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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is a state in the eastern United States. It is known for its Revolutionary War-era historical sites like Valley Forge, its large cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, its farming regions (some occupied by the Amish), and a (once)-strong industrial history. With equally large swaths of cities and towns as fields and mountains, Pennsylvania is a rich and varied state, as well as a worthy travel destination.

Cities

 * — the state capital
 * — largest city of the Lehigh Valley, third largest city in state
 * — home to Pennsylvania's waterfront on Lake Erie, great for boating and beaches
 * — birthplace of Hershey's chocolate
 * — a relatively large city right at the heart of Amish country; the birthplace of the battery-powered watch, and a good shopping destination for Amish goods
 * — "The City of Brotherly Love," a major city with lots of history, cheesesteaks, sports, music, and everything in between
 * — "The Steel City," a scenic city with some of the most avid sports fans in the nation
 * /Wilkes-Barre — coal region towns perhaps best known for TV's The Office
 * — host to the annual Little League World Series

Other destinations

 * — the site of the most famous battlefield and bloodiest battle on U.S. soil, and the turning point of the Civil War
 * — large metropolitan area, roughly equidistant from Philadelphia and New York City
 * — the third-largest "city" in the state, but only when the Nittany Lions football team is playing
 * — large metropolitan area, roughly equidistant from Philadelphia and New York City
 * — the third-largest "city" in the state, but only when the Nittany Lions football team is playing
 * — the third-largest "city" in the state, but only when the Nittany Lions football team is playing

Understand
Pennsylvania is a geographically diverse state with a Great Lake on one shore and a major seaport on the other. The climate of Pennsylvania is pleasant, with cold, often snowy winters, mild to hot, humid summers, gorgeous green springtimes, and spectacular displays of colorful autumn foliage.

Pennsylvania hosts a number of vital cities, from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia. The city of Philadelphia, the state's largest city, houses the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, two major national historical landmarks. The interior of the state has a number of subcultures worth exploring, including the famous Amish countryside, a religious community.

Pennsylvania is also home to a diverse group of people, with ethnic enclaves of black and Hispanic populations in its major cities. The culture also differs from region to region, with the eastern half of the state around the city of Philadelphia being largely of Mid-Atlantic character, and the western half, including around the city of Pittsburgh, having a more Midwestern character. The Appalachian regions have a culture akin to that of West Virginia in the South.

Pennsylvania is also diverse in that the south central and southeastern parts of the state are urban and densely populated, while much of the rest of the state is rural and/or mountainous. Pennsylvania is a swing state in presidential elections.

The state is bordered by New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Ohio. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are the state's two largest cities followed by Allentown, Reading, and Erie. Other cities include Bethlehem, Scranton, Lancaster and Harrisburg (the state capital).

Pennsylvania was the second state established in the nation after Delaware.

Tourist information

 * Visit Pennsylvania website

Talk
Most Pennsylvanians speak American English, although pound-for-pound its variety of regional dialects and accents is richer and more rugged and blunt than any other state in the nation. The Western Pennsylvania ("Pittsburghese"), Central Pennsylvania, Northeastern Pennsylvania, Southeastern Pennsylvania (centered in Pennsylvania Dutch Country and heavily influenced by that language; see below), and Philadelphia dialects are all audibly distinct from each other. People from the Appalachian Mountains speak with a distinctive accent that is similar to a Southern accent. Travellers may well notice these different speech patterns, but it's highly doubtful they'll present any communication problem for anyone with a workable level of English proficiency. Many of these accents are dying out, and younger people tend to speak with a general American accent.

Reading, Allentown, and Philadelphia all have sizable Spanish-speaking populations. Again, this should not pose a problem for English-speaking travellers, as most of these people speak English in addition to their native language.

Finally, though there are now smaller clusters in other states too, Pennsylvania remains the home of the large majority of speakers of the famous Pennsylvania Dutch (Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch) dialect of German. Although widescale non-Amish use of the language faded circa 1950, there are pockets of young people who are learning the language as a way to preserve their heritage.

By car
Pennsylvania is a densely populous state in a densely populous part of the country, with many roads in and out. Interstate highways lead most traffic into the state. Major national interstate highways leading to Pennsylvania include I-95 S from New England, I-95 N from the American South, and I-70 E, I-80 E & I-90 E from the American West and Midwest. Specifically, clockwise from north of Harrisburg:

 * from Montreal & Ottawa to Scranton and Harrisburg: I-81 S.
 * from Boston to Scranton: I-90 W to I-84 W.
 * from Boston to the Lehigh Valley and Harrisburg: I-84 W to I-91 S to I-95 S to I-287 W to I-78 W.
 * from Boston to Philadelphia: I-84 W to I-91 S to I-95 S.
 * from New York City to Scranton: I-80 W.
 * from New York City to the Lehigh Valley and Harrisburg: I-78 W.
 * from New York City to Philadelphia: I-95 S.
 * from Baltimore to Philadelphia: I-95 N.
 * from Baltimore to Harrisburg: I-83 N.
 * from Baltimore to Pittsburgh: I-70 W.
 * from Washington, DC to Philadelphia: I-95 N.
 * from Washington, DC to Harrisburg: I-95 N to I-83 N.
 * from Washington, DC to Pittsburgh: I-270 W to I-70 W.
 * from West Virginia to Pittsburgh: I-79 N.
 * from Columbus and Indianapolis to Pittsburgh and Harrisburg: I-70 E.
 * from Cleveland to Pittsburgh: It's close, but complicated.
 * from Cleveland and Chicago to Erie: I-90 E.
 * from Toronto and Buffalo to Erie: I- 90 W.

Also, U.S. Routes 219, 15, and 220 (soon to be I-99) all enter the state at alternative points from both the north and south.

State-operated Welcome Centers and Comfort Facilities are found just inside the borders at all major crossings into Pennsylvania.

By train
Amtrak offers a total of nine different passenger train lines in or across the state of Pennsylvania. Most services run through 30th Street Station in Philadelphia including the Acela Express and Northeast Regional trains between Boston, New York and Washington, as well as long-distance trains such as the Vermonter to and from Vermont and Silver Service trains to and from Florida. Keystone trains run from New York and Philadelphia west to cities including Lancaster and Harrisburg, while the daily Pennsylvanian crosses the rest of the state all the way to Pittsburgh. Service to Chicago runs via the Cardinal three times per week from Philadelphia, and the Capitol Limited daily from Pittsburgh.

By bus
Most areas in Pennsylvania are serviced by Greyhound Bus service. Bus service from New York to areas in Eastern Pennsylvania, like Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley, and the Poconos, is very easy, quick, and inexpensive. A convenient way to find bus service to Eastern Pennsylvania in New York is at Port Authority Bus Terminal in lower Manhattan. To Philadelphia, some options include Chinatown buses, Megabus, and Greyhound. To the Lehigh Valley, some options include Trans-Bridge and Bieber Bus. To the Poconos, some options include USA Coach and Mertz.

By plane
The two major airports in Pennsylvania are Philadelphia International Airport and Pittsburgh International. Both are served by all major carriers and have low-fare service by Southwest. Philadelphia is a major hub for American Airlines, and has service from Frontier. Philadelphia is one of the Northeast's major international termini, with flights to an array of European destinations.

Regional airports in Pennsylvania include Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown and airports in Harrisburg  and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. All of these airports are served by American Airlines, Delta and United.

By bus
Information on Pennsylvania transit can be found here.

By car
In addition to the Interstate highways that enter Pennsylvania and travel throughout:

 * The Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) is a toll freeway that is the main east-west route between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, with state capital Harrisburg along the way. Take note of the four tunnels through Appalachian ridges.
 * The Turnpike's "Northeast Extension" (I-476, also toll) reaches north from Philadelphia to Allentown and Scranton. Another tunnel is found along it.
 * U.S. Route 322 travels diagonally from the Philadelphia area to just below Erie. Many portions have been converted to freeway, but numerous small towns still lie directly on the way.
 * U.S. Route 22 is an alternative, more mountainous path west through Altoona and Johnstown to Pittsburgh.
 * U.S. Route 6 is a long, rural, scenic drive across Pennsylvania's "Northern Tier". Go west from the northern Poconos through the valley of Scranton and its suburbs, follow the Susquehanna River through the "Endless Mountains", spend three hours through state and national forest land, and end near Lake Erie.
 * U.S Route 30, also named the Lincoln Highway, is a section of the first coast-to-coast paved road in the United States. The highway is especially nice in the central part of Pennsylvania where it passes agricultural areas and is the main street of many small historic towns. Many of these towns have attempted to capitalize on their location on the Lincoln Highway by preserving original structures and opening them as visitors' centers.
 * Interstate 80 runs east and west throughout the northern area of the state.

There also exists a wide network of state highways and municipal roads that reach into the mostly forested and farmed rural areas. The more mountainous of these areas should be traversed with caution by visitors as they can be drastically winding, narrow, or steep (or all three!) in parts.

Speed limit signs are almost exclusively posted in miles per hour, "mph". Seatbelt use is mandatory, and a second ticket and fine will be issued to those who are pulled over for speeding, etc. if not worn. Pennsylvania has not yet enacted a ban on hand-held cell phone usage while driving, except for commercial truck drivers. The cities of Philadelphia, Allentown, Bethlehem, Erie, Harrisburg, and Wilkes-Barre have enacted bans. Texting while driving is illegal statewide.

As conditions go, Pennsylvania has two seasons according to an old joke: winter and construction. In the rural majority of the state, large snowfalls render the most minor of roads impassable, but the major thoroughfares like Interstates are comparatively well plowed and salted. Still, car travel anywhere should be done with extreme care in the winter, especially by those unfamiliar with the visited area.

Likewise, the jest rings true in the remainder of the year. Look out for occasional paving, line painting, or road widening projects on freeways that restrict travel to a single lane. Bridge repair or any major redesign may force detours that are typically marked clearly. Speed limits in work zones are always reduced and State Police will impose double fines for breaking them. Proceed carefully around PennDOT (state transportation department) crews, who are easily visible in fluorescent yellow attire.

Wild animals, most notably deer, can be a problem when driving on rural Interstates and highways. Pennsylvania has an overpopulation of deer, so try to avoid them while they are crossing the road. They are unpredictable animals and panic when scared, so stopping is usually the best option until it has cleared the road.

By thumb
Although uncommon, hitchhiking is fairly well-received, especially in more rural areas. It is always illegal to hitchhike on highways closed to pedestrians, so it's better to find a rest stop or a gas station right off the highway.

See

There is quite a lot to see in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is a historic city with a neighborhood full of mostly 18th- and early 19th-century buildings downtown, and was the nation's capital before Washington, D.C. was constructed, with historical buildings to match. It also has a world-class art museum and Fairmount Park, a huge park designed in great part by Vaux and Olmsted, who also designed Central Park in New York, and is in general a great city.

On the other side of the state, Pittsburgh has a great skyline, world-class art and science museums including the Carnegie Museum which houses the best dinosaur collection in the world with holotypes for many dinosaurs including Tyrannosaurus Rex, and some of the most beautiful university buildings in the country, and its geographic position at the confluence of three rivers, with hills rising steeply from their banks, is quite striking. Drake Wells and surrounding sites in Titusville house the remnants of where oil was first struck in the nation and where the world's first oil drill was invented.

Closer to the center of the state, Harrisburg is a much smaller city with some pleasant buildings and a great Capitol with a park next to it. Not far from there is the battlefield site in Gettysburg. In the southeastern part of the state, between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, is the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, which includes Amish farming towns where the vehicle of choice is still the horse and buggy.

Pennsylvania is also a state of much rural land, with small towns, forests and some gorgeous waterfalls. People counting the distance from New York City and Philadelphia strictly by miles may be shocked at how wild the northeast of the state is.

Itineraries

 * American Industry Tour — Pennsylvania was the heart of the Industrial Revolution, with the mighty steel mills of Bethlehem and Pittsburgh.
 * From Plymouth to Hampton Roads — the journey through the colonial and antebellum North.
 * Underground Railroad — follow in the footsteps of Harriet Tubman by boarding the legendary freedom train north to Canada. For slaves escaping from Delaware and beyond, Philadelphia was a first step on the road to liberty.

Do
Pennsylvania has many attractions throughout the state, from amusement parks, historic sites, beaches along Lake Erie, world-class casinos, campgrounds and more!

Amusement parks
Pennsylvania is home to some of the country's well-known amusement parks, such as:

 * Waldameer Park and Water World Erie
 * Waldameer Park and Water World Erie

Casinos
Pennsylvania has legalized casino gambling. Some of the following casinos are also horse-racing facilities, while others stand alone.

Zoos
Pennsylvania has Zoos of all sizes.

Buy
Pennsylvania imposes a 6% sales tax on non-essential goods, including some foods, but not clothing and other essentials.

Eat

 * Hoagie — A sandwich made of a long loaf of bread filled with various meats, cheeses, vegetables, seasonings, and sauces. Commonly referred to as a "hero" or "submarine sandwich" beyond the Philadelphia Region.
 * Cheesesteak — A famous sandwich famously native to Philadelphia — A hoagie roll filled with chopped steak, melted cheese, and (optionally) onions.
 * "Primanti's" Sandwich — A sandwich of hot meat, french fries and vinegar cole slaw on sliced Italian bread, local to the Pittsburgh Region. A common offshoot is putting french fries on your salad, as well.
 * Pennsylvania Dutch Cuisine: scrapple, funnel cake, shoofly pie, whoopie pie, apple butter, root beer, soft pretzels, etc.
 * Hershey's Chocolate — The iconic candy company is headquartered in the eponymous town of Hershey.
 * Tastykakes — Prepackaged pastries and cakes, local to the Philadelphia Region.

Drink

 * Birch beer and Sarsaparilla (softdrinks).
 * Yuengling The oldest brewery in the United States still produces this eponymous, locally-cherished beer. Yuengling is available in almost every bar and beer distributor in the state, but is seldom found outside of the Mid-Atlantic region and the Deep South. Tours are available at the brewery in Pottsville. The locals traditionally order a Yuengling Lager with the term, "Lager." It is one of the best domestic macro beers you can get in the US.  Yuengling also produces several other beers that are worth trying.

However, Pennsylvania is home to many other beers. It is the birthplace of Rolling Rock — "#33". Serious beer drinkers, however, probably know Pennsylvania for its wide selection of craft breweries. Hundreds of fine ales are produced each year. Some great labels that every visitor should try include Yards, Sly Fox, Victory, Lancaster, Troegs, Philadelphia Brewing Company, and Stoudts.

State liquor laws
Pennsylvania's alcoholic-beverage laws are not only restrictive but confusing. There is a good reason that the last thing you usually pass before driving across the state line from most neighboring states is a liquor store.

If you want a case of at least 24 beers, or a keg, you must buy it from a licensed beer distributor. Again, you are limited to purchasing two cases at a time and must leave the building and re-enter to purchase more. However, buying in bulk this way is often cheaper than buying from a bar or restaurant. Convenience stores and drugstores cannot sell beer at all, as they do in most neighboring states. However, some of the former have created "cafe" areas within them that are legally separate from the store and can thus sell beer.
 * The drinking age is 21 as it is in every other state.
 * Pennsylvania is a liquor-control state, meaning that all hard liquor is sold in state-run stores, along with most wine (although wineries in-state can sell directly to visitors). Outside the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metropolitan areas, these are often only in communities like county seats, so that most residents of smaller towns have to drive considerable distances to get there (which is, of course, the point). The union that represents liquor-store employees is a powerful political force within the state and has worked hard to frustrate any attempt to even partially privatize the stores, much less abolish liquor control entirely.
 * Buying beer is particularly complex as it depends on the quantity being ordered. If you want to buy any amount less than 12, you can purchase it at a bar or restaurant with a carryout license (not all bars and restaurants that serve beer have carryout licenses); in order to buy more you must leave with the beer, put it in your car (in some cases even take it home, or pretend to, first), and then re-enter and buy more, up to 12.
 * This is further complicated by additional restrictions counties and municipalities are allowed to impose, and often do. The borough of S.N.P.J. near the Ohio state line in Lawrence County was specifically created so members of a local fraternal organization could get a liquor license for their clubhouse and serve drinks on Sundays, which the surrounding township would not permit. The combination of the state's laws and these local restrictions mean that much of the interior of the state, particularly the north central region, is dry or very close to it.

Sleep
Pennsylvania has many country inns in the Northeast and some grand old hotels in big cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. And naturally, you'll also find branches of national chain hotels and motels at various price points throughout the state. As there are many universities in the state, you may also want to inquire about whether you can stay in a dorm during intersessions or in the summer, as you might be able to save money that way.

Stay safe
Outside of Greater Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the Lehigh Valley, crime is not a major problem in Pennsylvania. Gang activity is high in the larger cities, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Reading. You know you are in a rough area when you see graffiti, abandoned houses and vehicles, and shoes tossed over telephone wires, known as shoefiti, to mark that drugs are for sale. Street drag racing and prostitution are also problems in the state's urban areas.

As with most locations in the United States, a major cause of injury and death in Pennsylvania comes from automobile accidents. Drivers can be down-right hostile on some of the more notorious urban freeways, such as the Schuykill Expressway in Philadelphia (usually it's a parking lot anyway), route 22 in Allentown, the 376 in Pittsburgh and on the Interstate 95 corridor in the southeast section of the state. The roads in Pennsylvania are notoriously bad, so be careful.

Road rage can be a problem during rush hour, so if you aren't familiar with the highway system, stay out of the left hand lane. The key to safe driving is to stay defensive, you are in unfamiliar areas and while you may feel wronged, it may be the norm.

Motorcyclists are not required to wear helmets in Pennsylvania, but it is still advised.

Rural mountain roads can sometimes be steep, and impassable in times of heavy snowfall. In many parts of the state, especially around Pittsburgh, steep cliffs reside next to major roads, and rock slides can occur, though rare. When traveling in the central to western part of the state, it is best to stay on main roads and highways. If you're canoeing, skiing, or doing any other outdoor activity, take necessary precautions.

Be sure to stay out of abandoned mines and quarries. As this industry falls out of the state's economy, mines and quarries are left abandoned. If you explore one, you risk the dangers of unstable supports, unstable ground, rats, snakes and other animals, forgotten explosives, blasting caps, explosive methane gas, and pockets of "blackdamp" or air without enough oxygen to support life.

Exploring the woods alone can be dangerous, due to the large deer and other wild animal population. Use insect repellent to avoid disease, wear long clothing, and do not wander onto someone's property.

Flooding and snow are the most common natural disasters. Flash flooding can be a problem. Tornadoes are rare but experienced, and earthquakes are almost unheard of. Hurricanes coming up the Atlantic can strike, so be prepared. Temperatures in the summer can reach 100 degrees in places, so bring water and sunscreen. Thunderstorms are common in the summer.

If you are not from Pennsylvania you can buy any 1.4g (Class C /Consumer Grade) fireworks from an outlet for transport out of state, however, Pennsylvania residents can only purchase "Safe and Sane" fireworks (those that do not leave the ground or explode) without a permit. All brick and mortar stores will have additional information, but tents and other temporary sales locations may or may not have correct information. Local laws vary greatly and many campsites prohibit their use outright, so you will need to check before you use them in-state. Fireworks stores and tents tend to be in border areas but can be found throughout the state.

You do not need a permit to carry a firearm openly throughout the state, except in the city of Philadelphia. Gun laws are fairly loose compared to other states. Carrying concealed, however, requires a state license to carry, issued by county sheriffs (or city police) with various policies and levels of strictness. Licenses for non-residents are available, the county with the most favorable non-resident license policy is Centre County. Carrying a handgun in a vehicle is considered concealed carry, and therefore requires a license. If in possession of a handgun, remember that New York State and New Jersey share very lengthy borders with Pennsylvania, and both have some of the strictest gun laws in the nation.

Drugs, including marijuana are illegal in Pennsylvania. However, medical marijuana is legal. In Philadelphia, the punishment for under 30 grams of marijuana is only a $25 fine, or $100 if caught smoking in public. Elsewhere, you can expect a heightened punishment.

During periods of hunting season, persons entering the woods are advised by the Pennsylvania Game Commission to wear "blaze orange".

Go next

 * Delaware - Pennsylvania's southeastern neighbor was the first state to ratify the Constitution (hence its nickname of the "First State") and offers an urban experience in its northern parts while providing a rural experience to the south.
 * Maryland - To the south of Pennsylvania, Maryland offers "America in Miniature" with everything from history to nature to modern cities.
 * New Jersey - The Garden State borders Pennsylvania to the east, offering everything from the glitz of Atlantic City to the migratory birds of Cape May.
 * New York - The Empire State borders Pennsylvania to the north and west, making the Catskills and New York City easy daytrip options.
 * Ohio - The Buckeye State is Pennsylvania's western neighbor, offering the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.
 * West Virginia - Pennsylvania's southwestern neighbor is the only state in the USA to lie completely within a mountain range (in this case, the Appalachians).
 * Washington, D.C., just beyond Maryland, is not too far from south-central and southeastern parts of the state and contains more history and attractions.

title: Pennsylvania


text:
Pennsylvania Dutch Country

Pennsylvania Dutch Country is a region in Pennsylvania also referred to as South Central Pennsylvania. The region is home to many major tourist attractions such as Lancaster county's Amish country, Harrisburg's state capitol and museums and Hershey's chocolate world and theme park.

Regions
Sometimes the city of Reading and surrounding Berks County is included.

Cities

 * — provides opportunities to explore the history of the critical Civil War battle that took place here
 * — provides opportunities to explore the history of the critical Civil War battle that took place here
 * — provides opportunities to explore the history of the critical Civil War battle that took place here
 * — provides opportunities to explore the history of the critical Civil War battle that took place here

Understand
While Pennsylvania Dutch Country consists of a lot of rural areas and is noted for its high Amish population, it is home to over 1.5 million people and maintains one of the highest rates of population growth in the Northeast United States due to lower cost of living but close proximity to major metropolitan areas. It is truly a diverse region with rolling hills, orchards and farms but also growing, vibrant yet historic cities.

The Pennsylvania Dutch (Amish) Community dates back to the 16th century Reformation in Europe, specifically the Anabaptist movement. There are three families of Anabaptist-related groups in PA Dutch Country: the Amish, Mennonites and Brethren. The three groups share many basic values and beliefs, with primary differences in dress, language, some forms of worship, and the extent to which they will use modern advancements.

Talk
Much of the "Plain" population (consisting of groups like the Amish and Old Order Mennonites) is bilingual, speaking both English and a dialect of German called "Pennsylvania Dutch." A much smaller portion of the non-Plain population of Pennsylvania Dutch descent is also bilingual. Among the Plain, some smaller children speak only this dialect until starting school. The name "Pennsylvania Dutch" is actually a mispronunciation of "Deitsch," or German in the regional dialect. Church services are held in "high German," as opposed to the dialect.

By plane
There are several regional airports in south central Pennsylvania but the largest and most used is Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) located in Middletown, just minutes from Harrisburg and PA Route 283. Harrisburg International Airport has over a dozen non-stop flights to cities in the U.S. and Toronto in Canada.

By car
The easiest way to get around the region is by car. There is an extensive network of roads and the area is criss-crossed by several major interstates (81, 76, 83) and U.S. routes (11, 15, 22, 30).

By train
Amtrak's high-speed Keystone line travels through Lancaster and Dauphin county with stops in Lancaster, Mount Joy, Elizabethtown, Middletown, and Harrisburg is useful if traveling between Lancaster and Harrisburg but does not link up the rest of the places in PA Dutch Country.

See
The Plain and Fancy Farm provides a good all-around tour of the Amish community including a restaurant, bus tours and a movie. Particularly good if you're a foreign visitor without a car.

The Gettysburg National Military Park, just south of Gettysburg, is one of the most famous battlefields of the American Civil War. The National Apple Museum, north of Gettysburg, has exhibits on the apple industry in the region, and a recreated 1880s farm kitchen and a General Store.

Eat
Scrapple is of Pennsylvania Dutch origin. It is made from pork by-products, such as the pigs head, intestines, brains any of the scraps (hence the name scrapple) and cornmeal, cooked into a thick pudding, formed into a loaf, sliced then fried. A spicy pork breakfast product. A scrapple egg and cheese sandwich served on toast is common place.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Pennsylvania Dutch Country


text:
Pennsylvania Wilds

The Pennsylvania Wilds is a region in northern Pennsylvania.

Regions
The Pennsylvania Wilds are made up of thirteen northern and north-central counties in Pennsylvania.

Cities and towns

 * - classic Victorian homes

 * — home to Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil
 * — home to Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil

 * — home to Penn State and the Nittany Lions

 * — largest city in the Pennsylvania Wilds. Listing includes the adjacent borough of South Williamsport, home to the annual Little League World Series of Baseball.
 * — largest city in the Pennsylvania Wilds. Listing includes the adjacent borough of South Williamsport, home to the annual Little League World Series of Baseball.
 * — largest city in the Pennsylvania Wilds. Listing includes the adjacent borough of South Williamsport, home to the annual Little League World Series of Baseball.

Other destinations

 * - Over 500,000 acres of federally protected land with recreation activities ranging from hunting and fishing to backpacking and off roading with natural areas that range from old growth forests to man made reservoirs.
 * - Huge rock formations, laid across the land from glaciers during the ice age. Located in Clearfield County
 * - Largest lake in Clearfield County.
 * - Prominent ridge near Penn State University and the namesake of the school mascot, the Nittany Lion
 * - In northern Clearfield County. Hiking, Camping, Swimming, Fishing and boating.
 * — Pine Creek Gorge, also known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania
 * — A massive wrought iron bridge taller than the statue of liberty which was destroyed by a tornado in the early 2000s and converted into a state park with a skywalk.
 * — A massive wrought iron bridge taller than the statue of liberty which was destroyed by a tornado in the early 2000s and converted into a state park with a skywalk.

Visitor information

 * Cameron, Clarion, Elk, Forest, and Jefferson Counties
 * Centre County
 * Clearfield County
 * Clinton County
 * Lycoming County
 * McKean County
 * Potter & Tioga Counties
 * Warren County

Talk
English is spoken throughout the region. A few families of Amish farmers live in the area and speak a dialect of German called Pennsylvania Dutch.

Get in

 * Williamsport, home of the Little League World Series, sits in the northern half of the region and has its own regional airport.
 * University Park Airport

Get around
In Williamsport, the alternative to car transportation is city bus service.

Stay safe
Be aware that there are many areas where cellular reception will be weak or non-existent. Along major highways, you'll likely be okay but even then an intervening mountain can cause connection issues. On the back roads, all bets are off. (Even satellite reception may be blocked if there's a big hill immediately to your south.)

title: Pennsylvania Wilds


text:
Penn Yan

Penn Yan is in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

title: Penn Yan


text:
Penrith

Penrith is a small market town of 15,000 people (2011) in Cumbria, to the north-east of the Lake District.

By train

 * Penrith is located on the West Coast Mainline rail link. There are direct connections to London (3 hr), Edinburgh (1½ hr) and Glasgow (2 hr).

By bus

 * There are direct bus services from Penrith to London and Scotland, operated by National Express.
 * There are local buses, operated by Stagecoach, from Cockermouth via Keswick and Threlkeld in the northern Lake District every hour or two.

By car

 * Penrith is on the M6 (junction 40) towards Birmingham, A66 from Workington to Grangetown and on the A6 from Luton to Carlisle.

Get around
The town can easily be explored on foot.

See

The town's appeal to visitors is somewhat limited to the many fine pubs, the supermarkets and the railway station. Penrith does however have some hidden historic gems, most imposingly, Penrith Castle.

Buy

 * There are three supermarkets near the station - Morrisons and Booths in Brunswick Road and Aldi in Ullswater Road. Sainsbury's is on the opposite side of the town centre.
 * There are three supermarkets near the station - Morrisons and Booths in Brunswick Road and Aldi in Ullswater Road. Sainsbury's is on the opposite side of the town centre.

Sleep

 * Cove Caravan & Camping Park is next to the Quiet Site.
 * Brackenrigg Inn at Watermillock re-opens in April 2024.
 * Cove Caravan & Camping Park is next to the Quiet Site.
 * Brackenrigg Inn at Watermillock re-opens in April 2024.
 * Cove Caravan & Camping Park is next to the Quiet Site.
 * Brackenrigg Inn at Watermillock re-opens in April 2024.
 * Cove Caravan & Camping Park is next to the Quiet Site.
 * Brackenrigg Inn at Watermillock re-opens in April 2024.
 * Cove Caravan & Camping Park is next to the Quiet Site.
 * Brackenrigg Inn at Watermillock re-opens in April 2024.
 * Brackenrigg Inn at Watermillock re-opens in April 2024.

Connect
Penrith has 4G from all UK carriers, though coverage varies on the outlying roads. As of April 2021, 5G has not reached this area.

Go next
Just outside the town is Brougham Castle, which is much better preserved than Penrith Castle and is situated alongside the earth-works of a Roman Fort. The site was later taken by the Norman family of Vieuxpont to build their castle. The ruins, the stone keep, and service buildings can still be seen.

Ullswater, the Eden Valley and the Rheged Centre are all very nearby. The neighbouring towns are Keswick to the west, Appleby-in-Westmorland to the south east, and the city of Carlisle to the north.

title: Penrith


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Pensacola

Pensacola is a historic beach city in northwest Florida, in the United States of America. It is in Escambia County, Florida's westernmost county, at the tip of the "panhandle". The city is home to the Pensacola Naval Air Station, the National Museum of Naval Aviation and many historic districts that skirt the downtown area. Surrounded on three sides by water, the Pensacola area is full of history, shipwrecks, beaches and spectacular vistas.

Pensacola should not be confused with its neighbor, Pensacola Beach, covered in a separate article.

History
Pensacola has the nickname "The City of Five Flags". Only the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce actually uses that name, but it's a convenient short-handed way of describing the city's history. Over the past 450 years, Pensacola has been owned by five nations: Spain, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Confederate States. It was also inhabited by various Native American tribes, but sloganeers never seem to include them.

When the Panzacola Indians arrived in Pensacola thousands of years ago, they found old growth pine forests, thicketed with massive pine trees so large, it would take two or three men to wrap around the trunk. These trees provided so much shade that there was almost no undergrowth on the forest floor, and traveling through the woods was easy. Since there isn't much food to be found in pine forests, the tribes tended to live near the water, where fishing was plentiful. Not much is known about these early inhabitants of the area: they left few artifacts behind, and all of the tribes that lived in Pensacola prior to European colonization have gone extinct.

European colonization began with the Spanish: Juan Ponce de León (of Fountain of Youth fame) sighted the area first, and later Spanish explorers were excited by the well-protected, deep water bay. They recommended settlement, and in 1559, Tristán de Luna y Arellano arrived at the bay and founded the first European settlement in the United States. He named it... Puerto de Santa Maria.  It failed miserably. He sent his men on worthless scouting missions into the desolate pine forests, lost all of his ships in a hurricane (with the supplies still on board!), and was so incapable and uninspiring that his men mutinied. He lived, thanks to the intervention of Catholic missionaries in the town, but once Spanish ships arrived a few months later, the remaining Spaniards quickly abandoned the settlement.

Spain didn't return until 1698. They had rediscovered the bay five years earlier during a mapping expedition. Since the bay was still a tempting harbor, and there were many old growth pines at the nearby Blackwater River that would be perfect for shipbuilding, Spain decided to resettle the bay. This time, the settlement was named Bahía Santa María de Filipina. Still not Pensacola! However, the name 'Panzacola' was written on explorer's maps for the area, and the name was starting to gain informal use. The settlement was poor, small, populated mostly by prisoners, and suffered many setbacks.

In 1719, France, led by the governor of French Louisiana captured Pensacola from the Spanish at the outset of the War of the Quadruple Alliance. There was almost no resistance from Pensacola: no one had bothered to tell the Pensacolians that they were at war! The befuddled city greeted the French with open arms, expecting the ships from Mobile to trade supplies, not bullets. After taking control, they didn't do much with the city. The French burned Pensacola during their retreat in 1722, and the Spanish resumed control of the (pillaged, charred) city...

Until 1763, when Great Britain won Florida from the Spanish as a concession following the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War. In exchange, Spain was allowed to keep Cuba, and was also given Louisiana as a gift from the French, in exchange for their help during the war. Not a bad trade. Great Britain was proud of its new city, and they put a lot of effort into improvement. It was declared the capital of the new colony of British West Florida, and they built most of the streets in downtown Pensacola that are still used today.

This period of British prosperity didn't last too long though, because in 1781, Spain recaptured Pensacola, along with the rest of Florida, as an ally of the United States in the American Revolutionary War. Bernardo de Gálvez, the general of Spanish Louisiana, was instrumental in winning the city during the Battle of Pensacola. When the Spanish fleet commander lost a ship and refused to send any more into Pensacola Bay, Gálvez used his powers as governor to commandeer one of the ships from Louisiana and personally sailed it into the harbor, under constant cannon fire from the British. The other ships in the fleet soon followed, somewhat emasculated, one imagines. With Florida now in Spanish control, Spain controlled all of the Gulf Coast, and parts of the Mississippi River, which resulted in a lot of discontent among United States settlers in the south. They wanted water access, and their agitation for a seaport eventually inspire a young general named Andrew Jackson.

In 1821, Jackson finally succeeded in capturing Pensacola, and Florida, for the fourth and final time: it was now owned by the United States of America. The Adams-Onís Treaty made the acquisition official, giving Pensacola and all of Spanish Florida to the Americans. This was a boon for Mississippi and Alabama, which finally gained access to the sea. It wasn't so great for General Jackson, who was made Governor of Florida, a job he hated, and later quit. By this time, Pensacola had become the largest city in Florida, and was one of the most important ports on the Gulf Coast. In 1845 the territory became the 27th of the United States. The United States invested a lot in Florida, building forts here, increasing a military presence. They built shipyards, which a hundred years later would become Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola.

In 1861 Florida seceded from the United States to join the Confederate States of America. For four years, Florida fought with the South as part of the American Civil War. Contrary to initial expectations, this war did not end well for the South. Even worse for Pensacola, the Confederacy single-handedly destroyed the city's economy. Confederate Colonel John Beard, afraid that Union troops would capture Pensacola, ordered his men to "destroy every foot of lumber, all saw-mills, boats, etc.," along with anything else that may be of use to "the enemy." The city's economy never fully recovered.

Pensacola rejoined the United States in 1865, beginning a long decline for the city. The lumber industry began to rebuild, but by the 1930s, every old-growth tree in northwest Florida had been cut down, leaving nothing but small, newly planted pines. Pensacola Bay, the entire reason for the city's existence, was unable to accommodate modern ships, which required deeper water. The city council declined to dredge the bay to make the water deeper, and the harbor declined to near nothingness. Most of the shipping moved to Mobile, Alabama.

Today, the military is a driving force in Pensacola's economy. The Pensacola shipyards were re-purposed, and became the first naval air station in the United States in 1913. NAS Pensacola is home to the Blue Angels and the National Museum of Naval Aviation. All naval aviators are, at some point in their career, trained at NAS Pensacola. The base employs more than 23,000 people.

Climate
Often described as having three-and-a-half seasons, Pensacola has a subtropical climate with short, mild winters and hot, humid summers. Typical summer conditions have highs in the low 90s °F (32-34 °C) and lows in the mid 70s (23-24 °C). Afternoon or evening thunderstorms are common during the summer months. Due partly to the coastal location, temperatures above 100 °F (37.8 °C) are rare, and last occurred in June 2011, when two of the first four days of the month recorded highs of over 100 °F.

In winter, expect brisk, cool, dry days. The average high in January is 61.2 °F (16.2 °C), and the low is 42.8 °F (6.0 °C), though freezing temperatures occur on an average fifteen nights per season. If you come from a northern climate, you can survive a Pensacola winter with nothing more than a sweater or light jacket. Pensacolians, on the other hand, drag out the parkas when it hits fifty degrees.

Spring and fall are both mild times to visit. The temperatures tend to stay around sixty to eighty degrees, there's less risk of tropical storms, there's less humidity, and the thunderstorms are less powerful. It's a good time to sunbathe too, when the sun is bright but mild.

No matter what time of year you visit, you should bring an umbrella. Pensacola is one of the rainiest places east of the Mississippi, and there is no dry season or wet season: rain can hit at any time of the year. The city receives 64.28 inches (1,630 mm) of precipitation per year, with a rainy season in the summer. The rainiest month is July, with 8.02 inches (204 mm), with April being the driest month at 3.89 inches (99 mm). Spring and summer have 'popcorn showers,' a peppy euphemism for thunderstorms that seem to exist solely to soak you unexpectedly, then disappear, leaving you to enjoy the sunshine again. Always, when visiting Pensacola, have some plans for indoor activities, in case your outdoor plans get rained out. There are many popular indoor activities that will keep you entertained.

June to November is known as hurricane season. Hurricanes are powerful tropical storms with high wind speeds, rain, and coastal flooding. They also make it really difficult to get a good tan. While Pensacola is vulnerable to hurricanes, they don't hit every year, and most of them are pretty weak. After nearly 70 years without a direct hit, Pensacola was hit directly by Hurricane Erin (category 2) in August 1995 and major Hurricane Ivan (category 3) in September 2004. Hurricane Dennis brushed the area in July 2005 causing moderate damage. Visitors will usually have plenty of notice if they keep up with the media.

By plane

 * American Eagle/American Airlines (Charlotte (CLT), Boston Logan (BOS), Chicago O'Hare (ORD), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW),Miami (MIA), New York LaGuardia (LGA), Philadelphia (PHL), Washington Reagan)
 * Delta/Delta Connection (Atlanta (ATL))
 * Frontier (Denver (DEN))
 * Silver Airways(Orlando, Tampa)
 * Southwest Airlines (Chicago Midway, Denver, Kansas City, Dallas Love Field, Houston Hobby, Nashville, St Louis)
 * Spirit Airlines (Orlando, Ft Lauderdale)
 * United (Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH); Chicago O'Hare (ORD); Denver (DEN))
 * United (Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH); Chicago O'Hare (ORD); Denver (DEN))

Click here for list of taxi companies (and their rates), car rental companies and shuttle/Limousine companies at the airport. Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) #63 bus serves the airport from the east gate of Saufley Field (Naval Airbase) in Bellview. Passengers can transfer to 31, 43, 52 at the nearby Pensacola State College (PSC) Transit Center to reach other destinations by public transportation.

Mobile Regional Airport is an hour's drive from Pensacola, in Alabama. It is usually more expensive than landing at PNS, but can occasionally save you a couple of hundred dollars on flights. Typically, any flight that requires a layover in Atlanta will be cheaper at Pensacola; if a flight doesn't require a layover in Atlanta, it may be cheaper to land at Mobile. From Mobile, rental cars are available at the airport, or a Greyhound bus can take you to Pensacola for about $20. To get to the Greyhound station via Mobile's public transportation system, use van route 19, which connects with bus route 1, which connects with bus route 9, which will take you to the Greyhound station.

By car
By car, Pensacola is about three hours west of Tallahassee and three hours east of New Orleans via I-10, and three hours south of Montgomery via Hwy 29 and I-65. Interstate 10 travels east-west through Pensacola, and is the easiest way into the city. However, the I-10 corridor through the Southeast U.S. is considered one of the most boring stretches of road in the nation; nothing but pine trees for miles and miles.

 * US 90.svg Highway 90 is a smaller road that travels parallel to I-10, and meanders through many small towns. If you don't mind a slightly longer drive in exchange for better scenery, Highway 90 may be worth the extra driving time.  Travellers on 90 should note that the road forks in Pensacola; the local name of the northern fork of Highway 90 is Nine Mile Road, and it mostly avoids the city.  The southern fork goes by many names; Mobile Highway, Cervantes Street, and Scenic Highway.  It's longer, and travels through the heart of Pensacola, but the view of Pensacola Bay from the bluffs along Scenic Highway is one of the nicest vistas in town.

 * US 29.svg Highway 29 is a rural highway that connects Pensacola with Interstate 65.  If you're travelling south the Pensacola, through Alabama, using Highway 29 as a shortcut from I-65 can save you about two hours. Highway 29 come into town as N Palafox Street

 * I-110.svg Interstate 110 is a 6-mile-long north-south interstate spur that connects I-10 with downtown Pensacola.

By bus
Greyhound offers service to Pensacola from their old station on Pensacola Boulevard, reported as permanently closed as of March 2024. The buses still stop in the front parking lot for passengers, but there are no shelters nor chairs, just a parking lot outside a boarded up building.

The Greyhound route through Pensacola is east-west, and travels along I-10. Anyone wishing to travel north will have to make a transfer in Mobile, Panama City, or Tallahassee. From the Greyhound station, city bus service from ECAT is available via route 50, though you will have to walk to Pensacola Boulevard, and cross the busy street. The ECAT bus arrives heading southbound to the ECAT central bus station every 30 minutes after the hour, from 6:30AM to 7:30PM. Do not take the northbound ECAT route 50 that arrives twenty minutes after the hour; the northbound bus will add another hour to your travel time.

Get around
Driving is by far the best way to get around the Pensacola area. With the exception of downtown. Downtown has street parking and a few parking garages, most of which have small fees M-F 9AM-5PM. Downtown parking is free on the weekends, but may be scarce during special events. Travel through the city may be confusing for the first time driver; some of the major streets have multiple names, the most notorious of which is FL SR 296, which also goes by Bayou Boulevard, Brent Lane, Beverly Parkway, Michigan Avenue, and Saufley Field Road! In addition, many major thoroughfares curve, or run at odd diagonals. A map will come in handy. I-110 is a major interstate running north-south through Pensacola, and provides a very handy guidepost for travel through the city.

There are bicycle lanes throughout town along most major roads, but they're not easily noticed unless they are actually being used; look for small lanes on the side of the road with a bicycle symbol painted on the asphalt. Downtown Pensacola is great to see from a bike, especially the old Seville area and the historic district.

By bus
ECAT provides public bus service to Pensacola and the immediate area, stopping at shopping centers and hospitals. The bus service doesn't serve the entire city, budget cuts have reduced the availability of routes, service is curt, and the routes are long and slow, but the buses are almost always on time. Route maps are available on the bus, and the bus driver can answer simple questions about how to get to most major destinations in Pensacola. For route planning, call the ECAT bus office ahead of time.

To board an ECAT bus, arrive at the bus stop at least ten minutes early; buses can't be flagged down. Have your money or ticket ready, and ask for a transfer before paying; the bus driver doesn't have to give you a transfer if you forget to ask. You receive one transfer for free, which is good for two hours; additional transfers are ten cents. Tickets are $1.75 per adult, $1.25 for older children and students with a valid student ID, 85¢ for Medicare card holders, and free for young children; make sure to have exact change! Unlimited day passes, seven-day passes, and thirty-day passes are available at the transit center. Bicycle racks are available on all ECAT buses, but make sure to remind the driver when you're disembarking that you need to retrieve your bike!

By taxi
Taxi service in Pensacola can be expensive due to the long driving times required to get from one end of town to the other. Don't expect to find a cab when you need a ride, nor to hail one; usually you'll need to call the cab company, and expect a wait. A few taxi-stands are located in downtown Pensacola (good luck finding them), and at the airport. Rates for taxi cabs are set by city ordinance, and are as follows: There is also a minimum charge of $11 for any taxi ride from the Pensacola Regional Airport, plus a $1 surcharge if the cab fare is over $11.
 * $2 for the first one-ninth mile.
 * .25¢ for each additional one-ninth mile ($2.25 per mile.)
 * .50¢ for each bag of luggage over two bags.
 * .50¢ for each passenger over the age of thirteen.
 * .50¢ for trips between 9PM and 5AM.
 * $18 per hour for waiting

Do

 * The beaches of Pensacola, with their famous sugar-white sand, are the city's most popular attractions. However, while the city of Pensacola is surrounded entirely by water, there are no beaches in the city limits. Instead, you'll have to travel to one of the beachside communities, which are a short drive away. Pensacola Beach is nearby, and very popular with both tourists and locals, with many restaurants, hotels, amenities and shopping, while Perdido Key is just a short drive further, and is more quiet and pristine.
 * Diving opportunities here are mostly sunken ships, which are not only historically interesting, but provide homes for entire ecosystems. The most popular dive is the newly "reefed" aircraft carrier Oriskany approximately 24 miles southeast of Pensacola Pass; the wreck is nearly a thousand feet long! Another dive includes the USS Massachusetts that was used as a target for artillery fire after being decommissioned in 1919. She sits in 30 feet of water near Pensacola Pass and is known to be an unpredictable dive. For spearfishers, the Russian Freighter is a popular dive, with grouper, snapper, and lobster available. Travelers interested in diving should check with one of the four dive shops in town for more information and for boat charters.

Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras in Pensacola is a time to let your cookie jar down, dye it purple, then march into the streets or bars for shiny beads, moon pies, liquor and fun. Don't go too wild though! As a family-friendly Mardi Gras destination, excessive drunkenness and exposing yourself will earn you a visit from the city police, which isn't worth a few extra good 'throws'. Also, Pensacolians like to keep their partying confined to the weekend, so there is no parade on Fat Tuesday. The odd scheduling does give a unique benefit: you can see all three parades in the Pensacola Area on the weekend, then travel to Mobile or New Orleans for their spectacular, and ribald, Fat Tuesday parades.

The Krewe of Wrecks Parade, the last of the three Pensacola Mardi Gras parades, is held at 2PM on Sunday afternoon at nearby Pensacola Beach.

Ball season begins in January and lasts until the parades before Fat Tuesday, with a very high concentration of balls centered around Valentine's Day. These balls are a great excuse to Balls are one of the most important fundraisers for Mardi Gras Krewes, and some of them can be very lavish indeed! It's a great excuse to dress up, socialize, dance, drink and nosh. Some of these balls are restricted to Krewe members only, while others are open to the public: the best way to learn where and when is to check the 'Local' section of the newspaper. Make sure to follow the dress code, which is usually either black-tie formal or costume. (Hint: the more sequins on the costume, the better.) Balls are always limited to those 21 and older.

Buy

 * Yard sales are very popular in Pensacola on Saturdays, and it's common to see a half-dozen fluorescent signs fighting for space on an electric pole. Start early, around 7AM, before the best buys are snatched up! Popular yard-sale destinations include the affluent homes on Scenic Hwy, the old neighborhood of East Hill, the subdivisions of Nine Mile Rd, and the city of Gulf Breeze, just south of Pensacola.
 * Yard sales are very popular in Pensacola on Saturdays, and it's common to see a half-dozen fluorescent signs fighting for space on an electric pole. Start early, around 7AM, before the best buys are snatched up! Popular yard-sale destinations include the affluent homes on Scenic Hwy, the old neighborhood of East Hill, the subdivisions of Nine Mile Rd, and the city of Gulf Breeze, just south of Pensacola.
 * Yard sales are very popular in Pensacola on Saturdays, and it's common to see a half-dozen fluorescent signs fighting for space on an electric pole. Start early, around 7AM, before the best buys are snatched up! Popular yard-sale destinations include the affluent homes on Scenic Hwy, the old neighborhood of East Hill, the subdivisions of Nine Mile Rd, and the city of Gulf Breeze, just south of Pensacola.
 * Yard sales are very popular in Pensacola on Saturdays, and it's common to see a half-dozen fluorescent signs fighting for space on an electric pole. Start early, around 7AM, before the best buys are snatched up! Popular yard-sale destinations include the affluent homes on Scenic Hwy, the old neighborhood of East Hill, the subdivisions of Nine Mile Rd, and the city of Gulf Breeze, just south of Pensacola.
 * Yard sales are very popular in Pensacola on Saturdays, and it's common to see a half-dozen fluorescent signs fighting for space on an electric pole. Start early, around 7AM, before the best buys are snatched up! Popular yard-sale destinations include the affluent homes on Scenic Hwy, the old neighborhood of East Hill, the subdivisions of Nine Mile Rd, and the city of Gulf Breeze, just south of Pensacola.
 * Yard sales are very popular in Pensacola on Saturdays, and it's common to see a half-dozen fluorescent signs fighting for space on an electric pole. Start early, around 7AM, before the best buys are snatched up! Popular yard-sale destinations include the affluent homes on Scenic Hwy, the old neighborhood of East Hill, the subdivisions of Nine Mile Rd, and the city of Gulf Breeze, just south of Pensacola.
 * Yard sales are very popular in Pensacola on Saturdays, and it's common to see a half-dozen fluorescent signs fighting for space on an electric pole. Start early, around 7AM, before the best buys are snatched up! Popular yard-sale destinations include the affluent homes on Scenic Hwy, the old neighborhood of East Hill, the subdivisions of Nine Mile Rd, and the city of Gulf Breeze, just south of Pensacola.
 * Yard sales are very popular in Pensacola on Saturdays, and it's common to see a half-dozen fluorescent signs fighting for space on an electric pole. Start early, around 7AM, before the best buys are snatched up! Popular yard-sale destinations include the affluent homes on Scenic Hwy, the old neighborhood of East Hill, the subdivisions of Nine Mile Rd, and the city of Gulf Breeze, just south of Pensacola.

Eat
Located on the Gulf Coast, with good harbors, Pensacola has access to a wide variety of fresh seafood, and many restaurants in the area proudly use fresh-caught fish and shellfish in their meals. Red snapper is bountiful in the waters here, but good luck finding it; most of it is shipped to New York City, where it can fetch a higher price. Locals in the know often hit the docks when the fishing ships come in, when a small bribe can net you a beautiful snapper at bargain prices. Gulf shrimp are cheap and plentiful here, and most dining establishments have it on the menu in some form or another. Mullet fish are an oily, strong-flavored species of fish, popular only because of its dirt-cheap price. It can be bought for a dollar a pound, and is always served deep-fried, like catfish; locals often eat the tails like they eat potato chips. And although Pensacola is a little late to the raw fish party, incredible sushi can be found here, made with fish caught from the docks.

Being in the southern United States, Pensacola also features many restaurants that specialize in traditional southern cooking; having grits, a ground corn porridge, for breakfast is a source of pride for many Southerners. Pecans and peanuts are grown by many farmers in the Florida panhandle, and Pensacolians put them to good use in pecan pie, pecan ice cream, roasted peanuts, and especially cajun-spiced boiled peanuts. And all this southern food is washed down with sweet iced tea; the best places boil sugar and water into a syrup, and add this to their brewed iced tea, along with oranges or lemons to make a true Southern-style sweet tea.

Budget
Offered at convenience stores, country fairs, high school football concession stands and farmer's markets, boiled peanuts are an ubiquitous snack food in Pensacola. Usually using fresh peanuts from farms in the north part of the county, the raw nuts are boiled in salted water until soft in the middle. Both spicy and plain varieties are available, and are usually just a dollar or two for a bag. If you've never had them before, expect your first reaction to be "slimy."

Grits are offered anywhere breakfast is served; even the fast food chain Whataburger has them in the mornings. Expect to pay just a dollar or so for plain, buttered grits, and more if you want any fancy ingredients added, like cheese or bacon. Hominy grits, made from lye-soaked corn kernels, popular in other parts of the south, are hard to find in Pensacola.

If you're lucky, you might find yourself invited to a southern fish fry. Do not turn down this invitation. An important part of southern food tradition, fish fries can be used as fundraisers, as celebrations, or just a cheap way to bring friends and family together. Traditionally, catfish is the main course, but in Pensacola, mullet fish is popular too. Fried fish is usually served with hush puppies, and coleslaw, french fries, baked beans, and grits can all make an appearance. Plates usually run $5 or less at fundraising events, but unless you have really cheap friends, it's free at fish fry parties.

Mid-range
You can find chain restaurants, like Applebee's and Olive Garden in the Cordova Mall area, near the intersection of Bayou Blvd and 9th Ave. Local restaurants are more scattered, but you can find a few hotspots downtown, and along Scenic Hwy.

Splurge
What seems expensive to the average Pensacola eater may seem pretty cheap to out of towners. Even the best meals in town rarely top $30 a person, and seafood in Pensacola is dirt cheap compared with some parts of the country. Take advantage of this; there is incredible seafood to be found at the finer establishments in town.

Drink
One drink that's a Pensacola favorite is the Bushwacker. This frozen drink, made from Kahlua, rum, coconut, and ice cream, is more associated with Pensacola Beach, but every bar in town knows how to make it, and many have their own special versions.

International travelers, when going out to drink, bring your passport. Doormen at some bars, Seville Quarter in particular, may not recognize an international driver's license, and will call the police after confiscating it as a fake ID!

Sleep
Pensacola offers dozens of hotels, from small weathered motels to full-service resorts. Vacation rentals are also a popular option for large groups or extended stays. Since Pensacola often has a large influx of evacuees from other cities during the hurricane season, there are a large number of extended-stay hotels and suites available in the city. Outside of hurricane season, you can often find a great deal on these rooms.

If you're looking to spend a lot of time on the beach, you may want to look at hotels in Pensacola Beach or Perdido Key, which will save you a lot of driving. Also, if you are military, or have a military ID, you can stay at the Navy Lodge at NAS Pensacola. Rooms are spartan, but cheap, and the location is on a bluff overlooking the beach.

Budget
Many major hotel chains have a presence in Pensacola, including all the usual budget suspects. Most of these budget hotels are located along I-10 on Plantation Rd at the Davis Hwy exit, and at the Pensacola Blvd exit. The attractions of Pensacola are about a twenty-minute drive from here. Unless you're on an extreme budget, avoid the cheap motels along the portion of Hwy 90 known as Mobile Hwy; this is a high-crime area, and the motels there are rundown and unsavory.

Splurge
Pensacola's nicest sleeping options are almost all located downtown.

Stay safe
Tropical weather can be a hazard, especially during the Atlantic hurricane season from June 1 to November 30. In the event of an approaching hurricane or tropical storm, pay attention to television and radio news alerts, who will tell you what to do and what to expect. Typically when a hurricane is imminent, people staying at beaches, low-lying areas, and trailer homes will be asked to evacuate further inland. If your area is asked to evacuate, do so immediately, before traffic slows to a crawl; the most dangerous place to be in a hurricane is stuck in traffic. Hurricane-safe shelters, built inside public schools, will be opened to anyone who needs them.

Theft and crime are minor problems in Pensacola, and you'll be safe if you stick to the main tourist areas. Avoid the area of Pensacola known as Brownsville, on Highway 90 from D Street to Mobile Highway; although the sheriff's office has tried to curb crime in this area, drugs and prostitution still make it a dangerous area to linger in.

Traffic in Pensacola is tame compared to large cities, but some roads have a reputation for being especially dangerous. Be careful when driving along Gulf Beach Highway; the narrow road, with chronic speeders and blind corners claims a half-dozen lives a year. I-110 is under heavy construction, and speeding here is not only dangerous, it's very likely to earn you a traffic ticket. I-10 through Pensacola is notorious for being a speed trap; remember that the speed limit drops to 60 MPH while in the Pensacola area, not 70 MPH like it is in neighboring counties.

Go next

 * Pensacola Beach is just south of Pensacola, on Santa Rosa Island, and offers boardwalk shopping, hotels, white-sandy beaches, and Fort Pickens. Take the Pensacola Bay Bridge to Gulf Breeze, and turn right at the giant Pensacola Beach swordfish sign.  There's a small toll of $1 to enter the community.  While driving through Gulf Breeze, beware the speed limit; the police here are notorious for targeting tourists, and will ticket you for driving even a single mile per hour over the speed limit.
 * Perdido Key is about 15 miles west of downtown Pensacola, and is a great beach spot that is less busy than Pensacola Beach. Home to Big Lagoon State Recreation Area, Gulf Island National Seashore, the ruins of Fort Mcree, and the Flora-Bama lounge.
 * Mobile is about 50 miles west of Pensacola, and is a large city with French influences; their downtown usually has a festival of some sort every weekend. I-10 is the quickest route, if you don't mind speeding traffic, but if you don't mind the scenic route, try taking Highway 90.
 * Gulf Shores is a touristy Alabama beach town about 40 minutes from Pensacola with more great beaches, restaurants and tourist traps.
 * Foley is a rural town in Alabama, notable only for its large outlet mall and famous Lambert's southern restaurant. Head west on Hwy 98, across Perdido Bay until you reach Foley.
 * Milton is a small town about 10 miles east of Pensacola that annually hosts the Scratch Ankle Festival, which highlights musical talent, arts & crafts and children's festivities.
 * Adventures Unlimited is about 12 miles north of Milton and offers canoeing, kayaking and tubing through the Blackwater River State Forest.
 * Fort Walton Beach is an hour's drive east of Pensacola, and has sandy blue water, a vibrant boating community, and annually hosts the Billy Bowlegs Festival, celebrating pirates.

title: Pensacola


text:
Pensacola Beach

Pensacola Beach is an unincorporated community in West Florida on Santa Rosa Island, a 40-mile barrier island. Anchored at the western tip of Florida, it stretches along the Gulf of Mexico. You can choose from busy lifeguarded beaches, or the quiet, secluded beaches of Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Understand
Pensacola Beach is an independent community from its neighbor, Pensacola. It is unincorporated and administered by Escambia County. The eight and one-quarter square miles of land that comprise Pensacola Beach used to be owned by the United States Department of the Interior, but was deeded to Escambia County in 1947, on the condition that the land would never be sold. As a result, there are no property owners in the community, only long-term leaseholders. There is some antipathy between mainland residents and Pensacola Beach leaseholders over tax issues related to the unique situation. During the city of Pensacola's early history, Native American attacks forced the fledgling settlement to relocate from the mainland to Pensacola Beach, near modern day Fort Pickens, in 1722. Although this protected the settlers from attack, it left them highly exposed to hurricanes, which eventually forced them back to the mainland in 1752.

Most of Pensacola Beach and Santa Rosa Island's modern history began with Fort Pickens, completed in 1834 and used continually until after World War II. In 1971, the coastal land east and west of the community, still owned by the United States government, was designated part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Climate
While generally cooler than most of peninsular Florida, Pensacola Beach maintains a more stable temperature year round than inland areas of Pensacola and Escambia County. As such, winter lows are several degrees warmer than Pensacola proper and summer highs are generally cooler as a result of the surrounding waters. As with many islands, Pensacola Beach enjoys sea breezes which begin around noon and end around sunset in the summer. The average temperature ranges from 48 °F (9 °C) in January to 89 °F (32 °C) in July.

Pensacola Beach is vulnerable to hurricanes. Landfalling storms have been known to drive storm surge over the island, damaging or destroying man-made structures and causing beach erosion.

By plane
Pensacola International Airport is 10 miles north of Pensacola Beach and is served by six airlines.

By car
From Pensacola, take the Pensacola Bay Bridge to Gulf Breeze, and turn right at the giant Pensacola Beach swordfish sign, seen in the photo above. There's a small toll of $1 to enter the community.

From Navarre Beach and points east, follow Hwy 98 to Gulf Breeze, then take the onramp to Pensacola Beach Rd.

J. Earle Bowden Way is a scenic beach road that connects Pensacola Beach with Navarre Beach. It's a backdoor route into Pensacola Beach, with no toll. The speed limit is restricted to 35 mph, and the road quality is poor.

By bicycle
Some hotels on the island offer bicycle rentals for their guests, but if you're not staying on the island, you'll have to bring your own bike. If you're taking the ECAT bus to the island, you can bring your bike on one of their bicycle racks. A bicycle is a great way to get around the island quickly while still taking time to see the sights and enjoy the sun. And if you get tired of cycling around, the free beach trolleys on the island are equipped with bike racks, so you can give your legs a rest. For visitors to Fort Pickens, a bicycle is the next-best option to renting a boat; you can ride most of the seven miles to the fort along the broken road, although there is a half-mile of sand you'll have to walk across.

By boat
Pensacola Beach is easy to explore by boat. Boat rentals are available on the island, or from Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, and you have a wide variety of craft to choose from. Kayaks, parasails, motorboats, sailboats, yachts, pontoon boats and waverunners are all available for rent. If you own your own boat, there are plenty of marinas and docks around the island, which offer short-term, overnight, and long-term mooring. Your hotel, if you're staying at the island, might even pick up the tab. From Pensacola Beach, it's just a short boat ride to the cities of Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, or Navarre. Just remember, the Escambia County Sheriff's Office does have police boats patrolling the water, and they won't hesitate to pull you over for unsafe boating. Drinking while boating is a big no-no here, and there is a zero tolerance policy for violators.

If you don't have the skill or the will to captain your own boat, you can charter a boat. This can be expensive, running up to $200 an hour, but it's a great way to deep sea fish or scuba dive. Due to the closing of Fort Pickens Road, many boat captains are offering reduced rates for visitors to Fort Pickens; these usually start around $25 a person. Some of the more expensive resorts on the island offer complimentary boat taxis, which will take you to the popular beaches, the boardwalk, or across Santa Rosa Sound to golf resorts in Gulf Breeze.

By car
Santa Rosa Island is a narrow, elongated island. The two main roads, which run along the island's length, are Fort Pickens Road and Via de Luna Drive.

Parking lots are available all over the island, and parking is free and plentiful. However, on exceptionally busy weekends, the main parking lot for the Portofino Boardwalk and Casino Beach may fill up. There's usually alternate parking available at the hotels or restaurants. Resist the urge to park along the side of the road; the fine sand on the beaches can easily ensnare cars. There is no vehicle access to Fort Pickens or Opal Beach. There's a parking lot just outside the entrance gates, but if you want to any further, you'll have to hoof it, or find another way.

By foot
Most of the attractions of Pensacola Beach can be visited by foot, and Casino Beach is conveniently close to all the major restaurants, shopping, hotels, and the Portofino Boardwalk. Sidewalks are available on most (but because of storm damage, not all) of the island.

By trolley
Although bus service to and from Pensacola Beach requires a $2.35 ticket, trolley service on Pensacola Beach is free! The service travels from the Portofino Boardwalk to all major hotels and resorts on the island. Just look for the brightly colored trolleys, which run from May 16 to Labor Day. F 5PM-midnight, Sa noon-midnight, Su 5PM-10PM, closed M-Th.

See

 * The Island Cross, on the south side of Fort Pickens Road, is probably the strangest site to see here. Built in 1959 by the Knights of Columbus to honor the quadricentennial of the discovery of Pensacola, the 10-foot concrete cross and the sand dune on which it stands have been batted repeatedly by hurricanes, all without even the slightest scratch! Perhaps it's the will of God?
 * The Island Cross, on the south side of Fort Pickens Road, is probably the strangest site to see here. Built in 1959 by the Knights of Columbus to honor the quadricentennial of the discovery of Pensacola, the 10-foot concrete cross and the sand dune on which it stands have been batted repeatedly by hurricanes, all without even the slightest scratch! Perhaps it's the will of God?

Beaches
In the community of Pensacola Beach, there are quite a few stretches of shoreline to choose from, depending on your tastes. Just a short drive takes you from a rowdy party beach, to a calm kid-friendly one, to sand-dune protected solitude. The most popular beaches are on the south side of the island, facing the Gulf of Mexico, usually called Gulfside; these beaches have powdery white sand, clean water, and moderate waves, but there is a danger of rip tides and marine life. The north side faces Santa Rosa Sound, and is called Soundside; there are few waves here, and no rip current, but the sand isn't as nice, and the water is more polluted due to boats and runoff.
 * Walking the shoreline further to the west will lead you into Gulf Islands National Seashore property. Beware of nesting bird areas and stay out of those areas. However, the shoreline is not otherwise closed to visitors.
 * Walking the shoreline further to the west will lead you into Gulf Islands National Seashore property. Beware of nesting bird areas and stay out of those areas. However, the shoreline is not otherwise closed to visitors.
 * Walking the shoreline further to the west will lead you into Gulf Islands National Seashore property. Beware of nesting bird areas and stay out of those areas. However, the shoreline is not otherwise closed to visitors.
 * Walking the shoreline further to the west will lead you into Gulf Islands National Seashore property. Beware of nesting bird areas and stay out of those areas. However, the shoreline is not otherwise closed to visitors.

Work
If you're a professional swimmer, and plan to be in or near Pensacola Beach for the summer, why not try being a lifeguard? The large numbers of families that visit, and a desire for the beach to have a safe reputation, mean that large numbers of lifeguards are needed to patrol the sand and surf. The lifeguards begin work in April and work through October; they're especially needed from mid-August onwards, when many lifeguards quit to return to school. Contact the Public Safety Department of the Santa Rosa Island Authority for more information, +1 850-554-4296.

Otherwise, there are numerous restaurants, bars, small shops, and hotels that need workers, especially during the busy tourist season. Not many young people live on the island, so they're often looking for help, which usually means college students from the mainland. The best time to find work is at August, when students go back to school.

Gulf Islands National Seashore, run by the National Park Service, is always looking for park volunteers. Volunteers can lead tours, watch birds, paint cannons, and guard sea turtle nests, or can have less glamorous jobs, like litter patrol and answering phones. The Park Service relies on volunteers, so if you have the will to help, try it!

Eat
Pensacola Beach has avoided the glut of fast food restaurants that most of northwest Florida is known for. Food on the island is more expensive than on the mainland, and since they cater to tourists, the food generally isn't authentic, but there are still some good eating options.

Sleep
Accommodations in Pensacola Beach come in two types: budget hotels/motels and luxury condominiums. Best of all, every place has a nice view of the beach.

Condominiums
Vacationing in a condominium is like renting a luxury apartment for a short period of time. The prices can be breathtakingly high, but if you have the money, there's no more luxurious way to visit Pensacola Beach. Condominiums can be rented for stays as short as three days, and with the realty market crashing in the United States, most condominium complexes have available rooms.

Stay safe
The beaches at Pensacola are a popular draw for visitors, but tragically, many swimmers get killed in drowning accidents. In the early 2000s, Pensacola Beach was notorious for being incredibly unsafe. Now that dozens more lifeguards have been hired, and new safety measures put in place, it's one of the safest beaches in the state. Still, following a few safety tips can keep you safe in case something goes wrong.

Lifeguards are the best way to stay safe on the island. Four beaches on the island are staffed with lifeguards: Casino Beach, Quietwater Beach, Park East, and Chickenbone Beach. Lifeguards are on duty seven days a week from 9:30AM to 6PM from June through August, and are on part-time duty from mid-April to mid-October. During part-time duty, Park East and Chickenbone Beach may not be guarded. If an emergency happens on the beach where there are no lifeguards, call 911 for help.

Rip tides are powerful currents that occur when water trapped near the shoreline escapes back into the ocean through a break in an underwater sandbar. They can drag even powerful swimmers out to sea for a very long distance. To escape a rip tide, do not panic! If you are near a lifeguard station, you can wave your arms and shout for help. Wait until the rip tide is no longer carrying you out further from land, then swim parallel to the shoreline to escape the current. Then, you can swim back towards shore. To avoid rip tides, don't swim between the shoreline and underwater sand bars, don't swim during low tide, and pay attention to the color-coded flags.

At all lifeguard stations, color-coded flags are flown that tell how safe the water is for swimming. If no flags are flying, then there are no lifeguards on that section of the beach.

Sunburn and dehydration are the most common ailments at the beach. Although it's tempting to skip the sunscreen, even if you have tanned skin, it's a bad idea in Florida summer. The white sand that draws visitors here also reflects the UV rays from the sun, and unprotected skin will burn quickly. Bring plenty of fresh water or hydrating beverages to the beach (no, Bushwhackers don't count) and a bottle of high-SPF, water-resistant sunscreen. If you really need a tan, try using a medium-SPF sunscreen that you reapply regularly; tanning low and slow is better than a quick pan-fry that leaves you looking like a lobster. UV-resistant sunglasses, hats with broad brims, umbrellas, and UV-protective clothing are also good to have.

Go next
Gulf Breeze is an upscale community located on the Fairpoint Peninsula, north of Pensacola Beach, home to the Naval Live Oaks Reservation. While driving through, beware the speed limit; the police here are notorious for targeting tourists, and will ticket you for driving even a single mile per hour over the speed limit.

Navarre is another beach city east of Pensacola Beach, on Santa Rosa Island.

Pensacola is a historic city, just across the bay from Pensacola Beach, with shopping, museums, restaurants, and traditional Southern hospitality.

title: Pensacola Beach


text:
Penticton

Penticton (The 'Peach City') is a beautiful spot in the south Okanagan nestled between two lakes: The 155 km Okanagan Lake to the north, and the smaller Skaha Lake to the south. Tourism in Penticton is largely seasonal. In the summer, tourists double Penticton's population to 60,000. In the winter things used to be very quiet, but now that World Cup Freestyle Skiing stops at local Apex Mountain every winter, the winter scene is picking up.

Understand
This area has been inhabited for thousands of years by the Salish group of First Nations people. They called their settlement in this area snpintktn which loosely translates as 'a place to stay forever' and gives Penticton its name. The first non-native settler Thomas Ellis preempted land in Penticton in 1869 and started a very successful cattle ranch. With the arrival of engineering marvel Kettle Valley Railway the boom in Penticton had begun. Penticton became a municipality in 1908, and a city in 1948.

Climate
Penticton's climate is well suited for agriculture, and thousands of fruit trees were planted all along the west and east bench areas overlooking Okanagan Lake. From cherries in early July to apples and pears in early September, Penticton has always been a large producer and exporter of non-citrus tree fruit. Many local oldtimers decry the trend of ripping out perfectly healthy and productive orchards for the more lucrative vineyards which supply grapes for the regions more than thirty boutique wineries. Today Penticton's two largest industries are tourism and the growing wine industry, which threatens to eclipse the fruit production industry.

Penticton's climate and geography is a northern, four-seasons version of what some call Mediterranean. Large clay banks, benches, and scrubland skirt the mid-level mountains that frame the valley on the east and west sides. Summers are hot with an average temperature of 27°C, and peaks of 35-40°C are not unheard of. The large size of Okanagan Lake tempers the climate in winter which sees an average high of 0.9°C in January. It can and does snow occasionally, but generally only during December and January will it accumulate in modest quantities. You can check the snow level with a quick glance to the mountains, which will have a white apron about half to three-quarters of the way up. Penticton gets about 2000 hours of sun per year, which is a higher average than Rio de Janeiro.

By car
Most travellers will arrive in Penticton by automobile. Highway 97 is the major north-south route through the city. Travel times are about 4 hours from Vancouver, 8 hours from Calgary and 5 hours from Seattle or Spokane. Penticton is a 40-minute drive south from Kelowna. The US/Canada border crossing to the south on Highway 97 is open 24 hours a day; other border crossings in this region are closed overnight.

By bus
Intercity bus service is available in Kelowna, which can be reached using BC Transit route 70 (see "Get around" section below.)

Airlines

 * Operates flights to Penticton from Vancouver (50 minutes).

By car
This is your best bet if you wish to visit the area's many wineries, which are generally out of town a ways. Car rentals:

By public transit

 * Operates bus route 20 from Monday to Friday between Penticton and Okanagan Falls.
 * Operates bus route 30 from Monday to Saturday between Pencticton and Summerland.
 * Operates bus route 40 from Monday to Friday between Penticton and Osoyoos with stops in Okanagan Falls and Oliver. Travel time to downtown Osoyoos from Osoyoos is 1 hour 30 minutes, from Oliver is 1 hour 5 minutes, and from Okanagan Falls is 45 minutes.
 * Operates bus route 50 three days per week between Penticton and Princeton with stops in Keremeos. Travel time to Penticton from Princeton is about 1 hour 40 minutes and from from Keremeos is about 50 minutes.
 * Operates bus route 70 from Monday to Friday between Penticton and Kelowna with stops in Summerland, Peachland, and West Kelowna. Travel time to Penticton from Kelowna is about 1 hour 5 minutes and from Summerland is about 20 minutes.
 * Operates bus route 70 from Monday to Friday between Penticton and Kelowna with stops in Summerland, Peachland, and West Kelowna. Travel time to Penticton from Kelowna is about 1 hour 5 minutes and from Summerland is about 20 minutes.

On foot and bike
Penticton's compact size lends itself to biking or even just walking around. It will take about 15 minutes to bike from lake to lake, and just over an hour for the same journey on foot. There are walking and biking trails on both sides of the River Channel, and a painted bike lane on a major north-south corridor of the city.

Bike rentals:

Outdoors
Perhaps the best thing to do in Penticton is to join the locals at the beach, and enjoy the blisteringly hot summer sun. follows pretty much the entirety of Lakeshore Drive on Okanagan Lake, and is generally the more family oriented beach. to the south on Skaha Lake is where Penticton's younger crowd go to see and be seen. and are also on Skaha Lake, west of Skaha Beach on the south side of Highway 97 (Caution: Sudbury is used as a kitesurf launch during the off-season.). is a good bet when the crowds at the other beaches are getting you down. Just north of town, follow Naramata Road north, turn left at Three Mile Road, and follow down to the lake. If you walk along the beach to the north you will find an unofficial nudist area.

Golfers will find themselves at home, with four golf courses in the city limits, and several more just beyond:

Rock climbers will want to check out the renowned Skaha Climbing Bluffs in Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park. Skaha.org has more information on climbing in the Penticton area.

Cyclists and hikers will want to visit the stunning Kettle Valley Trail which follows the old railway grade from Penticton through Naramata's bench wineries, and farther along, a system of tunnels and trestles leading all the way to Castlegar and beyond, some several hundreds of kilometers. Part of the Trans Canada Trail which bills itself as the longest recreational trail in the world. You can also travel the railway grade on the opposite side of the lake 10km to Summerland which is gatewayed by the dramatic Trout Creek Railway Trestle, the highest in British Columbia.

Another traditional pastime in Penticton is floating down the River Channel, which is a small shallow river that flows south from Okanagan Lake to Skaha Lake. This leisurely trip takes from 2 to 3.5 hours depending on water levels in the channel. Be sure to bring sunscreen or you will burn up! If you have your own flotation device and can work out the logistics of getting a ride and keeping your valuables dry, you can do the full channel for free.

Festivals
Penticton is also a city of events and festivals. Indeed, in the summer there is rarely a time when there isn't some sort of festival going on. Dates and venues can change from year to year, check the websites for current information. A brief survey of the major festivals includes:

Boating, sailing and watersports
With two lakes ten minutes apart, Penticton is a great place to bring your boat if you have one. While you cannot boat from lake to lake, they both have launches and marinas for fuel and supplies.

Winter

 * In winter, your best bet is to spend some time up at the local ski hill Apex Mountain Ski Resort. Apex is about a 45-minute drive from town west on Green Mountain Road.
 * If you go further north, Big White and other ski resorts are reachable in a day, and there is Mount Baldy to the south.

 * The team plays at:
 * If the weather is cooperative, play a round of golf right throug the year.
 * If the weather is cooperative, play a round of golf right throug the year.
 * If the weather is cooperative, play a round of golf right throug the year.

Wineries
There are numerous wineries in the area surrounding Penticton to go wine tasting. See "Drink" section.

Buy
There is no shortage of stands along the beaches to sell tourists swimwear, sunglasses and other assorted knick-knacks.

Main Street
Main Street features a wide variety of shops and galleries. Penticton also has a few big-block stores such as Walmart, London Drugs, Staples, etc. These can all be found by driving along Main Street. If you reach the other lake, you've gone too far!

Gifts and souvenirs
For traditional local gifts/souvenirs you can visit:

For a more meaningful, intoxicating, or just plain tastier souvenir visit one of the area's many wineries, and one of the many fruit stands dotted along the highway and backroads that sell local products.

Seasonal markets also operate, selling predominantly food but also local wares and wine.

Eat
There are over one-hundred places to eat in Penticton, servicing pretty much any taste or budget. In the summer you will do well to ensure reservations, or else you may have to wait until well after 10PM to get your dinner when restaurants start to slow down. Many places cut back hours or close entirely in the winter.

Penticton also has all-day breakfast chains: The Pantry, Denny's, and Rickys; large chain restaurants Boston Pizza, Earls, and Joeys Only; and every fast-food place you could ever want McDonald's, Burger King, Wendys, A&W, Subway, Taco Time, Quiznos Subs, Canada's favourite: Tim Hortons!

Drink
Legal drinking age in British Columbia is 19. The government store (Penticton Plaza, 1301 Main Street) sells beer, wine and spirits until 9PM. Cold beer and wine stores (6 in town) are open until 11PM, with modest selection of spirits. Nightclubs serve until 2AM, but won't kick you out until 3AM.

Wineries and viticulture

The Penticton area has many wineries, and indeed more seem to spring up everyday. The terroir of the Naramata Bench is considered the premier wine growing region of British Columbia for its climate and geography (though growers in the Golden Mile region of Oliver to the south may disagree). The popularity of this relatively new industry has driven the price of local products well over the price of a comparable French or Italian bottle. Most wineries offer free tastings and tours, and will almost certainly sell their products directly. To be sure of the best quality look for bottles that sport the VQA designation, which ensures authenticity of origin, and a minimum standard of quality during grape growth, harvest, and production.

Breweries
Back in its heyday, Penticton had three nightclubs in town, but with changing times they have all shuttered down and turned into microbreweries. So many in fact that Penticton is a part of the BC Ale Trail and has the beginnings of a Brewery District.

Most breweries are focused in the downtown core. Some notable breweries include:

 * Barley Mill Brewpub, See above under Pubs.

Sleep
As with restaurants, the amount of accommodations available in Penticton is disproportionate compared to the size of the city. Still, Penticton is very popular in the summer and the area hotels can and will be fully booked, especially on long weekends and Ironman weekend. Prices listed here are high season, as this is when most visitors come. Low and shoulder season rates may be drastically lower depending on the facility. The listings here are but a mere smattering of what's available.

Stay safe
There is not much to worry about in Penticton. The streets are generally safe after dark and the huge number of tourists on the streets ensures you are never alone. The biggest safety issue may be the occasional bar brawl that occurs when the clubs close. Make sure you do not get involved or you will end up spending the night in jail.

If you are hiking or biking in the surrounding hills be aware the area is home to rattlesnakes and bears. The snakes, easily detected by their distinctive rattle, do not attack humans unless you enter their space and/or startle them — such as abruptly walking into one along a trail. If you hear the rattle, understand it as a warning and keep your distance; the snake's bite can be fatal. Similarly, black bears inhabit the region surrounding Penticton and are happy to avoid humans unless surprised, cornered, and/or their cubs are threatened. Bear attacks are extremely rare but if you spot a bear in the area, it is best to steer clear. Cougars are being spotted by the locals more.

Go next

 * Go alpine skiing/boarding in the winter or mountain biking in the summer at Apex Mountain Ski Resort located 33km (21 mi) west of Penticton. A small mountain with some of the best advanced terrain in the interior. From the Channel Parkway turn west on Green Mountain Road and follow 22 km before turning right at the Apex Guest Ranch. Snow tires are recommended in the winter. Lifts run weekends in the summer for mountain biking (beginner to advanced) and hiking/sightseeing.
 * Go rock climbing at the Skaha lake bluffs.
 * Ride the Kettle Valley Steam Train or relax in the lush Ornamental Gardens in nearby Summerland. Fifteen minutes north of Penticton.
 * If you haven't had enough sun and heat, head 45 minutes south to Osoyoos where the average temperature is even hotter, and wander through Canada's only true desert.
 * Okanagan Beach (Sunset Strip) offers para-gliding, canoe, boat and bike rentals.

title: Penticton


text:
Pentwater

Pentwater is in West Michigan.

By plane
Closed airport, 43 miles, with service is Muskegon County Airport.

General aviation airports in the area include: Mason County Airport 12 miles; and Wexford County Airport  60 miles

By car

 * From Detroit, Lansing or Grand Rapids: Take I-96 West to US-31 North. From US-31 North take the Pentwater (Monroe Rd) exit and head west off the exit for three miles.
 * From Ann Arbor: Take I-75 North to I-96 West and then get on US-31 North. From US-31 North take the Pentwater (Monroe Rd) exit and head west off the exit for three miles.
 * From Jackson: Take US-127 North to I-96 West and then get on US-31 North. From US-31 North take the Pentwater (Monroe Rd) exit and head west off the exit for three miles.

Pentwater is great for walking, especially Main Street, which contains great shopping. From downtown Pentwater, one can easily walk to Charles Mears State Park - Pentwater's public beach.

Do

 * Beaches - Charles Mears State Park: this is Pentwater's public beach. There are also campsites.
 * Boating - Pentwater is located on the shores of Lake Michigan and Pentwater Lake, both of which offer endless hours of boating entertainment
 * Fishing - Pentwater is an ideal port for charter fishing in Lake Michigan
 * Golfing - The Pentwater area boasts numerous golf courses of varying size, price, and difficulty.
 * Motor Rentals - Nearby Silver Lake offers and excellent opportunity to rent dune buggies and quads. Also, Pentwater's local marinas rent Sea-Doos, jet skies, and boats to visitors.
 * Music and Concerts - Pentwater restaurants feature live music and open mic nights during the summer months. The Civic Band plays free concerts in the village green each week.
 * Salon, Spa, Massage - Pentwater offers a handful of local salons and spas in which to pamper yourself.

title: Pentwater


text:
Pen y Cae

Pen y Cae is a village in the Upper Swansea Valley, Wales.

Get in

 * A4067 from M4 near Swansea
 * T6 between Swansea and Brecon.

Drink

 * The Pen y Cae Inn serves alcohol and coffee.
 * Craig y Nos Castle serves refreshments.

Go next

 * Wales' sea-side city of Swansea - a forty minute drive.
 * The mountain market town of Brecon - a forty minute drive.

title: Pen y Cae


text:
Penza

There's more than one place called Penza:

Poland

 * Penza (Poland)

Russia

 * Penza (Russia) - the administrative centre of Penza Oblast
 * Penza Oblast (Penzenskaya Oblast) - in the Middle Volga

United States of America

 * Penza (Ohio) - a deserted settlement in Trumbull County, Northeast Ohio

title: Penza


text:
Penza (Russia)

Penza (Russian: Пе́нза PYEHN-zuh) is the large industrial capital of Penza Oblast in Russia. It has its origins like other former frontier towns of Russia as a fort to protect against attacks by the Tatars, its founding being around the mid-17th century. Part of the fortress demarcation zone, known as the Lomovskaya sentry line, still exists. One other peculiar note about Penza is that it's where a type of computer, the Ural mainframe, was designed.

Get in
The easiest way to get to Penza is from Moscow. A regular train (#052) departs from Kazanskiy Railway Station at about 8:30PM daily. It is quite comfortable and is affordable even for low-budget backpackers. In about 12 hours you will arrive at Penza's main railway station, "Penza I", at the centre of the city.

There is usually one slower (around 15 h) but cheaper overnight train to Penza, but cheap tickets to this train are often sold out well in advance. During periods of high demand (summer and around New Year) there may be another train, daily or several times a week. Also, it is possible to take one of many trains which stop in Penza then continue to other cities, but many of those trains are very dirty (especially ones heading to Central Asian countries. which may be less secure as well and are highly not recommended) and poorly heated during cold season.

There is a small airport in Penza, and, as of 2011, a flight from Moscow Domodedovo airport available several times a week, which will take around a hour. However, tickets are extremely expensive at ₽9750 for a return trip.

Get around
Penza does not have metro or trams, but the size and layout of the city make it easy to get around by bus (fare is 18 Russian rubles, about $0.30) or taxi (fare $2-5 depending on how far you need to go and how hard you bargain with the driver). Another option is to use shuttle bus service: it is slightly more expensive but faster and more comfortable compared to a regular bus.

title: Penza (Russia)