Off the Beaten Path: Hidden Gems of PA Parks

Sure, you may have a favorite park, the one with the trail you like or the one with that very special tree your dog likes (for reasons we won’t mention), but the best part about the many parks and natural areas of Pennsylvania is the cool things you’d never find if you hadn’t thought to look. We urge you to enjoy your favorite park, but every once in a while, get out there, explore, and take the park trail less traveled. You never know what you’ll find. 

From art and murals to intricate gardens to playground wonders, take a peek inside some of the hidden gems of PA parks!

Art in the Parks

If you know where to look, Pennsylvania can be your own outdoor art museum. With sculptures, murals, art initiatives, and more, the parks can be a great place to exercise your mind, on top of exercising your body. In fact, many parks have their own art departments or programs. See Pittsburgh as just one example.

Philadelphia is known for its murals — and they’re not just on building walls within the city. They appear in playgrounds, rec centers, and more. One visit to the Mural Arts of Philadelphia page, and you’re bound to find some parks with a Philly art flair. The Farrell Elementary School outdoor playground created a “Literacy Loop” mural on the grounds of the area, focusing on local ecology so your kiddo can hit the monkey bars and learn about the ecosystem. There’s plenty of other outdoor art to find within the city, though we’re refraining from calling the “Rocky” statue a hidden gem.

Interested in modern art? Allegheny County’s Hartwood Acre Parks has its very own sculpture garden. You’ll be privy to 14 different minimalist sculptures spread out across the beautiful park landscape.

Or maybe you’re more into the strange and unusual when it comes to hidden park gems. Atlas Obscura lists some of the most “out there” sculptures you can find in PA, including the Lehigh Millenium Folk Arch located in a park on Lehigh University’s campus in Bethlehem. This park is filled to the brim with fun, enchanting, and “feral” sculptures you may not see in your own local parks. If you want hidden gems, why not get a little weird with it?

Uniqueness at Play

There is no shortage of great and accessible playgrounds in Pennsylvania. But when your child grows tired of the same old swings and the common slide, it may be time to find something new to jump around in. Just like your wonderful everyday playgrounds of PA, there’s also no shortage of playgrounds with a little something special. 

Kid’s Castle in Doylestown is not your average play zone. With a design fit for a king or queen, Kid’s Castle is exactly that — a castle (with slides and swings included, of course). Let your kids’ imaginations soar as they defeat dragons, rule kingdoms, and make new friends. Or you could visit a playground with a whole lot of heart. Limerick’s Manderach Memorial Playground is heart-themed and was built with a pretty loving message. The long slides are a Valentine’s Day red and the wooden tower is marked with a big ol’ heart. We’re totally feelin’ the love. 

In New Castle, you’ll find a park that was once for play, but is now for sightseeing. Cascade Park houses the leftovers of a once-vibrant amusement park. Here, you’ll find the rusty remains of a coaster cart and more. 

This isn’t our first swing at playground gems. We highlighted some of the oldest and newest playgrounds in another blog, which features some pretty unique, out-of-the-sandbox stuff!

Miscellaneous Marvels

There’s a whole category of hidden gems in PA parks that don’t fit into one neat box. They may not be interesting playgrounds or art gardens, but they’ve got something special that make them certainly worth the trip. 

Calling all history buffs! Oil Creek State Park is a PA park with an abundance of historical hidden gems within. As the site of the world’s first commercial oil well, this park is jam packed with artifacts of time gone by. And did you know you could even stay the night? 

We’re not finished with historical hidden gems. Next up is Kinzua State Bridge Park, home to the viaduct, once the tallest and longest railroad structure. You can still see what’s left of it to this day, plus some more pretty great views. Looking to bridge the gap on your knowledge of hidden gems further? We’ve got even more unique “bridge-based” park sites to check out. 

Some honorable mentions of incredible outdoor areas include the Lincoln Caves in Huntingdon, complete with cave tours, a campground, and some great trails and the Wolf Sanctuary of PA in Lancaster, which doesn’t quite count as a park, but we just had to throw a bone to these furry friends. 

When you explore outside your comfort zone, look for the more uncommon spots, and go beyond the “most popular,” you’re bound to find some pretty exquisite outdoor spaces — and some may even be just a few miles away. So enjoy your park go-tos and your mainstay faves, but always keep an eye open and your hiking shoes ready for when something new pops up in your path.