15 Peaceful Pennsylvania Places to Relax

If you find yourself stressed out in the Keystone state, Pennsylvania offers many places to find peace and stay calm. Between state parks, historic manicured gardens and scenic trails that will give you time to relax. Here are some ideas for a weekend or day trip to escape the grind and find your calm.

Take long walks at Longwood Gardens, located in Kennett Square and just 45 minutes and 36 miles southeast of Philadelphia. Breathe in the aroma of the botanical gardens, which sees 1.5 million people annually and consisting of over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows. Not only is it open year-round for visitors, but Longwood also offers seasonal and themed attractions as well as lectures and workshops.

Caledonia State Park, just north of the Maryland state line, between Chambersburg and Gettysburg offers 10 miles of hiking trails on 1,125-acres.

Hike away stress and climb Charcoal Hearth Trail, which is the longest and most rugged trail in the park. At 2.7 miles, the trail climbs steeply up Graeffenburg Mountain before leveling off then descending gradually and ending near a quiet stream, there you'll find peaceful sounds of a babbling brook.

Paddle the blues away at Memorial Lake State Park, near Fort Indiantown Gap in Annville, east of Harrisburg, this park features walking paths around the 85-acre lake. Visitors can rent a canoe or kayak to enjoy the calm waters and sail away for an afternoon.

Morris Arboretum, located in Chestnut Hill, north of Philadelphia, offers expansive public gardens to calm the senses. Since 1932, now with more than 13,000 labeled plants of approximately 2,600 types are growing in the Arboretum's living collection. The history trees will leave you feeling grounded and connected to the past while the birds chirping will bring you to the present.

Phipps Conservancy and Botanical Gardens, located in western Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh's east side, offers a wide variety of public gardens to help relax and calm the mind. For 125 years Phipps has been the cities' connection to nature, offering fragrant flowers like the orchard room, open year-round to visitors. Discover the bonsai collection featuring long-living artwork that has brought tranquility to many.

Natural beauty at Ricketts Glen State Park, located between Williamsport and Wilkes-Barre in the northeast corner of the state, offers stunning waterfalls to visitors willing to hike the trails to reach them. The 94-foot Ganoga Falls is the highest of 22 named waterfalls. Take in the view from the Grand View Trail in mid-June when the mountain laurel blooms.

Let your troubles flow down as you visit Raymondskill Falls, east of Scranton and right near the New York border, this three-tiered falls is the tallest in Pennsylvania. The series of three cascading waterfalls has two viewing platforms: one near the head of the falls and one at a large step that divides the upper two drops from the lower.

Swatara State Park in Central Pennsylvania offers 28 miles of trails for mountain bikers to take a joyride. From the State Park Lane trailhead, six loop trails twist through the woods and up-and-down hills. Each loop is about 1.5 miles in length, totaling 9.8 miles. After you've released the stress, take a break with a view of the Aycrigg's Falls.

Visit the tranquil waterfalls and pools at Mill Creek Falls, located in a rural section of southern York County, off route 372 near River Road. To reach it, there is an unmarked trailhead immediately before crossing the Norman Wood Bridge over the Susquehanna River to Lancaster County. You don't need your hiking boots to enjoy the falls, as it's just a short few steps from the road unless you want to continue up along the stream on a 2-mile hiking trail.

Enjoy Hershey Gardens fragrant rows of tulips, walking along paths near a babbling brook, strolling under cherry blossom trees, and finding rest in nearby benches. Since 1937 the gardens offer 23 acres of "botanical beauty" for visitors to view assortments of flowers, signature trees, and a newly built butterfly house. Indulge your senses in the color and variety of our brilliant seasonal displays and theme gardens, including the indoor, tropical Butterfly Atrium and the hands-on Children's Garden.

Touting as one of the most imaginative and exciting public gardens in America, Chanticleer, A Pleasure Garden offers visitors a place to find calm in the pleasure of senses. Located in Wayne, PA, just 30 minutes northeast of Philadelphia the venue offers lawns, sculptures, unique fountains, and expansive gardens. Enjoy the birds chirping as the sun shines and charges the solar panels, which aid in powering the 47-acre property.

Susquehannock State Park, located south of Lancaster offers peaceful views overlooking the Susquehanna River. Many islands can be seen from the Hawk Point Overlook including Mount Jonson island, the world's first bald eagle sanctuary, which has featured nesting for many years. Find calm while bird watching during the spring and fall, which are peak seasons for bird migrations.

Explore nature and visit Hawk Falls at Hickory Run State Park. The 15,990-acre park located in the western foothills of the Pocono Mountains offers more than 40 miles of hiking trails, a flowing stream stocked with trout, and a boulder field, dubbed as a National Natural Landmark. Take the Fireline Trail to view the Leigh Gorge.

The D&L Trail follows the 165-mile route that anthracite coal took from mine to market. It winds through northern mountains and along the banks of the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers through northeast Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Valley and through Bucks County. Experience the historic rail to trail by bike or walking to melt any remaining stress.

Italian Lake in Harrisburg is located in the heart of Pennsylvania and features antique-style streetlights, textured walkways, and formal gardens. There's a Japanese-style bridge that represents the harmony between nature and man. The classical-style fountain inspires with its three muses of art, music, and dance and is titled "Dance of Eternal Spring".