Tucked away in our nifty corner of America in southeastern Pennsylvania, there’s so much history and nature within driving distance that it would be impossible to see it all in just one summer. From national parks to seashore towns and former battlefields, these road trips from the Main Line region will have you wishing the season would never end.
Allegheny National Forest – 4 Hours 30 Minutes
Over 500,000 acres comprise Allegheny State Park upon the Allegheny Plateau. AllTrails ranks Minister Creek Trail as the number one hiking path in the park, but beyond exploring on your own two legs, be sure not to miss OHV (or off-highway vehicle) riding, kayaking and canoeing and mountain biking. You could spend weeks exploring this expansive park and still have thousands of secrets left to discover.
Antietam National Battlefield – 2 Hours 45 Minutes
An unassuming creek by the town of Sharpsburg, Maryland lends its name to perhaps the most important day in American history. Following the Union’s strategic victory, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves in Confederate territory and redefining the meaning of the Civil War.
Today, this historic site is a national park with 10 short hiking trails around the former battlefield where 23,000 Americans were casualties after just 12 hours of fighting on September 17, 1862.
Jockey’s Ridge State Park – 6 Hours 30 Minutes
It’s hard to find a landscape more alien to the eastern United States than Jockey’s Ridge. Mountainous sand dunes cover 427 acres in this state park, the tallest active system anywhere in the country, including our deserts out west. Ephemeral pools teem with life at the bottom of these behemoths, where tadpoles swim and frogs spawn. Despite the proximity to the ocean on both sides of the park, be sure to carry copious water before you begin your hike; the desert-like environment and albedo can create temperatures up to 110 degrees with no trees for shade.
More adventurous explorers should be sure to check out Kitty Hawk Kites hang-gliding lessons.
Lost World Caverns – 5 Hours 50 Minutes
Take a road trip through the stunning mountains of Appalachia to reach a natural wonder in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. Discovered only as recently as 1942, Lost World Caverns is a wonderland of brilliant rock formations 120 feet beneath the Earth’s surface. At a constant 52 degrees deep inside the bowels of our planet, you can choose to take the brief 45-minute self-guided tour or go on the more in-depth four-hour exploration of the cave system and come out splattered in mud with the experience of a lifetime.
Montauk, Long Island – 4 Hours 10 Minutes
This East Hampton hamlet is the place of legend. Don’t miss views of the iconic lighthouse at the point before sunset. Looking out across the water, the ocean feels almost infinite. Downtown shopping is a favorite, too, but the number one attraction is the almost unbelievably fresh seafood. Gosman’s Clam Bar has perhaps the most delicious clam chowder anywhere on the East Coast, with an exceptional lobster roll to boot.
