Less than a two-hour drive from both New York City and Philadelphia, the Poconos have been a popular getaway spot since the mid-19th Century. The fresh air, the mountains and an abundance of trout, bears and deer originally drew sportsmen to the area (of course travel time was considerably longer than two hours in those days).

The advent of railroads was a boon to the region, and by the late 1800s vacationers seeking relief from big city stress found their way to the mountain breezes and simplicity of life in the burgeoning Pennsylvania vacation land.... Read More

Many years ago a friend shared a valuable travel tip: “Whenever you go to a new place, before you do anything else, sign up for a local tour. It’s a great way to get an overview of the place.” And, over the years, we’ve done just that—in destinations ranging from Fort Lauderdale to Montréal to London. Such tours are typically conducted in a bus or van. Gray Line has been a reliable favorite, and we’ve also used local companies as well as the red, double-decker “hop-on, hop-off” buses in London.... Read More

Our family headed up to the Philadelphia area for a weekend Lacrosse tournament just outside the city in Fort Washington. On our first full day in town we headed down to Independence National Historical Park (a AAA GEM attraction). A record heat wave was about to hit with temperatures in the 100s, so we got an early start. Independence Hall tickets are available for free on the morning of your visit. You can get them at the Independence Visitor Center at 6th and Market Street starting at 8:30 a.m.... Read More

We made friends with a wonderful couple on a cruise a few years ago and have not been able to get together on another vacation since. So when we were invited to join them at their home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, it seemed like it would be a nice break. Though it ended up hotter than home, we found Lancaster to be a lovely and relaxing vacation spot. We flew into Philadelphia, which is not recommended – ... Read More

From the Q&A mailbox:
Question: Kim asks, We are considering a road trip from Detroit to Philadelphia for a summer vacation. We are a family of 4 with two boys ages 13 and 11. Is there enough to do in Philly for the kids aside from all of the history stuff? Any suggestions on where we could stop midpoint for a day or two to break up the trip? Thanks.
Answer: (from the AAA account manager for the area, Matt Lyle): Hi, Kim! Besides all the 'history stuff,' there is plenty for your family to do in Philadelphia. ... Read More

For a half-century the Three Rivers Art Festival has been entertaining Pittsburghers, who eagerly await its return to Point State Park from June 4-13. Attendees can take in the arts and crafts displays and enjoy the heavenly aromas wafting through the air, courtesy of the enormous number of food vendors hawking everything from cheesecake on a stick to gyros. ... Read More

Question: Megan asks, Do you have any tips for visiting and staying near Hersheypark in Pennsylvania?

Answer: Matt Lyle, AAA account manager, has been visiting Hershey for 13 years and says:
• When you get to town, roll down your windows… the town smells like chocolate.... Read More

  
I managed to fit a lot into a weekend in Philly, so with apologies to Bruce Springsteen for that headline, here's the rundown:

Our culinary adventures started, of course, with a cheesesteak at Cosmi's deli on South 8th Street. We walked into the store and I could sense immediately that this was the real deal.... Read More

It was a beautiful day in Philly. I was on a travel writing assignment and pounding the pavement in Center City looking for some lunch. At the corner of 13th and Sansom, my travel companion grabbed my arm and shouted “Look!”

I was a little puzzled as I scanned the four corners of the intersection. Then I saw it. A whimsical sign above a storefront said “Capogiro,” but it was the... Read More

There is something otherworldly about Gettysburg National Military Park in the early morning - the mist creeping across grassy swales and over split rail fences, softening the harsh outlines of cannon and monuments to heroes and fallen. Morning doesn’t do justice to what happened there. You need to see the battlefield in full daylight to really appreciate what it must have been like those first three days of July 1863.

The best advice I got before I visited the park was to make the new Visitors Center my first stop and to purchase a... Read More