Fodor's Philadelphia: with Valley Forge, Bucks County, the Brandywine Valley, and Lancaster County
For over 80 years, Fodor's Travel has been a trusted resource offering expert travel...
From the dramatic hills of Pittsburgh across rolling farmland and majestic forest to the narrow streets of colonial Philadelphia, Pennsylvania provides a wide range of experiences. The state reflects a rich history—from halcyon days as the seat of the American Revolution and a fledgling nation's first capital through its role as a leader in the country's transformation into an industrial powerhouse—and its role today as a leader in the health-care and pharmaceutical industries, a center for the arts, and a burgeoning tourist destination.
Pennsylvania has fascinating contrasts. A mostly rural state, it is home to two large cities: Philadelphia, the nation's fifth largest and the regional center for the eastern portion of the state; and Pittsburgh, the focus for the western portion....
Read MoreFrom the dramatic hills of Pittsburgh across rolling farmland and majestic forest to the narrow streets of colonial Philadelphia, Pennsylvania provides a wide range of experiences. The state reflects a rich history—from halcyon days as the seat of the American Revolution and a fledgling nation's first capital through its role as a leader in the country's transformation into an industrial powerhouse—and its role today as a leader in the health-care and pharmaceutical industries, a center for the arts, and a burgeoning tourist destination.
Pennsylvania has fascinating contrasts. A mostly rural state, it is home to two large cities: Philadelphia, the nation's fifth largest and the regional center for the eastern portion of the state; and Pittsburgh, the focus for the western portion. Within a few hours' drive of the worldliness and sophistication of these cities, you can return to a simpler way of life. The winding country lanes and now-silent battlefields conjure up images of the Civil War, while in Lancaster, the horse and buggy is still a viable means of transportation, as today's Pennsylvania Dutch hew to the traditions of their ancestors.
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Philadelphia
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Pennsylvania Dutch Country
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Pittsburgh
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Bucks County
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Lancaster
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Brandywine Valley
![](/assets/destinations/708848/the-parry-mansion-museum-new-hope-bucks-county-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
New Hope
![](/assets/destinations/708865/gettysburg-battle-reenactment-pennsylvania_med.jpg)
Gettysburg
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Doylestown
![](/assets/destinations/712725/skytop-lodge-stytop-poconos-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Poconos
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Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse
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Hershey
![](/assets/destinations/708856/strasburg-pennsylvania-dutch-country-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Strasburg and Ronks
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West Chester
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Chadds Ford
![](/assets/destinations/708841/valley-forge-national-historical-park-valley-forge-brandywine-valley-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Valley Forge
![](/assets/destinations/708860/national-watch-and-clock-museum-columbia-pennsylvania-dutch-country-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Columbia
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Ephrata
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Lahaska
![](/assets/destinations/708854/intercourse-pennsylvania-dutch-country-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Intercourse
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Adamstown
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Manheim
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Kennett Square
![](/assets/destinations/708847/thompsonneely-house-washington-crossing-state-park-washington-crossing-bucks-county-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Washington Crossing
![](/assets/destinations/708859/wilbur-chocolate-company-lititz-pennylvania-dutch-country-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Lititz
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Mount Joy
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Marietta
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Pennsbury Manor
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Bryn Athyn
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Sesame Place
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Fallsington
![](/assets/destinations/54488/city-hall-philadelphia-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Philadelphia
![](/assets/destinations/621/duquesne-incline-downtown-pittsburgh-pennsylvania-usa-north-america_med.jpg)
Pittsburgh
![](/assets/destinations/708853/lancaster-pennsylvania_med.jpg)
Lancaster
![](/assets/destinations/708848/the-parry-mansion-museum-new-hope-bucks-county-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
New Hope
![](/assets/destinations/708865/gettysburg-battle-reenactment-pennsylvania_med.jpg)
Gettysburg
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
Doylestown
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse
![](/assets/destinations/708864/hershey-chocolate-world-hershey-pennsylvania_med.jpg)
Hershey
![](/assets/destinations/708856/strasburg-pennsylvania-dutch-country-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Strasburg and Ronks
![](/images/hotels/default-image-03.webp)
West Chester
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Chadds Ford
![](/assets/destinations/708841/valley-forge-national-historical-park-valley-forge-brandywine-valley-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Valley Forge
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Lahaska
![](/assets/destinations/708854/intercourse-pennsylvania-dutch-country-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Intercourse
![](/assets/destinations/708857/kellers-mill-covered-bridge-ephrata-pennsylvania-dutch-country-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Ephrata
![](/assets/destinations/708860/national-watch-and-clock-museum-columbia-pennsylvania-dutch-country-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Columbia
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Adamstown
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Manheim
![](/assets/destinations/708859/wilbur-chocolate-company-lititz-pennylvania-dutch-country-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Lititz
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Kennett Square
![](/assets/destinations/708847/thompsonneely-house-washington-crossing-state-park-washington-crossing-bucks-county-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Washington Crossing
![](/assets/destinations/708862/mount-joy-pennsylvania-dutch-country-pennsylvania-usa_med.jpg)
Mount Joy
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Marietta
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Pennsbury Manor
![](/images/hotels/default-image-04.webp)
Bryn Athyn
![](/images/hotels/default-image-02.webp)
Sesame Place
![](/images/hotels/default-image-01.webp)
Fallsington
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