Wintertime means a whole lot of fun in Pennsylvania, especially after it snows. While some winter days are meant for curling up under the blanket with a mug of hot chocolate and watching the snow gently fall, others are made for getting outside and having a blast. What's winter like in Pennsylvania? Weather-wise, it's a hodge-podge, never knowing what to expect from one day to the next. Activity-wise? It's a blast.
Whether we prefer adrenaline-inducing wintertime activities, including snowmobiling and snow tubing, or laidback adventures like exploring quaint small towns, we'll find for what we're looking in Pennsylvania. Here are some of the best things to do in the winter in Pennsylvania.

Holiday Events In Pennsylvania

With so many holiday events in Pennsylvania, it's easy to get into the Christmas spirit. Harken back to those childhood days when we piled into the car to ride around the neighborhood to look at the Christmas lights when we visited some of the most dazzling Christmas light displays in Pennsylvania. Whether you prefer staying in your car or going on a Christmastime stroll, you'll find Christmas light displays in Pennsylvania that meet your needs. But that's just the start of the Christmastime fun; don't forget to add some of the best Christmas festivals in Pennsylvania to your holiday bucket list, too.

1. Koziar's Christmas Village

• Location: Bernville
• Popularity: One of the top Christmas displays in Pennsylvania. Expect long waits on the weekends.
• Price: $11-$16 per person

Hands down one of the most magical and popular Christmas lights displays in Pennsylvania, Koziar's Christmas Village has been a Bernville favorite since 1948. Bundle up and wear comfy shoes for your stroll through this Christmas village that shimmers with more than one million lights. As you explore the village, you might run into Santa, pass a Kissing Bridge, and pop into the Old-Fashioned Bakery Shop for a scrumptious treat. A journey to Koziar's Christmas Village, which welcomes visitors from early November through Jan. 1, deserves a spot on every Pennsylvanian's bucket list. It wouldn't be winter in Pennsylvania without a visit to Koziar's Christmas Village.

2. Hershey Sweet Lights

• Location: Hershey
• Popularity: Gets extremely busy
• Price: $29.99 (car) - $52.15 (van)

Listen to Christmas carols as you mosey along the two-mile path awash in twinkling lights at Hershey Sweet Lights, a beloved annual tradition. Your Christmastime adventure will take you past around 600 lighted displays and through an enchanted Candy Cane Forest and Victorian Village. If you'd like sweet treats for your ride, add the Hershey Sweet Lights Sweet Treat Bundle, a half-pound of chocolate fudge and kettle corn, when you purchase your ticket.

The fun doesn't stop there, though. Zip up your jacket and head inside Hersheypark for its Candylane, a Christmastime celebration that includes millions of glittering lights, seasonal goodies, and a selection of open rides. Hershey's Sweet Lights welcomes holiday revelers on select evenings from mid-November through Jan. 1.

3. Holiday Lights on the Lake

• Location: Altoona
• Popularity: Usually quite busy on weekends
• Price: $18 (car) - $100 (motorcoach). An unlimited season pass is available for $75.

Sing along to all your favorite Christmas songs as you slowly wind through 50 acres of glittering lights at Holiday Lights on the Lake in Altoona, hands down one of the best winter attractions in Pennsylvania. Drive through a light tunnel, past a light display of Santa driving a fire truck, and marvel at shimmering Christmas trees. Holiday Lights on the Lake runs from mid-November through Jan. 5, 2025. Hours are 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

4. Longwood Gardens

• Location: Kennett Square
• Popularity: Extremely popular, particularly on weekends
• Price: $23-$42. Children four and younger and members are free.

Celebrate the season with a trip to Longwood Gardens for its beloved annual A Longwood Christmas, one of the best winter attractions in Pennsylvania. Stroll through the gardens drenched in more than a half-million lights, past Christmas trees, and tumbling fountains. Timed tickets are required for this Christmastime event that runs on select days from mid-November through early January.

5. A Gettysburg Christmas Festival

• Location: Gettysburg
• Popularity: Busy
• Price: Mix of free and activities with a cost

Enjoy an old-fashioned holiday celebration at A Gettysburg Christmas Festival, an annual event that takes place the first weekend of December. A variety of family-friendly activities will fill the weekend, including visits with real reindeer, bounce houses, a mechanical snowboard, and family games. Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be on hand for several events, including a craft workshop where kiddos will paint a toy or make an ornament. Entertainment is planned throughout the three-day celebration. While you're in town, be sure to get a bit of Christmas shopping done at the quaint shops, and try one of the town's restaurants.

6. Dickens of a Christmas

• Location: Wellsboro
• Popularity: Busy
• Price: Free

The enchanting town of Wellsboro transforms into a winter wonderland every year for its Dickens of a Christmas Celebration. The daylong celebration, usually held the first Saturday in December, features a full menu of family-friendly fun. The sweet song of carolers will fill the air as you shop at the Victorian marketplace, indulge in seasonal goodies, and do a bit of Christmas shopping. A variety of tours and concerts are generally scheduled throughout the day too, and nearly 125 vendors are expected to be on hand for this Christmas celebration in Wellsboro.

Christmas Towns In Pennsylvania

While the Christmas season tends to be jam-packed with activities and events, a visit to one of the best Christmas towns in Pennsylvania is well worth squeezing in. One of the best family things to do in Pennsylvania in winter is a day trip or a weekend getaway to these enchanting small towns that promise an ideal opportunity to embrace the spirit of the season, indulge in seasonal goodies, and even get some Christmas shopping done.

7. Bethlehem

• Location: Bethlehem
• Popularity: Popular, especially during the weekends
• Price: A variety of free and paid activities and events

At the top of every Pennsylvanian's Christmas bucket list should sit the shining star, Christmas City itself. Bethlehem shines during the holiday season with locals and travelers flocking to the town to check out its Christkindlmarkt, the Christmas City Village and Christmas huts, and the elaborate destinations at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem. Make time to just meander through the downtown area, too, to admire the decorations.

8. Jim Thorpe

• Location: Jim Thorpe
• Popularity: Busy, especially on the weekends
• Price: Mix of free and paid activities/events

Journey to the Switzerland of Pennsylvania for a magical Christmastime adventure. The darling town of Jim Thorpe promises a fun and festive getaway. Christmastime means the annual Jim Thorpe Olde Time Christmas. Held the first three weekends of December, the beloved Christmas festival in Pennsylvania features horse-drawn carriage rides and strolling carolers. While in town, hop aboard a Christmas train with the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway. Santa might even join in on the fun.

9. Indiana

• Location: Indiana
• Popularity: Can get really busy during the It's A Wonderful Life Festival, quieter later in the afternoon and later in the season
• Price: Free

Step into a real-life Bedford Falls with a visit to the enchanting town of Indiana. The hometown of Jimmy Stewart, "It's A Wonderful Life's" George Bailey, transforms into the idyllic small town of Bedford Falls, complete with a "You Are Now In Bedford Falls" sign and a lighted sign of "George Lassos the Moon." The It's A Wonderful Life Festival runs on select weekends from late November through December, kicking off with a parade downtown. Festival activities include visits with Santa and roasting marshmallows. The shops downtown are perfect for Christmas shopping; grab a bite to eat at one of the quaint restaurants, and stop by The Jimmy Stewart Museum, where you might catch a showing of It's A Wonderful Life.

Indiana is one of my favorite small towns in Pennsylvania, and I go here every Christmas to visit my favorite actor's museum, visit with Santa, and get into the Christmas spirit. In recent years, parking has been free downtown on the weekends, so keep an eye out if you visit.

Outdoor Activities

If you're looking for fun things to do in the winter in Pennsylvania, you have no shortage of choices. From gliding around outdoor ice rinks to zipping down hills on sleds, you'll easily be able to pack your winter schedule with a ton of outdoor fun. Here are some of the best Pennsylvania winter activities.

10. Independence Blue Cross RiverRink

• Location: Philadelphia
• Popularity: Be prepared to deal with crowds
• Price: Ice skating admission $5; skate rental $12

Embrace the magic of wintertime at the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest, an annual event running from late November through early March. Nestled in the heart of Philadelphia, a beloved winter attraction in Pennsylvania, features a full menu of fun, including the centerpiece - the ice skating rink. Warm up near a firepit; grab a bite to eat at one of the eateries, or soak up the ambiance. Just entering Winterfest is free, so if you're looking for cheap things to do in the winter in Pennsylvania, add this epic event to your calendar.

11. Moraine State Park

• Location: Portersville
• Popularity: Can get busy
• Price: Free

If you're on the hunt for free things to do in the winter in Pennsylvania, make your way to Moraine State Park, home to the majestic Lake Arthur. After a fresh snow, the Western Pennsylvania state park transforms into a winter wonderland. Bring your sled for a day of zipping down hills, or go cross-country skiing or snowmobiling on one of the trails that meander through the picturesque park. Ice skating and playing hockey are also popular when the lake freezes over.

12. Camelback Mountain

• Location: Tannersville
• Popularity: Extremely popular, especially on weekends
• Price: Varies depending on activity and time of the season and the day

Boasting one of the best family things to do in the winter in Pennsylvania, Camelback Mountain Resort is home to the largest snow tubing park in Pennsylvania. Zip down the hill on a sunny winter day or, for a unique adventure, go snow tubing in the evening. Galactic tubing features disco lights and a ton of fun under the moonlight. Tickets are sold in two-hour increments. Camelback Mountain Resort is also popular with skiing, so you might want to make a day of it.

13. Seven Springs Mountain Resort

• Location: Seven Springs
• Popularity: Popular
• Price: Snow tubing starts at $43

Sashay down the mountain and show off your skiing skills at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. The popular Western Pennsylvania resort promises fun for the whole family. Spend the day skiing or snowboarding, or zip down the mountain on a snow tube. You can also take snowboarding and skiing lessons.

14. Sawmill Family Resort

• Location: Morris
• Popularity: Popular
• Price: Tubing rates start at $10 an hour/$25 for three hours

Snow tubing and skiing are, hands down, two of the best Pennsylvania winter activities, and you won't find a better place to do both than at Sawmill Family Resort. The Pennsylvania resort also offers snow tubing. If a day simply isn't enough, book a room at the inn or one of the resort's cottages.

Winter Getaways

Whether you're looking for one of the most romantic things to do in Pennsylvania in winter or are planning a family outing, you'll find an assortment of accommodations that make picture-perfect winter getaways. Here are some of the best places to stay in Pennsylvania.

15. Wapiti Woods

• Location: Weedville
• Popularity: Popular/quiet getaway
• Price: From $199 per night

If you're looking for romantic things to do in Pennsylvania in winter, you can't go wrong with a stay in a cabin at the enchanting Wapiti Woods Guest Cabin Resort. The cozy cabins feature everything you need for a luxurious stay, including a whirlpool tub. Nestled in the woods, the cabins are a hop, a skip, and a jump from a variety of outdoor attractions, including Allegheny National Forest and Elk Country Visitor Center.

16. The Lodge at Woodloch

• Location: Hawley
• Popularity: Popular year-round
• Price: Per night packages start at $549 per person

Wrap yourself in luxury at the Lodge at Woodloch, an adults-only lodge, making it one of the most romantic things to do in Pennsylvania in winter. When you're not curled up in your luxurious room, check out all the resort has to offer, including a Himalayan salt sauna, an outdoor whirlpool (open in the winter, too), and fire pits.

17. Split Rock Resort

• Location: Lake Harmony
• Popularity: Popular year-round
• Price: Rooms start around $150 per night

Watch the snow fall from your room at Split Rock Resort, an idyllic winter getaway in Pennsylvania. Perfect for a family getaway, the enchanting resort brings a bit of summer to the middle of winter with its indoor waterpark. Other family-friendly amenities include an arcade, bowling, mini golf, and a movie theater.

What are your favorite things to do in Pennsylvania in winter? Let us know in the comments! For more free things to do in Pennsylvania in winter, check out these hiking trails in Pennsylvania. Don't forget to take your camera with you on all of your winter adventures.