Recreation
Four distinct seasons offer a myriad of ways to spend leisure time in central and eastern Pennsylvania. The region's premier natural resources provide many opportunities for outdoor sports and activities, year-round. The area boasts 3.5 million acres of state and federal park lands, 1 million acres of state game lands, 28 ski resorts, more than 850 lakes and 134 golf courses. There also are many amusement parks, plus exciting minor league baseball, soccer and ice hockey.
Lancaster is the heart of Amish Country and is a well-known tourist area. Harrisburg, with its beautiful and historic buildings, is the state capital. Wellsboro is home to the scenic "Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania." Williamsport plays host to the annual Little League World Series. And the Pocono Mountains offer spectacular surroundings in which to ski, swim, fish, hunt, hike and mountain bike.
Culture
A variety of cultural opportunities await you in central and eastern Pennsylvania:
- Allentown Art Museum
- State Museum of Pennsylvania
- Harrisburg Symphony
- Northeast Pennsylvania Philharmonic
- F.M. Kirby Center for the Arts
- Weis Center for the Performing Arts
- Sovereign Performing Arts Center
- Williamsport Cultural Arts Center
Opera, theatre and fine dining are also on hand. Take a trip back in time to historic Bethlehem and nearby Gettysburg. Or hop aboard the old Strasburg Railroad. There is so much to see and do.
Education
Quality education is a strength of central and eastern Pennsylvania. Its 31 colleges and universities, two-year branch campuses or community colleges, and its 30 business and vocational-technical schools ensure a well-prepared labor force with the right skills and work ethic. More important, businesses and industries that locate here gain strategic access to research universities such as Penn State, Lehigh, Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania. These working partnerships develop a strong knowledge base that helps shape the future.
Healthcare
Central and eastern Pennsylvania has a strong network of community-based general hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and regional medical centers with extensive facilities and experienced health care professionals in virtually every specialty:
- The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center of Penn State University, located in Hershey, is a teaching hospital gaining a national reputation in the areas of medical research and heart transplants.
- The Geisinger Medical Center, located in Danville, offers a multitude of services, including a children's hospital.
- The Lehigh Valley Hospital, located in Allentown, is one of Pennsylvania's largest teaching hospitals, with specialties in open heart surgery and neonatal care. All three of these medical centers offer trauma and helicopter transport services.
- St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) is a nonprofit nationally recognized network providing services at 10 hospitals and more than 315 sites in the region.
- Pittsburgh-based UPMC serves portions of our service territory including UPMC Pinnacle.