America's Largest Cabela's Is An Outdoor Recreation Lover's Gigantic Shopping Paradise In Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is one of the best budget-friendly shopping states in the U.S., largely thanks to its ambitious outlet malls. A trip to the Cabela's in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, can feel like a pilgrimage to the holy grail of outdoor gear. The 250,000-square-foot complex is known as the "High Temple of Taxidermy," the "World's Foremost Outfitter," and so much more than just a store. 

The mecca is just about 90 miles northwest of Philadelphia International Airport, and you can make the massive complex part of a more extended road trip. The parking lot has overnight RV parking and a free waste dump that invites you to take a rest from the road. It'd be good to stop overnight, as you'll need two days just to see it all.

The scale of this Cabela's can feel overwhelming. The store has many different departments meticulously stacked with outdoor gear, gifts, and fudge. It fills out the rest of the complex with taxidermy, monuments, and exhibits geared toward the outdoors and the people who explore it. Plan your trip around the Cabela's calendar for even more mayhem. The store takes things up a notch during holidays and seasonal events, like the Spring Fishing Classic, Fall Hunting Classic, the Go Outdoors Event, and chili cook-offs. No matter when you visit, wear comfortable shoes and bring breadcrumbs to mark your trail — this store is so big that finding your way back to the entrance might be your greatest outdoor adventure yet.

Future historians will examine this Cabelas to understand what it means to be American, but those living in the current era can simply experience the joy of its special offers. Of course, the biggest attraction is the store itself. The sheer number of rods, reels, and gear lining the walls is worth the trip, and these deals are just the beginning of what these hallowed halls contain. The store is also part museum, aquarium, gun library, archery range, shooting gallery, photo booth, and much more.

The most epic attraction might be the Conservation Mountain, a towering display of taxidermy that stretches towards the ceiling, taller than the second-story shopping level. The mountain features beavers, polar bears, deer, and many other stuffed animals, as well as waterfalls and streams with live fish. At the Deer Country Museum, you'll find a room full of big buck busts and an animatronic human wearing hunting gear who tells you about particularly impressive world records. If seamanship is more your style, you'll feel right at home in the 55,000-gallon aquarium that features 30 different fish species, including local legends like the colorful brook trout. 

While most of the displays highlight local wildlife, the epic "Big 5" Africa Diorama features an elephant and rhino killed by Cabela's founders, Dick and Jim Cabela. Many of the busts and mounted wildlife displays feature plaques that commemorate the original hunters who scored the kill. There are so many different displays and bits of history scattered across the store that you might forget you're inside a shopping center, not a museum.

Once you've gotten your hands on some fresh outdoor equipment, this Cabela's location makes it easy to put your gear to good use and get outside. Pick up a pair of binoculars and head to the nearby Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. This rapture conservation area has viewing sites and hiking trails that give you a great chance to see bald eagles, raptors, and other birds of prey. When conditions are right, conservation science interns at this location have recorded over 100 daily hawk sightings.

While you can buy almost everything you need inside this Cabela's store, there's one thing you can't get — a bite to eat. Since the iconic Campfire Restaurant, which used to be next to a full-size prop plane, has closed down, your best bet for food is to head into downtown Hamburg. There are plenty of interesting shops, antique displays, and places to eat, like the 1787 Brewing Company that offers local brew on tap. If the animals on display at Cabela's have piqued your hunger, make the 10-minute drive to the Deer Lake Pub. This restaurant has a wide-ranging list of food for the whole family, including elk and bison burgers. 

You can also line up your shopping with a trip to Allentown, a thriving, artsy city with world-class bites less than an hour's drive from the Cabela's. The entire nearby Lehigh Valley region is dotted with charming cities and scenic walking trails that will help you enjoy a vacation and test out your new gear.