Pennsylvania
Make a day trip out of Pennsylvania theme parks on USAT 10BEST lists
Take a virtual ride on ‘Wildcat’s Revenge,’ set to debut at Hersheypark
Hersheypark will have a hybrid roller coaster. A new steel track has been added to the existing wooden framework, the company announced Wednesday.
York Daily Record
Pennsylvania is one of the top places in the country for theme parks and water parks, according to USA TODAY readers, and all the best attractions are just close enough to South Central Pennsylvania for a day trip.
Seventeen of the winners in USA TODAY’s 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards for Theme Parks and Water Parks are in Pennsylvania. There are 18 if you include Great Wolf Lodge, which has a location in the Poconos.
With 24 winners, only Florida tops the Keystone State with top-10 attractions. No other state comes close to the top two.
But how do you measure which is the best? Florida has the most attractions on the list, but Pennsylvania is home to the most No. 1’s (roller coaster, water slide, theme park hotel, theme park restaurant). Florida attractions don’t even top a single category, and both states are missing from two categories.
Here are the Pennsylvania attractions that won USAT’s 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards for Theme Parks and Water Parks. Start planning that day trip — we included each attraction’s travel distance from Chambersburg.
No. 5: Splash Lagoon, located in Erie, is a Polynesia-themed indoor water park that is home to one of the biggest indoor wave pools in the Eastern U.S. It also features nine water slides — in one tube, slides can go as fast as 40 mph — as well as on-site restaurants, bars and shops. Distance from Chambersburg: 277 miles; about 4 hours, 23 minutes
No. 8: Aquatopia Indoor Water Park, located at Camelback Resort, Tannersville (the Poconos), boasts seven pools, 13 slides, an adventure river, a water play structure with gadgets and interactive elements. Thrill-seekers will love Storm Chaser, one of the longest indoor uphill water coasters in North America. The 125,000-square-foot indoor park has a transparent roof, so indoor guests can work on their tan no matter the season. Distance from Chambersburg: 175 miles; about 2 hours, 55 minutes.
Best Lazy River: Runaway River, Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom
No. 10: Runaway River at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown is a relatively serene, meandering float. Riders can enjoy fun elements like mushroom rain umbrella fountains, cascading waterfalls and surprising blowholes. The course is made up of a nice balance of peaceful stretches and sections of gentle rapids, so the ride is both relaxing and entertaining. Distance from Chambersburg: 130 miles; about 2 hours
Best Roller Coaster: Phoenix at Knoebels, Phantom’s Revenge at Kennywood, Ravine Flyer II at Waldameer and Water World, Wildcat’s Revenge at Hersheypark
No. 1: The Phoenix at Knoebels, Elysburg, is a classic wooden roller coaster that proves that newer, taller and faster aren’t always better. Phoenix offers panoramic views of the surrounding hills, as well as thrills in the form of a double out-and-back layout and speeds of 45 miles per hour. Distance from Chambersburg: 121 miles; about 2 hours
No. 2: Phantom’s Revenge at Kennywood, West Mifflin, features a 3,365-foot-long track that brings visitors frighteningly close to another of the park’s coasters, Thunderbolt. A hair-raising highlight is the ride’s second drop — a 232-foot thriller at 85 miles per hour. Distance from Chambersburg: 148 miles; about 2 hours, 40 minutes
No. 5: Ravine Flyer II at Waldameer and Water World, Erie, is the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in Pennsylvania, featuring an exhilarating 120-foot first drop and a top speed of 60 miles per hour. The coaster crosses over Pennsylvania Route 832 via a huge bridge, mimicking the path of the original Ravine Flyer from 1922. This hybrid coaster boasts airtime hills, tunnels and a 90-degree banked turn, delivering a relentless and thrilling ride. Distance from Chambersburg: 282 miles; about 4 and a half hours
No. 10: Wildcat’s Revenge at Hersheypark, Hershey, mixes past and present. Hersheypark added steel to an existing wooden track to come up with an entirely new hybrid ride that opened in 2023. This coaster climbs to the dizzying height of 140 feet, hits 62 miles per hour, and takes riders through four inversions and an 82-degree drop. The coaster also boasts the world’s largest underflip inversion for even more thrills. Distance from Chambersburg: 68 miles; about 1 hour, 15 minutes
Best Theme Park: Knoebels, Kennywood, Hersheypark
No. 2: Knoebels, Elysburg, is a vintage amusement park in Pennsylvania’s coal country. The rare amusement park that’s still free to enter (rides require old-school tickets), Knoebels is home to Phoenix, one of the most popular wooden roller coasters in the United States. And it’s a virtual museum of still-operating classic rides like Whipper, Flying Turns and the Haunted Mansion dark ride. Add in some modern thrills and water rides, and you have the perfect mix for a relaxed yet thrilling day in the park. Distance from Chambersburg: 121 miles; about 2 hours
No. 4: Kennywood, West Mifflin, brings history and iconic rides together in one place. Witness over 120 years of innovation in classic favorites that include wooden roller coasters like the side-by-side Racer, the intense Thunderbolt and the circa-1920 Jack Rabbit. Plus, there’s an unmatched collection of dark rides like the Old Mill and the last-of-its-kind Noah’s Ark, as well as modern thrill rides like the Steel Curtain coaster. Distance from Chambersburg: 148 miles; about 2 hours, 40 minutes
No. 10: Hersheypark, Hershey, is the amusement park of every chocolate lover’s dreams. Hersheypark features 121 acres with more than 70 rides (including 15 coasters), a water park and an 11-acre zoo — all accessible via a single admission. Wildcat’s Revenge, the first hybrid coaster manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction in Pennsylvania, boasts four inversions, including the world’s largest underflip. Candymonium — the park’s tallest, fastest and longest hyper coaster — debuted in 2020. Distance from Chambersburg: 68 miles; about 1 hour, 15 minutes
No. 1: The Hotel Hershey in Hershey provides a sweet spot to lay your head, whether you’re in town to take the Hershey’s Chocolate factory tour, check out Hersheypark or you’re just in the mood for a little pampering with a cocoa-infused spa treatment. A member of Historic Hotels of America, the four-star Hotel Hershey is an elegant retreat and offers a wide range of sports and recreation facilities where you can work off all those tasty treats, including a fitness center, golf, tennis, hiking trails and a pool with waterslides. Distance from Chambersburg: 68 miles; about 1 hour, 15 minutes
No. 1: The Alamo at Knoebels, Elysburg, is as friendly to the pocketbook at it is to families. The menu at this eatery, located on the park’s main boulevard, includes everything from hamburgers and hotdogs to heartier options like deep-fried crab cakes, chicken and waffles, and spaghetti and meatballs. Distance from Chambersburg: 121 miles; about 2 hours
Best Water Coaster: Storm Chaser at Aquatopia, Breakers Edge at Hersheypark’s Boardwalk
No. 6: Storm Chaser at Aquatopia Indoor Water Park, Tannersville (in the Poconos), is one of the longest indoor uphill water coasters on the continent. The ride features five steep plummets and loads of twists, turns and blasts. Guests can ride solo, but Aquatopia recommends riding the coaster in pairs for maximum fun. Distance from Chambersburg: 175 miles; about 2 hours, 55 minutes.
No. 8: Breakers Edge Water Coaster at The Boardwalk At Hersheypark, Hershey, is a fast-paced, hydromagnetic water coaster that launches four-person rafts through a series of exhilarating drops, high-speed tunnels and uphill climbs powered by linear induction motors. Riders experience airtime, g-force curves, tunnels, saucers and lots of splashes. Distance from Chambersburg: 68 miles; about 1 hour, 15 minutes
No. 1: VR Waterslide at Kalahari Resorts, Pocono Manor, brings virtual reality to water slides. Choose from a safari adventure, space exploration or a dragon experience, then get ready to slide on down for 40 seconds of thrills that will have you feeling out of this world. Distance from Chambersburg: 175 miles; about 2 hours, 45 minutes
Best Wave Pool: The Shore at Hersheypark’s Boardwalk, Wave Pool at Dorney Park’s Wildwater Kingdom
No. 6: The Shore at The Boardwalk at Hersheypark, Hershey, is a 378,000-gallon wave pool that is the perfect place to cool off in the summertime with your entire crew. Lounge in the shallow end, or venture into the waves in the 6-foot deep end — the choice is yours! Distance from Chambersburg: 68 miles; about 1 hour, 15 minutesNo. 10: The Wave Pool at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, Allentown, holds over 560,000 gallons of water and is as large as a football field. With depths ranging from 0 to 6 feet, you’ll enjoy waves on a five-minute on, five-minute off cycle so you can enjoy some excitement and then some downtime under the sun. Distance from Chambersburg: 130 miles; about 2 hours
Amber South can be reached at asouth@publicopinionnews.com.
FILE – Mug shot of Justin Sholly. (Montgomery County Office of the District Attorney)
A former volunteer firefighter in Pennsylvania has been arrested after he allegedly set multiple fires and then responded to the scene with the fire department to help extinguish them.
Justin Sholly, 29, was a member of the Perseverance Volunteer Fire Company in Souderton. He has since been terminated, according to a statement shared on the fire agency’s Facebook account.
What they’re saying:
“We want to assure the community that this incident does not represent the character or integrity of our dedicated volunteers. Our emergency response services remain fully operational, and our commitment to serving the public remains steadfast,” a statement on the agency’s Facebook page read.
Dig deeper:
Sholly is accused of setting a series of fires between May 29, 2026, and May 30, 2026.
Using license plate reader records and surveillance footage, investigators were able to spot Sholly’s vehicle near each fire incident before the blazes began.
Timeline:
Firefighters were first dispatched to a pile of wood logs that were set on fire on the side of a roadway on the afternoon of Friday, May 29, according to a criminal complaint filed on May 31, 2026.
Sholly allegedly admitted that he knew that a former employer who fired him in 2025 lived nearby before lighting the blaze.
A few hours later and into Saturday morning, crews responded to a massive barn fire which began after Sholly allegedly stuffed a fire starter log in a bag of trash before placing it against the barn.
The fire eventually spread to three vehicles, a shed, an outhouse and a gazebo, causing major damage.
A home nearby the blaze had eight people inside. Sholly admitted he was aware of the occupants but proceeded to light the fire anyway, the complaint read.
Investigators later searched Sholly’s car and garage and found multiple fire logs, lighter fluid, a lighter and a box containing fire-starting materials.
Sholly has been charged with multiple offenses, including arson, endangering property, reckless burning, possession of incendiary material and recklessly endangering another person.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from a criminal complaint filed on May 31, 2026, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and Facebook posts published by the Perseverance Volunteer Fire Company. This story was reported from San Jose.
Video highlights the sounds of summer with peepers and green frogs
Aaron Capouellez, founder of PA Woods and Forests and creator of Frog Week conservation project, talks about spring peepers and greens frogs.
Fireflies are starting to emerge across the state in advance of an upcoming state festival and a citizen science data project revolving around lightning bugs.
“So far it’s tracking right on the average, I think, just maybe a little bit above average,” firefly expert Peggy Butler said about her expectations for the glowing insect’s population this summer.
“We had what I would say was an early spring but then the temperatures cooled and it’s more in the average range at this time. We’re expecting peak season to be around the 21st of June.”
Butler and her husband Ken are cofounders of the Pennsylvania Firefly Festival, which will be held June 26 and 27 at the Market Village in Tionesta.
“It should be really good viewing for that week, the 21st through July 1 as long as the temperatures stay in the normal range and it doesn’t go one way or the other too rapidly,” said Butler, who is also the festival’s treasurer.
The area does need some rain to attract the bugs.
“They like it hot and humid. As soon as it gets hot and humid, I think we’ll start seeing fireflies,” she said.
Some people call fireflies lightning bugs.
“It doesn’t matter which term you use,” she said. “Lightning bugs are fireflies. Not all fireflies are lightning bugs, but all lightning bugs are fireflies. You can use either term. It all depends on where you grew up and what your knowledge level is about them.”
There are numerous species of fireflies, and she’s already been seeing some spring tree-top flashers since Mother’s Day. “I think May 19th was my first firefly sighting for the season, but the synchronous fireflies typically don’t start until June 10th or 12th and with a peak being around the summer solstice,” she said.
She recently spotted a Chinese lantern firefly and said that species overlaps with the synchronous species.
“He was a little early, but he’ll have friends popping up here any day now, especially with the temperatures warming up,” Butler said.
The evening displays can be impressive to watch as each species has its own flash pattern.
“We have over 30 species in Pennsylvania. And at any given time, you may have 12 to 15 different species in a habitat, if it’s a great habitat,” she said.
The common eastern firefly comes out at dusk. The species stays active for about 45 minutes before returning to the grass. Then other species emerge about an hour after dusk when it’s truly dark.
“Those are synchronous fireflies that we see in the forest,” she said.
If the weather is warm and humid, some species will glow throughout the night until dawn.
In mid-summer, the heebie-jeebie fireflies emerge.
“We call them Christmas in July. We get them in mid-to late July and they just cover the trees, and they look like a Christmas light show going on. They are not synchronous, but they seem to have this pulsating show going on,” she said.
Why fireflies glow
The glow of a firefly is used to attract other fireflies to mate.
Fireflies use their enzymes to create a cold light on the lower part of their body.
“Which is unique. Most of the time, when you think of light being produced by things like fire or other kinds of heat sources,” Michael Skvarla, assistant research professor of arthropod identification at Penn State University, said in a July 7, 2025, interview for this publication.
“Fireflies are unique because they can do it without producing heat,” Skvarla said.
That process is now associated with products we use, like glow sticks.
“The light that they produce is often species specific, the flash patterns. And so, the kind of classic one is the J-shaped pattern that people will see in their yards, that species likes to fly in open fields above short grass. So people will be familiar with that pattern, but most species have a unique flash pattern where they’re flashing,” he said, including areas with fields, trees and swamps.
The flashing patterns help the fireflies tell each other apart when searching for a mate.
Butler enjoys the unique qualities of these glowing insects and what they mean to the environment and changing seasons.
“It’s just another part of the season that shows that everything is in balance, everything is as it should be. So, if you have fireflies, they are an indicator species, it means everything is in balance and the habitat is free of pesticides and light pollution and that it’s natural,” she explained.
“If you don’t have fireflies, and you should in Pennsylvania, there’s reason to be concerned. Something is out of balance, whether it’s a manmade thing or some other reason. It can be a natural thing, too, like a fire, a forest fire can disrupt them. A flood can definitely disrupt them. But generally, if you don’t have fireflies, it’s something manmade or caused by human impacts.”
Lights off in June
June is the month for the conservation initiative Lights Out for Lightning Bugs, as the insects prefer dark areas.
“The easiest, quickest and most impactful thing people can do is turning off their outdoor lighting at night, specifically during June. For most fireflies, that’s their typical peak season of mating,” she said.
The flying insects prefer darker areas where they can be seen by other glowing bugs.
Making a home for fireflies
Lightning bugs prefer taller grassy areas that have leaf litter from the previous fall. The females lay their eggs in the ground and the larva can live there up to two years feeding off slugs and snails in the ground. “If you have a garden, it’s a good thing to have firefly larva in your garden. They need moist, shaded areas to keep their larva alive,” Butler said.
“Leave your leaves, turn off your light and let your lawns be natural. If you can, grow a little natural area in your backyard. Let it grow to full length and you’ll see more fireflies. Otherwise, reduce your mowing as much as possible and mow at a really high level, no shorter than four inches if possible, and try to reduce mowing as much as possible,” she said.
If you are concerned about ticks, she suggests having the taller grass natural area away from your home in an area where you don’t normally walk.
Firefly festival
The 14th annual festival in Forest County is operated by a group of board members across Pennsylvania who are involved in music and science.
The June 26-27 event has been moved from the Kellettville Campground to the Market Village in Tionesta.
“They invited us to come and host the festival there and we decided it would be great for our exhibitors to have more exposure to the public than they were getting down here in Kellettville when we were just limiting it to the evening and just ticketed tourists,” she said.
From 12 to 6 p.m. those two days, the public is welcome to visit a variety of exhibits and entertainment. “It is all free and open to the public,” she said.
However, there will be information available in the Market Village at the festival’s tent for self-guided night-time opportunities.
“We will show them some areas in Forest County where they can go and look for fireflies on their own, either that night or at another time. They are public areas that have ample parking, are safe and not lit up,” she said. “But they will be able to see fireflies at those locations.”
The nighttime programs and guided firefly events at the Army Corps of Engineers’ Tionesta Lake Recreation Area are already sold out.
Community science project with fireflies
The festival organizers are expanding their educational outreach to Clarion County.
“We love that people come to Forest County, but we aren’t the only county in Pennsylvania with fireflies. But we need more data and we need more public places that can handle the tourism and won’t impact the habitats of fireflies by too many humans going there,” Butler said.
Right now, they are looking for locations and populations of fireflies in the neighboring county.
“We know they have fireflies but there isn’t a lot of good survey data on them,” she said.
They are looking for the public to report sightings of fireflies in the Clarion area through a new project.
“We are encouraging people to participate in the Clarion County Firefly Blitz,” she said. People who want to be community scientists for fireflies can reach out to Butler by email at pafirefirelyfestival@gmail.com or the pafireflyfestival.org webpage.
“We encourage it to be Clarion County residents or people who camp regularly in Clarion County who are not necessarily residents, but weekend and holiday campers,” she said.
It’s a pilot project that she’s open to exploring in other counties in the future.
“Our main goal is education,” Butler said about fireflies. “If I’m learning, I’m sharing it with other people that it will continue to grow, not just here but across the state or across the country.”
Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him at bwhipkey@usatodayco.com and sign up for our weekly Go Outdoors PA newsletter email on this website’s homepage under your login name. Follow him on Facebook @whipkeyoutdoors.
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. (MyValleyTributes) – Linda Mae Combine, 65, of New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, passed away on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at UPMC Horizon in Farrell, Pennsylvania.
She was born in Mercer, Pennsylvania, on July 4, 1960, to Thomas and Hazel (Foster) Weaver.
Linda graduated from Mercer High School in 1978. She attended Meryhurst University and earned her associates degree.
She was a dental assistant and office manager for Dr. Donald McCamant, and was a faithful, dedicated worker for 44 years at his office in Sharpsville.
Linda was married to Tom “Toby” Combine on August 13, 1988, and he survives at home. They shared 37 wonderful years of marriage.
Linda loved to travel to coastal destinations, where she could soak in the warm sunshine, listen to the waves, and spend time near the water. She loved being at the beach. She also enjoyed going to camp with her husband and spending time with her family and friends.
In addition to her husband at home, Linda is survived by her sons, Travis (Ashley) Combine of WV, and Lucas (Brenna) Combine of Boardman, Ohio; grandchildren, Lucy, Ava and Holden; stepson, Louis (Ciera) Gianni and their children, Loki and Samara of Texas; sister, Judy (Bernie) Pyle of Mercer; also surviving are many nieces and nephews.
Linda was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Diane.
In keeping her wishes, cremation has been chosen and there will be no services.
Messages of sympathy, stories and photos can be shared on Linda’s memorial page, at: www.flynnfuneralhome.com.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Linda Combine, please visit our floral store.
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