From traditional pumpkin patches and corn mazes to unique botanical gardens and hard apple cider, your fall adventure in Pennsylvania will help remind you why it’s everyone’s favorite season. In between the fall fun, you’ll get to appreciate the last few days of nice weather and some amazing foliage on hikes, horse-and-buggy rides, and visits to some of America’s most important architectural gems.
Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and completed in 1939, Fallingwater is a testament to the beauty of American architecture. The house appears to stretch over a 30-foot waterfall and is quite a sight to behold. Basic guided tours of the house cost $25, but the site offers a variety of other options, including a sunset tour, an in-depth tour, a brunch tour, and even a children’s tour. Indoor photography is only allowed on the more expensive tours, but outdoor photography is permitted. The grounds also offer a restaurant and gift shop.
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is located in the heart of Pittsburgh, and makes for a perfect stop on a chilly fall day. The garden is inside a glass greenhouse that dates all the way back to 1893, and allows you to explore a dynamic display of various climates. The Fall Flower Show is a spectacular display of iconic harvest traditions, with chrysanthemums, scarecrows and hot apple cider. Children and youthful adults will enjoy the Garden Railroad, a miniature interactive railroad highlighting 200 years of Pittsburgh’s history.
Home of Slippery Rock Creek Gorge, McConnell’s Mill State Park is another great stop on your autumnal trip across Pennsylvania. The gorge was created thousands of years ago by the draining of glacial lakes, and is now a steep-sided masterpiece of a landscape, with boulders littered across the valley floor. One of the most popular visitor attractions is an 1800s-era gristmill, which is open for tours. The park also has nine miles of hiking trails, so you can bask in the beauty of the fall leaves that Pennsylvania provides each year. Make sure to visit at the end of September for the Heritage Festival, with craft vendors, corn grinding demonstrations, and a Civil War encampment.
Fall means apple season, so take advantage at Rocky Ridge Orchards. With a huge variety of apples, from Jonagold to Macintosh and everything in between. Whether you want to pick your own or grab a bag, or if you're looking for the perfect snacking apple, or need something you can bake into a crisp or pie, they can help you find the right apple. Plus, there's fresh cider, caramel apples, honeys, jams, pumpkins, and more.
Kinzua Bridge State Park is the perfect place to conquer your fear of heights! The park is home to the Kinzua Bridge Skywalk, a repurposed viaduct that allows guests to walk 600 feet out at a height of 301 feet. The end of the walkway offers a panoramic view of Kinzua Gorge, as well as a glass platform for those who are exceedingly daring. Make sure to wear a jacket or sweater, as the cold wind can get pretty strong at the edge of the platform.
Located in the valley of Sugarloaf, Pennsylvania is Maylath Farm and Orchard. A family-owned farm for over 40 years, Maylath is home to traditional fall fun. The farm’s biggest claim to fame is a giant 10-acre corn maze, which is fun for the whole family. The farm also has an extensive pick-your-own pumpkin patch, hayrides, pumpkin and apple slingshots, and a whole lot more. Admission to the farm is free, but each particular attraction has a separate price, with rates listed on the farm’s website.
True to its name, Mazezilla is an 11-acre corn maze located in Saylorsburg. The maze is designed differently every year, and visitors are encouraged to get “cornfused.” Those willing to conquer the maze are brought to the entrance on a tractor-driven wagon, then let loose to find their way out. The maze is so large that the attraction has aerial spotters to overlook the maze, as well as helpers located throughout the maze to assist lost guests. Admission is eight dollars during the day and 12 dollars at night. Plus, the maze is located on Klingel’s Farm, which has a variety of other activities, including a fresh produce stand, a giant pumpkin patch, and even a hay fort.
Whether you’re snapping pictures of Fallingwater alongside stunning fall foliage, enjoying the crisp weather on a hike through a gorgeous state park, enjoying some of Pennsylvania’s freshly-grown autumn produce, or getting lost in an epic corn maze, the season offers loads of ways to have fun. The state is a veritable fall wonderland, so grab a pumpkin spice latte and get ready for an unforgettable road trip this autumn!
Banner Photo Credit: Image via Shutterstock/SNEHIT
