With cold wind waves and snow all around, the East Coast becomes a little difficult to manage for a person like me who comes from a land of deserts - India. But winter this year, as I hear and see, has been incredibly benign, at least till now. This gave me a chance to visit the incredible city of Harrisburg, the capital city of Pennsylvania. The rolling mountains, Susquehanna river, large farmlands, chocolate factory and historic background – this city is a must-visit for those seeking a peaceful getaway!
With the twirls of Susquehanna river aside, our cabin was a beautiful wooden structure with great artifacts installed on its walls. The mountains on the other side of the river, beautiful and mesmerizing sunset & sunrise, the chirping of birds and some clouds – all made it a beautiful experience.
Blue mountains and Susquehanna river
(Photo taken by author)
If you are a nature lover and a person who loves to spend time at a place with a perfect ambience of woods, rivers, and mountains, then this is the place to hang on – watching and listening to the burbles and gurgles of the river – of course with a beer! But if you are a person like me, who would want to visit the city too – then some of the below places are a must checkin on your Instagram!
The city of Harrisburg is full of historic value. The locals say that Harrisburg was a site of Union camp during the Civil War, and played a very important role in the industrialization of the country. The state capitol, also called the Palace of Art, is a humungous building with beautiful sculptures and wall art. It is said to be the symbol of history and power - an icon of democracy, as they say. The building was designed by architect Joseph Huston and is home to some of the best paintings and furnishings. Talking about the history, the state museum with all civil war artifacts also dictates the rich heritage of this city. It also has a planetarium and a store from where you can collect great souvenirs.
State Museum
The next most attractive place, and, yes, my favorite one, is the Hershey’s Chocolate Factory. For an international tourist, this place is a must visit. The huge chocolate factory park is the place for chocolate lovers and one can smell and feel chocolate’s vibes from miles away – ok little exaggeration, but at least from the parking place! As soon as you get inside, chocolate will melt your heart away and you will be lost in the beautiful world of chocolate. The Hershey’s chocolate tour in a mini train explains the journey of a bean to a chocolate bar, and that will make you love chocolates even more. The tour ends with a free Hershey chocolate and a warm smiles from the Hershey’s team! One can participate in a number of activities like Chocolate tasting experience, creating your own chocolate bar, photo studio, 4D chocolate mystery, and the most attractive one – the chocolate shopping from the largest candy store – the best thing for shopping in the whole world is of course chocolate.
Hershey’s choco world
(Photo taken by author)
The next and the last place I visited in Pennsylvania was the famous Hindu temple – the Vraj temple, dedicated to lord Krishna. This temple is located in Schuylkill county and is covered in about 300 acres of land. The temple is nestled in the blue mountains of Pennsylvania, with scenic and beautiful roads leading to the temple. The serene and divine environment enchants the soul and will definitely soothe your spirit. Though inside the temple, using cell phones is strictly prohibited, but the beautiful aura of the temple will leave you spellbound. The temple’s cafeteria serves amazing Indian-Gujarati food which will leave with you taste of India.
the Vraj temple
January 2017 for me started with a peaceful and a mesmerizing trip to Pennsylvania – with long drives along the beautiful blue mountains and Susquehanna river. There is a lot more to cover in Pennsylvania and I’m sure it’ll be equally exciting as well. If you are ever in the city, don’t forget to check-in these places and experience the bliss. Surely it will leave a Penn impact on the soul and refresh your spirit!
