Overview
The Harrisburg area is in Pennsylvania Dutch Country and is generally considered to consist of the Harrisburg metropolitan statistical area which includes Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry county. It is home to the state capitol building and complex in the city of Harrisburg and the popular theme park and tourist attractions in Hershey.
1 sights · 5 things to do · 2 bars & cafés
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Harrisburg area
Fort Hunter Mansion and Park
Hersheypark
Allenberry Resort Inn and Playhouse
A variety of fantastic offerings including an Inn, playhouse and restaurant located outside beautiful Boiling Springs.
Appalachian Trail
Winds through Cumberland county
Colonel Denning State Park
18 mi of hiking trails, picnicking, swimming, fishing, hunting and camping surrounded by scenic mountains.
Carlisle Sports Emporium
A family fun center including go-karts, mini-golf, laser tag, arcade, roller rink and batting cages
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct. Summer highs reach about 90°F; winter lows dip to about 30°F. Very hot (Jul) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jul and Sep. (climate data from nearby Baltimore)
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.
- MDT Harrisburg International Airport, Harrisburg — 8 mi away. Directions
- LNS Lancaster Airport, Lancaster — 32 mi away. Directions
- BWI Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Baltimore — 76 mi away (major hub). Directions
Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) is located just minutes outside of Harrisburg in Middletown, Pennsylvania.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Sample 3-day trip
- Day 1: Harrisburg — State Capitol Building, The State Museum of Pennsylvania, National Civil War Museum.
- Day 2: Camp Hill — Willow Park, West Shore Country Club, Cinema Center of Camp Hill.
- Day 3: Hershey — Milton Hershey School, Hershey Theatre, Hersheypark.
Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
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 Harrisburg area
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Visitor information
- Hershey Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau (HHRVB), Official Visitors Center promoting Dauphin and Perry Counties, 17 South 2nd Street, Harrisburg, Phone: +1-877-727-8573, info@hersheyharrisburg.org
Cities
- Harrisburg
- Carlisle
- Camp Hill
- Hershey
- Hummelstown
- Mechanicsburg — Home of Jubilee Day.
- Middletown
- Millersburg
Other destinations
- Fort Hunter
- Wildwood Lake
- King's Gap Educational and Recreational Area
- City Island
Get in
By plane
Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) is located just minutes outside of Harrisburg in Middletown, Pennsylvania.
By train
Train stations along Amtrak's high-speed Keystone line are located in Harrisburg and Middletown.
Get around
By car
The area is traversed by several major interstates, U.S. highways, the Pennsylvania turnpike and Capital Beltway (which consists of PA 581, Interstate 81 and 83 as they loop around the city of Harrisburg and its environs).
By bus
The Harrisburg area is served by Capital Area Transit (CAT) which has about 30 fixed bus routes covering the area. While transit service is generally on time and efficient, it is generally not frequent outside of the city of Harrisburg and its immediate suburbs.
See
Do
Buy
Drink
Drink Coliseum Megaplex
Restaurant, family fun center, bars and bowling alley
Drink Harrisburg's 2nd Street
Downtown Harrisburg's north 2nd street is hopping almost every night with bars and night clubs to serve just about every type of person.
Nearby
Grantville
City / town · 4 listings · 14 mi away
Elizabethtown
City / town · 10 listings · 16 mi away
Mount Gretna
City / town · 3 listings · 21 mi away
York
City / town · 44 listings · 23 mi away
Lebanon
City / town · 25 mi away
Wrightsville
City / town · 9 listings · 25 mi away
Landisville
City / town · 4 listings · 27 mi away
Lititz
City / town · 28 listings · 31 mi away
My experience
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