Pennsylvania

A draft of Yuengling Lager from America’s oldest brewery, a pierogi in Pittsburgh’s Strip District, a Philly cheesesteak at Pat’s in Philadelphia and a 'whoopie pie' from Lancaster’s Central Market.

Caution: Elk Crossing! The Pennsylvania Wilds region is home to about 600 elk—the largest free-roaming herd in the Northeast. Winding through 23 state forests, the Elk Scenic Drive offers a close-up view of the creatures along a 127-mile corridor.

• Pretending you’re Rocky Balboa as you run up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum
• The spectacular view of Pittsburgh from the top of Mt. Washington, reached via one of the world’s few remaining inclines
• Sunset at Sunset Point, in Erie’s Presque Isle State Park
• The state capitol building in Harrisburg, declared by then-President Teddy Roosevelt at its opening as the most beautiful he had ever seen.

The Mütter Museum in Philadelphia displays 20,000 provocative items designed to give a beneath-the-surface perspective of what physicians study—and it's not always pretty. Inside the Museum, you'll find a wide smattering of abnormal body parts preserved in fluid and skeletal formations (like that of a man over seven feet tall) that don’t seem quite possible.

A few seconds into your drive, you'll see why National Geographic called Route 6 "one of America's most scenic drives". The picturesque view of the Susquehanna River and the Endless Mountains will leave you breathless, and there's lots of small-town charm along the way.

The actor Jimmy Stewart's home town in Indiana, PA, boasts a museum dedicated to its famous son. Plus, the town goes all out each December with the It's A Wonderful Life parade. It's also affectionately known as the 'Christmas tree capital of the world'. As coal mining in the region dwindled, it was discovered in 1918 that while traditional crops did not grow exceptionally well, evergreens did.

Pennsylvania has no sales tax! So head towards Valley Forge in King of Prussia, where you'll find the largest, most luxurious mall on the East Coast. Or go to the Waterfront in Homestead, near Pittsburgh. Built on the site of a former steel mill, it is a shopping complex with 260 acres of shopping, entertainment and dining.

Philadelphia's LOVE sculpture was unveiled during the 1976 bicentennial celebration and has since become the most popular sculpture in the city. To really be alone, however, you'll be better off in the Pocono Mountains, a long-time honeymoon destination. Once famous for heart-shaped tubs, accommodation in the Poconos now leans towards saunas, massage tables, fireplaces and whirlpool baths.

• At Independence Hall in Philadelphia, discover the site where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were written, and the second continental congress was held. And did we mention the Liberty Bell?
• Recognised as one of the most famous American battlefields, Gettysburg marked the turning point of the Civil War and was the site where President Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg Address.

• Bedford Springs Resort’s Springs Eternal Spa is one of the few spas in the country that utilises natural spring water in all of its treatments
• The Spa at the Hotel Hershey uses chocolate for innovative spa treatments
• The Woodlands Spa at Nemacolin is located in a breathtaking Laurel Highlands setting.