We are planning a trip to Pennsylvania this summer with a stop in Niagara Falls. Any suggestions on hotels for a family of 5 in the following areas Altoona, Hershey, Lancaster, Scranton and Niagara Falls (Canada side).
Must see sights in those areas, restaurants.
We will be traveling Route 6 as well - so any must sees along that route as well as hotels and restaurants.

Thank you!!!

I'm a bit curious about your reasoning for combining Niagara Falls with Pennsylvania? Is this due to where you are coming from?

In Altoona, my brother just stayed at the Super 8 and was fine with that. It's simple but budget friendly, and there's the Altoona Curve minor-league baseball stadium nearby, for a nice family night. Also in the area is Horseshoe Curve, and there are two (old-school) amusement parks: Lakemont and DelGrosso's in Tipton. If you have young children, Quaint Corner Children's Discovery Museum is fun if a bit...unique. Restaurants in the area include just about any chain you can think of, but not much in local fare except Texas Hotdogs in the small downtown or maybe Jethro's. Eat'n'Park (always seemed reversed to me) is a step above fast food (but not a big step) but is a Western PA institution.

I can't help with hotels for Hershey or Lancaster, sorry, although Steamboat Inn in Lancaster was decent the last time I was there--but that's been a long time.

The Landis Valley museum in the Lancaster area has wagon rides and costumed reenactors, but it really depends on the age and interests of your kids. I'm not a fan of "Go see the Amish", but there are things like The Amish Experience which are more tourist geared, plus the Pennsylvania Dutch cooking at the homestyle places like Good'n'Plenty or Millers. (My choice is for whoopie pies over shoofly pie, but you could try both!)

If you get into Harrisburg, the State Capitol is a beautiful building, well worth touring. Advanced reservations are advised.

Finally, no Philadelphia and/or Pittsburgh???

Hmmmm, must see sites in Scranton... well, there is the Steamtown National Historic Site www.nps.gov/stea/index.htm And if you are by any chance fans of the TV series The Office, it is right next door to Steamtown mall which was often featured on the show

If you want to go for religious history there's St. Ann's monastery, site of an alleged geological miracle in the early 20th century. http://www.stannsmonasterybasilica.o...s-history.html

And if you are at St. Ann's on Scranton's West Side, get back on Main Street and head to Old Forge for legendary pizza. http://slice.seriouseats.com/archive...nia-pizza.html

How about McDade Park with its coal mine tour? http://www.lackawannacounty.org/inde...ns/mcdade-park

Hotels - hmm, nothing particular stands out. The old train station in downtown Scranton is now a Radisson property, not much else to recommend it. For a trip with kids maybe check around the Montage area www.montagemountainresorts.com where there are several moderately priced family friendly places. Outdoor and water park recreation to let the kids blow off some steam, too.

The most popular hotel on the Canadian side for families is the Embassy Suites Niagara... It offers views of the Falls and rooms big enough for the five of you... Down the road a bit away from the falls is the Great Wolf Lodge with an indoor water park and family rooms.

If money is a consideration, every hotel chain is in Niagara... Must do attractions are maid of the mist and Cave of the Winds on the US side and Whirlpool JetBoats on both sides...

To the west of Wellsboro PA (south of US 6) is Pennsylvania's Grand Canyon. The man who named the Pine Creek Gorge the Grand Canyon was my high school history teacher.
Going west on Rt. 6 turn north on US 219. In the city of Bradford you can see the only McDonald's with an active oil well. US 219 will take you through Buffalo.