Discover the best top things to do in Pennsylvania, United States including Devils Den, Scripture Rocks Heritage Park, Indian Echo Caverns, Laurel Caverns, Woodward Cave and Campground, Wyalusing Rocks, Bilger's Rocks, Boulder Field, Seven Tubs Natural Area, Crystal Cave.
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5.0 based on 535 reviews
Devils Den is a rock formation that can be explored by the whole family. Located in the middle of Gettysburg National Military Park below Little Round Top. The rock formation is interesting enough to warrant a 2 hour excursion and is a great place for children to get some energy out.
This pile of boulders and rocks saw such horrific fighting on the second day of the battle. The rocks you walk among are original to the day and one can only imagine the great loss of life that occurred on these very stones. This place is hallowed ground where brave men bled and died. I was filled with awe and respect. A somber experience.
4.5 based on 830 reviews
Natural Splendor along the Swatara.Like many caverns in the Mid-Atlantic states, Indian Echo Caverns is a limestone cave. Cut through Beekmantown limestone, which is over 440 million years old, they were formed through the erosive properties of water. As time progressed, geological forces led to an "uplift" of the surrounding limestone, eventually allowing more and more water to flow through the formation. As the water flowed over the limestone, it began to create small crevices, these small crevices led to larger ones, and eventually, over a series of millions of years, it created the caverns as they are today.The temperature inside the caverns is 52 degrees year around.
Bring a hoodie or a light jacket. I forgot to bring mine, and ended up buying a hoodie at the gift shop that was cute but overpriced, about $65. Water bottles $2.50. We arrived at 10 am and were out by noon. It took about an hour to complete the walking tour. There are some steep stairs to watch-out for, that would be a problem for people with limited mobility. The cavern is beautiful and you get to see the formations up close. We spent one more hour petting and feeding goats and alpacas. They sell little brown bags of dry seeds for $0.50 but there are only 5 corn kernels and two sunflower seeds in each bag (not joking). You can buy 10 bags and wouldn't be able to fill a single bag with all the contents. There is also a playground for children nearby where the tour starts and ends. We also did the mining activity with the boys. It goes fast because their sand is very thin. We got one bag for $8.00 that was discounted with the tour purchase, and ended up buying two more bags for $14 each. The place is well maintained and employs local folk. It's a nice wholesome business. We toured it after two days at the Hershie Park and enjoyed it very much. We have people from 56 yo to 8 years old, and we all enjoyed our visit. We were out of there by noon and had lunch at the nearby Soda Jerk Diner. Very good, tasty, large portions.
4.5 based on 326 reviews
Cave with 2.8 miles of underground passages: great for viewing weird rock formations.
My wife and I are senior citizens who like a new adventure. We talked ourselves into taking the 2-hour "upper cave" tour on a rainy Monday afternoon. Our guide, Zach, prepared we newbies for what to expect and told us he would tailor the tour to our limitations (we were the only two on the tour.) Navigating the passageways and the climbing up and down was challenging at times and scary at times, but we always felt in good hands with Zach and intern Cicely. In addition to his obvious love of caving, he provided us with a lot of geological facts about caves, geological history, you name it. Zach is quite personable, a good story teller and a great source for a few geology basics. Somewhat surprised to read the negative comments about the well-designed lighting in the family tour portion of the cave. The lights were aesthetically pleasing to this occasional spelunker.
4.5 based on 54 reviews
The rock formations are amazing. Dress comfortably so you can climb the rocks. Take time to wander around and enjoy your time in the wild.
4.5 based on 118 reviews
A quiet hike or dirt road drive to this gem. Looks like a lake filled with rocks. Make sure you see this early in the morning before the crowds and the heat. A natural wonder... read the signs!
4.5 based on 269 reviews
Seven tubs Nature area is the perfect destination for a hike in the woods. A hike on large rocks, across wooden bridges overlooking waterfalls. If you walk to the left and go to the top you can meander down all the tubs. In the summer, you slide down rocky slides in a beautiful stream with natural ‘tubs’ for swimming. You can spend 10 minutes or all day checking this out. If you are not from the area, the site will blow your mind. Be careful on the rocks and be prepared for steps and climbing. With the visit! Park rangers are available for questions- port-a-potties in parking lot. Enjoy nature!
4.0 based on 356 reviews
See PA's first show cave. Discovered in 1871, and open to the public shortly thereafter, Crystal Cave has been operating without interruption since that time. The one hour cave tour begins with a video presentation describing the history of Crystal Cave and the formation of caves. Guides take you into the cave and give you both an educational and enjoyable tour. Crystal Cave is known for its abundance of formations in various size and color. Over five million adults and children have been thrilled by this subterranean museum of nature. After your tour you may want to visit our gift and souvenir shop, historical exhibit, authentic Amish Buggy, real Indian Totem Poles, and shaded picnic park all on 150 scenic acres. Other activities open seasonally include miniature golf, panning for gemstones, Ice Cream Parlor, Crystal Cave Cafe, and Museum.
You could spend a whole day here. Besides the cave tour, they have mini golf, a nature trail, a "fast food" Dutch restaurant, ice cream, and a large gift shop. We only took the cave tour because of the weather. You buy the tickets for the tour in the gift shop, which is worth a turn through by itself, it's got an odd selection of stuff. Tours seem to start every 20-30 minutes or so. You do have to climb a lot of steps both to get to the cave and inside the cave, so be warned. Outside, the steps were pretty even, if a little steep. They can be a little uneven and slippery inside the cave. The cave is 54 degrees all year, so bring a jacket. It was raining the day we visited, and I'm not sure if it was actually wetter in the cave because of that or if it just felt that way. First, you watch a short video about the discovery of the cave, its history as a tourist attraction, how the cave was formed, and current conservation efforts. I thought it was informative and really fun, in a kitschy, low-budget kind of way. The video room was also decorated for Halloween, which was fun. Our tour guide was Ben, who was just great. He had the deadpan delivery and enthusiasm for the cave that made me believe everything he said and laugh at all the great, corny jokes. The cave itself is super cool to look at and be in, but the interpretation makes it fascinating. Very well done, highly recommended! Tour takes about an hour, seemed a little pricey up front, but I was happy with the experience I had and things I learned, and they are actively trying to conserve the cave, so worth it. If you think caves are neat or you've never done anything like this, I recommend stopping by.
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