Pennsylvania has its share of laws, customs and cultural offerings that may seem peculiar to transplants.

Consider the fact that many municipalities don't celebrate Halloween on Oct. 31 or how the first day of deer hunting season is essentially a holiday. Pennsylvania is weird.

In addition, the commonwealth has regional differences. Pennsylvania is essentially split into six areas: northeast, southeast, northwest, southwest, south-central and north-central. Of course, south-central Pennsylvanians refer to the area as "central PA" or the "midstate." Yes, it's confusing.

Here are some of the biggest surprises in store for newcomers to Pennsylvania.

This is a commonwealth, not a state.

Pennsylvania is technically not a state, though there's no real difference between how states and commonwealths function in the United States. The term is meant to denote a focus on the common welfare for all citizens.

However, Pennsylvania has a Department of State and a nickname of "The Keystone State," both of which add further confusion to the identity.

Whatever you call it, Pennsylvania is an amalgam of counties, cities, boroughs and townships.

Cities operate under a mayor and local government. There are 59 cities in Pennsylvania.

Boroughs are typically smaller than cities but also have local government structures. These municipalities give more power to their councils than mayors, who serve as tie-breakers on council votes but otherwise simply oversee law enforcement. There are 959 boroughs in Pennsylvania.

Townships are usually less populous than either cities or boroughs. Supervisors or commissioners make all decisions in these municipalities. There are 1,546 townships in Pennsylvania.

The only incorporated town is Bloomsburg. It has both a council and a mayor, who is a regular voting member of the council.

However, McCandless adopted a home rule charter that identifies the area as a town, though it was incorporated as a township in 1857.

Mailing addresses don't always match municipalities.

Derry Township residents might say they live in Hershey (which is not a municipality) and have a Hummelstown mailing address.

When the United States Postal Service assigned ZIP codes in 1963, it determined those based on which post offices served certain areas. Those borders do not always align with municipal boundaries, as is the case for Derry Township.

You have to pay local wage and service taxes.

In addition to federal and state taxes, Pennsylvanians have to pay local earned income tax and local services tax each year to the municipality in which they reside. Employers are required to withhold these taxes.

Rates vary by municipality and school district. Find your withholding tax rates and political subdivision (PSD) code with this tool by the Department of Community and Economic Development.

Not everything is taxed.

The 6 percent state sales tax applies to most goods, but not all. You do not have to pay sales tax on food, clothing, tattoo and piercing services, parking lots and garages, amusement parks and recreation industries in Pennsylvania. A lot of those exemptions were eyed for taxation during 2016 budget talks, but digital downloads became the only new item subject to sales tax under the final budget.

Philadelphia has an additional 2 percent sales tax for a combined rate of 8 percent. Allegheny County levies an additional 1 percent sales tax for a combined rate of 7 percent in and around Pittsburgh.

Pennsylvania has a range of dialects.

“Youse guys” can thank the region's early settlers for the variety of accents and terminology in Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia's English settlers mixed their language with some Dutch and Swedish to become the Atlantic Midland dialect. There's also Appalachian, North Inland and Pittsburgh dialects.

Pennsylvania places are hard to pronounce.

Pennsylvanians are proud people. They will correct you if you mispronounce a city's name, and repeat it correctly until you learn from the error.

Here are some commonly mispronounced locations and how the locals say them:

Bethlehem: beth-lum, beth-le-um

Lancaster: lang-kiss-ter

Lebanon: leb-uh-nin, leb-nin

Lititz: leh-tits

Schuylkill: skool-kill

Versailles: ver-sales

The Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) as seen from the South Street Bridge. (camera_obscura via Flickr.com)

The on-ramps are always a surprise.

Be cautious the first time you take a highway on-ramp here.

Some are long and turn into a temporary lane, allowing drivers ample time to merge.

Others are short and run directly into the lanes of traffic.

And some have stop signs at the end of the ramp, like the entry to Interstate 376 east just before the Squirrel Hill Tunnel in Pittsburgh. You'll find drivers across the state who act as if there are stop signs at the end of any short ramp, however, so be prepared.

The turnpike takes cash, credit cards and passes.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike stretches from the Ohio border just north of Pittsburgh to the Delaware River Bridge in Philadelphia, with an northeast extension branching off to the Poconos.

Drivers can pay with cash, credit card or an electronic transponder at toll plazas.

Traveling the 357 miles from Ohio to Philadelphia currently costs $51.85 cash or $37.03 with an E-Z Pass. View the online calculator to determine tolls for other routes.

PennDOT worker George Pintrach repairs potholes on Park Avenue in Hershey Feb. 27, 2014. (Sean Simmers, PennLive file photo)

Potholes are inescapable.

The entire commonwealth suffers from pothole problems.

Get used to driving around them.

Interstate 81 travels over the Susquehanna River in East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County. (Dan Gleiter, PennLive file photo)

Highways don't always go the direction posted.

In central Pennsylvania, you can hop on Interstate 81 south while traveling westward. And if you're heading from State College to the capital, expect to spend stretches of Route 322 east heading directly south.

Pennsylvania highways and local routes generally travel in the directions they are designated, but spans may confuse newcomers.

The Pittsburgh left is not a political party.

The Pittsburgh left is a courtesy among drivers in the city. At an intersection, a driver may allow a vehicle in the opposing lane of traffic to turn left before proceeding themselves. Often, the yielding driver will flash their headlights or wave to signal the action.

While there are no rules about the Pittsburgh left, you're most likely to encounter one as the first car at a stop light or at an intersection without a stop light or stop sign. In both cases, drivers might be compelled to aid in the flow of traffic by allowing that left-hand turn.

Let us be clear: The Pittsburgh left can only be granted, not taken. Drivers who speed up to get through an intersection before the other cars is not taking a Pittsburgh left.

Gov. Tom Wolf takes part in a press conference to introduce the sale of wine at Wegmans in Silver Spring Township Sept. 1, 2016. (Sean Simmers, PennLive.com)

Pennsylvania liquor laws are outdated, but it's getting easier to buy beer and wine.

Pennsylvanians used to get their wine at the state-run liquor store or a case of beer from a distributor. There were no alcohol sales allowed at gas stations or privately operated stores.

Last year, however, Gov. Tom Wolf signed Pennsylvania's first major liquor reform bill since Prohibition. The law is taking time to implement, but some changes are already in effect.

You can now purchase beer at select gas stations and wine at grocery stores.

Ordering "a lager" means a specific drink.

If you go to a bar and order "a lager," the bartender will get a pint of Yuengling. The Pottsville brewery is so well-known in Pennsylvania that its signature brew is known statewide.

It's the opposite of how people say Band-Aid but mean any brand of adhesive bandage.

Pretty much every place drops something on New Year's Eve.

New York City is known for its New Year's Eve ball drop. Here in Pennsylvania, we drop a strawberry in the capital. Boroughs and townships across the commonwealth drop their own icons. There's a beaver, a pickle, bologna, kettle, a giant Hershey kiss

Halloween festivities are not always on Oct. 31.

Halloween is not really the same without children asking for candy on October 31.

In Pennsylvania, many areas designate trick-or-treating for a couple hours on other dates. Harrisburg celebrated on Oct. 27 last year. Hanover was even earlier with kids trick-or-treating on Oct. 25.

Parades are often even earlier. Carlisle's Halloween parade was on Oct. 17 last year.

The first day of deer hunting season is a holiday.

Hunting culture is so prominent in Pennsylvania that many school districts don't schedule classes for the first day of deer hunting season. The theory is students would take the day off to go hunting with their families even if it was a school day.

While not an official holiday, it acts as one.

It is easy to buy a gun.

Pennsylvania has 2,500 federally licensed gun dealers within its borders and also allows private sales and purchases at gun shows.

To purchase a firearm, applicants must be at least 18 years old. Additionally, they cannot be subject to a protection from abuse order, an undocumented immigrant, convicted of a violent crime, declared mentally ill by a court, drug addict or drunkard, fugitive or convicted of three DUI charges within five years.

Gun owners are allowed to open carry in Pennsylvania. In order to carry it hidden, the gun owner must have a license to carry. It is illegal to transport a loaded firearm without that license, so gun owners without one are required to transport firearms and ammunition in separate containers.

How to buy a gun in Pennsylvania

Firehall weddings are common.

Firehalls may not seem romantic, but they're one of the most popular wedding reception venues in Pennsylvania. The large venues can be rented for any type of event and are inexpensive. Also of note: receptions at the local Legion/VFW.

In Pittsburgh, expect to see massive cookie tables at wedding receptions.

Be prepared for snow.

Buy a snow shovel.

State College averages 45.6 inches of snow annually, followed by Pittsburgh with 41.9 inches, Harrisburg at 31.2 inches and Philadelphia at 22.4 inches.

Each municipality has its own laws regarding snow removal. Lancaster property owners are required to clear sidewalks no longer than 5 hours after snowfall has ceased, while Pittsburghers have 24 hours to clear the snow. Renters should check their lease or ask their landlord if snow removal is the tenants' responsibility or if sidewalks will be cleared by staff.

Pennsylvania winters can also experience a drastic shift in weather from one week to the next. The commonwealth experienced a streak of 70-degree temperatures ahead of winter storm Stella.

Convenience stores actually have good food.

Most of the United States has to survive off of prepackaged snacks and reheated hot dogs at gas stations on road trips. In Pennsylvania, gas stations are popular stops for dinner even if you're not in a hurry.

Sheetz and Wawa both offer made-to-order sandwiches, burgers, fried appetizers and a variety of drink options. Sheetz territory is western and central Pennsylvania, while Wawa rules the east.

Pork and sauerkraut bring luck on New Year's Day.

Holiday superstitions are common in many cultures. On New Year's Day, southerners eat black eyed peas and Italians eat lentils. Here it's pork and sauerkraut.

The Pennsylvania Dutch tradition supposedly comes from the fact that pigs root forward, symbolizing a forward movement for the year ahead, and swollen cabbage representing bounty.

Here are some recipes from the PennLive archives.

Pennsylvania has the real pizza capital of the world.

In northeastern Pennsylvania, you get a cut instead of a slice and a tray instead of a pie.

USA Today recently dubbed Old Forge, Pennsylvania, "the American pizza capital you've never heard of." Um, we've heard of it. The borough in Lackawanna County is known for its grandma-style pizza.

Order the red to get a classic taste of tomato sauce and cheese or opt for the white, which has its crust folded over similar to a calzone.

Chicken pot pie from the food court at the 101st Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg Jan. 6, 2017. (Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com)

Chicken pot pie isn't a pie here.

Pennsylvania Dutch-style chicken pot pie does not look like the chicken pot pie most people are used to. It is more like a soup or stew with large noodles.

(Sean Simmers, PennLive file photo)

Expect to see Amish and Mennonite residents.

You'll see plenty of buggies on the roads, as well as Amish people selling produce at farmers markets. You may even hear people speaking Pennsylvania Dutch.

The Anabaptists settled here in the mid-1700s after leaving Switzerland. More than 50,000 Amish people live in Lancaster County today.

Pennsylvania also has Mennonites, another Anabaptist group that settled in the region. Unlike the Amish, Mennonites use electricity and some drive cars. Mennonite men do not have beards, and Mennonite women usually have patterned clothing.

A smorgasbord is more than just a buffet.

There are a few Pennsylvania Dutch smorgasbords, but Shady Maple in Blue Ball should be on your bucket list. Shady Maple has more than 100 offerings at its 200-foot buffet. If you've always wanted a taste of Amish cooking, this is the place to go.

You'll probably hear nuclear plant sirens.

In the Harrisburg area, expect to hear the Three Mile Island sirens tested from time to time. The Beaver Valley, Peach Bottom, Limerick and Susquehanna nuclear power plants also have sirens to warn residents of an incident.

Other sirens you might hear are used to alert volunteer firefighters their help is needed or signal curfews for underage residents. These sirens may also be used in the event of severe weather.

Active weather alerts can be found on the National Weather Service website and are also broadcast on television and radio stations in affected areas.

Pennsylvania has a wealth of historic landmarks.

The commonwealth contains 169 National Historic Landmarks recognized by the National Parks Service that range from roller coasters to battlefields.

Notable selections include Fallingwater designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Fayette County, the Leap-the-Dips roller coaster in Altoona, Gettysburg National Military Park, the Fulton Theatre in Lancaster and City Hall in Philadelphia.

Vast wilderness provides an escape.

Those looking to explore the outdoors will also find plenty to do.

Pennsylvania's 18 state forests alone have nearly 800 miles of trails. The commonwealth also contains part of the Appalachian Trail and hundreds, if not thousands, of other trails across the state.

One natural spectacle worth the trip to rural Lancaster-Lebanon county is the annual snow geese migration, which brings upward of 100,000 waterfowl to the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area.

A Steelers fan at an AFC Championship pep rally at Stage AE in Pittsburgh. (Barry Reeger for PennLive)

A state divided.

Philadelphia or Pittsburgh? Both cities have great assets, but Pennsylvanians tend to pick one and stick with it. Be prepared to argue that Wawa is better than Sheetz or about how much better the Steelers are than the Eagles.

In central Pennsylvania, you will find some Baltimore fans, but the in-state rivalry is bigger than battles with other regions.

Times Square in New York City. (AP file photo)

Pennsylvania is close to dozens of other destinations.

Baltimore is a short jaunt down Interstate 83 from central Pennsylvania; New York is less than 100 miles away from Philadelphia; and Niagara Falls is less than a 4-hour drive from Pittsburgh.

No matter where you settle down in Pennsylvania, there are cities and natural wonders close enough for day trips out of state.

From Harrisburg:

1 hour, 20 minutes to Baltimore
2 hours, 20 minutes to Washington, D.C.
2 hours, 50 minutes to Atlantic City
3 hours to New York

From Philadelphia:

1 hour, 5 minutes to Atlantic City
1 hour, 50 minutes to New York
1 hour, 50 minutes to Baltimore
2 hours, 40 minutes to Washington, D.C.
5 hours, 40 minutes to Boston

From Pittsburgh:

2 hours, 10 minutes to Cleveland
3 hours, 45 minutes to Niagara Falls
4 hours to Baltimore
4 hours, 15 minutes to Washington, D.C.
5 hours, 15 minutes to Toronto

This is Pennsylvania