Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania, situated on the east bank of the Susquehanna River in the south-central part of the state. The grand State Capitol building, with its Renaissance-style dome modeled after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, is the city's architectural centerpiece and worth a guided tour.
The National Civil War Museum on Reservoir Park offers one of the most balanced collections of Civil War artifacts in the country. City Island, a mile-long island in the middle of the Susquehanna, has a minor league baseball stadium, a beach, and a riverside walking path. The nearby Broad Street Market, one of the oldest continuously operating farmers' markets in the country, is a good place to sample Pennsylvania Dutch baked goods and produce.
Hershey is just 15 minutes east, and Gettysburg is about 40 minutes to the southwest.