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Visit Pennsylvania's Historic Places
More than 1,000 museums and hundreds of historical sites tell of the Commonwealth’s rich, storied, and important past. Gettysburg and Philadelphia are best known, but the entire state is rich with historic preservation—as well as the kind of living history you can only find in a place that treasures its streetscapes and architecture. Pennsylvania boasts 30 National Park Service parks, trails, and landmarks.
And when you’re finished touring, great antique shops and local merchants offer unique, historic, and local merchandise. There are more than 130 farmers and artisans markets in Pennsylvania.
So when you get off the highway in Pennsylvania, you can truly take a trip to Unique!
History & Heritage Blog
A New Side to Old History at Gettysburg’s Beyond the Battle Museum
06/21/2023 - 6:35pmWhile the lore and literature surrounding the Battle of Gettysburg may seem exhaustive, there is still a “new” side of the battle to explore: the brand-new, state-of-the-art Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum delves into the stories of civilians—not soldie...
Read MoreEnjoy Both the Journey and the Destination on Pennsylvania’s Route 6
03/25/2023 - 11:58amPennsylvania’s Route 6, a beautiful two-lane rural highway that also happens to be the longest highway in the state, was not labeled one of “America’s most scenic drives” by National Geographic without reason. It winds around some of the state’s most breathtaking natural and histor...
Read MoreExplore History at the Ephrata Cloister
02/16/2023 - 9:01amEstablished as a semi-monastic community with a convent in 1732, the pious and celibate members of the religious order led by Johann Conrad Beissel sought religious freedom in one of the only places that offered it in the world: Pennsylvania. Beissel’s celibate Brothers and S...
Read MoreFind Your Flavor of Happy in the Summer Traditions of "Happy Valley"
05/30/2022 - 11:30amIf Pennsylvania’s “Happy Valley” was deemed happy even in the financial fluctuations of the Great Depression, how much more happiness is there to be discovered today in vibrant Penn State and its surrounding regions? Find your happy in an array of longstanding Penn State traditions, beloved by locals and visitors alike.
When it comes to “...
Read MoreExperience Pittsburgh: The Gateway to an Enriching Holiday Season
12/13/2021 - 6:19pmDiscover ways to enhance your mind rather than merely indulge your appetites this holiday season by mining the rich and varied history of Pittsburgh, the legendary “Gateway to the West.” Located at the convergence of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers and critical in the production of steel and coal in the last century and a half, it mi...
Read MoreAmerica Begins in Philadelphia
06/07/2021 - 9:03amThere’s nothing like an up-close look at the past to reinvigorate the present. As we approach Independence Day, an exploration of the iconic places in Philadelphia where the seeds of independence began to take root is a fitting way to anticipate the holiday.
At Carpenter’s Hall,...
Read MoreVisit the Kinzua Sky Bridge
04/24/2021 - 12:39pmWhat was once an incredible feat of engineering that built the longest and tallest railroad bridge in the world is now one of Pennsylvania’s most unique and scenic recreational spots. With panoramic views of the Kinzua Valley, the Kinzua Sky Bridge offers visitors a viewpoint of its surrounding landscape that can’t be found anywhere el...
Read MoreHistory of Automobile Travel at The Swigart Museum
03/07/2021 - 11:55amFor those longing for travel but limited to local destinations, there are few attractions as fitting as the Swigart Museum, where travelers can tour the history of automobile travel itself. The nation’s oldest automobile museum, which is celebrating its centennial this year, houses one...
Read MoreA Saga of Sports: The Western PA Sports Museum
02/13/2021 - 4:42pmIf you were an athlete, then you know the value of sports within our lives and how the experience has left its mark on you, defined you, or made you strong. Sports teach us to be better, to push the limits of our bodies but more importantly our minds, and to carry mankind to further heights than we had ever believed possible. It’s why we keep tr...
Read MoreMade in PA
03/08/2020 - 6:39pmWhat’s made in Pennsylvania certainly need not stay in Pennsylvania, as anyone familiar with the provenance of household brands like Hershey’s and Snyder’s can attest. Yet Pennsylvania natives familiar with the wider selection of what’s made in Pennsylvania, from the state’s signature chocolates and snack foods to musical instruments, can also v...
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