9 Most Inviting Towns in Pennsylvania

These nine inviting towns in Pennsylvania offer unique experiences for visitors, from Bellefonte's Victorian architecture and the Big Spring Festival to Ohiopyle's outdoor adventures and white-water rafting. Punxsutawney is famous for its weather-predicting groundhog, while Ridgway holds an annual international chainsaw competition. Doylestown is rich in art and history, with the Mercer Mile and Warren offering scenic river activities. Stroudsburg's proximity to the Delaware Water Gap provides stunning natural beauty, and Lititz features the first hard pretzel in America. Gettysburg, renowned for its pivotal Civil War history, is also part of a lesser-known countryside. Together, these towns are hard to beat for history buffs, nature lovers, and anyone looking for small-town charm.

Bellefonte

The pretty Victorian town of Bellefonte (which comes from the French words “belle fonte” or “beautiful fountain”) is named after a significant natural spring called the “Big Spring,” which has been the town's primary water source since 1807. Every year, the town holds a Big Spring Festival on the third weekend in May to celebrate this historic landmark in the 3.5-acre Talleyrand Park near downtown Bellefonte. Spring Creek flows through the park, the perfect spot to picnic and visit. The park’s enormous population of migratory birds includes mallards, herons, and Canadian geese.

Bellefonte is renowned for its historic district and well-preserved Victorian architecture, many of which have been converted into bed and breakfasts like Riffles and Runs, the Reynolds Mansion Bed and Breakfast, and the Gamble Mill, which is located in a historic mill dating back to 1786. Downtown, there are numerous local watering holes and cafés like Bonfatto’s, the Robin Hood Brewing Co., and Titan Hollow, home of Mad McIntosh Cider, Alloy Kitchen, and Witches’ Hollow Winery. Visitors can also explore the historic Bellefonte Train Station and the headquarters of the American Philatelic Society, formerly a nineteenth-century Match Factory, now on the National Historic Register of Historic Places.

Ohiopyle

When USA Today’s ‘10Best Reader’s Choice Awards” named Ohiopyle the “Best Small Town in the Northeast,” they weren’t kidding. There are about 31 residents in Ohiopyle, but the town still has much to offer, including many great restaurants and outdoor activities, especially white-water rafting, with the town’s proximity to the 19,000-acre Ohiopyle State Park and the fast-flowing Youghiogheny River that runs through the park. It offers some of the best whitewater rafting east of the Mississippi River and attracts adrenaline junkies from all over the United States. To be safe, consider booking a guide-escorted tour with one of the local outfitters like Ohiopyle Trading Post & River Tours, Wilderness Voyageurs, or White Water Adventures.

Visitors more comfortable on terra firma can rent a bike and hop on the Great Allegheny Passage (known as the “GAP” by the locals) at the Ohiopyle trailhead. The entire 150-mile GAP trail runs from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. After a day of rafting or cycling, stop at the Yough River Brewing Co. less than a mile from the GAP for a craft beer, cider or seltzer and pick up food from one of the food trucks outside.

Punxsutawney

The small town of Punxsutawney, population 5,508, makes headlines once a year, every year, thanks to Punxsutawney Phil, the resident groundhog who predicts the weather on February 2. The small town revolves around Phil, and much of its economy depends on Phil. There are many tributes to the lowly rodent around town, so if visitors can’t spend February 2 in town, there are plenty of other reasons to visit this neat small town on the other 364 days of the year.

Thanks to Phil, Punxsutawney is known as the “Weather Capital of the World” and home of the Punxsutawney Weather Discovery Center. The building is located in the former Punxsutawney post office and recently marked its 110th anniversary. Next to the library, visitors can see Phil’s borough or wander around town looking for faux Phils or “Phantastic Phils”—32 6-foot-tall ceramic statues of Phil hidden all over town. Finally, no visit to “Punxsy” is complete without a visit to Gobbler’s Knob and Trail, where all the Groundhog Day celebrations take place. If it’s not Groundhog Day, it’s still a nice park to walk through and picnic.

Ridgway

Ridgway is a great destination for nature lovers and outdoorsy types, thanks to its proximity to the Allegheny National Forest. Situated on the Allegheny Plateau, Ridgway is the gateway to the 514,029-acre Allegheny National Forest in the northwestern corner of the state, making it the perfect basecamp for outdoor adventures like kayaking, rail trails, mountain biking, and hiking. Popular trails include the Clarion River - Little Toby Rail Trail, which offers picturesque views and great photography opportunities. Visitors can stroll through the quaint downtown area to view the town’s historic lumber mansions and check out local boutiques. Stop for lunch at the Brew Bank Brewing Co. in an 1800s restored bank building, or pick up a sweet treat at Joey’s Bakery and Restaurant.

The best-known attraction in Ridgway is the Chainsaw Carvers Rendezvous, where carvers from all over the United States and the world gather to create beautifully carved works of art from logs using chainsaws and hand tools. Over the years, the event has morphed into the largest event of its kind. Throughout 2024, Ridgway is celebrating its bicentennial, marking its founding in 1824 by Jacob Ridgway, with events like the Ridgway Fire Department’s June 17 - 22 weeklong celebration and parade and the Rock Valley Revival from July 26 -27, 2024.

Doylestown

The pretty and historic townof Doylestown is forty miles north of Philadelphia, “The City of Brotherly Love,” and is an excellent destination for art lovers and history buffs. On Doylestown’s famous Mercer Mile, visitors will discover three 20th-century buildings built by artist Henry Chapman Mercer: Fonthill Museum, Mercer Museum, and the Movarian Pottery and Tileworks. While all the buildings are impressive, Fonthill, a National Historic Landmark, and Mercer’s former home looks like a European castle. Built between 1908 and 1912, the 44-room building is decorated with handmade tiles, and over 6,000 books are displayed in bookcases throughout the castle. One mile from the castle, the Mercer Museum houses the artist’s vast collection of everyday objects from the pre-industrial age, ranging from hand tools to horse-drawn vehicles.

Historic downtown Doylestown is home to several restored buildings repurposed as restaurants, cafés, and shops, like the Hattery Stove & Still in the landmark Doylestown Inn. This 120-year-old building was once a hat factory, cigar shop, and speakeasy during Prohibition. Satisfy a sweet tooth with a stop at Evolution Candy for old-timey candy like Fun Dip and Pop Rocks, or have a craft beer at the locomotive-themed Station Taphouse, where visitors can even sit outside and watch the trains come and go.

Warren

Warren exudes small-town charm with its picturesque location on the banks of the Allegheny River. Spend time on the river, and visitors will quickly understand why it was named “Pennsylvania 2024 River of the Year.” The historic 325-mile river starts as a stream before crossing briefly through New York and then through six counties in Western Pennsylvania and ending in Pittsburgh. 86.6 miles of the river is designated a National Wild & Scenic River and runs through Warren, so why not book a guided day trip on the river with Allegheny Outfitters in downtown Warren?

There’s plenty to do for landlubbers in Warren with numerous walking and biking trails in town, like the walk along Breeze Point Landing, the 1.3-mile walking trail in Betts Park at the site of the old Warren Airport, or walk the crushed limestone path in Crescent Park, and identify the forty-one species of trees the make up the Tree Walk. After a day of outdoor adventure, visitors will discover cool shops and restaurants like Wicked Warren’s, which serves craft beer and wood-fired pizza. They can also visit the taproom at Bent Run Brewing Co. The Arbor Coffee House Cafe & Tea Room is also great for breakfast and lunch.

Stroudsburg

Stroudsburg is a little town in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania and part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. There are many stunning waterfalls near Stroudsburg, including Bushkill Falls, but tourists flock to the area for the outstanding recreational opportunities in the Delaware Water Gap. The region comprises 70,000 acres of land, 150 miles of scenic trails, and 40 miles of the Delaware River with year-round recreation, including paddling, fishing, and hiking. A classic albeit somewhat challenging hike in the park is the 3.4-mile loop to the summit of Mt. Tammany, with its stunning views of the Delaware River, Mt. Minsi, and the surrounding hillsides.

Downtown Stroudsburg features delicious cafés and restaurants, the Downriver Brewing Company, and even a neighborhood corner bar called The Goat on Main, which hosts a weekly “Vinyl Night.” A central point in the community of Strousbourg is the Sherman Theater which first opened its doors in January 1929 with a live performance by the legendary comedy duo Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Today, the historic venue still hosts live concerts, comedy performances, musicals, and events, like the Stroud Fest 2024 on August 31.

Lititz

The small Pennsylvanian town of Lititz, named after a Bohemian Castle near Kunvald in the Czech Republic, has a storied past with deep connections to the Protestant religious group, the Moravians, who fled persecution in their country to establish Lititz in 1756. The town is home to Linden Hall, the oldest all-girls boarding school in the U.S., founded by the Moravians. It is also the location of the first place in the world to sell hard pretzels, so a visit to the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is a must-stop-shop for visitors.

Visitors to Lititz can also explore the 80-acre Wolf Sanctuary of PA, home of the Wolves of Speedwell. For over forty years, the Darlington Family has provided refuge to gray wolves, who have been typically misunderstood or adopted as household pets. The sanctuary seeks to dispel myths about wolves through guided tours and provide a more accurate and respectful image of the species. Nine miles south of Lititz, visitors can find the well-known town of Lancaster in Lancaster County, which has the largest Amish population in the United States.

Gettysburg

Few small towns in Pennsylvania are more well-known than Gettysburg, the site of the most defining event of the American Civil War. If visitors want to learn about the history of the Civil War, Gettysburg National Military Park is the best place to start. Numerous tour operators are available at the Gettysburg Heritage Center, from ghost tours to downloadable auto tours to bus tours and Segway tours; there’s even a GettyPed tour—a scoot-coupe that lets visitors tour the battlefield on their own. Foodies can explore Gettysburg in a new way on a 3-hour historic food tour of 6-7 eateries with Savor Gettysburg Food Tours.

Beyond the battlefield, the Gettysburg countryside is worth exploring at tourist spots like the Sachs Covered Bridge, built in 1852 and used by both sides in the Civil War. Today, visitors can walk across the bridge surrounded by history and nature. The Historic Round Barn & Farm Market is one of the only round barns surviving today. Set in the picturesque Pennsylvania foothills, the farm grows over 30 types of apples, 20 types of peaches, and baked goodies in-house. Visitors with more time can follow the Adams County Crop Hop trail, where they can pick their own fruit and flowers, take a farm tour, or take a cooking class.

The Takeaway

Inviting small towns has one thing in common: well-preserved architecture, local festivals, beautiful scenery, and a welcoming environment, all creating an ideal setting for leisurely exploration. Visitors can enjoy boutique shopping, dining at quaint eateries, and participating in local events that showcase the town's heritage and culture. Outdoor enthusiasts can find ample opportunities for activities such as hiking, biking, and water sports in nearby natural areas. Take some time to discover these nine small Pennsylvanian towns and what makes them perfect for day trips or weekend getaways, offering a delightful escape from the hustle and bustle of city life.