Things to do / Travel Guide
The eastern Pennsylvania region is located between the mountains and valleys of Central Pennsylvania on the west, and the New Jersey state border and the Delaware River on the east. It is bordered by New York on the north and Delaware and Maryland on the south. The Brandywine Valley stretches the region a few miles into northern Delaware.
Although it has no Atlantic Ocean coastline, eastern Pennsylvania boasts the world's largest freshwater port, the Port of Philadelphia. This port, which handles the second-largest tonnage of goods in the U.S., spans five cities located on the Delaware River.
The major cities of the eastern Pennsylvania region are Philadelphia, Allentown, Reading, and Scranton as well as Harrisburg, the state's capital, and Lancaster, which is located right in the very heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Philadelphia is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. and the greater region of eastern Pennsylvania is home to approximately 9 million people.
Mountains, valleys, winding rivers, and a network of lakes and streams make up the topography of the region, with a major mountain range, the Pocono Mountains, in the northeastern section. Rolling countryside, fertile farmlands, and forests form the central and southwestern area of the region. Harrisburg is located in the southwest, along with Lancaster. The Susquehanna River, a major water thoroughfare, crosses the southwest portion of the region.
Population centers in eastern Pennsylvania all skirt the southeastern area of the region, where farmland gives over to industry in the towns of Easton, Allentown, and Bethlehem, near the New Jersey border. Philadelphia is located in the southeastern part of the region.
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