Photo by Ron Sinfelt

It's not always easy to find a family vacation destination that has something for everyone -- especially if a great camping and fishing experience is part of the game plan.

Fortunately, Pennsylvania, home to the Hershey Bar, Gettysburg and the King of Prussia Mall, is also home to 17 million acres of forest and 83,000 miles of wilderness rivers and streams, making it the ideal family vacation spot for everyone with an outdoor spirit.

The family can get in loads of historical education, amusement park thrills and unique shopping opportunities in a land that boasts 160,000 acres of inland waterways along with 470,000-acre Lake Erie. Pennsylvania's streams are jumping with trout, steelhead and salmon. Fish the Keystone State's rivers for bass, walleyes, pike, muskies and catfish, or go deeper, fishing lakes full of muskies, pike and trout.

Every corner of the state offers a unique combination of fine fishing and family fun. Here's a roundup of some of the best places to go for your 2005 Pennsylvania vacation.

THE ERIE EXPERIENCE
No trip to Pennsylvania would be complete without a visit to Erie -- the city and the lake! Lake Erie is known as the "Walleye Capital of the World," and is a top-rated spot for smallmouth bass and yellow perch. State-record chinook salmon, coho salmon, lake trout and palomino trout have all been pulled out of Lake Erie.

While in Erie, stop by the ExpERIEnce Children's Museum, the Erie Zoo and Botanical Gardens or the Erie Art Museum in Discovery Square.

Other family fishing hotspots in the northwestern corner of the state include Edinboro Lake in Edinboro, Pymatuning Lake near Linesville, Woodcock Creek Lake near Saegertown, Lake Wilhelm near Sandy Lake and Justus Lake near Franklin.

Family-friendly lodging may be found near all of these fishing holes. Pymatuning State Park has 657 campsites spread over the Jamestown, Linesville and Tuttle areas, making it an ideal base camp for fishing and family fun throughout the region. There are also 25 cabins available.

For information about reservations in any of Pennsylvania's state parks, call (888) PA-PARKS or visit www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks.

Common species of fish in the lake include walleyes, muskellunge, carp, crappie, perch, bluegills, largemouth and smallmouth bass. There are three Pennsylvania-based boat marinas where float boats, motorboats, rowboats, canoes and motors may be rented. Pymatuning has four beaches for day use in addition to one for campers in the Jamestown area.

There are several privately-owned campgrounds in the region. The Hills Family Campground near Presque Isle has full hookups, a game room and is adjacent to a golf course. For more information, call (814) 833-3272. Or check out Sara's Beachcomber Campground in Erie at www.sarascampground.com, or call (814) 833-4560.

Many other state parks in the Erie region are worth a visit. Stop by Presque Isle State Park to take a dip at any of several beaches, including the only surf beach in the state.

Learn about the world's first commercial oil well while visiting Oil Creek State Park. The Drake Well Museum, at the north end of the park, highlights the region's oil heritage. Visit www.drakewell.org for details.

The Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad operates excursion trains through the state park. Call (814) 676-1733 for information.

For more information about attractions in northwestern Pennsylvania, contact the Erie Area Chamber of Commerce at (814) 454-7191.

VALLEY COUNTRY
The Susquehanna River flows through the valleys of central Pennsylvania and is home to world-class smallmouth bass fishing. The state's largest sauger was pulled from its currents, and nearby Penns Creek is reputed to be one of the best trout streams in America.

The region boasts some excellent fishing holes, campsites and favorite family destinations.