Harrisburg Vacations, Harrisburg Vacation Reviews, Tourism Guide

Harrisburg Vacation Guide

Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania, and with a population of 650,000+, it is the fourth largest city in Pennsylvania. It is located on the banks of the Susquehanna river, a little over an hour west of Philadelphia. It's also about 30 minutes from Hershey and Lancaster, and fits in well with a visit to PA Dutch Country.

The first people to live in the area were the Susquehannock tribe of Native Americans. In 1785, John Harris, Jr. one of the first whites, named the settlement after himself. Harrisburg would soon become an important trading post and gateway to the west, a stop on the Underground Railroad, a Union army training center during the Civil War, and an important city for the production of iron and steel in the Industrial Revolution.

Today one might want to visit: the State Capitol Buidling and The Forum, City Island, Fort Hunter, Strawberry Square, The PA State Farm Show Arena, The Whitaker Center for Science and Arts (has IMAX!), Broad Street Market, National Civil War Museum, PA State Museum, The Appalachian Brewing Company and 2nd Street. There are also minor league baseball, soccer and basketball teams.

I love how the photo for Harrisburg right now is of a deer in someone's backyard! Deer hunting is big during deer seasons in September-December in the Central PA region. Visit the Harrisburg East Mall for a veritable Taxidermy explosion.