Things to do / Travel Guide
Parks
The Fairmount Park is a 9,200-acre area in the heart of Philadelphia, extending to both banks of the Schuylkill River and Wissahickon Creek. It is one of the largest urban parks in the word, and its quiet, green expanses can be a welcome sight after a long day of sightseeing in the city. In the spring, the cherry blossoms rival those along Washington DC's Potomac River, and there's also an azalea garden. Pennsylvania's state flower, the mountain laurel, blooms in June, and by July rhododendrons are in bloom. Have a relaxing cup of tea at the Japanese House and Garden, a reconstruction of a 17th-century Japanese scholar's residence, and be sure to stroll by Boathouse Row in the evening as the lights come on.
Bird Watching
Autumn in eastern Pennsylvania is one of the best times of the year for bird watching, or “birding.” As the weather begins to change, hundreds of avian species fly south for the winter.
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary - Located along the Appalachian Flyway in central eastern Pennsylvania, 50 miles north of Philadelphia, the scenic Hawk Mountain Sanctuary offers visitors an outstanding, year-round nature experience. With mountaintop vistas, eight miles of hiking trails, and the thrilling migration of nearly 20,000 hawks, eagles, and falcons each autumn, this attraction is a must for nature lovers.
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area - This popular 70,000-acre national recreation area on the Delaware River lies along a migration corridor for warblers, hawks, heron, geese, and many other species, in addition to hawks and other raptors (meat-eating birds). The north end of the park is at Milford, five miles from the New York/New Jersey border at Port Jervis. The south end of the park is along I-80 at the town of Delaware Water Gap. The area is about 90 miles from Philadelphia, and 50 miles east of Scranton.
Wildlife
For a true wildlife experience, take a hike on the Kittatinny Ridge, just north of the Delaware Water Gap. Spotting deer in the early morning is not unusual, and rattlesnakes and copperheads can be found sunning themselves in the afternoons. On summer days, these woods are full of many species of small animals, birds, butterflies, and dragonflies. Exercise caution and carry a walking stick, and insect repellant is critical!
Nature Spots in Philadelphia, Lancaster, the Poconos, Eastern Pennsylvania
Nature-Wildlife
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