Leaving central PA for the beach? Add these 6 unique road trip attractions to your route
With the Fourth of July in the rear-view mirror, the summer season is finally in full force. Still, there’s plenty of time left for vacations and trips with the family before school begins in the fall.
Of course, there’s perhaps no trip more popular in the summer than a getaway to a beloved beach or nearby lake. That might be especially true for families in central Pennsylvania, which is not known for its beaches and coastal town charm.
So, where else can you stop on your route if you’re driving hours from Centre County to visit a beach or lake this summer? Here are a few road trip ideas for some of our readers’ most popular destinations, according to a recent Centre Daily Times poll.
Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary
No beach destination proved more popular in our recent poll than the South Carolina Lowcountry, which is home to Hilton Head Island, Edisto Beach and more.
If you’re locking in for the roughly 12-hour drive down from State College, the Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary makes for a viable stop along the way. The 600-acre nature-based attraction lies just a few minutes off of I-95, so you would not need to venture far to visit the sanctuary’s network of boardwalks, hiking, biking and canoeing trails and vantage points displaying the East Coast’s largest estuarine sanctuary.
Wildlife is abundant in this area’s black water bottomland habitat, which features wild turkey, deer, raccoons, otters, alligators and even wildcats, according to the South Carolina Lowcountry’s tourism bureau. The sanctuary also featured a “braided creek” swamp that divides into interlocking creeks and branches.
Guests are encouraged to take Exit 53 off of I-95 and head toward Walterboro before entering the sanctuary to the left of South Jefferies Boulevard and Ivanohe Road, according to the tourism bureau. You can also find parking at nearby 399 Detreville St. and Washington Street.
Storybook Land
This family amusement park has entertained guests since 1955, and it might make for a great stop for families with younger children if they’re venturing a few hours to the Jersey Shore — voted the second-most popular beach destination for our central Pennsylvania readers.
The 20-acre Storybook Land park is located in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., or just a short drive from Ocean City and Atlantic City, among other coastal towns. The park blends classic children’s stories with other amusement park favorites to offer more than 15 rides and even more themed attractions for younger families. For example, guests can choose to ride a Ferris wheel and complete a round-park trip on a miniature train or visit vignettes of Mother Goose, Little Red Riding Hood, Humpty Dumpty and other nursery rhyme characters.
Single-day passes for Storybook Land purchased online start at $37.99 for guests ages 2 to 64. Each ticket, valid for the date chosen at checkout, includes unlimited rides and attractions. Additional ticket discounts are available for seniors and active or retired military service personnel and their families (in one transaction).
Visit storybookland.com to learn more about the park and its offerings throughout the summer. Notably, families can bring in their own food and drinks if they’re hoping to save a few bucks during their trip. Parking is free, and the park does not offer refunds or rain checks for inclement weather.
Dover Motor Speedway
Thinking about heading down to Rehoboth Beach? This race track in Dover, Del., makes for a great road trip stop for any racing enthusiast.
Dover Motor Speedway has hosted at least one NASCAR Cup Series race annually since 1969 and features a 1.03-mile oval track, along with enough seats to accommodate nearly 59,000 fans. The speedway’s most notable upcoming event, Laps For Charity, will give entrants a chance to drive their own vehicles around the “Monster Mile” concrete track while raising money for Speedway Children’s Charities, a nonprofit benefiting children in need.
NASCAR races at Dover Motor Speedway are generally more common earlier in the spring and summer. Denny Hamlin won the most recent race at the track, the Würth 400, April 28.
If no race is on tap, a visit to the speedway might be worth the quick detour off the highway for one photo opportunity alone. A 46-foot statue of the speedway’s mascot, “Miles the Monster,” sits at Victory Plaza outside the track. Built in 2008, the monument weighs roughly 40,000 pounds and holds a stock car in its oversized right hand.
Colonial Williamsburg
Itching to live a day or two in simpler times before heading down to the Outer Banks? Colonial Williamsburg might be the road trip stop you’ve been searching for.
This living-history museum nestled in a 301-acre portion of Williamsburg’s historic district features hundreds of restored or recreated buildings from the 18th century, back when Williamsburg served as the Virginia colony’s capital. Guests in the area will find historical attractions, themed entertainment and even costumed employees who dress and speak similarly to their 18th-century counterparts.
You can visit historic sites that provide tours of a governor’s palace and offer a glimpse at how a courthouse would operate in the 18th century. Guests might also consider watching demonstrations from craftsmen, dining historically inspired menus, perusing art museums and viewing dramatizations of historical events (including some themed around the American Revolution).
Single-day tickets covering most guided sites, historic trades, stage performances and a guided tour in Colonial Williamsburg start at $49.99 for adults and $28.99 for children ages 6 through 12. Admission also includes access to art museums and free parking at the nearby visitor’s center.
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Heading down to Ocean City, Md.? This nautical museum could be a great stop for those heading to the beach with a route taking them through Baltimore.
Located in St. Michaels in Talbot County, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum first opened to the public in 1965 and today features the world’s largest collection of Chesapeake Bay boats, on top of interactive exhibits and year-round educational seminars and workshops. The site, accessible by car or boat, includes a working shipyard, a floating fleet of historic vessels and a members-only marina.
Hour-long tours free to the public provide a glimpse at the working shipyard, the Waterman’s Wharf, and the Hooper Strait Lighthouse, among other sites. You can even schedule a boat ride on the Miles River to receive a more personal nautical adventure.
The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and its store are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October. General admission, valid for two days, starts at $20 for adults ages 18 to 64 and $8 for children ages 6 to 17. Younger children receive free admission, while reduced rates and special discounts are available for seniors, active and retired military members and college students.
Lincoln Caverns
Not every summer destination is a coastal town or faraway beach. If you’re heading to Raystown Lake and want to extend your trip with a roadside attraction, Lincoln Caverns might be your best bet.
Over in Huntingdon, these caverns were discovered during the construction of U.S. Route 22 back in 1930. Since then, the family-owned tourist attraction has entertained thousands of guests each year as they explore underground formations, tour caves and learn more about Pennsylvania’s unique geological landscape.
The site’s two crystal caverns—Lincoln Caverns and Whisper Rocks—offer regularly scheduled tours all summer long. Guests can also pan for gems, get some fresh air on nearby nature trails or chow down at picnic pavilions.
Cavern tour tickets start at $13.98 for children and $22.98 for adults. Additional discounts are available for seniors, and some online-only deals can bundle a family’s worth of tickets together for a discount and some other perks.
Visit lincolncaverns.com to learn more about the roadside attraction’s offerings, plus upcoming events.
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