Things to do / Travel Guide
Pennsylvania Dutch Country, the great city of Philadelphia, the Poconos, the mighty Delaware and Susquehanna rivers - what else need a region offer? Get there and you'll discover that a world of outdoor recreational opportunities awaits. Indeed, the possibilities in all these diverse areas come together to form a real pleasure of a region. The eastern Pennsylvania region is an outdoors playground, whether you're fishing in or kayaking on the rivers or lakes, hiking or biking the mountains and valleys, or golfing on the region's premier courses.
Water Activities in Eastern Pennsylvania
Two rivers that border the region - the Delaware on the east and the Susquehanna on the southwest - while mention should also be made of the smaller rivers and creeks that cross the region, like the Lehigh, the Wissahickon, and the Brandywine. People make week-long treks down the scenic Susquehanna, and there are plenty of day trips to choose from on all these waters.
On the Delaware in the Poconos you can pass sandy shores and river islands, with great views of the surrounding mountains. The best place to kayak in the eastern part of the region is probably in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. The creeks merging with the river are charming to explore as well, and on short hikes along these you'll behold stunning waterfalls. At some points on the Delaware there's even gentle whitewater.
There are a number of lakes that should capture your interest if you like lake kayaking. Lake Wallenpaupack, the largest lake in eastern Pennsylvania's northern mountain area, is a particularly popular spot. You can explore the shore, go for some pleasure boating, or do some early-morning birding.
If fishing is how you like to spend your vacations, eastern Pennsylvania's lakes and rivers won't disappoint. Lake Wallenpaupack, for example, teems with fish as well as birds. The lake holds largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, walleye, pickerel, muskies, brown trout, and rainbow trout. The Susquehanna is an ideal habitat for smallmouth bass and is considered by fly fishermen to be one of the best fishing spots east of the Mississippi River. The Delaware River offers opportunities to catch American shad, smallmouth bass, muskellunge, walleye, catfish, and panfish. The Lehigh River is home to brown, rainbow, and brook trout, which are known to grow quite large (14-18 inches are the norm) - wouldn't you like to catch a prized specimen yourself?!
Land-based Activities in Eastern Pennsylvania
Ready for a good workout in the big city? If you've been eating too many Philly cheesesteaks, you may want to hop on your bike or a rented one and explore one of the U.S.'s greatest cities; the City of Brotherly Love. Philadelphia is happy to boast more than 200 miles-worth of bike lanes, and these routes often offer excellent views of the centrally-located Delaware River and Schuylkill River. They'll introduce you to the downtown, the surrounding countryside, and the vast city parks starting with Fairmount Park. Biking is also a great way to see nearby Valley Forge.
Away from Philadelphia, you have two main choices for biking: you can head to the Poconos for some mountain biking, through valleys and along the rivers, or you can head to Pennsylvania Dutch Country for colorful farmland and covered bridges. If you prefer the former, the scenes from the Weekend Warrior course of the Lehigh River Gorge will remain with you for a lifetime; if the latter, set out for Lititz, the heart of the “plain people” communities.
Head to the Poconos for some prime hiking on the celebrated Appalachian Trail. There are numerous day hikes you can take on the trail, which passes out of the region at the Delaware Water Gap. There's also good, multi-pitch climbing in the area, with Mt. Minsi leading the pack. Here's your chance to get really up-close to nature: there are so many deer that some are bound to be friendly enough for a group photo. You may also see a black bear (from a distance), wild turkeys, and hawks.
Do you want to take a break from routine or the rigors of vacationing? Then maybe it's tee time! Eastern Pennsylvania boasts some excellent golf courses, such as the Golf Course at Glen Mills, ranked the state's best. Or golf on rugged terrain in sight of the Poconos, at The Club at Morgan Hill.
Eastern Pennsylvania from Above
Pennsylvania Dutch Country is also known to be prime airspace for hot-air ballooning. The patchwork tapestry of the balloon matches the patchwork farmland below, for a special trip over one of America's most picturesque rural areas - you might even feel like you're traveling over the U.S.-circa 19th century!
So there you have it: The only thing separating you from the patchwork landscape of the “plain people communities,” one of America's favorite biking cities, fishing and kayaking opportunities, and exhilarating biking and hiking, is a plane ticket or a tank of gas. What are you waiting for?
Outdoor Recreation in Philadelphia, Lancaster, the Poconos, Eastern Pennsylvania
Outdoor-Sports-Recreation
|
|
|