One of the original colonies created to ensure religious freedom, Pennsylvania is a product of its own special mix of settlers. Founded by Quakers, it later added various German sects and Scotch-Irish pioneers pushing westward from Philadelphia. Tourism is Pennsylvania's second largest industry (after agriculture), and it has plenty of attractions, thanks largely to its part in American history, its Pennsylvania Dutch enclaves and recreational sites in the Poconos.

Philadelphia could well be named Ben Franklin City. You can't turn around without bumping into a memorial to him or something he developed.

Who goes there? All three personality types appreciate Pennsylvania. Philadelphia rivals Boston as a mecca for those interested in American history (Washington, D.C., is No. 1 in that category, of course). When do they go? Summer is the most popular season for two reasons: Families with children are limited to that time of year, and the outdoor recreational areas in the mountains are geared for warm-weather getaways. However, for those with the flexibility, it is a satisfying experience to be able to see attractions like the Liberty Bell and Valley Forge minus summer crowds.

Chart a biking tour through the Southern Allegheny Mountains, one of the country’s best biking areas. The region has its own Web site, www.cyclesa.com, which provides road tours and maps. One route takes you through Amish country.

Route 6, one of the nation’s most scenic drives, winds its way across the top of Pennsylvania — and lends itself perfectly to a motorcycle trip. Along the way, take a side trip to Erie for dinner at the Quaker Steak and Lube and, April to September, Bike Night each Thursday.

Go whitewater rafting on the Upper, Middle and Lower Youghiogheny River in the Laurel Highlands in southwest Pennsylvania.

For the brave adult and any child: Visit the Insectarium in Philadelphia, billed as “the largest insect museum in the nation.” A lot of these exhibits are alive.

Go rock climbing or rappelling at Laurel Caverns Geological Park, open seasonally, at Hopgood. You’ll also want to go underground to explore the state’s largest caverns, to explore the park’s passageways, catacombs and native sculptures.

Attend the midsummer Bark Peeler’s Convention at the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum on Route 6 in Potter County, celebrating the state’s lumbering past, featuring greased pole, frog jumping, tobacco spitting, birling and fiddling contests.

Sign on for a farm stay in Lancaster County, where your B&B arrangement will include milking the cows and gathering eggs before your hearty breakfast.

Visit the Gettysburg National Military Park for a sobering review of the important and bloody battle that proved a turning point for the North in the Civil War. Take a private battlefield tour. It was here that President Lincoln made one of the shortest and most-impactful speeches ever to come out of the mouth of a politician.

In a state where a lot of quilts are made, take quilting classes at the Quilters’ Heritage Celebration in spring in Lancaster. If you are skilled enough, get into the competitions by entering a quilt of your own making. The event features extensive quilt displays and, of course, offers the chance to buy.

York County calls itself the factory tour capital of the world, and at last count, listed 17 options at www.yorkpa.org. Hershey is one of them, along with a second candy business (Wolfgang Candy Company), but another big factory with its own fans is Harley-Davidson Motor Co. in York. Free tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Other factories encompass furniture making, glass making and lots of food: potato chips, pretzels and Herr's Snack Food Factory in Nottingham.

What about a lunch break? Stop in Hershey at the Chocolate Town Cafe or chow down at Chipper's Cafe at Herr’s Snack Food Factory.

Take your family biking, boating, camping, fishing, hiking, swimming. You have 117 state parks to choose from.

Take a trip of a few hours by covered wagon along Pine Creek in Pennsylvania’s 50-mile-long Grand Canyon. Another alternative is to bike on the Pine Creek Trail. Or, go fishing or kayaking on the creek itself.

Visit the Ephrata Cloister, which was one of America’s early religious communities, founded in 1732 by German settlers and now a National Historic Landmark open for tours. Try to visit when a special event is scheduled. An example is the Christmas holiday Lantern Tour during which high school students play roles of early residents in order to bring Ephrata’s past alive.

Bike or hike on Pennsylvania’s rail-trails. More than 1,100 miles of former rail lines have been converted into biking and hiking trails and more are in the works. The trails are also open to cross-country skiers, equestrians and joggers.

Visit Pennsylvania Dutch country northwest of Philadelphia for a chance to witness aspects of a culture that has maintained itself with little change over the decades. The food is fabulous.

Chocoholic or no, you'll find the town of Hershey a sweet experience. It has a theme park and a museum dedicated to chocolate, and the Spa at Hotel Hershey uses chocolate in its treatments. You can smell the town long before you see it.

Go fishing on Lake Erie aboard a chartered boat. Or, take a narrated tour on the lake by day or a relaxing cruise in the evening.

Attend the autumn National Apple Harvest Festival in Arendtsville, which celebrates apples and the best of the region’s other foods.

If you like fall foliage, look for the weekly fall foliage report at www.visitpa.com/visitpa/foliageReport.pa

Besides taking in the Liberty Bell and all the other sites associated with Philadelphia’s role as the U.S. capital during the Revolutionary War, take a tour of the U.S. Mint there.

Visit the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, the largest museum dedicated to the work of one artist. Also, see nearby Fallingwater, among the most acclaimed examples of architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s work. The home is built over a natural waterfall.

Go bird-watching. Check www.birding.com for the lowdown on the best places to go.

For more information, consult the Pennsylvania Tourism Office at www.visitpa.com

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