Traveling with your kids is a great way to grow closer and teach them important life lessons. One way to overcome their short attention spans is to pick a travel destination with plenty of fun family-friendly activities to keep your kids occupied! One state you should consider for family vacations is Pennsylvania.

Known as the Keystone state, Pennsylvania is the perfect destination for family vacations! Here’s something fun for every kid.

• Hands-on House, Children’s Museum in Dutch Country Roads. Childen ages 2 – 10 will love the interactive exhibits at the Hands-on House. Together, you and your children can play and learn as they discover new and exciting things in each exhibit!
• The Crayola Experience in Easton. One of three Crayola shops in the country, the Crayola Experience in Easton is the perfect place for creative children who love to color outside the lines. With 26 different hands-on attractions, kids can embark on an exciting adventure of colors, chemistry, and technology!
• The Sesame Place in Philadelphia. If your child is a fan of Sesame Street, you must go to the Sesame Place! Whether your child wants to soar through the air on a roller coaster, splash down a water slide, or see Elmo perform in person, this is bound to be a fun day for everyone!
• Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh. Explore the many wonders of science at this fun kids museum! Kids big and small, young and old, will enjoy the museum’s four floors of interactive exhibits. The Carnegie Science Center is also home to the biggest screen in Pittsburgh – the Rangos Omnimax Theater, a four-story state-of-the-art IMAX dome theater.
• Hersheypark in Dutch Country Roads. If your children are up for a thrill, plan a day trip to Hersheypark to ride one of the park’s 13 roller coasters. End the day on a sweeter note with a trip to Hershey’s Chocolate World, where the whole family can create their own chocolate bar or take part in a chocolate tasting experience!

Next, find a kid-friendly hotel that fits your family’s needs. Don’t be afraid to ask the hotel a few questions before you book, like what kinds of outdoor activities do you offer kids? What indoor activities do you have if it rains? Do you have kid-friendly dining options?

Now that you’ve decided which attractions your family would enjoy the most and what kind of hotel you need to book, consider one of these family vacations in Pennsylvania.

3 PA Family Vacations For Loving and Learning

 

Option #1:

Cool off at the Lackawaxen River.

During the summer, the Lackawaxen River is an exciting and cool place for kids of all ages! Visit during the warmer months and take the kids swimming and fishing on the Lackawaxen River. If they’ve never fished, this will be a fun learning experience for them! If you haven’t either, together you’ll both learn a fun new hobby.

No fishing pole? No worries! The local visitor’s center offers tourists a free loaner fishing pole and tackle. Just ask your hotel for more details when you check-in!

When night falls, build a campfire by the river, tell the kids ghost stories, and enjoy s’mores. If the sky is clear, you could even teach the kids to stargaze!

Related: Best Places to Stargaze in the US.

Where to stay: The Settlers Inn in Hawley, Pennsylvania.

If you’d like to visit the Lackawaxen River, the Settlers Inn is the ideal place for family vacations because of its location. The Settlers Inn backs right up to the river so there’s no hassle of driving or packing up the car to enjoy a day at the Lackawaxen River.

When the kids need to play, visit the park right across the street from the Settlers Inn. The park has plenty of places for them to run, jump, and tire themselves out! They will have a lot of fun climbing the large play structure, dribbling on the basketball courts, or running around on the tennis courts.

 

Option #2:

Laugh at the Giggleberry Fair.

The Giggleberry Fair is an award winning indoor family entertainment center! Children can ride the antique operating Grand Carousel or embark on the region’s largest multi-level obstacle course. There’s also a state-of-the-art Game Room and a toddler play area.

Laughing together will create cherished memories both you and your kids will share forever. Make sure to take pictures of them riding the carousel so you can look back on how much fun everyone had on this family vacation.

When the little ones get hungry, visit the Painted Pony Cafe to grab some snacks or a full meal!

Where to stay: The Golden Plough Inn in New Hope.

The Giggleberry Fair is located inside the Golden Plough Inn, so it’s a no-brainer to stay there. The hotel even has rooms adjacent to the Giggleberry Fair, if you’d like to be close to the action! Also, there are five different restaurants at the Golden Plough Inn so finding something for your picky eaters won’t be a problem.

The Golden Plough Inn is located in Peddler’s Village, an award winning travel destination. Back in 2011, the Philadelphia Business Journal voted Peddler’s Village the third most popular travel destination in the Greater Philadelphia region.

Every year, Peddler’s Village offers more than a dozen family-friendly festivals and events! In late May, there’s the Strawberry Festival. From September to October, it’s Scarecrow Season in Peddler’s Village. Then, November to December is the beautiful Season of Lights! For a full list of the events, visit the Peddler’s Village’s website.

 

Option #3:

Appreciate the environment.

It’s so important to teach your kids about nature! The environment is such a vital part of life that every kid should grow to appreciate and protect. Plan a day trip to the PPL Wallenpaupack Environmental Learning Center in Pike, Pennsylvania, a local environment learning center that has kid-friendly seminars and classes all year long. Your kids will learn about subjects like birds, wildflowers, wetlands and watersheds, and fishing education!

Or spend the day at Kittatinny Canoes in Milford, PA. Your kids will love all of the fun outdoor adventures offered on the Delaware River. Spend the day with the kids canoeing, kayaking, tubing, zip lining, and more!

Where to stay: The Ledges Hotel in Hawley.

About half an hour from both the learning center and Kittatinny Canoes is the scenic and family friendly Ledges Hotel. Nestled between the rock ledges and Paupack High Falls, your kids will be amazed by the beauty of the waterfalls and you’ll be able to relax a little on the porch.

The Ledges Hotel is also less than five minutes down the road from the Settlers Inn, so your family can still enjoy all of the nearby activities like the park and the Lackawaxen River!

Which activities would your family enjoy the most? And why? Tell us in the comments below.