Day Trip with Kids

There’s so much to explore in the city with young kids! Check out all the attractions of City Island – from an action-packed Senators baseball game or a fun round of water golf; to a carriage, train, trolley or paddleboat ride to see the sites.

In downtown Harrisburg, you’ll find the hands-on fun of Whitaker Center with exhibits, a giant imax theater and the Harsco Science Center for pre-schoolers. Catch a show at the award-winning Gamut Theatre and their kid-centered entertainment branch, the Popcorn Hat Players Children’s Theatre. At the State Museum of Pennsylvania, visit the Curiosity Connection, their top kid-friendly attraction, or stop by the Planetarium. 

Day Trip with Teens

Harrisburg features many engaging and entertaining options for families with teens, too! If you’ve never been, you have to check out our beautiful State Capitol building for a weekday self-guided tour or one of the many daily 30-minute guided tours. This “palace of art”  features PA-made and PA-themed sculptures, murals and stained-glass windows.

Just a few blocks away, bring your teens to Outside the Box Escape Room, for 60-minutes of adventure with secret rooms and hidden passages!

There are plenty of restaurants and eateries throughout the city to keep up with those teen appetites. Try some slow-smoked pork BBQ, award-winning burgers, authentic Mexican specialties, and other delicious options!

Arts & Culture Day Trip

In addition to the arts, music and cultural attractions that tour the city as part of our festival calendar, our many galleries, performing music groups, parks and historic attractions are quite a draw! Catch a summer show at Whitaker Center, Open Stage of Harrisburg, the Harrisburg Improv Theatre, or Rose Lehrman Art Center.

Enjoy the warm weather and cityscape with a walking art gallery tour through the Historic Harrisburg Association. If you need to escape the summer heat, visit the Susquehanna Art Museum, or Art Association of Harrisburg for stunning exhibits.

If you are a museum fan, HBG has you covered! Visit the State Museum of Pennsylvania for a look into PA rich history, or venture only a few miles away to the National Civil War Museum in Reservior Park. In Midtown, tour the PA National Fire Museum located in a beautifully restored 1899 Victorian Firehouse.