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The things to do in Pampanga range from flying above sugarcane fields in a hot air balloon to soaking in spring water warmed by Mount Pinatubo. You can spend your morning on a hiking trail and your afternoon learning heirloom recipes inside a traditional Kapampangan kitchen. Pampanga keeps its focus on real experiences, local food served without shortcuts, crafts made by hand, and festivals that fill the streets with music and light. Each stop brings something different, shaped by history but very much alive in the present.
10 Must-Try Things To Do In Pampanga
From cultural landmarks to outdoor adventures and food deeply tied to heritage, the things to do in Pampanga offer something meaningful in every direction.
1. Hot Air Balloon Ride In Lubao
Photo: Elmer Domingo / Wikimedia Commons
A hot air balloon ride over Lubao lifts you above open farmland and river bends as the province slowly unfolds below. The launch takes place at daybreak, when the air is calm enough for steady flight and visibility stretches for miles. As you rise into the sky, you’ll see vast stretches of farmland, winding rivers, and Mount Arayat in the distance. The ride gives you a quiet and elevated look at how the province spreads out, farmland beside highways, rivers cutting across towns, and villages waking up below.
Location: Pradera Verde, Lubao
Nearby Attractions: Lubao Bamboo Hub, Pampanga Delta Adventure Park
2. Visit Sandbox At Alviera
Photo: Camera-man / Pixabay / Image For Representation Only
One of the top things to do in Pampanga if you want full-body action is head straight to Sandbox in Porac. The area is built wide and open, perfect for high ropes, off-road rides, and physical challenges that keep you moving nonstop. The terrain is rough, dry, and wide open, making it ideal for those who want to push themselves in a rugged environment. Kids can enjoy their play area while you test your nerves on the adventure tower or free fall ride.
Location: Alviera Estate, Porac
Nearby Attractions: Alviera Bike Trails, Mount Pinatubo Base Camp
3. Explore Nayong Pilipino Clark
Photo: Judgefloro / Wikimedia Commons
Nayong Pilipino Clark lets you step into lifelike village settings that reflect how different communities across the Philippines live and celebrate. Inside the park, you’ll find native houses, performance spaces, and small craft stations, all designed to mirror actual traditions. What makes this one of the more meaningful things to see in Pampanga is how accessible it makes cultural learning. You’ll see actual weavers at work, hear folk instruments being played, and watch short performances that show rituals or stories tied to local traditions.
Location: Gil Puyat Avenue, Clark Freeport Zone
Nearby Attractions: Clark Museum, Clark Parade Grounds
4. Dine At Everybody’s Café
Photo: Enil Oan / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
Trying the local food is one of the most rewarding things to do in Pampanga, and there’s no better starting point than Everybody’s Café in San Fernando. This long-running eatery serves dishes the same way they’ve been made in Kapampangan homes for decades. You’ll find items like tidtad (a type of blood stew), buro with fried hito (fermented rice with catfish), and stuffed native chicken cooked in rich, earthy sauces. Meals are served turo-turo style, where you point to what you want from a spread of freshly made dishes.
Location: MacArthur Highway, San Fernando
Nearby Attractions: San Fernando Cathedral, Lazatin House
5. Walk Around San Guillermo Parish Church
Photo: Muhamed Sinan / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
San Guillermo Parish Church in Bacolor stands with much of its original structure buried under volcanic debris. When Mount Pinatubo erupted in 1991, thick lahars swept through the town and filled the church up to the windows. Only the upper portion remained visible, and that’s what you now enter. Instead of demolishing it, the community chose to dig out what they could and continue using the space. Today, the altar stands much higher than it once did, and you enter through what used to be upper windows.
Location: Bacolor, Pampanga
Nearby Attractions: Bacolor Town Plaza, Museo Ning Angeles
6. Enjoy Sky Ranch Pampanga
Photo: Valenzuela400 / Wikimedia Commons
Taking a spin on the Pampanga Eye is among the more relaxed things to do, but the view it offers is unmatched. This giant Ferris wheel is the tallest in the Philippines, giving you a clear look over San Fernando, nearby farmlands, and distant mountain ranges. Each enclosed gondola fits up to four people and moves slowly enough to let you take in every angle. Sky Ranch itself is located beside SM City Pampanga, so you can combine this ride with other park attractions or nearby dining spots.
Location: SM City Pampanga, San Fernando
Nearby Attractions: SM City Pampanga, Robinsons Starmills
7. Hike Mount Arayat, National Park
Photo: Judgefloro / Wikimedia Commons
If you enjoy steady climbs and forest-covered slopes, one of the most rewarding things to do in Pampanga is hiking Mount Arayat. The mountain rises from the plains as a lone peak, not part of any range, which gives it a distinct shape and a panoramic view from the summit. Wildlife is often visible, and local hikers mention monkeys, birds, and native trees unique to the mountain. Two separate peaks, north and south, give wide views across Luzon’s flatlands.
Location: Arayat, Pampanga
Nearby Attractions: Arayat Wet Market, Gintung Pakpak Ecopark
8. Relax At Puning Hot Springs
Photo: ben lim / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
Puning Hot Springs sits beyond the edge of Sapang Bato in Angeles, surrounded by cliffs and ash fields left behind by Mount Pinatubo. The site is divided into several pools, each filled with naturally heated spring water drawn from geothermal sources in the area. Some pools are mildly warm, others much hotter, and all are rich in minerals that are said to help with muscle strain and circulation. There’s a separate section for sand steam therapy, where you lie covered in warm volcanic sand, and another area for mud treatments using thermal ash.
Location: Sitio Target, Sapang Bato, Angeles City
Nearby Attractions: Haduan Falls, Clark Picnic Grounds
9. Experience The Giant Lantern Festival
Photo: ymyphoto / Pixabay / Image For Representation Only
Every December in San Fernando, barangays compete by creating giant parol lanterns for a dazzling public showdown. These handcrafted lanterns, covered in thousands of bulbs, take months of work and community effort. Measuring over six meters wide, they feature hand-wired rotors and switches. Teams begin months in advance, building and programming their lanterns. The final presentations near Robinson’s Starmills draw large crowds who watch as lanterns rotate, change colors, and light up in sync with music. This tradition showcases local pride, craftsmanship, and friendly rivalry since the early 1900s.
Location: San Fernando (mostly at Robinsons Starmills)
Nearby Attractions: San Fernando Train Station, Heritage District
10. Try Kapampangan Culinary Tour With Atching Lilian
Photo: Busenur Demirkan / Pexels / Image For Representation Only
Cooking alongside Atching Lilian Borromeo, a respected culinary historian, is a deeply personal experience in Pampanga. In her ancestral home in Mexico, Pampanga, she offers private sessions using traditional kitchen tools and authentic ingredients. Guests learn to prepare dishes like San Nicolas cookies and brique step by step, with detailed explanations of each technique. Her home showcases old tools, family cookbooks, and handwritten notes. Group bookings are required due to limited availability. This experience is an intimate invitation into a lifelong culinary tradition passed down through generations.
Location: Mexico, Pampanga (private ancestral home)
Nearby Attractions: Mexico Church, Santa Monica Parish
The things to do in Pampanga go beyond sightseeing—you’ll enter homes, hike active landscapes, and learn from tradition keepers. Experience the heat of volcanic ash, savor timeless recipes, and hear the gears of San Fernando’s lanterns turning. Each activity offers an authentic connection to the province’s rich culture and history. Plan your Pampanga trip with TripXL to discover the true heart of Central Luzon.
Cover Photo: Jimvikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
