’Tis the season for gift giving! While I’ve historically waited until the last minute to pick presents for my loved ones, I’m trying to get an early(ish) start on holiday shopping this year (thanks, in part, to some inspiration from the Atlas.)
A quick drive from Philadelphia brings you to one of the commonwealth’s original three counties. Chester County contains a unique mix of historic sites, eclectic local vendors, and natural beauty, plus a one-of-a-kind public garden.
Just beneath central Pennsylvania lies Woodward Cave, a sprawling system of chambers carved by time and water. From towering stalagmites to colonies of bats that shelter inside, the cave offers a rare look at the state’s underground beauty.
This railroad runs through Berks County’s scenic Secret Valley, on a journey which takes in the historic locales of Pennsylvania’s major ironworks. Travelers can enjoy the sounds of an antique Player piano and dine on tapas in restored parlor and lounge cars with ferns, chandeliers, and intricate wood accents.
Founded in the 1970s, the Fabric Workshop & Museum provides space, tools, and education to aspiring artists as both a museum and active workshop. Textile arts have experienced a renaissance in recent years thanks to the efforts of this institution and others like it.
In 2003, Mifflin County launched a public art project that scattered fiberglass geese across the Juniata River Valley. The birds are uniquely decorated and perched in surprising spots: on rooftops, porches, storefronts, and fields, creating a whimsical scavenger hunt for visitors.
“Pennsylvania’s Oldest Citizen” keeps a low profile in the greater Hershey area. The Hoverter and Sholl box huckleberry, an evergreen shrub, could be up to 8,000 years old. Visit this living relic by taking an easy, 0.4-mile loop hiking trail that winds past the plant and through the area’s woodlands.
