)!

Kinzua Bridge State Park

If you have not heard all the hype about Kinzua Bridge yet, I am here to tell you this Pennsylvania staple is worth a visit. This former railroad viaduct, which spanned 2,052 feet across a beautiful vista just outside of the Allegheny National Forest, once carried trains across a great expansive railroad bridge over the forest below. However, during a period of restoration in 2003 when major repairs to the bridge were in process, a rather intense tornado struck the area, toppling the bridge into the shallow canyon and on to the forest below, leaving but just a small portion fo the bridge still standing.

At the time, it was quite the historic disaster, as the large bridge had been a big part of PA railroad history for over a hundred years. Since then, the bridge has become a state and national landmark, and the what was once a tragic accident has now fully transformed the state park that once carried passengers back and forth across the viaduct into a premier adventure destination. While the park looks very different than it once did, some would say the park has changed for the better, as it now provides a once-in-a-lifetime experience for visitors who are able to explore the railroad trestle and now, ruins, of what was once the 4th tallest railroad bridge in the United States.

A visit to Kinzua Bridge is not complete without the chance to walk along the goat-path trail that snakes between the broken trestles and cement foundations. The trails begins just beyond the existing sky-walk viewing platform and travels all the way to the opposite end of the canyon where the other end of the bridge once began.

Furthermore, you have to end your visit to the park with a walk out onto the sky view platform. Once you have walked all along the snaking paths between the gargantuan pieces of iron that lay into the landscape, seeing it all from a birds-eye-view perspective is really cool. The best time of year to visit the park is between late summer – mid fall, when the foliage on the trees in the forests are thick, and starting to change colors, and the wildflowers around the viewing platform are in a full-force explosion of yellow blooms, which provides a fantastic color contrast for viewing.

Ringing Rocks County Park

If you are hoping to start off a tour around Pennsylvania with a real “BANG!”, then I have a great spot for you! This boulder field in Upper Black Eddy, PA quite literally rings with fun. The rocks, if they are smacked with a hard metal object, like a hammer, make loud, high-pitched ringing noises! This park is particularly fun if you have any young explorers with you. It is also fun with a group, as you can make a chorus of ringing rocks together, (but I might recommend an hour or two of quiet time after if you do that)!

Across the river from the Ringing Rocks is Thomas F. Breden Preserve at the Milford Bluffs, which makes for a beautiful, peaceful spot to top off your day, and also allows for some panoramic views of the valley below after some light to moderate hiking. Locals are also known to say that it is a great preserve to string up some hammocks and enjoy a packed snack, a nice breeze, and a view to take in.

Raymondskill Falls

Right before the border between Pennsylvania and New York State, just outside of Milford, PA, you will find Raymondskill falls. This three-tiered cascading waterfall is one of the tallest in Pennsylvania, and it is located in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The best view of the falls comes from the Raymondskill Creek trail, which can be reached via the Falls Trail.

This waterfall can really look beautiful year round, but I find that the colors are the most striking in the fall, with the deep contrast between the dark, wet rocks and the beautiful leaves bursting with fall oranges and yellows. The falls appear fuller after a sustained period of wet weather, which has the best chance of being in late May – late June.

This area of the park also has a smaller waterfall with a decent sized pool at the end of it, that when visiting at the right time, can provide a spot for a quick, cool dip for explorers who want to go all in. This pool is reached by following the loop trail network to the floor of the small gorge to a much smaller waterfall. All of the falls in the area, are worth a visit, providing visitors with a weekend trip packed to the brim.

Touring Pennsylvania: The 4 Corners, and The Rolling Hills and The Winding Rivers

If you are anything like me, actually heading out on the road to hightail it from one end of Pennsylvania to another is a lot more time consuming than you would like to think it is for a seemingly small state. But the truth is, Pennsylvania is just under 300 miles across, from east to west, which is a significant amount of space packed full with a lot of great things in-between. And that much can get overwhelming too. It is hard to know where to begin when exploring your own state with a fresh set of eyes. However, if you want to see the full state, I have a few starting points here to get you out on your next big adventure– the one you never saw coming!

The 4 Corners

If you feel like you need that escape from the realities of life lived mostly at home, a great option, if you have the time, is to see the variety found on all sides of the state by attempting The 4 Corners road trip! Now, this trip does not take you to the literal corners of the state, but it gets you some fun adventures in all 4 corner regions of the state, as well as some pit-stops in between! (A tour that would be perfectly paired with an RV/camper-van or some fun tent camping adventures along the way)!

This adventure will start you in the closest corner from where you are, and have you loop around to see some of the state’s must-see destinations! The idea with a trip like this is to have plenty of opportunity to see that variety that is offered throughout the different regions of Pennsylvania, all while giving you a chance to get away and spend some time outside, soaking up those strong rays from the sun after a year spent largely inside, distancing from things outside your bubble.

The Rolling Hills

If getting along on foot is more your speed, and you’ve been inspired by some of this country’s greatest adventure storytellers, like Bill Bryson, then I would suggest taking a gander at the Pennsylvania section of the Appalachian Trail system.

The Pennsylvania portion of the Appalachian Trail, (AT), is commonly known to have some of the roughest passes on the trail, as far as terrain is concerned, but it also showcases some of the best views in the state along the way. While Pennsylvania only houses 232 of the total 2,193 miles on the AT, it is legendary among those who have traversed the whole trail. In fact, many have coined the phrase, “the place where boots go to die,” for the description of the PA Appalachian Trail. That being said, the state is said to also have some of the mellowest portions of the trail in terms of difficulty too, these spots lie on the southwestern portion of the PA trail.

Thru-hiking has gained a lot of popularity over the years, particularly since Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods debuted on screen in 2015, and it’s quite a feat to accomplish- the average hiker takes at least 165 – 215 days, (or 5-7 months), to walk the entirety of the Appalachian trail- from Georgia to Maine. While that is a very long and time consuming portion of your year, something you may not have the time to even prepare for, let alone accomplish, the next best thing is to hike the trail, state-by-state. Hiking the total 232 miles of the Pennsylvania portion of the trail would average out to be in the timeframe of 10-15 days for most hikers, which provides piece-meal hikers who have that time with a nice variety of terrain and views from the state.

However, by far the most popular option, for those who are far less die-hard, would be to hike 2-4 day portions of the trail in PA at a time, and slowly complete the whole state AT network. The most popular portions to do so on the AT in Pennsylvania are the portions that snake through Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Lehigh Gap, and Delaware Water Gap– all of which have spectacular scenery to marvel at, particularly in the summer!

For more information on the whole trail, tips on traversing and getting involved in conservation efforts, please take a look at the Appalachian Trail Conservancy website!

The Winding Rivers

For our most adventurous, and those of your who are desperate to leave society behind for a while and really embrace the more rugged side of Pennsylvania, there is an option that grants you the unique trip you’ve always wanted to brag to your friends about. One that allows you to leave your worries behind and also gets you away from crowded hiking trails: The Pennsylvania Scenic Water Trails.

You may be asking yourself, “Water Trails? I have never heard of that!” Well, lucky for you, I am here to give you the necessary information that will inspire you to head over to REI for your brand new kayak right now.

What is known as the National Water Trail, is a system of scenic waterways in the United States that is open to public exploration and recreation. The Water trails take simple boating or kayaking to the next level and offer water lovers the opportunity to have their very own Lewis and Clark style adventure! The state of Pennsylvania has many different water trails to choose from, but the best of them are on long, beautiful winding rivers throughout the state that can offer the float, or the paddle, of a lifetime!

The most popular water trails in PA are: The Schuylkill River Water Trail, The Middle Allegheny River Water Trail, and the North Branch Susquehanna River Water Trail. All of these water trails require multiple days to complete the trail, which means that you get the option to take backpacking to a new level, or to find some small towns along the trail to support for your overnight stays!

The Water Trails in PA can provide you with that unique escape and adventure you have been craving, without requiring you to dish a lot of money out in the process. With a simple google, you can find some great sources for guides and maps of the water trails to help you set a fun cruise down the rivers with some of your best adventure buddies!

While there are so many places to explore all across the country, (and the world), it is not a sacrifice to choose to spend time here in Pennsylvania, because there is always something else, somewhere you haven’t been before! I think that is what is really incredible about this state, because it is so unassuming for most adventurers coming from outside of the state. Without extensive research or a long scheduled visit, you would have absolutely no idea about some of the most incredible spots that reside here!

Luckily I am here to provide you with a list of the hottest spots of the year, and I have more where this came from, (check out my guide on the best Pennsylvania waterfalls, premier kayaking locations and hikes worth the sweat). More of my tips & tricks for enjoying the keystone state, so you can transform yet another long drive into an amazing road-trip full of unique memories you could not make anywhere else will be coming soon!