3 Best Sights in Pennsylvania, USA

There are few American landmarks as moving as Gettysburg National Military Park, where General Robert E. Lee and his Confederate troops fought and lost to the Union forces of General George Meade from July 1 through 3, 1863. More than 1,300 mournful and inspiring markers and monuments honor the estimated 7,058 soldiers killed in the battle. Thirty-plus miles of marked roads lead through the 6,000-acre park to key battle sites; you can traverse them by driving, bicycling, or hiking yourelf or with a licensed guide, or via guided bus tours. In the first week of July, Civil War reenactors dress in period uniforms and costumes to commemorate the three-day battle.

There are number of strange, forgotten sights in Philadelphia that in any other city would be a major, if not the major tourist attraction. Fort Mifflin may be the best of these sights in Southwest Philadelphia. The fort is enormous and nearly always empty. Within its walls, spread out on a huge lawn, are cannons and carriages, officers' quarters, soldiers' barracks, an artillery shed, a blacksmith shop, a bomb shelter, and a museum. The exhibits are dated, but the stories are fascinating, from the 40-day battle in 1777 to hold off British ships coming up the Delaware to the use of the site as a prison during the Civil War. The fort was almost totally destroyed during the Revolution, but was rebuilt in 1798 from plans by French architect Pierre L'Enfant, who also designed Washington, D.C. If you wander off beyond the fort and into the other parts of the 49-acre National Historic Landmark, you will find a long embankment of overgrown and unexcavated battlements from the 1800s. From Penn's Landing it's an easy jaunt on I–95.

The quiet park is near the site of the Battle of Brandywine, where British general William Howe and his troops defeated George Washington on September 11, 1777, after which the Continental Army fled to Chester, leaving Philadelphia vulnerable to British troops. The battle covered 10 square miles, involved almost 30,000 soldiers, and played an important role in the larger war. The small visitor center has an introductory film and displays about the battle. On the site are two restored Quaker farmhouses, one of which once sheltered Washington and General Lafayette; guided tours of these are offered Friday and Saturday. The 50-acre park is a fine place for a picnic. Ask for info about driving to see key battlefield sights like the Birmingham Friends Meeting house, where soldiers lie in a common grave.