Alleghenies and Susquehanna Valley, Pennsylvania travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

The Susquehanna Valley of Pennsylvania lies in the south-central portion of the state and is near to the Pennsylvania state capital, Harrisburg. Additionally, the Susquehanna Valley is home to a few pockets of Amish and Mennonite culture. The area is rich in revolutionary and industrial heritage and traces its roots as far back as the mid-1600s. The Susquehanna River is believed to be one of the oldest systems in the world and is the largest non-navigable river in the United States.

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Jun–Sep. Summer highs reach about 70°F; winter lows dip to about 14°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Mar, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Dec and Jan. (climate data from nearby Snowshoe)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
SHD Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport, Weyers Cave — 46 mi away. Directions
CKB North Central West Virginia Airport, Bridgeport — 56 mi away. Directions
IAD Washington Dulles International Airport, Dulles — 113 mi away (major hub). Directions

The valley is connected by Pennsylvania state routes 11 & 15 from north to south.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Sample 3-day trip

Day 1: Johnstown — Johnstown Inclined Plane, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Johnstown Flood Museum.
Day 2: Lewisburg — Packwood House Museum, Weis Center for the Performing Arts, Susquehanna Grower's Market.
Day 3: Shamokin — Knoebels Amusement Resort, Glen Burn Culm Bank, Mother Cabrini Catholic Church (formerly St. Edward's).

Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.

Food for you

Texas Hot Dogs in Downtown Altoona is a great place to stop and have a hot dog and fries.

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Places in Alleghenies and Susquehanna Valley

Johnstown

City / town · 29 listings

Lewisburg

City / town · 22 listings

Shamokin

City / town · 22 listings

Altoona

City / town · 16 listings

Selinsgrove

City / town · 16 listings

Shamokin Dam

City / town · 16 listings

Bloomsburg

City / town · 11 listings

Breezewood

City / town · 10 listings

Numidia

City / town · 6 listings

Bedford

City / town · 5 listings

Lewistown

City / town · 5 listings

Centralia

City / town · 4 listings

Danville

City / town · 4 listings

Berwick

City / town · 2 listings

Mount Carmel

City / town · 1 listings

Benton

City / town

Mifflintown

City / town

Port Royal

City / town

Understand

While much of the area is made up of farmland, sizable towns and small to midsized cities line the shores on each side of the Susquehanna. Sunbury-Lewisburg-Selinsgrove are a largely exurban and rural triad of towns all located on the shores of the Susquehanna. This area is known for its outstanding collegiate academics and sports as well as the Amish landscape and products produced there.

Cities

Altoona
Bedford
Benton
Berwick
Bloomsburg
Centralia — Famous for an underground coal mine fire that, fifty years later, is still burning. The entire town has been abandoned except for a small few who refuse to leave their native town. The area is a dangerous, burning ghost town and the most famous such town in Pennsylvania.
Danville
Elysburg - home to a 100 year old amusement park.
Johnstown
Lewisburg-Selingsgrove
Mount Carmel — Home of the Red Tornadoes football team which holds the 4th highest win total in high school football history.
Numidia
Port Royal
Shamokin — Home of the annual "Coal Drop" on New Year's Eve.
Shamokin Dam

Other destinations

Rockhill Trolley Museum

Get in

The valley is connected by Pennsylvania state routes 11 & 15 from north to south.

Selinsgrove (SEG) has its own regional airport.

John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport (JST)

Get around

In the areas of Sunbury, Lewisburg and Selinsgrove, cars are preferred. Though these areas have buses and taxis, they are difficult to find and schedule and can be costly when compared to the options in bigger cities.

See

The area sports include, The Altoona Curve at Peoples Natural Gas (Minor League Baseball) and The Johnstown Tomahawks (Hockey) at the Johnstown War Memorial.