All United States Pennsylvania

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Pennsylvania

378 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Pennsylvania

Updated December 1, 2023

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Cities

Top Cities
All Cities
  1. Allentown
  2. Altoona
  3. Bedford
  4. Bensalem
  5. Bethlehem
  6. Coudersport
  7. Donora
  8. Doylestown
  9. East Stroudsburg
  10. Emmaus
  11. Erie
  12. Farmington
  13. Gettysburg
  14. Hanover
  15. Harrisburg
  16. Irwin
  17. Jim Thorpe
  18. Johnstown
  19. Kennett Square
  20. Kutztown
  21. Lancaster
  22. Latrobe
  23. Malvern
  24. Monroeville
  25. Morrisville
  26. New Hope
  27. Philadelphia
  28. Pittsburgh
  29. Pleasantville
  30. Reading
  31. Scranton
  32. South Park Township
  33. State College
  34. Upper Darby
  35. Wellsboro
  36. West Chester
  37. Wilkes Barre
  38. Williamsport
  39. Windber

Unusual Attractions in Pennsylvania

See All 378 Things To Do in Pennsylvania

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Pennsylvania

See all 10 Places to Eat in Pennsylvania
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

6 Fascinating Medical Marvels in Pennsylvania

In the 1700s and 1800s, Philadelphia was the center of medical scholarship in the United States. The city not only attracted the brightest minds, but also the most curious cases and characters. From the oldest quarantine facility in the country to a museum that memorializes a traveling dental circus, here are six places to marvel at the trials, errors, and triumphs of medical history in Pennsylvania.

View Itinerary

Explore Pennsylvania

History 39
History & Culture 31
Museums And Collections 28
Statues 20
Sacred Spaces 20
Abandoned 20
Collections 19
Art 18

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Recent Pennsylvania Activity

Stories About Pennsylvania

Chris Scott writes that peach cobbler figured in his "happiest food memories," just as it does for many Southern children.

The Sweet and Sour Origins of Amish Soul Food

In Pennsylvania Dutch Country, African Americans have created a distinct and delicious cuisine.
by Sam Lin-Sommer
Punxsutawney Phil is far from the only weather-predicting marmot on Groundhog Day.

The Alternative Groundhogs Vying for Punxsutawney Phil's Weather Forecasting Job

Don't forget about Big Al the Alligator and Scramble the Duck's predicting powers either.
by Jennifer Byrne
A baled Christmas tree is loaded at the Omni Farm in West Jefferson, North Carolina.

What’s the Real Christmas Tree Capital of the World?

At least a half dozen communities in North America have claimed the title. 
by Justin Franz
The still-operating Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad in Colorado is part of one of America's longest-lived narrow gauge networks.

The Historians Saving America’s Pint-Sized Railroads

From Maine to Alaska, narrow gauge is all the rage, including one of the most historic, Pennsylvania’s East Broad Top.
by Justin Franz
Groundhog Day weather predictions in 1975.

When Groundhog Was on the Menu in Punxsutawney

From picnics to club dinners, the critter has a long culinary history in Pennsylvania.
by Diana Hubbell

Podcast: The Pennsylvania Firefly Festival

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
A bright "firebow" appeared over Pennsylvania in July 2021.

Meet 'Firebows,' the Flat, Rainbow-Like Stacks That Appear in Sunny Skies

But whatever you do, don’t call them rainbows.
by Jessica Leigh Hester
The National WWII Museum in New Orleans houses uniforms, equipment, and more than two dozen signed and captured Nazi flags.

What Should You Do With a Captured Nazi Flag?

During WWII, American soldiers brought the flags home as a remembrance. Now, family members and historians must decide what should become of them.
by Reina Gattuso

Lists Featuring Pennsylvania

Blue Sky Mausoleum.
Darwin Martin House Complex.
Skylights on the exterior porch made of red cypress.
A restored Wright house on the Burnham Block.

A 12-Stop Road Trip of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Most Surprising Designs

A UFO-inspired church, a futurist gas station, and more deep cuts.

12

Including Blue Sky Mausoleum, The Darwin D. Martin House, and Kentuck Knob

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