Pennsylvania entered the Union in 1787 as one of the original 13 states. The eleven Pennsylvania towns below cover the full range of the state’s small-town identity. Bethlehem holds its Christmas City reputation with cobblestone streets and 19th-century lampposts. Wellsboro keeps working gas-powered streetlights along a Victorian Main Street. Lititz was founded by Moravian settlers in 1756 and holds America’s oldest commercial pretzel bakery. Each of the eleven Pennsylvania communities ahead delivers history and small-town hospitality in equal measure.

Williamsport

Williamsport sits on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River as the seat of Lycoming County. The town was founded in 1769 and grew into the lumber capital of the United States during the 1880s, when Williamsport produced more lumber than any other city in the world and reportedly had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in America. The Millionaires’ Row Historic District along West Fourth Street preserves more than 250 Victorian mansions built by the lumber barons (the district is on the National Register of Historic Places). The Little League Baseball World Series, held each August at Howard J. Lamade Stadium in nearby South Williamsport since 1959, anchors the town’s modern identity. The Susquehanna River waterfront covers hiking, jogging, cycling, and boating access.

Bethlehem

Bethlehem was founded by Moravian settlers on Christmas Eve in 1741 and named for the biblical birthplace of Jesus. The town has carried the nickname “Christmas City USA” since 1937. The historic Moravian section on Main Street still runs cobblestone, 19th-century lampposts, horse-drawn carriage rides, and the Christkindlmarkt holiday market each November-December. The Moravian Bookshop, founded in 1745, is the oldest continuously operating bookstore in the United States. The 1741 Sun Inn and the Historic Moravian Bethlehem district, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024, preserve the original Moravian community buildings. The SteelStacks campus on the south side of the river runs a music and arts venue built on the site of the former Bethlehem Steel works.

Easton

Easton sits at the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh Rivers as the seat of Northampton County, settled by colonists in 1739. The town’s Centre Square is the historic heart, where the Easton Farmers Market (operating since 1752 and one of the oldest continuously operating outdoor markets in the country) still runs every Saturday from April through November. The Crayola Experience downtown is the only Crayola-branded attraction in the country, drawing families to the headquarters of the company that has produced Crayola crayons since 1903. The National Canal Museum at Hugh Moore Park covers the Lehigh and Delaware Canal era, with a working mule-drawn canal boat ride along a restored section of the canal.

Swarthmore

Swarthmore is a small college town of just over 6,000 residents wrapped around Swarthmore College, founded in 1864 as a Quaker institution and consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the country. The campus is a designated arboretum, and the Scott Arboretum maintains more than 4,000 plant types across the grounds, all free and open to the public year-round. Downtown Swarthmore is a walkable strip of boutique shops and restaurants. The Crum Creek and Crum Woods on the western edge of campus run hiking trails through old-growth forest. Philadelphia is a 30-minute SEPTA train ride away on the Media/Wawa line, making Swarthmore an easy commute or day-trip base.

Indiana

Indiana, Pennsylvania, the seat of Indiana County (founded 1805), bills itself as the Christmas Tree Capital of the World thanks to the dozens of local tree farms that supply the regional and national markets. Indiana University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1875, anchors the town with the largest of Pennsylvania’s 14 state-system universities. The Jimmy Stewart Museum on Philadelphia Street honors the actor and Indiana’s native son, with exhibits on Stewart’s career, his World War II Army Air Forces service, and the growth of mid-century Hollywood. Downtown Indiana runs a walkable strip of restaurants, independent shops, and the historic Indiana Theater.

Lawrenceville

Lawrenceville sits about five miles from downtown Pittsburgh’s center and dates to 1793. Today the neighborhood is one of Pittsburgh’s leading restaurant and boutique-shop corridors, particularly along Butler Street, where the Lawrenceville Stripe holds dozens of independent restaurants, vintage shops, and galleries. Arsenal Park preserves the site of the 1814 Allegheny Arsenal, which produced ordnance for the U.S. Army during the Civil War (the 1862 Allegheny Arsenal Explosion killed 78 workers, mostly women and girls, and was the deadliest civilian disaster of the war on the Union side). The Stephen Foster Memorial Highway runs through Lawrenceville, near the songwriter’s birthplace and final resting place at Allegheny Cemetery.

Mars

Mars sits about 25 miles north of Pittsburgh and was formally established in the 1880s. Local lore traces the planetary name to local resident Samuel Marshall (the town was originally called Marsville) or to a postal-service requirement that the name be shortened to four letters. Today, the town of fewer than 1,500 residents leans into the planetary theme with a Flying Saucer monument in the town square, a Mars New Year celebration timed to Mars’s orbit around the sun (every 687 Earth days), and themed restaurants and shops. The Mars Area Public Library runs a steady calendar of community events.

Wellsboro

Wellsboro, the seat of Tioga County and incorporated in 1830, still runs gas-powered streetlights along Main Street. The town’s preserved Victorian commercial district includes the Penn Wells Hotel (1869), the Arcadia Theatre (1921), and a wealth of brick storefronts. The Pine Creek Gorge, often called the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, runs more than 47 miles long and 1,450 feet deep at its deepest point through Tioga State Forest just outside town. Leonard Harrison State Park on the east rim and Colton Point State Park on the west rim deliver overlooks of the gorge. The 62-mile Pine Creek Rail Trail along the gorge floor runs through old railroad cuts for biking, hiking, and cross-country skiing.

Bloomsburg

Bloomsburg sits along the North Branch of the Susquehanna River and was established in 1797. The town is home to Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg (founded 1839 as a state normal school) and the Bloomsburg Fair, held each September since 1855 as the largest agricultural fair in Pennsylvania. The Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, an Equity-affiliated company since 1978, runs a year-round season at the historic Alvina Krause Theatre downtown. Downtown Bloomsburg holds Federal-style brick commercial architecture, the historic Town Park, and direct river-walk access along the Susquehanna.

Johnstown

Johnstown, founded in 1800 about 70 miles east of Pittsburgh, is best known for the 1889 Johnstown Flood, when the failure of the South Fork Dam released 20 million tons of water that killed 2,209 people and destroyed the city. The Johnstown Flood Museum on Washington Street covers the disaster and the rebuilding that followed. The Johnstown Inclined Plane on the city’s western hillside has been operating since 1891 and remains the steepest vehicular inclined plane in the world at a 71% grade. The Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art holds rotating regional exhibits, the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra has performed since 1929, and the Johnstown Folk Festival each September draws regional crowds for music, food, and dance.

Lititz

Lititz was founded by Moravian settlers in 1756 as a closed religious community that remained Moravian-only for nearly a century. The town preserves 18th and 19th-century buildings including the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, founded in 1861 and recognized as America’s first commercial pretzel bakery. The Sturgis bakery building itself dates to 1784. Linden Hall, founded in 1746 by the Moravian community, is the oldest continuously operating all-girls boarding school in the United States. The Wilbur Chocolate factory (now refurbished into a hotel, restaurant, and food market) anchors East Main Street. The Lititz Fire and Ice Festival each February and the Lititz Springs Park 4th of July (the longest continuously running Independence Day celebration in the country, since 1818) round out the annual calendar.

Why These Eleven Pennsylvania Towns Hold Up

Each of the eleven communities above runs a different version of small-town Pennsylvania. Bethlehem, Lititz, and Wellsboro all preserve historic religious or commercial districts that date to the 18th and early 19th centuries. Williamsport, Easton, and Johnstown carry the marks of major industrial chapters (lumber, canals, steel) that shaped the state. Swarthmore, Indiana, and Bloomsburg run college-town economies built around small-but-respected institutions. Lawrenceville and Mars each anchor offbeat identities (Pittsburgh boutique corridor and planetary-themed novelty) that no other Pennsylvania town quite replicates.

This article is sponsored by Rhode Island.

Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the country, but don’t let its size fool you. The Ocean State packs an impressive amount of personality into its coastline, from thriving LGBTQ+ nightlife and local food favorites to waterfront views, creative neighborhoods, and one of New England’s most vibrant Pride celebrations.

Travelers looking to stay in the heart of the action will find plenty of options, including Aloft Providence Downtown, which places visitors within easy reach of Pride festivities, nightlife, local attractions, and many of the destinations that make Providence Pride weekend so memorable.

If you’re wondering how to make the most of the experience, start with the six Must C’s of Rhode Island.

Courtesy of Rhode Island

Cuisine

Good food is never hard to find here. Start the morning with brunch at Small Format, then grab small bites at Track 15 between events. Satisfy your late-night cravings with buck naked fries at Friskie Fries after the block parties, or grab something more hearty from Pizza Queen. Together, they offer a taste of the variety that defines Rhode Island’s food scene.

Coast

They don’t call it the Ocean State for nothing. Rhode Island’s coastal identity is woven into everything from its waterfront views to its relaxed atmosphere. Spend time along Providence’s RiverWalk, take in the views around India Point Park, or venture toward nearby seaside communities where the Atlantic is never far away. Whether you’re exploring Providence or heading farther afield, the coast remains part of the experience.

Courtesy of Rhode Island

Culture

Providence is filled with independent businesses, local art, and neighborhoods that invite exploration. A stroll down Wickenden Street lets you browse Pride gear at Mister Sister, then grab something more wholesome for mom at Nostalgia Antiques. Many local businesses and community spaces continue to shape the city’s creative identity, while nearby Federal Hill offers another vibrant corner of Providence worth exploring. During your time on Federal Hill, be sure to stop by Heartleaf Books, the only employee-owned, queer/trans-owned, and “seemingly first bookstore ever in Federal Hill.”

Cocktails

When the sun goes down, Rhode Island’s LGBTQ+ nightlife comes alive. Pride weekend block parties spill into the evening as venues like The Eagle, Stable, and The Dark Lady fill with dancers, drag performances, and celebration. You can also stop in at the country’s third-oldest gay bar, Mirabar, or head into The VU Lounge & Bistro that offers lounge seating and a food menu until 10 pm. Whether you’re joining the Friday night festivities, catching Sangria Sunday at Stable, or simply looking for a place to raise a glass with friends, these community gathering spots help keep the energy going long after the daytime events end.

Courtesy of Rhode Island

Community

One of Rhode Island’s greatest strengths is its people. LGBTQ+ organizations, creators, performers, and businesses help shape a welcoming atmosphere throughout the year. Community-driven spaces and voices, including projects like Fruit Loop PVD, highlight the people and stories that make Providence feel connected and inclusive, both during Pride weekend and throughout the year.

Courtesy of Rhode Island

Celebrations

If there is one time when all of these elements come together, it’s Pride. From browsing vendors at PrideFest in the 195 District Park to gathering at dusk as the parade makes its way through the city, Providence Pride weekend transforms the city into one continuous celebration, with music, performances, and community filling the streets.

Rhode Island may be America’s smallest state, but when it comes to food, culture, nightlife, and Pride, it delivers an experience that feels anything but small. Come for one of the C’s, and you’ll probably discover the rest along the way.

To the Editor: I am writing in support of Molly Gray who is running for Lieutenant Governor of Vermont. Molly has spent her career as a human rights lawyer, fighting for the rights and freedoms of Vermonters. She served as Vermont Lt. Governor (2021-23), Assistant Attorney General, and more recently led the Vermont Afghan Alliance, supporting Afghanis, who risked their lives serving with the US military, in rebuilding their lives here.

We can depend on Molly to be a strong and effective voice for Vermonters. She will protect Vermonters from unlawful and unconstitutional federal action. During a visit to Bennington, she declared, ”I want Vermonters to know that I will continue to use every tool at my disposal to protect the fundamental rights of every Vermonter!”

Born and raised on a vegetable farm in Orange County, Molly knows the many challenges facing working families. She will address the big issues, including lack of affordable healthcare and housing. Molly is a good listener and a great communicator. Her background and skillset is geared for the challenges Vermonters face today.

Molly has been endorsed by Governors Howard Dean and Madeleine Kunin amidst over 100 Vermont lawmakers who enthusiastically support Molly. She will be a strong advocate for Vermont Proposal 4, an amendment supporting equal treatment under the law, being written into the constitution that will be on the ballot on November 3.

Molly Gray will have my vote in the August 11th primary. I hope she will have your vote too!

Judy Murphy, Bennington