Alleghenies and Susquehanna Valley

The Susquehanna Valley of Pennsylvania lies in the south-central portion of the state and includes one of the most urban state capitals in the country, Harrisburg. Additionally, the Susquehanna Valley is home to a few pockets of Amish and Mennonite culture. The area is rich in revolutionary and industrial heritage and traces its roots as far back as the mid-1600s. The Susquehanna River is believed to be one of the oldest systems in the world and is the largest non-navigable river in the United States.

Counties

• Dauphin County
• Juniata County
• Lycoming County
• Montour County
• Perry County
• Snyder County
• Union County
• York County

Cities

• Hershey
• Harrisburg
• Lititz
• Shamokin Dam
• Sunbury-Lewisburg-Selinsgrove, PA
• Spring Grove
• Williamsport

Understand

While much of the area is made up of farmland, sizable towns and small to midsized cities line the shores on each side of the Susquehanna. Most notably, Harrisburg, the capital of the state, sits in the southern half of the valley. Williamsport, home of the Little League World Series, sits in the northern half of the region. Almost exactly in between the two lies Sunbury-Lewisburg-Selinsgrove, a largely exurban and rural triad of towns all located on the shores of the Susquehanna. This area is known for it's outstanding collegiate academics and sports as well as the Amish landscape and products produced there.

Talk

The Susquehanna Valley region of Pennsylvania draws its dialect both from the local Amish "Pennsylvania Dutch" dialect and the Eastern Pennsylvania / Philadelphia dialect. While terms like "water ice" and "youse" are not uncommon here, the Pennsylvania Dutch "yuns" is also north of Harrisburg.

Get in

Harrisburg International Airport is located just outside the city in Middletown. Directly in center city Harrisburg is the Harrisburg Transportation Center, which serves as an Amtrak and Greyhound/Trailways hub. Williamsport and Selinsgrove both have their own regional airports. The valley is connected by Pennsylvania state routes 11 & 15 from north to south. The Harrisburg area also has access to Interstates 81 and 83, state routes 322 and 22, and the Pennsylvania turnpike to points east and west.

Get around

In Harrisburg and Williamsport, the alternative to car transportation is city bus service. In the smaller areas of Sunbury, Lewisburg and Selinsgrove, cars are preferred. Though these areas have buses and taxis, they are difficult to find and schedule and can be costly when compared to the options in bigger cities.