rpbuttery

My wife and I will be in Philadelphia for a convention in mid-October, 2008. We would like to add a week to the trip to see some of Pennslyvania, since neither of us have visited the state before. We have long-held interest in both Lancaster and Gettysburg, and would like suggestions on routes back to Philadelphia that would prevent complete back tracking. Any other suggestions concerning the area would, of course, also be welcomed.

cheapbutnice2

I will assume that you plan to have a car - if not, let us know.1st, the trip from PHL to Lanc is only 1.5 hrs and on the PA Turnpike, alternate routes are not worth the effort.You might want to ask in the MD section for consideration of looping back thru Baltimore because there is not much in PA west of Gettysburg until the Pittsburgh area.I would recommend staying in Lancaster and making day trips to Gettysburg and maybe Hershey, Harpers Ferry or the Longwood Gardens/Wyeth Museum area of Chester County.Lancaster fills very quickly for Columbus weekend and Hershey does the same for their Antique Automobile Club of America show weekend.The Lancaster Tourist Bureau brochure is a great way to see what's here!

Khiori

If you are adding a WEEK to the trip there are many places you can visit. Start by driving southwest to Longwood Gardens, then head northwest to Route 30. Check out the towns of Strasburg, Paradise, along with Bird in Hand and Intercourse on Route 340. That area just east of Lancaster is very scenic farmland but the main routes can get crowded on weekends. Stay in a Red Caboose!

Lancaster city doesn’t do much for me. I’d head west on Route 30 to Gettysburg. Spend a night there, the park takes some time if you are interested in the war. North on Route 15 takes you to Harrisburg. The State Capitol Building is nice but it isn’t a whole day. For a scenic drive through small towns take 78 north east, 81 if you want quicker. The town of Jim Thorpe is worth a stop. Hickory Run State Park is nice for hiking and the mountains are BEAUTIFUL in October.

Head east on Route 80 to the Delaware Water Gap. That’s a must see. Go south on Route 611 from there you'll pass a lot of small towns and tons of antique shops in a beautiful drive along the Delaware River. Switch from 611 to 32 in Kintnersville and go all the way down to Washington’s Crossing State Park. There are lots of charming B&B’s along the way. Whatever you decide, have a great trip!

Khiori

Here are some useful PA links to help you decide:

www.redcaboosemotel.com/

www.visithhc.com/capcity.shtml

www.innjt.com/

www.nps.gov/dewa

scenicbuckscounty.com/BowmansHillTower/BowmansHillTower.html

SavTrav

We live just north of Baltimore and we drive through Lancaster a lot. But I'm afraid that I'm not going to be much help. If you are going to Lancaster for the rolling hill and farms and amish - my best advice is to take the smallest roads possible and just wander around. Watch for roads with really wide shoulders and the road signs for Amish buggies. Also, check out the town of Ephrata - it's got a cute little downtown area and is off the beaten track a bit.

Gettysburg is a pretty good haul, but I think it is worth the effort. Don't forget you are also close to Valley Forge and the Brandywine Battlefiled. If the Civil War is your thing - then you are reasonably close to Antietam and Harpers Ferry.

Another suggestion would be the Brandywine area - much closer to Philly and my husband and I really enjoy the area. Someone else already mentioned Longwood Gardens, there's also several Dupont houses that area worth the trouble and the Brandywine Museum - home of the Wyeth Family. Victoria Wyeth gives tours on a regular basis. If you are interested let me know and I have a bunch of dining recommendations.

http://www.thebrandywine.com/