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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Selinsgrove
Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania
One night, and only with a car: Selinsgrove is a Susquehanna Valley stop for the speedway, a university event or a Knoebels day, not a base.
Selinsgrove is a borough of about 5,700 people on the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania, 45 minutes north of Harrisburg by car. Its draw is narrow and real: a dirt racetrack that runs Friday and Saturday nights from March to October, a small university with a gallery and theatre, a walkable Market Street, and Knoebels Amusement Park about 30 minutes east. Without a car the town is awkward; with one it is an easy half-day stop between Harrisburg and the I-80 corridor.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (ice, closed attractions)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–90 excl. bed · Mid $100–150 excl. bed · High $180+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $2–5 |
| Diner breakfast | $9–15 |
| Pub burger or ribs plate | $14–26 |
| Draught beer | $5–8 |
| Speedway adult admission | $10 |
| Knoebels ride tickets or wristband | $20–50 (check) |
| Gallon of petrol | $3.30–3.80 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MDT · Harrisburg International
- About 64 mi / 1 h 15 min by car; rental cars on site.
- SEG · Penn Valley Airport
- Private and charter only, a few miles south near Shamokin Dam.
- SCE · University Park Airport (State College)
- About 1 h 15 min west by car.
Typical fares
- MDT airport → Selinsgrove, rental car
- about 64 mi, 1 h 15 min
- Greyhound Harrisburg → Selinsgrove
- about 1 h 15 min, book ahead (check)
- Selinsgrove → Knoebels by car
- about 30 min, 20 mi
Get around
A car is the practical choice: outside the borough there are no sidewalks and shoulders are narrow. Downtown street parking and the municipal lot are free. Union-Snyder Transportation Alliance runs call-ahead buses and local taxis must be booked in advance, so do not count on either for a tight schedule.
See and do
Known for
- Selinsgrove Speedway dirt-track racing
- Susquehanna University
- Market Street downtown
- Susquehanna River and the Isle of Que
- Knoebels Amusement Park nearby
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Knoebels Amusement Park, Elysburg | Drive Route 487 east, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Lewisburg | Drive Route 15 north, about 20 min | About 25 min |
| Shamokin Dam | Drive Routes 11 & 15 north, about 10 min | About 15 min |
| Joseph Priestley House, Northumberland | Drive Route 11 east, about 25 min | About 35 min |
| Mifflinburg Buggy Museum | Drive Route 104 west, about 20 min | About 30 min |
Sleep
- Downtown Selinsgrove (Market Street)
- Walk to shops, pubs and the university; the Selinsgrove Inn is the only in-town option.
- Shamokin Dam / Routes 11 & 15
- Chain hotels and the Susquehanna Valley Mall, 10 min north by car; no sidewalks along the highway.
- Hummels Wharf
- Mall-side motels and fast food; car needed for everything.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the nearest petrol station? | Where's the nearest gas station? |
| A table for two, please | Table for two, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Do you take cards? |
| Is there a taxi company in town? | Can you call me a cab? |
| How do I get to the speedway? | How do I get to the speedway? |
| Is the kitchen still open? | Are you still serving food? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- No sidewalks or safe bike paths outside the borough; Route 11 has heavy truck traffic.
- Call-ahead buses and taxis only — book the night before, not on arrival.
- Speedway races are weather-dependent; check before driving out.
- Cell coverage is fine in town but spotty on surrounding farmland.
A quiet small town; the real risks are driving at dusk on deer-heavy rural roads, unlit highway shoulders with no sidewalks, and winter ice. Violent crime is low; lock the car and keep to lit streets after the pubs close.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Selinsgrove yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Selinsgrove Speedway dirt-track racing
- Susquehanna University
- Market Street downtown
- Susquehanna River and the Isle of Que
- Knoebels Amusement Park nearby
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Selinsgrove, revision 5244472 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5244472
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
SelinsgroveSelinsgrove, Pennsylvania
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No consulates in Selinsgrove; nearest consulates-general are in Philadelphia and New York, embassies in Washington, DC.
Tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis. Emergency number is 911.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/selinsgrove). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.