Daycation: Visit the celebrated home of Punxsutawney Phil
It’s not necessary to wait until February to take a rural rodent-themed road trip to Punxsutawney in Jefferson County to see the world’s most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil.
Avoid the wave of Groundhog Day’s 35,000-plus tourists that descend upon Punxsutawney every Feb. 2 with an off-season visit to the small-town borough dubbed “The Weather Capital of the World.”
Punxy, as referred to by the locals, is about 79 miles northeast of downtown Pittsburgh and home to about 6,000 residents.
Tourism drives the economy there, and Mayor Rich Alexander is a frequent sight downtown, always ready to personally welcome visitors from across the globe.
“People visit here all year round and come to see the weather center and the groundhogs,” Alexander said. “I get to see Phil, and he’s good. But you don’t want to get around him too close or he may bite.”
Phil is cared for by several handlers from The Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle, an elite group of local folks dedicated to taking the absolute best care of Phil.
Local officials explained Phil is not a pet or tame, but an eternal groundhog who has been making annual weather predictions since 1886.
Alexander has been mayor for 12 years and often travels with Phil in the “Groundhog Mobile,” which transports Phil in comfort to his various groundhog appearances that include parades and events.
“Phil visited the White House when President Reagan was in office,” Alexander said.
Punxsutawney resident Oriana Whitmer said the frenzy over Phil is never-ending.
“It’s super important because without Phil, the borough would get lost on the map. It’s cool and it’s something to tell my friends back home in Niagara Falls, New York,” Whitmer said. “I can understand the importance of tourism.”
And now, there’s more than just Phil gracing the groundhog scene.
Phil and his wife Phyllis made headlines in March with the news of the birth of their twin babies, a girl, Sunny, and a boy, Shadow.
The family of four reside in the burrow together, and it’s free and easy to take a peek at Phil’s family.
Phil’s family digs
Phil’s Burrow, located at the corner of Barclay Square at the Punxsutawney Memorial Library, offers outdoor and indoor viewing windows.
The outdoor viewing window is open 24/7, and the indoor viewing area is available in the children’s section when the library is open.
Both afford a view into the daily life of Phil and his brood.
Phil and his family are vegetarians. They nosh on fruits and veggies and have a major penchant for bananas, according to one of Phil’s handlers.
The climate- controlled, light-regulated terrarium has rock structures and man-made burrows.
Plan to visit the burrow several times while exploring downtown Punxsutawney for the best chance of seeing the groundhogs moving around, eating or playing because often they’re curled up sleeping and tucked into their burrows.
Local lore says Phil was named after King Phillip after being referred to as Br’er Groundhog.
Phil and his family don’t go into full hibernation due to their comfy digs and the controlled environment. The groundhogs are fed daily and cared for so they don’t have to search for food like their wild counterparts.
Phil’s go-to foods are corn-on-the-cob, sweet potatoes, bananas and kale.
He receives groundhog checkups with a vet and dentist annually and even had a cavity, the result of enjoying too much of his favorite indulgent treat, honey-and-oat granola bars.
Phil lost that tooth, but it grew back (groundhog’s teeth continuously grow) and his handlers have decreased the frequency of the honey snack.
When asked if Phil lives a spoiled life, Alexander smiled and quipped “not really.”
Phil sightings are abundant in Punxsutawney — as in six-foot-tall fiberglass statues of Phil.
Colorful and themed statues of the groundhog began to pop up around town in 2004.
Snap a selfie with the more than 35 whimsical and happy Phantastic Phil public art sculptures found throughout the borough.
A locator map and guide are available at the Chamber of Commerce office, located at 102 W. Mahoning St.
Gobbler’s Knob Visitor Center
1548 Woodland Ave Ext., adjacent to Punxsutawney in Young Township
Hannah Davie grew up in Punxsutawney but never went to see Phil make his annual weather prediction until last year. Now she works at the visitor’s center and promotes Phil daily.
“We had about 40,000 people attend Groundhog Day this year,” Davie said. “It was crazy.”
Tourists flock to Gobbler’s Knob, a designated historic site, with about 50-100 visitors stopping by each day.
“We had people from Germany here last week, and I’ve met people from New Zealand and all over,” Davie said. “Tourism is very important to Punxy.”
The nonprofit owns and operates the 18-acre attraction that hosts Phil’s annual furry forecast.
Plans are in the works to add a second burrow inside the visitor’s center for Sunny and Shadow, allowing them to travel back and forth from both burrows via an underground tunnel.
The center houses a display of historical and rare Punxsutawney Phil items, and outside, a short half-mile trail leads to the famous stage and stump where Phil makes his Groundhog Day debut annually.
German legend has it that if Phil sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter are on tap and if he avoids seeing a shadow, an early spring is set to bloom.
The giftshop is brimming with groundhog-themed merch including Phil-themed scarves, hats, mugs, apparel, coffee, books and Phil-shaped chocolates.
A frequent question asked by tourists revolves around Phil’s mortality.
According to local legend, Phil sips from a magic elixir of life drink annually and that extends his life.
“Every sip he takes, he gets seven years of longevity,” Davie said. “He is 138.”
Phil may have been around for 138 years, but it hasn’t been the same groundhog all that time — groundhogs generally have a life expectancy of two to three years in the wild and up to 14 in captivity.
Lily’s Restaurant and Bakery
535 W. Mahoning St.
Lily’s is the go-to local diner open for 17 years serving classic American specialties such as meatloaf, burgers, Reubens and other sandwiches, and the neighboring bakery is stocked with specialty pies and cookies.
Server Taylor DeRalph, 20, grew up learning about Phil in school.
She’s worked at Lily’s for five years and is accustomed to the influx of tourists inquiring about the Punxy Phil.
“Phil’s the superior one of the bunch,” DeRalph said of which groundhog fields the most questions from customers.
Growing up surrounded by groundhog lore has left DeRalph a little desensitized to the interest in Phil.
“We had field trips to visit Phil. People want to see Phil and find the statues. It’s just where I grew up. I’m used to it,” she said.
The Weather Discovery Center
201 N. Findley St.
Weather education and the folklore surrounding Phil’s weather forecasting collide at this center located in a former post office now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Suitable for all ages but geared for the kiddos, the weather exhibits include Phil’s Burrow, Weather Lore Language, Weather Balloon, Twist and Shout, Perfect Storm, Precipitation Puzzler and Pull Up Clouds.
Be sure to check out the replica of Phil’s Burrow and the tornado slide, where kids can learn how to “become” a tornado.
Joe’s Drive In
308 Indiana St.
Ask just about anyone in Punxsutawney where to go for ice cream and they’ll tell you Joe’s before you even finish your question.
Look for the giant sign of Punxsutawney Phil towering over the parking lot and step inside for a flashback, old-school vibe. Joe’s is known for its hotdogs and soft serve.
It opened in 1968 and no longer offers the drive-in factor, but the generous portions, reasonable prices and friendly service have stood the test of time.
Taking photos in front of the giant Phil sign outside is popular and the mega-milkshakes and homemade cinnamon rolls are in demand.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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