Summer

We’ve compiled a list of activities and fun places to visit in the Pennsylvania Great Outdoors region that won’t cost you a penny and are sure to entertain adventurers of all ages! (Things you’ll actually want to do!)

Sit around a crackling fire with your family and friends with billions of stars twinkling in the night sky. Plan your getaway in a cabin buried in the woods and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Enjoy endless opportunities for cooling off from the hot summer heat. The Clarion River, Allegheny River, Sinnemahoning, and Little Toby Water Trails are perfect for spending the day floating along by canoe, kayak, tube, or raft. Boaters will love cruising on Piney Reservoir, Tionesta Lake, East Branch Lake, George B. Stevenson Dam, Cloe Lake, Kyle Lake, and Pool #9 on the Allegheny River at East Brady.

There are hundreds of miles of trails throughout the region. You can stroll beneath giant ancient trees in Cook Forest, hike through the restored Climax Tunnel on the Redbank Valley Trail, see waterfalls in the Quehanna Wild Area, find peace and quiet in the vast Allegheny National Forest, cross a swinging bridge on the Clarion-Little Toby Trail, or explore one the many other trails in the region.

Meet the world’s most famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil at the new the Groundhog Visitor Center at Gobbler’s Knob. Pennsylvania’s wild elk herd roam the mountains of Elk and Cameron Counties. The best place to start your elk viewing adventure is at the Elk Country Visitor Center in Benezette. Bottle feed a whitetail fawn at the Double Diamond Deer Ranch in Cook Forest. Get up close to exotic creatures from around the world at the Farmers Inn in Sigel. Learn about the creatures that inhabit the region at the Wildlife Center at Sinnemahoning State Park, go bird watching at Buzzard Swamp near Marienville, and see how fish are raised when you tour the Tionesta Fish Hatchery.

Take a float, snap some pictures, and win some cash! Our Canoeing and Kayaking photo contest runs July through September. Just submit your pictures for a chance to win.

Our pristine mountain streams, lakes, and rivers teem with trout, bass, walleye, musky, panfish, and more. Find everything you need to plan your fishing adventure with our new Fishing & Paddling Guide.

Use our new Wine, Beer & Shine Pour Tour brochure and map to enjoy the tastes of Pennsylvania’s Great Outdoors region. Take in the scenery, spend a weekend or longer and explore the region on the Great Outdoors Pour Tour.

Summer in Pennsylvania’s Great Outdoors region bursts with a variety of events, fairs, and festivals.  Each small town here has its own character and charm, and they all invite you to join the fun by checking out any of the hundreds of events they are hosting this year.