Harrisburg

Harrisburg is the capital and 4th-largest metropolitan area of Pennsylvania, with a metro population of 592,000 people in 2020. Harrisburg is known as the host city of the Pennsylvania Farm Show, the largest free indoor agriculture exposition in the United States, the largest annual outdoor sports show in North America, an auto show, which features a large static display of new and classic cars, and Motorama, a two-day event consisting of a car show, motocross racing, and remote control car racing.

Understand
The Susquehanna River runs along the western edge of the city. It is the largest non-navigable river in the eastern USA, but has numerous small islands, and is an excellent recreational resource.

The city began in 1710 when John Harris built a trading post and later his son started a ferry.

Tourist information

 * Visit Hershey Harrisburg website

By train

 * Routes stopping at Harrisburg:
 * Keystone multiple trips per day between Harrisburg and New York City with stops in Elizabethtown, Lancaster, Coatesville, Downingtown, Exton, Paoli, Ardmore, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark. Some trips operate between Harrisburg and Philadelphia.
 * Pennsylvanian operates daily between Pittsburgh and New York City with stops in Greensburg, Latrobe, Johnstown, Altoona, Huntingdon, Lewistown, Harrisburg, Elizabethtown, Lancaster, Exton, Paoli, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark.
 * Pennsylvanian operates daily between Pittsburgh and New York City with stops in Greensburg, Latrobe, Johnstown, Altoona, Huntingdon, Lewistown, Harrisburg, Elizabethtown, Lancaster, Exton, Paoli, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark.

By car
Harrisburg is served by a rather extensive highway system for a city of its size. Interstate 81, 83 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Interstate 76 all travel through or near the city. The Capital Beltway is comprised of I-81 to the north, I-83 to the east and south and PA-581 to the west of the city. U.S. Routes 22 and 322 also pass through the city and U.S. 11 and 15 pass just to the west.

By bus
Capitol Area Transit (CAT) is the regional bus service for the greater Harrisburg area. Travelers to Harrisburg from Cumberland and Dauphin Counties can travel via CAT. CAT is also a convenient means of transportation from Harrisburg International Airport (HIA).

By foot
The Appalachian Trail is just west of the city.

By car
Parking - meter parking is enforced M-Sa 8AM-7PM. The typical cost is $3 per hour with 15 minutes increments. Parking garages charges around $4 for 30 minutes or less and then escalating beyond that. Garages and metered parking are run by the Harrisburg Parking Authority.

By foot or bike
Harrisburg is a very walkable city, especially the downtown, midtown and uptown sections which are laid out in a simple grid without much change in grade. There are many beautiful walking and biking trails that run along the Susquehanna River. You can also walk or ride your bike across the Walnut St. Bridge to City Island without worrying about safety because it is blocked off to cars.

By bus
Capital Area Transit provides bus service in and around Harrisburg.

By taxi

 * American Taxi.

By limo

 * Londonderry Limo Harrisburg Limo Service.

See
Harrisburg has been an important location for statewide transportation since selected as the capital of Pennsylvania in 1812. The canal system and subsequent development of railroads, highways and airlines in the early century played a key role in transforming Harrisburg into a commercial and distribution center for Pennsylvania and the east. The city is 80 miles north of Baltimore, 100 miles west of Philadelphia, and 100 miles north of Washington D.C.



Other

 * Appalachian Trail
 * Riverfront Park and City Island. Along the banks of the Susquehanna you can enjoy a scenic bike ride, cruise the river on the Pride of the Susquehanna, or rent a canoe, paddleboat, or jet ski to experience all the Susquehanna River has to offer. Riverfront Park is also popular for afternoon lunches and provides an unbeatable view of Harrisburg's July 4th fireworks and Labor Day Weekend's Kipona Celebration, which includes a street festival, chili Cook-Off, boat race, and amusement rides.
 * City Island, . A unique park that sits in the center of the Susquehanna River, accessible by the east side of the Walnut St. Bridge, and is home to small shops, miniature golf, a restored carousel, train, carriage rides, and the Senators, a minor league baseball team. Home games for the Senators usually start at 6:35PM, and Sundays at 1:05PM, with box seats only costing $8 and general admission $5. The Riverside Village Park offers a variety of food from crab cakes to ice cream and is open daily from 11AM-8PM after May 13th. Water Golf, City Island's 18 hole miniature golf course costs $5.50 for adults and $4.50 for children.

Festivals and parades
Harrisburg is known for its many parades and street festivals that take place, especially in the summer time.



Learn

 * Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, offers undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in high technology fields in demand.
 * Harrisburg Area Community College, central Pennsylvania's community college with three campuses in the city.
 * Temple University Harrisburg, located in the heart of downtown offering graduate and certificate programs.

Eat
During the week, you should have no problem finding a place to eat without much wait, but the weekends (especially in the summer) may require a bit of a wait at the popular restaurants during their prime time dinner crowd.

Drink
Harrisburg's downtown atmosphere dynamically changes throughout the day. During the day, you can explore the coffee shops and quickly prepared meals designed to accommodate the government and downtown workforce. Early evening you can hop between restaurants during their happy hour specials (typically 5-7PM). Harrisburg has a small, vibrant night life for those who enjoy good food, good company, and good drinks.



Sleep
Accommodations in the Harrisburg area give you plenty of options at reasonable prices compared to larger metropolitan areas. More expensive hotels are located in closer proximity to Hershey and Baltimore.

Work
Most Harrisburgers work for the State of Pennsylvania (the local government), the city's largest and most dominant employer. Most civil positions in the government require you to be a resident of the state.

Stay safe
Keep in mind that Harrisburg's crime rate is higher than the national average. However, most areas that tourists and out-of-towners frequent are completely safe. Typical street smarts should keep most people out of trouble.

Harrisburg is within range of Three Mile Island nuclear reactor. If you hear a siren, turn your radio on.

Go next
Nearby destinations suitable for day trips include:
 * Allentown &mdash; Explore Pennsylvania's third-largest city, with an amusement park and casino action
 * Carlisle &mdash; Explore classic car country
 * Gettysburg &mdash; Explore Civil War country
 * Hershey &mdash; Explore chocolate country
 * Lancaster &mdash; Explore Amish country
 * York &mdash; Explore Central PA country