Forget Las Vegas, Visit This Pennsylvania City Filled With Casino Fun, Caving Adventures, And Historic Charm

You might not expect a community of less than 900 people to offer much for visitors, but Farmington, Pennsylvania, has a surprising array of travel-worthy attractions. Many people know it as the location of Nemacolin, a 2,200-acre resort with three luxury hotels, 19 restaurants and bars, a four-star spa, and a slew of entertainment ranging from cosmic bowling to a ropes challenge course where you can eat lunch in the treetops.

The resort is also home to The Casino at Nemacolin, which lives up to its tagline of "the luckiest spot in the Laurel Highlands" with 500 gaming machines and 25 table games, including high-limit Blackjack and perennial favorites like Craps and Roulette. While it's on the smaller side compared to casinos in spots like Atlantic City, it was remodeled fairly recently, in 2024, giving it a fresh, modern layout and atmosphere. A free shuttle runs between the casino and resort, but you don't need to stay at Nemacolin to play. Along with gaming, the casino has an in-house restaurant, The Royale, and live music on the weekends.

Nemacolin isn't Farmington's only claim to fame. The town is located about 10 miles north of Pennsylvania's southern border in the Laurel Highlands, a mountainous area covering about 3,000 square miles that is known for its historic sites and incredible scenery. Farmington checks both of those boxes. It's the closest town to Fort Necessity, which is about a mile up the National Road. It's also home to Pennsylvania's largest cave, the Laurel Caverns, and there is plenty of other outdoor entertainment in the area. While the landscape around Farmington feels remote and rural, it's only about 90 minutes south of Pittsburgh, making it an accessible destination for travelers with a variety of interests.

In 1754, the British sent George Washington to oust the French from Fort Duquesne. He failed and retreated south, where he built Fort Necessity. On July 3, the French attacked, starting the nine-year French and Indian War. The French later destroyed the fort, but enough traces remained for archaeologists in the 1950s to reconstruct it. That reconstruction is what visitors to Fort Necessity can see today, along with related sites like Jumonville Glen, where Washington's troops skirmished with the French before the battle, and the grave of General Braddock, who was mortally wounded during the 1755 Battle on the Monongahela. Fort Necessity and Braddock's Grave are open daily year-round, but Jumonville Glen is only open from May through October, making those the ideal months to visit.

Washington and Braddock created a road for their troops in the 1750s, and the National Road ran parallel to this military path when it was constructed in the early 19^th century. That road, called "America's First Highway," is now U.S. Route 40, which runs through Farmington. The Mount Washington Tavern opened in the 1830s to serve the new highway's travelers, and the preserved building today functions as a museum. It's open from May through October, when visitors can take self-guided tours of its period-furnished rooms. 

Other historic National Road inns are still operational, like the Stone House Inn about a mile north of Braddock's Grave, which first opened in 1822. While its rooms and menu have been updated since, it still brims with historic charm. For more 19^th-century history, check out the Wharton Iron Furnace about 2 miles from the Stone House Inn on Wharton Furnace Road. This well-preserved early industrial site dates to 1837 and was in active use during the Civil War, when it made cannonballs.

Guests at Nemacolin Resort can have fun outside without leaving the resort grounds. Golfers can choose from two Pete Dye-designed championship courses: Mystic Rock and Shepherd's Rock. There are less-expected outdoor adventures on offer, too. The Rod & Range Club has life-sized animal-shaped targets for archery and air rifle practice, along with bird hunting and catch-and-release fly fishing excursions. You can also ride horses, play combat paintball, or ride the zip line for a bird's-eye view of the landscape. In the winter, activities like dogsledding and skiing are added to the list. While these are all considered resort amenities, you can sign up for a Woodlands Club membership to participate without booking a room.

There are adventures in Farmington beyond those offered by Nemacolin, too. The best-known is Laurel Caverns, which offers tours and family fun in one of the world's steepest and biggest calcareous sandstone caves. There are multiple ways to tour its 4 miles of passages, from the 35-minute Maze Tour through the easier passages to the strenuous Deep Depths Caving Program for experienced cavers. The Laurel Caverns are open daily during the season, which typically runs from mid-April through September.

Farmington is located within a quick drive of some of the most popular outdoor attractions in the Laurel Highlands. About 4 miles northeast of Farmington is the underrated outdoor paradise of Ohiopyle State Park, which is known for its waterfalls and whitewater rafting on the Youghiogheny River. Hikers and bikers can choose from 12 trails to explore its over 20,000 acres, including a 27-mile portion of the Great Allegheny Passage. You'll find more fun on the water and scenic camping in the peaceful mountain borough of Confluence, about a half-hour drive east from Farmington.