{"id":85041,"date":"2026-01-12T23:43:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T23:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/85041\/"},"modified":"2026-01-12T23:43:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T23:43:08","slug":"pennsylvania-landmarks-you-have-to-see-and-hear-to-believe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/85041\/","title":{"rendered":"Pennsylvania landmarks you have to see (and hear) to believe"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\tFrom structures that conjure Stonehenge, to rocks that sing, to a hotel with a Ouija board for a roof, these Pennsylvania destinations each have a story to tell.<\/p>\n

In a state as old as Pennsylvania, with its diversity of rural and urban landscapes, it\u2019s no wonder that some places can at times feel downright magical. Over the past few centuries, immigrants brought their legends and lore with them while natural areas formed millions of years ago stood sentinel. The peoples indigenous to Pennsylvania also shaped their folklore on this land and passed it down, where it mixed with the folklore of settlers.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some places in the state, both new and old, hold mysteries about their origins. Other areas make visitors feel as if they\u2019ve transcended reality. We\u2019re highlighting places in Pennsylvania that feel somewhat mysterious, whether there\u2019s an actual mystery involved or whether the landmark just inspires awe. Read on to start planning your next otherworldly day trip.<\/p>\n

Columcille Megalith Park \u2013 Bangor
\n\"Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of brewbooks<\/p>\n

This park in Northampton County may have only been built in 1978, but it looks \u2014 and feels \u2014 ancient. This is because Columcille Megalith Park<\/a> contains more than 90 megaliths, large stone structures made of massive rocks in the style of prehistoric monuments. Columcille was inspired by Scotland\u2019s Isle of Iona, home of an ancient abbey and old Celtic stones. You can explore the 20 acres of Pennsylvania\u2019s own sacred stone park, enjoying the peace and mystery of the place, via a set of walking trails.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kecksburg UFO Monument and Festival \u2013 Kecksburg<\/p>\n

In 1965, thousands of people reportedly saw a large fireball streak across the sky over the eastern US. In Westmoreland County\u2019s Kecksburg, locals said they witnessed something falling into the woods, with some even claiming to have seen a large, acorn-like object in the forest. The forest area was quickly sealed to the public, but state police and other government officials reported that they found nothing.<\/p>\n

Astronomers said that the fireball was likely a meteor. Others have speculated that the object was a Soviet satellite or even a UFO. In Kecksburg, you can visit a replica of the object, the Kecksburg Space Acorn<\/a>, that serves as a monument to the strange incident. The town also honors its unofficial status as \u201cPennsylvania\u2019s Roswell\u201d each year with the Kecksburg UFO festival<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Gettysburg National Military Park \u2013 Gettysburg
\n\"Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Destination Gettysburg<\/p>\n

The fields of Gettysburg take on a mystical quality as soon as one considers the thousands of people that were killed over three days during the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. Because of this grim history, Gettysburg has been a regular stop for people interested in ghost stories and haunted houses. Within Gettysburg National Military Park<\/a>, a popular area to visit is Devil\u2019s Den and its boulders, which provided cover for Union soldiers as they attacked advancing Confederates. Here, where the loss of life was immense back in 1863, visitors sometimes report their camera equipment malfunctioning or claim to have seen apparitions of men in old uniforms.<\/p>\n

Toynbee Tiles \u2013 Philadelphia
\n\"Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Zuzu<\/p>\n

The Toynbee Tiles appeared in the asphalt in dozens of major US and South American cities throughout the 1980s, with the greatest number of these mysterious tiles found in Philadelphia. The plaques featured cryptic inscriptions like \u201cTOYNBEE IDEA\/MOVIE 2001\/RESURRECT DEAD\/PLANET JUPITER\u201d and other messages alluding to their creator\u2019s worldview. In 2011, a documentary film<\/a> came out about the tiles, theorizing that they were the work of a Philadelphia artist who installed the tiles via a hole in his car. Many of the tiles have been removed, but you can still visit some in Philly on Chestnut Street between 12th and 16th Streets. Check the Toynbee Tile map<\/a> for other locations.<\/p>\n

Labyrinth at Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park \u2013 Erie<\/p>\n

The labyrinth<\/a> at Erie\u2019s Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park<\/a> (LEAF) is one of dozens of similar spiral structures across the state. While one may typically equate a labyrinth with a maze, many labyrinths have just one path that leads to the center. The form of the labyrinth is ancient and has been used for thousands of years for meditation and ritual. LEAF\u2019s labyrinth is unicursal (it has a single path) and follows a meandering route \u2014 meant to inspire slow reflection \u2014 to the center. You may also seek out other labyrinths in Pennsylvania<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania \u2013 Wellsboro
\n\"Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of Nicholas_T<\/p>\n

The Appalachian Mountains formed more than 1 billion years ago, making these mountains older than bones. On the western side of the Appalachians, the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania<\/a>, officially known as the Pine Creek Gorge, cuts into the Appalachian Plateau for 45 miles, reaching depths of roughly 1,500 feet. Making your way to the gorge from the nearby town of Wellsboro is otherworldly. Suddenly, the ground drops and a gash in the earth stretches far beyond what you can see. Visit one of many Pine Creek Gorge overlooks to admire the view, which includes the Pine Creek River below. The Grand Canyon of Pa. is part of Tioga State Forest<\/a>, where you can also enjoy hiking and waterfalls.<\/p>\n

Kelpius Cave \u2013 Philadelphia<\/p>\n

Within Wissahickon Valley Park<\/a> in northwest Philadelphia lies a cave with ties to a doomsday cult. In the late seventeenth century, Lutheran sect leader Johannes Kelpius and his followers traveled to William Penn\u2019s Province of Pennsylvania and lived in the forest that is now Wissahickon Valley Park. As the story goes, in order to meditate and pray for the end of the world \u2014 which the sect believed would occur in 1694 \u2014 Kelpius created what\u2019s now known as Kelpius Cave<\/a> or Hermit\u2019s Cave. You can visit the cave by parking at Hermit Lane and walking along the Yellow Trail. A signpost will direct you to Hermit\u2019s Cave.<\/p>\n

Forest Cathedral in Cook Forest State Park \u2013 Cooksburg
\n\"Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

Photo courtesy of daveynin<\/p>\n

The Forest Cathedral in Cook Forest State Park<\/a> is an area of old-growth forest \u2014 indeed, it has some of the tallest trees in the entire northeastern US \u2014 and it lives up to its name. The majesty of the Forest Cathedral area, a national natural landmark, makes one feel as if they have been transported back to a time before most of the forests in Pa. were cleared. Walk under the towering, ancient white pines and hemlocks via trails<\/a> such as Tom\u2019s Run Trail (an easy hike) or Longfellow Trail (a more difficult hike).<\/p>\n

Ringing Rocks County Park \u2013 Upper Black Eddy
\n\"Pennsylvania<\/p>\n

Connor Johnson, 9, left, and Jacob Johnson, 11, take their hammers to make music at Ringing Rocks Park off Route 32 in Upper Black Eddy, a village in eastern Pennsylvania, March 22, 2011. Many of the rocks known as \u201clive ones\u201d ring when struck. (Monica Cabrera\/Allentown Morning Call\/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

When visiting this Bucks County park, be sure to bring a hammer. After all, Ringing Rocks County Park<\/a> has a seven-acre field of large boulders that mysteriously sing when struck. One could even bring a variety of hammers and mallets and compose music. When you\u2019re finished making music on the rocks, you can also walk the park\u2019s trails and visit the county\u2019s tallest waterfall.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Grand Midway Hotel \u2013 Windber<\/p>\n

This historic hotel in Somerset County has a reputation for the mystical and mysterious, as it features occult-related attractions and is said to be haunted. The Grand Midway Hotel<\/a> has themed rooms inspired by mythical creatures, a s\u00e9ance parlor, and is also home to the world\u2019s largest Ouija board, which makes up the roof. Ouija boards are famously used to attempt to contact the dead (perhaps via s\u00e9ances). The hotel regularly rents the entire place to paranormal investigators, but hotel guests can also reserve individual rooms. Just don\u2019t stay in the Canopy Room \u2014 the spirits there supposedly aren\u2019t pleasant. Note: As of Jan. 28, a note on the Grand Midway Hotel\u2019s website promises \u201ca new chapter,\u201d and says the hotel is about to \u201creveal its next big mystery.\u201d This could have something to do with a movie that owner Blair Murphy, a filmmaker and novelist, has been teasing on social media.<\/a><\/p>\n

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