PA Road Trip along the famed Lincoln Highway

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What does the Indianapolis Speedway, Miami Beach, and Lincoln Highway have in common? They are all the brainchild of one man. Carl Fisher had an idea for a coast to coast highway back in 1912.

You have to remember that back then there weren’t many paved roads. Definitely not many spanning the massive distances between the small towns and cities that made up America. Carl Fisher wanted to change that. He saw a need for one continuous highway stretching from New York City all the way to San Francisco.

Over the next few years that would happen. One road stretching from NYC to San Francisco. But this highway wouldn’t hit all the major cities along the way. It would bypass most of them to make it the shortest most direct route available. This highway became known as Lincoln Highway after President Abraham Lincoln.

If you are looking for a fun road trip any time of year. Make sure it’s along the Lincoln Highway. Continue reading for the interesting and unique stops along the Lincoln Highway in Pennsylvania. It starts when you enter Morrisville, PA from Jersey and continues all the way till you enter West Virginia than Ohio.

Theme Parks

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There are a couple of theme parks located along the Lincoln Highway in Pennsylvania. If starting your trip from New Jersey you will quickly run into Sesame Place. This is a great little theme park run by SeaWorld Entertainment.

Here you will find plenty of water attractions the whole family will enjoy. From the Giant Rubber Duckie towering in the sky to the fun Splash Castle and who can forget the lazy river. Mom, Dad, and the kids will love this one.

Sesame Place is also home to two kid-friendly roller coasters. While not thrilling for older kids. It’s just enough of a thrill for the younger ones to get them started on thrill rides. The bonus here is you can splash around all day and when you want to dry off. Just hope on Oscar’s Wacky Taxi to dry off.

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Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, PA is another theme park right off of Route 30. This is another one you can’t miss with it’s Castle like front entrance. This park is packed with 35 different attractions for the whole family. From a wooden roller coaster that gets the hair on the back of your neck standing up. To the Turnpike Cars or even the always fun bumper cars.

Dutch Wonderland is full of fun and surprises. Spend the day or night around Dutch Wonderland. You can book a night at the Cartoon Network Hotel or stay in the nearby Camp Grounds. Plus Dutch Wonderland won the Golden Ticket Award in 2019 for the best family park.

As you near Pittsburgh you will come across Idlewild & SoakZone. I have great memories as a kid here. It’s nothing like I remember since it appeared to me that many of the areas were a little run down. However, the water park area was amazing.

If you are traveling with the family in the summer. A stop off here wouldn’t be the worst idea ever. From the large wave pool to slides it is a fun time for all. The amusement rides need a little work but this park has been named from time to time the best family park in the US.

I wasn’t going to include Kennywood since this is not along Lincoln Highway. However, you can get a quick glimpse of it from route 30. This theme park is a Pittsburgh favorite and people come from miles around to visit. They have a great mix of thrill rides and little kid rides to make any family happy. Teens even love this theme park.

From Phantom’s Revenge which will get you up to speeds of 85 mph to The Steel Curtain which received the Golden Ticket Award for the Best new Roller Coaster in 2019. This is definitely a place you will want to check out if you are theme park fans.

History

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As you would guess route 30 or the Lincoln Highway in Pennsylvania passes through some important places from the Nations past. It runs through one of the most important battlefields of the Civil War at Gettysburg.

A quick detour off of the road will take you to the Gettysburg National Military Park where you can easily spend a day or two exploring all that Gettysburg has to offer. My daughter loves it when we take a trip out to Gettysburg.

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Of course, I think it’s just because she likes climbing around Devil’s Den but every time we go I try to fill her in on what happened at this historical location. If you don’t take the detour south to the battlefield, you have to at least stop in town.

At the circle in the center of Gettysburg are some amazing family-owned shops. They are filled with many interesting one-of-a-kind items that would be hard to find anywhere else. Of course, you also have to stop in the Blue & Gray Bar & Grill for some amazing Burgers.

Another interesting and I would say historical location can be found in Breezewood. Here you can park and take a hike to see the Abandoned Turnpike Tunnel. It is a little bit of a hike but it is an easy one. Are you brave enough to go halfway in?

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One of the saddest places you can go to is also located along route 30. Anyone who is old enough to remember can tell you what they were doing on the morning of September 11th, 2001. Flight 93 went down in a field off of the Lincoln Highway. Today there is a beautiful memorial to the passengers and other victims from that faithful day.

A stop here is always a must when I am traveling out to see my relatives. I for one never want to forget. This Pennsylvanian field helps me to always remember.

Not too far from the Flight 93 Memorial, you will find Fort Ligonier. This is a recreation of an 18th century, British Fort. You will want to stop and check it out on your road trip across the Lincoln Highway.

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This place just stands out when traveling down the road. With the wooden structures, you just have to see what it is like. You won’t be disappointed. To me, it’s just interesting to see who we lived in the past.

Unique Stops

You will find many unique stops along this old and famous route. Just take a look around when traveling through Lancaster County. You will see many and I mean many Horse-drawn buggy’s traveling right along with you.

Stop off at the Amish Farm and House which was the first Amish attraction. Get an up-close and personal look at how the Amish communities live. Would you be able to give up many modern amenities? I know I couldn’t.

If you are a fan of Ice Cream, I mean who really isn’t? A stop at the Turkey Hill Experience is a must. Check ou the taste lab and try your hand at making your own flavor. Will it be any good? You won’t know if you don’t try it.

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Of course, we already touched on Gettysburg but it needs to be said again. There are just so many interesting and unique places to see here that it is a must-do when traveling along the Lincoln Highway.

For a more unique tour of Gettysburg be sure to do one of the Ghost Tours. After all, Gettysburg is supposedly one of the most haunted areas in the country. Not very surprising when you consider what happened here back in July of 1863.

Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Emporium is up the road from Gettysburg. This is one of those you have to see to believe types of places. Packed full of over 12,000 elephant figurines, toys, circus souvenirs, political items, and more.

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You may never find anything else like this on your travels. Of course, this place also sells tons of candy. So it’s just another reason to visit. Make sure you check out all the different Pez dispenser. You might even come across some you never knew they made.

When planning a road trip in Pennsylvania make sure it’s along America’s first transcontinental highway. You won’t be disappointed with everything you will see and do along this historical route. From dodging Amish Buggy’s to staying clear of Ghost. This road has it all.

Did we mention it’s also a nice beautiful ride through the Pennsylvanian countryside and mountains? There are plenty of areas to pull off and witness what makes the Keystone state so beautiful. Forget spending your vacation in the city. Travel along the Lincoln Highway for a vacation and road trip you will remember for years to come.

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