9 Most Laid-Back Small Towns in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's most laid-back small towns have gaslit streets and a spring park that has been drawing peaceful gatherings since 1741. The pace slows along the Allegheny River Bike Trail in Foxburg and the nearly 60 miles of hiking trails winding through Wellsboro's Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. For a cultural edge, Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope and the Mauch Chunk Opera House in Jim Thorpe have been drawing crowds for generations. Here are nine of the most laid-back small towns in Pennsylvania.
Wellsboro
Wellsboro is home to Pine Creek Gorge, known as the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, with nearly 60 miles of hiking and biking trails threading between Leonard Harrison State Park and Colton Point State Park. The adjacent Tioga State Forest, whose name comes from a Seneca word meaning "at the forks," extends the trail network deeper into heavily wooded terrain. Pine Creek Rail Trail, built on a former railbed, runs 62 miles along the gorge floor and is one of the country's most praised long-distance rail trails for its grade and scenery.
The town itself keeps its 19th-century feel. Main Street is still lit by working gas lamps, a rarity in modern towns, giving the evenings a warm period atmosphere. The Robinson House Museum covers local history, and the downtown is lined with independent shops and boutiques. Overnight, Penn Wells Lodge and La Belle Auberge Bed & Breakfast are among the more established places to stay.
Foxburg
Foxburg sits along the Allegheny River near the mouth of the Clarion River. The village began as a seasonal retreat for the Fox family and later developed ties to oil, gas, and dairy. Today, the Fox Mansion still overlooks the rivers, and the Foxburg Free Library preserves historical journals and letters documenting the area's early social and economic changes.
The town is also home to Foxburg Country Club, founded in 1887 and billed as the oldest continuously operating golf course in the United States. The Red Brick Gallery and Gift Shop, housed in a 150-year-old building, displays work by regional artists. The Allegheny River Bike Trail runs right along the water and gives cyclists a flat, scenic route through the surrounding countryside.
Lititz
Founded in 1756 by Moravians, Lititz has kept much of its colonial-era layout and Moravian heritage intact. The Lititz Historical Foundation Museum, housed in the 1792 Johannes Mueller House, focuses on local craftsmanship and early town history. Walking downtown, you move through a mix of Victorian, German, and English architectural styles that reflect successive waves of settlement.
The town sits in Lancaster County, surrounded by farmland and Amish communities. The Warwick-to-Ephrata Rail Trail runs through nearby countryside for walking and biking. Annual events include the Lititz Outdoor Fine Art Show and the Fire & Ice Festival, both centered on Lititz Spring Park, which has been a community gathering space since 1741, predating the formal founding of the town.
Jim Thorpe
Originally called Mauch Chunk, Jim Thorpe was renamed in 1954 after the Sac and Fox athlete who became the first Native American to win Olympic gold for the United States (the 1912 pentathlon and decathlon in Stockholm). The town sits in a narrow valley along the Lehigh River and is often compared to European mountain villages for its tight streets and steep terrain. The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (D&L Trail) runs along the river with routes for hiking and biking, and the surrounding Poconos add Lehigh Gorge State Park to the mix.
In town, the Old Jail Museum runs guided tours focused on the jail's 19th-century history, including the execution of the Molly Maguires. The Mauch Chunk Opera House, built in 1881, is one of the oldest vaudeville theaters in the country still hosting live performances. Jim Thorpe's burial site is also in town, along with a memorial. Lodging options include the Angel of Jim Thorpe Bed & Breakfast, Times House, and The Dolon House.
New Hope
New Hope sits along the Delaware River, connected to Lambertville, New Jersey by a pedestrian bridge. The town has more than 200 years of documented history. The 19th-century Locktender's House now serves as headquarters for the Friends of the Delaware Canal and covers the town's role in canal-era transportation. The Parry Mansion, built in 1784 by town co-founder Benjamin Parry, layers architectural styles from multiple generations of Parry family occupation.
Bucks County Playhouse, long regarded as one of the country's top summer theaters, has hosted performances by Grace Kelly, Dick Van Dyke, Robert Redford, and others during its regional theater heyday. For overnight stays, the historic lodgings include the New Hope Lodge, Aaron Burr House, and Logan Inn, the last of which dates to 1722 and is one of the oldest continuously operating inns in the country.
Boalsburg
Boalsburg is one of several towns that claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, with its tradition tracing to October 1864 when local women decorated Civil War graves. The well-preserved 19th-century architecture along the main street still anchors the town, with Victorian bed-and-breakfasts, small restaurants, and specialty shops mixed among the historic homes. The nearby presence of Penn State University brings a steady flow of students and academic visitors without overwhelming the town's quieter character.
The Columbus Chapel and Boal Mansion Museum holds items brought from the Columbus family chapel in Spain, including what are said to be relics of the True Cross. The Pennsylvania Military Museum and the adjacent 28th Division Shrine cover the state's military history. Boalsburg's Memorial Day observance each year draws approximately 25,000 visitors for a community walk to the cemetery, military reenactments, arts and crafts, and a parade.
Ligonier
Founded in 1758, Ligonier retains much of its 19th-century downtown around the Ligonier Diamond, a central town square ringed by boutiques and restaurants. Fort Ligonier Museum is the town's anchor history site, with a reconstructed French and Indian War-era fort and exhibits covering the war and the conflict over the Forbes Road to Fort Duquesne. The Compass Inn Museum, a restored 1799 stagecoach stop, covers 18th-century frontier life and road travel.
Outside town, Linn Run State Park offers hiking trails through the Laurel Highlands. The Ligonier Valley Rail Road Museum features exhibits on regional rail history. In winter, Laurel Mountain Ski Resort handles skiing and snowboarding nearby. Warmer months bring families to Idlewild & SoakZone, a longtime amusement park and waterpark within a short drive.
Milford
With about 1,100 residents, Milford sits in the Pocono foothills along the upper Delaware River. The Artery Fine Art and Craft Gallery and the Golden Fish Art Gallery together form a small but active regional arts scene. The Grey Towers National Historic Site, a French chateau-style mansion, was the family home of Gifford Pinchot, the first Chief of the U.S. Forest Service and a key figure in early American conservation policy.
Just south of town, Raymondskill Falls is generally considered Pennsylvania's tallest waterfall, dropping in three tiers totaling around 150 feet. Milford Beach offers river access along the Delaware for picnicking and swimming. The Milford Music Festival and the Black Bear Film Festival are the town's signature annual events, both small enough to fit the scale of the town itself.
Mercersburg
Mercersburg is a town of about 1,500 residents in south-central Pennsylvania, just north of the Maryland border. The town is best known for Mercersburg Academy, a prep school founded in 1893 whose alumni include James Stewart, Benicio del Toro, and a long list of Olympic athletes. Both the academy and the town's historic district are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Johnston's Run Walking Trail and Mercersburg Lions Community Park handle the local outdoor recreation. Baseball fans gather at Mercersburg Little League Park during the season. The town is also the birthplace of James Buchanan, the 15th President of the United States. A reconstructed log cabin marking his 1791 birthplace sits on the Mercersburg Academy campus and is open to visitors.
Nine Towns, Nine Kinds of Quiet
Pennsylvania's quieter corners cover a lot of ground. Wellsboro sits at the rim of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, Foxburg on the Allegheny River with an 1887 golf course, Lititz around its Moravian founding and a spring park older than the town itself. Jim Thorpe carries both Olympic and industrial history in its tight valley streets. New Hope and Ligonier draw on 18th-century roots and living arts and history scenes. Boalsburg, Milford, and Mercersburg round out the list with their Memorial Day tradition, conservation legacy, and presidential birthplace. Each town earns its quiet in a different way.
