Although there are many reasons to visit and photograph your trip to Pennsylvania, many think there is Philadelphia in the east and Pittsburgh in the west, and nothing to see in the middle of the state, except farmland and open country. That thinking is wrong, however, since Pennsylvania is the fifth most-visited state. All those millions of visitors are finding much to photograph…and so will you and your family.
A photo album of Pennsylvania begins with its history. On page one, place your pictures of Philadelphia’s well-known Revolutionary-era locations: Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Old City and the Betsy Ross Home. To capture interesting photographs of these revered places, take the one-hour carriage ride through Philadelphia’s historic district. Your page-two display of photographs records your trip to the equally important historic city of Pittsburgh. That history is centered on the sites of old Fort Duquesne and Fort Pitt that stand at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, to create the Ohio. Include a visit to Mt. Washington where you can photograph incredible vistas of downtown Pittsburgh and the steep valley walls that surround it.
Page three of your Pennsylvania photo album is the Pennsylvania Dutch country just south and west of Philadelphia. Here you’ll discover an even earlier historical period, when the original German settlers came a hundred years before the Revolution. There are museums and historic sites to visit that preserve that rustic colonial life. The once quiet, relatively unknown town of Gettysburg is nearby. Considered the greatest battle of the American Civil War and the entire history of the Western Hemisphere, the Gettysburg National Park is a must-see and must-photograph experience for everyone. You’ll especially want pictures of how moved your children will be exploring this hallowed ground.
“Pennsylvania Family Fun” is the title of page four of your photo album. Your children won’t forgive if your visit to Pennsylvania doesn’t include Hershey Park. Located just east of the state capital at Harrisburg, Hershey is the home of the well-known confectionery company. Hershey Park is a family entertainment complex with an amusement park, zoo and Hershey ChocolateWorld. It’s a great place to capture photographic memories of childhood. Located in northeast Pennsylvania, the Pocono Mountains is an easily accessible vacation spot for anyone living in the northeast corridor of the United States. Not only are the Poconos a popular honeymoon destination, but also offer a summer season of hiking, camping, biking and lakeside fun and a winter season of skiing, ice fishing and many other cold-weather activities.
Make the next section of your Pennsylvania photo album your adventures in the Pennsylvania Wilds. In these north central counties, the state displays its most carefully preserved and naturally rugged wilderness. This is where you can hike or canoe into the backcountry and photograph great panoramas as well as the close-up beauty of wildflowers, birds, deer, elk and other wildlife. Make sure to include Pine Creek Gorge in your itinerary. Known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, the Gorge is a spectacular natural formation, with an endless number of photographic views.
