Check out These 5 Fun Family-Friendly Attractions in Pennsylvania
With an abundance of cultural attractions, iconic monuments, and renowned stadiums and venues, New York City is one of the premier tourist destinations in the world. While it isn’t necessarily known for its child-friendly attractions, there are many appropriate places for family fun.
However, Pennsylvania, which neighbors New York, is referred to by some as “Kidsylvania” for its multitude of child-friendly entertainment options, including fun and engaging theme parks, museums, and other attractions. Read on for five places worth visiting as part of a perfect weekend getaway for families in New York City or other locales near Pennsylvania.
1. Hershey’s Chocolate World
Most kids love chocolate and, even if they don’t, they’ll have plenty of fun at Hershey’s Chocolate World. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023, the popular tourist attraction features exciting interactive experiences for kids, including the new Great Candy Expedition, a train-themed cinematic adventure with projection mapping technology. Hershey’s Unwrapped: A Chocolate Tasting Journey is another interactive show in which energetic tasteologists reveal the secrets of chocolate tasting.
Kids can also create their own chocolate bars with handpicked ingredients — and even design the wrapper — or put together a 1-pound Reese’s peanut butter cup. In addition, they can learn about the history of the Hershey brand and the chocolate factory through the Hershey Trolley Works tour. Of course, there are unique and delicious sweets and treats available for purchase, including adult drinks like Twizzlers Peach Twists hard lemonade and Hershey’s Yuengling Chocolate Porter draft beer.
2. Hersheypark
Hershey’s Chocolate World isn’t the only must-visit attraction in Hershey. During spring and summer especially, Hersheypark is filled with families looking to create lasting memories. The resort park features shopping, a bar and patio, and dining options for adults and has more than 50 rides to entertain kids of all ages. Younger children can enjoy the Carrousel, Balloon Flite, and Granny Bugs, while other rides, like the Laff Trakk and Hershey Triple Tower, are better suited for older kids and adults.
At Hersheypark’s Aquatheatre, visitors can check out live shows featuring Atlantic harbor seals and California sea lions. The Chocolatier, meanwhile, is the perfect place to enjoy unique chocolate-inspired meals. Lodging accommodations include The Hotel Hershey, a Historic Hotel of America, or Hershey Lodge, which includes a large indoor pool complex.
3. The Pocono Mountains
Eating chocolate and riding roller coasters is a recipe for a wonderful day, but it’s not sustainable — or healthy — for an entire weekend with children. The Pocono Mountains are the ideal destination to get out and explore and learn about nature with kids. They also have several other engaging attractions. The Great Wolf Lodge, for instance, is a family-friendly hotel that features a treehouse water fort, indoor waterpark, and arcade. The Skytop Lodge is great for families with older kids as it provides easy access to biking, hiking, and ziplining.
Outdoor adventure recreation opportunities, including biking, fishing, horseback riding, hunting, and ziplining, are abundant in the Poconos. These activities — and more — can be found at adventure parks like Blue Mountain Resort-Summit Aerial Park and Gorilla Grove Treetop Adventures. Indoor rainy-day recreation options include escape rooms, haunted hotels, and creative workshops.
4. Crayola Experience
Located in Downtown Easton in Lehigh Valley and formerly known as the Crayola Factory, the Crayola Experience is a perfect place to visit for parents with creative kids who love to doodle. The four-story, 65,000-square-foot building has more than 24 art-making stations complete with Crayola crayons, paints, clay, and markers. The Melt and Mold activity is a great option for kids who want to bring home a souvenir. At this station, children melt a crayon into a dinosaur-shaped toy.
When kids begin getting restless with the art stations, they can take part in an interactive quest-style game or work out some energy in a dance-like crayon-themed game. Crayola Experience also has a multilevel play structure for climbing and bouncing, a play section for toddlers, and a water table.
5. The World of Little League Museum
Parents with kids who are fans of sports, particularly baseball, should make a point to visit the World of Little League Museum in Williamsport, which is also home to kid-friendly attractions like the Lewisburg Children’s Museum. The World of Little League Museum features hundreds of archival materials and artifacts from the largest organized youth sports program in the world.
Exhibits highlight Little League’s connection and influence on US and world history as well as how it has become a global leader in player safety. Featured exhibits for the 2023 season include a 2022 Little League Baseball World Series Championship signed jersey and a signed Sydney Leroux jersey. The Global Connections Touch Table, which allows visitors to explore information on all Little League programs worldwide, is another highlight of the museum.
