9 Pennsylvania Small Towns Locals Avoid After Tourists Took Over

Pennsylvania’s small towns have long been treasured for their historic charm and natural beauty. However, as word spreads about these hidden gems, tourism has transformed some communities beyond recognition. Once-quiet streets now buzz with out-of-state license plates, local shops have been replaced by souvenir stores, and residents find themselves competing for space in their own backyards. Here’s a look at nine Pennsylvania towns where locals now think twice before visiting, especially during peak tourist seasons.

1. Jim Thorpe: Scenic But Overcrowded

Nestled in the Lehigh Gorge, Jim Thorpe transforms into a sea of camera-wielding visitors every autumn. The Victorian architecture and mountain backdrop make it irresistible to leaf-peepers, but locals know better than to attempt a weekend visit between September and November.

Parking has become such a nightmare that residents often find themselves circling for 30 minutes just to grab coffee. The narrow streets, originally designed for horse-drawn carriages, now bottleneck with tour buses and SUVs.

Many longtime residents have created their own calendar of “safe days” when they can enjoy their town without the crowds. Some locals even rent out their homes during peak weekends, choosing to escape the tourist invasion altogether rather than deal with the congestion that has become synonymous with fall in Jim Thorpe.

2. Lake Wallenpaupack & Hawley: Summer Crowds Take Over

Remember when locals could spontaneously spend a Saturday at Lake Wallenpaupack? Those days vanished as the Poconos gained popularity with city dwellers seeking waterfront escapes. The 52-mile shoreline now resembles a parking lot of boats during summer weekends.

Residents of nearby Hawley have adapted by grocery shopping early Monday mornings to avoid weekend tourists who clean out store shelves. Restaurant wait times stretch to two hours during peak season, making impromptu dining impossible for year-round inhabitants.

Local fishing spots, once peaceful havens, now buzz with jet skis and powerboats from sunrise to sunset. Many residents have started exploring smaller, less-known lakes in the region, surrendering their beloved Wallenpaupack to visitors who might not even know how to pronounce its name correctly.

3. New Hope: Artsy Charm Meets Weekend Traffic

Artists flocked to New Hope in the 1930s, creating a bohemian riverside community. Today, you’ll find more tourists taking selfies than artists at easels. The town’s popularity exploded after being featured in several travel magazines, transforming quiet galleries into commercial spaces selling mass-produced “local” art.

Bridge Street becomes virtually impassable on weekends, with bumper-to-bumper traffic crawling past the Delaware Canal. Locals joke that you can walk to New Jersey faster than you can drive through town on a Saturday afternoon.

Residents have developed a secret language of back roads and alternative routes to navigate around tourist hotspots. Many New Hope natives now save their downtown visits for Tuesday and Wednesday evenings when they can reclaim their beloved restaurants and shops from the weekend warriors who’ve turned this arts haven into what some cynically call “New Jersey’s westernmost shopping mall.”

4. Intercourse: Amish Culture Under Pressure

The irony isn’t lost on locals: tourists flock to Intercourse seeking authentic Amish experiences while inadvertently destroying the very lifestyle they came to observe. Horse-drawn buggies now compete with tour buses on congested country roads, creating dangerous situations for the Amish community.

Farmland that sustained generations of families has been converted into parking lots and commercial developments catering exclusively to visitors. The authentic Amish-made crafts that initially attracted tourists have largely been replaced by imported knock-offs with “Made in Intercourse, PA” stickers.

Local Amish families increasingly avoid town on weekends, conducting business early weekday mornings before the tourist shops open. Many residents express frustration at being treated like living museum exhibits, with visitors frequently taking unauthorized photographs despite clear cultural prohibitions. The authentic community character that made Intercourse special continues to erode with each new souvenir shop.

5. Kitchen Kettle Village: A Shopping Destination Gone Wild

What began as a small jam and relish business in the 1950s has mushroomed into a sprawling commercial complex that locals barely recognize. Kitchen Kettle Village now stretches across 42 shops, drawing tour buses by the dozens during peak season.

The parking situation has become so notorious that residents of nearby homes find their driveways blocked regularly by visitors who can’t find official parking. Local shoppers have essentially surrendered weekends entirely, knowing that the authentic Lancaster County products they once enjoyed require navigating through selfie-taking crowds and long checkout lines.

The village’s transformation represents a broader trend across Pennsylvania’s tourist towns – what began as genuine local businesses have evolved into carefully orchestrated experiences designed for visitors rather than residents. Many locals now drive to more distant shopping areas where they can find similar products without the theatrical production that Kitchen Kettle has become.

6. Strasburg: Railroads and Theatres Bring the Crowds

The whistle of the historic Strasburg Rail Road once signaled community pride. Now it announces the arrival of thousands of daily visitors who transform this quiet town into a theme park atmosphere. Locals find themselves trapped in their neighborhoods during special events when train enthusiasts descend en masse.

The massive Sight & Sound Theatre, with its Broadway-scale biblical productions, brings in busloads of visitors who create traffic jams before and after each performance. Residents have learned to plan their commutes around show times or risk sitting through multiple light cycles at previously sleepy intersections.

Family restaurants that served generations of local farmers now feature hour-long waits and gift shops. Many longtime residents reminisce about when Strasburg was known for its community rather than its attractions. Some locals have established unofficial “resident nights” at certain establishments where they can reconnect with neighbors without competing with tourists for tables and service.

7. Pocono Pines: Resorts Over Community

Weekenders from New York and New Jersey discovered Pocono Pines decades ago, but recent years have seen unprecedented development. Luxury resorts and vacation communities have sprung up around every lake and mountain view, driving property values beyond what many locals can afford.

The small grocery store that once served as a community gathering spot now stocks primarily vacation supplies and premium goods aimed at weekend visitors. Year-round residents often drive 30 minutes to find reasonably priced essentials. Local roads designed for occasional use now carry constant traffic, especially during check-in and check-out times at the numerous Airbnbs and vacation rentals.

The community center hosts fewer events for residents as facilities cater increasingly to tourists seeking activities. Many longtime locals express feeling like strangers in their own town, where baristas know the weekend crowd better than the people who live there year-round. The community spirit that once defined Pocono Pines has gradually been replaced by a service economy focused entirely on visitors.

8. Beltzville State Park: Nature Overrun

Beltzville Lake’s crystal waters once provided a peaceful retreat for local families. Social media changed everything when urban visitors discovered this “hidden gem” just 90 minutes from Philadelphia. Summer weekends now see parking lots filled by 9 AM, with cars lining nearby roads for miles.

The environmental impact has been devastating. Trash often litters the once-pristine shores, despite park rangers’ best efforts. Local residents who enjoyed spontaneous lake visits for generations now find themselves effectively locked out of their backyard paradise during summer months.

Wildlife that once thrived along the shoreline has retreated deeper into the forest to escape the constant human presence. Residents have created a sad tradition of “reclaiming days” each September after Labor Day, when they gather to clean up the summer’s accumulated debris left by tourists. Many locals have abandoned Beltzville entirely, seeking out lesser-known swimming holes and fishing spots that haven’t yet appeared on Instagram.

9. Gettysburg: History Overwhelmed by Visitors

Living in Gettysburg means sharing your hometown with the ghosts of history – and millions of annual visitors trying to connect with them. Locals know better than to attempt crossing Lincoln Square during summer months or anniversary weekends, when the gridlock can add 30 minutes to a normally two-minute drive.

Restaurants that once served as community gathering spots now cater almost exclusively to tourists, with prices to match. Many residents feel the historical significance that makes their town special has been commercialized beyond recognition, with ghost tours and souvenir shops overshadowing the somber battlefield.

The annual reenactment weekends transform quiet neighborhoods into parking zones and viewing areas. Residents have developed an unofficial calendar marking “local-friendly” periods between tourist waves. Some Gettysburg families have traditions of “tourist season evacuation,” planning their own vacations during peak visitor times to avoid the congestion that transforms their historic town into what some jokingly call “Civil War Disney.”