Oof.
Honest mistake we’ve made ourselves. We have two friends named Kyle - one in Indiana PA and another in Indy. So whenever one of us tells the other “Kyle called” the follow-up question or clarification is always “state or town?”.
I found this link for Hal
and it reminded me that the PA Pike exit is near the North Huntingdon Mickey D’s – which is the pseudo-birthplace of the Whopper. The little museum they have is actually kinda cute.
You meant the Big Mac, of course.
I’m amazed that no one has yet mentioned Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland, just a short hop (or slither) off I-80 in Allenwood.
You can meet and feed the Aldabra tortoises (I hear they prefer toddlers, but will settle for veggies and fruits).
Alas, I haven’t yet been able to convince Mrs. J. to take a side trip there (she remembers an unpleasant surprise years ago at a reptilatorium in the Black Hills):
“They’re LOOSE!!!” :eek:
As much as they stretch things to have the museum ------ I’m not always that sure. 
Sorry – I have a one Knoebels – er, track mind. 
Reptileland is actually pretty cool. This isn’t some basic tourist trap; its a small real zoo and really serious about its science and education. If you are there for any of the presentations, they are really great. The dinosaur thing is OK - not fantastic but pretty well done. But the butterflies are terrific.
And also in that general area (again just off 80) is Bills Old Bike Barn and Museum. Again, not what you would expect – its more than motorcycles. It’s basically an entire village built under one roof to display the various collections of its owner – Bill Morris. Locks in the locksmith, a doll shop, the mayors office, the fire department — and a ton of cool motorcycles scattered here and there. Check out the virtual tour.
Another place that’s pretty cool is the Old Sled Works in Duncannon. Lots of antiques, a penny arcade with antique games, and a working antique soda fountain. It’s a neat little time capsule sort of place.
Ok, my quick response to a very cursory skim of the thread (we hosted a backyard BBQ yesterday, so I haven’t really had a minute to get back to this).
An amusement park would be nice, but I wouldn’t do POP. I can’t do rides anymore due to a head injury a couple of years ago. I’m cool with paying for tickets for my older daughter to go on thrill rides or my wife and baby some gentle ones, but I’m not paying big bucks for me to stand there guarding the stroller. 
So that knocks off Hersey, Kennywod and Idlewild (all awesome parks that I visited many times in my American Coaster Enthusiasts member days). Knoebels would be perfect except it’s way off the path, and we’ll be going there in October anyway (PPP, baby!).
Ok, gotta get back to packing – I’ll check back a bit later to thoroughly read through everything. Thanks much for all the input!
If you’re a history buff and in the area maybe Johnstown. The remnants of the dam are still there.
If you’re in the SCA, there’s Pennsic. It’s not much of a tourist thing, though…
At the Bentleyville exit of the PA Turnpike there’s a smallish adult bookstore/toys/peep show establishment where, a few years back, some guy left his toddler in the car seat (to be fair, the engine and A/C were running), and entered the store for 2+ hours of shopping and peeping fun. Eventually, the cops were called, but with the right amount of child distraction (say, a Disney video), you and the missus could…never mind! Gotta go!
Centralia?
Go to Rivers casino, near Pittsburgh.
Centralia is not as interesting as it used to be. Virtually everything is gone save for a few houses well outside of the main intersection. You could check out the pit, on a cold day you could see the clouds of steam, and you can walk the abandoned highway. Some jerk even stole the Centralia Bench.
If you’re going to go, next year is when to do it. The former residents are going to come back to open the time capsule still buried there.
Also, it’s near Knoebels, so if that’s too far so is Centralia.
On a quasi-related note, we need to have a Western PA Dopefest. We just do.
Go to the Shipshewana Livestock Auction, buy your daughter a pony and save a life.
StG
Never mind, Shipshewana is in Indiana. What is the PA horse auction that feeds to the slaughter pens? Right, New Holland. Go to New Holland.
StG
I second the Western PA dopefest.
I was just at Rivers Casino on Saturday, and I also toured the Carnegie Science Center while there. The USS Requin was interesting. The casino is about as “in” Pittsburgh as you can get, next to Heinz Field.
I spent a couple of hours yesterday marveling at the Cabela’s off 78 on Hamburg. The African veldt! An aquarium! Mountain goats on mountains and bison in the snow. A whole hall of taxidermied deer. Camouflage everything. Threatening doormats. Croosbows for the impending zombie apocalypse! The place is unbelievable and surreal. If you happen to be on 78, it’s worth a stop. The kids will enjoy it and the fudge is pretty good.
Ps Knoebel’s rules
I’ll third it.
The problem with anything in Pittsburgh is access from/to the turnpike. All the various routes can get totally backed up real easy; even 28. And few of the really interesting family things are near any of the exits. And remember – the casino is strictly over 18 or possibly 21.
It’s more central PA but ---- Old Bedford Village used to be pretty good. Lots of various demonstrations and stuff.
Hal – sorry I didn’t recognize your face. I’ll be set up at the swap meet by the Phoenix same as usual this year for PPP. Been a couple years so smack me with a 2x4 or something. 