Pennsylvania

Trail Blazers Issue: Fall/Winter 2010 Author(s): Lori B. Murray While you may not be ready to hike all 2,179 miles of the Appalachian Trail, you can still interact with others who’ve made this their personal quest. The Appalachian Trail Museum , which opened in June 2010, makes this possible. Housed in a 200-year-old former grist mill located in Gardners, Pennsylvania — only two miles from the halfway point along the trail — the museum pays tribute to pioneer trail builders like Grandma Gatewood, Gene Espy, Ed Garvey and the legendary Earl Shaffer, the first person t...

Edible Architecture Issue: Fall/Winter 2010 Author(s): Jill Sell Yes, there will be many traditional, Victorian-style gingerbread houses with Necco Wafer roof tiles, candy cane door-frames, peanut brittle chimneys and gumdrop fences — but that’s not all wide-eyed children and adults will see at this year’s Gingerbread House Competition and Display presented by Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, Pennsylvania. A “Go Green” category debuted last year and is back by popular demand. Previous houses featured a backyard compost pile, solar panels and alternative-fuel vehicles par...

Rustic Retreat Issue: Fall/Winter 2010 Author(s): Peter Chakerian Referred to as “Penn’s Woods” and “The Black Forest” of Western Pennsylvania, Cook Forest State Park in Cooksburg, Pennsylvania, is a grand, versatile getaway for outdoor types, romantics and families. The woodlands’ immaculate splendor and virgin timber inspired legendary film director Cecil B. DeMille to use it as the setting for his 1946 Paramount Pictures film “The Unconquered” with cinema icon Gary Cooper.  Cook Forest features more than 8,500 acres, replete with white pine and hemlock trees an...

Tasty Tour Issue: Spring/Summer 2010 Author(s): Laura Taxel Leave the skinny jeans at home and wear comfortable shoes for your exploration of Pittsburgh’s unique culinary food scene . Begin with breakfast at DeLuca’s. The landmark restaurant, known for its vintage diner décor, huge portions and decadent hot cake sundaes, attracts a line-out-the-door crowd every weekend. After polishing off a plate of eggs Benedict or an oversized burrito stuffed with real home fries and house-made sausage, walk off some calories wandering around the surrounding 22-block Strip Di...

Rollin’ on the (Three) Rivers Issue: Spring/Summer 2010 Author(s): Amy S. Eckert Pittsburgh’s North Shore and games just seem to go together. Spread along the Steel City’s Allegheny River bank are PNC Park, where the Pirates play baseball, Heinz Field, where the Steelers play football; and the Carnegie Science Center, where visitors play with laser beams and computers. In August 2009, the new Rivers Casino added gaming to Pittsburgh’s list of riverside amusements. Located at the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela and Ohio Rivers, Rivers Casino overlooks Pittsburgh’s gleaming g...

Animal Magnetism Issue: Spring/Summer 2010 Author(s): Kelly Fordon Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Who knew that a close encounter with large predators was possible less than two hours from the cities of Cleveland and Pittsburgh? Pymatuning Deer Park , an institution in Jamestown, Pennsylvania , since 1953, is home to more than 250 animals and birds from around the world. The park, on the western edge of Pennsylvania near Youngstown, Ohio, is open daily from mid-May through October. It boasts Siberian tigers, African lions, camels, black bears and primates, as well ...

Island Escape Issue: Spring/Summer 2010 Author(s): Claudia J. Taller Ever get the urge to run away to an island? Act on it and go to Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pennsylvania , for a casual weekend. Don’t forget the bathing suits, sand toys, sunscreen and hiking shoes. Stop at Tom Ridge Environmental Center for interactive educational exhibits, a movie and a climb up the glass-enclosed, 75-foot observation tower. Drive the one-way loop road parallel to the multi-purpose trail and stop at the beaches of Presque Isle Bay. Adventurers will enjoy a nature scavenger hunt ...

Farmer’s Apprentice Issue: Spring/Summer 2010 Author(s): Gerald Bartell There’s plenty of work to do — from grooming calves to collecting just-laid eggs — at Verdant View Farm in Paradise Township, Pennsylvania.  From dawn to dusk, visitors can participate in a hands-on farm experience. The day begins with a Pennsylvania Dutch breakfast of Amish-made yogurt, farm-fresh milk and eggs, a local meat dish (such as browned, creamed dried beef) and a homemade dessert (like Grandma’s crumb pie). Then come the chores. On an introductory tour at 7:30 a.m., visitors can milk cow...

A Horse of a Different Color Issue: Fall/Winter 2009 Author(s): Jennifer Rogers Tucked away in small-town southern Illinois is a unique rural treasure that is home to quite an exotic family. With alpacas, llamas, donkeys, sheep, peacocks, potbelly pigs, emus, swans, zebras and camels, Rainbow Ranch Petting Zoo & Exotic Farm in Nashville, Illinois , rivals even the best zoos with its intimate, interactive tours and relaxed, friendly environment. “It’s so fun to see how the kids react to the hands-on experience,” owner Alan Blumhorst says. “Especially the city kids.” Blumhorst’s f...

Exploration Vacation Issue: Fall/Winter 2009 Author(s): Jennifer Rogers Calling all future Einsteins. The Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh , one of the nation’s premier science museums, is an inventive spot to have fun while molding a young mind. For a getaway that’s as exciting as it is educational, get to the Science Center stat — 2009 proves to be another great year for vacationing knowledge-seekers. Must-see exhibits include the Miniature Railroad and Village, featuring hand-built replicas of Pennsylvania icons such as Punxsutawney Phil and Forbes Field, and the U.S...

Fun and Games Issue: Fall/Winter 2009 Author(s): Margaret Phillips Kids live for that precious 30 minutes of recess during school, and a day at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York , is like recess on overdrive, for little ones as well as parents. This museum is the world’s only space devoted to play, and contains everything from interactive, hands-on exhibits to the National Toy Hall of Fame. Blending spaces suited for both child’s play and nostalgia, the museum can be enjoyed by the entire family. Kids will love exploring the Berenstain Bears’ hom...

Hide-and-Go-Splat Issue: Fall/Winter 2009 Author(s): Amy Szabo Jog across the field and dive behind bunkers to avoid being marked at the All-American Paintball Park in Greensburg, Pennsylvania . Whether it’s played inside or outdoors, paintball is a fast-paced game that requires skill, dexterity and speed. Grab your opponent’s flag without being splattered with paint and you win. But look out — there are hiding spots aplenty. All-American Paintball Park is open to those 10 years and older and features two indoor and two outdoor fields. Both individuals and team...

Making Tracks Issue: Fall/Winter 2009 Author(s): Jenny Pavlasek For a mountain biker like yourself, if it isn’t a challenge, it isn’t fun. So we’re here to report that less than one mile into the singletrack trail system at Moosic Mountain in northeastern Pennsylvania , you’re bound to wonder what you were thinking. Opened last fall, this rugged and rocky path delivers eight miles of winding route through an unlikely place for a “bikers welcome” sign — a 1,500-acre nature preserve. The 2,200-foot protected ridge is owned by The Nature Conservancy, which recognized it...

On the Right Track Issue: Fall/Winter 2009 Author(s): Melissa Kory Take a walk through history in Strasburg at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania , housing more than 100 locomotives. Modeled after a train shed, the museum showcases one of the largest and most significant collections of historic railroad artifacts, locomotives and rolling stock in the world. The museum pays tribute to the people who built and ran America’s railroads. Stories of the development of the railroad industry are told through railroad artifacts, artwork, books and photographs. The museum is als...

Timeless Lessons Issue: Fall/Winter 2009 Author(s): Jenna Schnuer Go beyond passive observation and learn for yourself how things were done in days past. Butler County Community College’s Heritage School at The Conservancy in Butler, Pennsylvania , gives adult students ample opportunities to learn the how-tos of everything from blacksmithing to basket weaving to playing folk music. The school provides the ideal spot to unplug from all things electronic and focus on the task at hand. Housed on the 50-acre grounds of the Succop Conservancy — and in buildings includi...

Wonderful World of Warhol Issue: Fall/Winter 2009 Author(s): Ed Condran Andy Warhol once noted that everyone will be famous for 15 minutes, and the legendary artist may be right, courtesy of the reality television age. However, Warhol failed to comment much on his own fame. Thanks to an enormous and acclaimed body of work, the man who re-invented celebrity and pop culture will be known in perpetuity. The Warhol name and artwork will live on thanks in large part to the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh . It’s the largest museum dedicated to one artist in the world. The quirky ...

Do the Twist Issue: Spring/Summer 2009 Author(s): Lori B. Murray Calling all Food Network junkies: Both parents and kids love the hands-on pretzel-making experience at Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery . Even the culinary-challenged can learn to twist their very own piece of dough, transforming it into a mouthwatering soft pretzel just like the ones Julius Sturgis made when he first opened this bakery back in 1861.  Located in historic Lititz, Pennsylvania , a town settled primarily by the Moravian people in the 1740s, this pretzel bakery is an opportunity for visit...

Eyes to the Sky Issue: Spring/Summer 2009 Author(s): Ed Condran Bird is the word at Powdermill Nature Reserve in Rector, Pennsylvania . Those who are curious about our feathered friends will enjoy a memorable experience at Powdermill, one of the nation’s longest-running bird-banding stations, in operation for 47 years. The program focuses on the great diversity of small migratory songbirds that are caught in mist nets, banded with numbered aluminum bands and released. More than 550,000 birds of 190 species have been banded to date. Migratory birds such as Baltimore ...

Famous Address Issue: Spring/Summer 2009 Author(s): Bob Beasley America is filled with sites that help tell the country’s history, but few places speak to the nation’s enduring freedom better than Gettysburg, Pennsylvania . This, of course, is where Union soldiers outlasted their Confederate foes to help turn the tide in the Civil War and inspire one of the most memorable speeches ever delivered. Even if you’re not much of a history buff, a visit to Gettysburg National Military Park will leave you yearning to learn more about this pivotal period in American history....

Giddy Up Issue: Spring/Summer 2009 Author(s): Lori B. Murray What do Amish kids do for fun? Why do they travel in buggies and not drive in cars like us? What’s an Amish school like? If your family has some burning questions about the Amish, Aaron and his daughter, Jessica, are not shy about answering them. “We enjoy meeting folks, and we like what we do,” says Aaron, who has been giving buggy rides in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania , for 25 years. “When you ride with us, you pass through an all-Amish area — no matter which direction we go.” For an up-close look a...

Hands-on Fun Issue: Spring/Summer 2009 Author(s): Gerald Bartell Little hands, feet and imaginations are set free at  Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum , where parents don’t have to keep kids in tow. Freedom reigns here, as a 40-foot replica of Lady Liberty’s hand and torch, standing in the entry hall, suggests. This Lady Liberty is made from toys, games and other found objects, and the idea at Please Touch is that from the time they’re toddlers, kids learn by playing. At Please Touch, that can mean playing instruments such as rain sticks and a bamboo organ in ...

The Royal Treatment Issue: Spring/Summer 2009 Author(s): Jennifer Rogers Ah, the tranquility of Pennsylvania Dutch Country — the slumbering livestock scattered throughout rolling fields, the horse and buggies ambling down dirt paths. . . and the shouts of delight coming from the tip-top point of a roller coaster. This year, make your trip to Amish Country a livelier excursion with a visit to Dutch Wonderland , a 43-acre amusement park located in the heart of Lancaster, Pennsylvania . Since its opening in 1963, Dutch Wonderland — and its 35 rides and attractions — has been de...

A Rich Economy Issue: Fall/Winter 2008 Author(s): Betsa Marsh From pressing cider apples to nibbling lebkuchen cookies, visitors can savor a full taste of fall at Old Economy Village , a National Historic Landmark District in Ambridge, Pennsylvania . Old Economy, 14 miles north of Pittsburgh, has 17 restored structures furnished with collections of the Harmony Society, a German communal group known for its prosperity from textiles, manufacturing, railroad investments and winemaking. The village was active from 1824 until the society’s dissolution in 1905. Each fal...

Get Your Motor Runnin'... Issue: Fall/Winter 2008 Author(s): Meredith Beverstock Whether it’s the look of that well-worn leather jacket, the feel of the wind whipping through your hair, or the rumbling sound of the motorcycle’s engine, few experiences spark feelings of leisurely freedom like riding the open road on a Harley-Davidson. The company that has long been revered by motorcycle lovers lets them revel in hog heaven during a tour of the Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations facility in York, Pennsylvania . The assembly facility — Harley-Davidson’s largest one, employing more than...

Schuss and Slide Issue: Fall/Winter 2008 Author(s): Ed Condran Kid-friendly is the tag that fits Blue Mountain ski area in Palmerton, Pennsylvania, like a mitten. This winter-sports mecca recently refurbished its popular tubing park and added an extra lift and more runs, bringing the total to 19 runs. The Ski Explorers, a children’s program, not only teaches little guys and gals the finer points of navigating down a mountain, it also details the importance of safety on the slopes. Watch out for Snowball, the Snow Tiger — the Blue Mountain mascot — who loves to mix ...

Welcome to Toyland Issue: Fall/Winter 2008 Author(s): Jennifer Rogers Whether you’re young or young at heart, searching for a taste of nostalgia or looking for the perfect gift for a child, there’s really nothing like a visit to the toy store. At the Holgate Toy Company , located in Kane, Pennsylvania, old-fashioned wooden toys abound. Featuring education and development toys, personalized and heirloom furniture, wooden games like Checkers and classic wooden blocks, Holgate has become one of the premier wooden toy companies in the nation. Founded as a woodworking shop in ...

Fairy-Tale Romance Issue: Bonus Online Content Summer 2008 Author(s): Ashley Harrington A romantic getaway with my husband was long overdue. But the dilemma I faced was one common to many couples: How to choose the perfect spot that offered diversions both of us would enjoy. However, as I poured over travel web sites and brochures one day, I overheard a colleague talking about a place that caters to your every whim. It sounded like something out of a Victorian romance novel: A fragrant bubble bath prepared by your own personal butler. Milk, cookies and even champagne brought to your room a...

Sunny Days ... Issue: Spring/Summer 2008 Author(s): Jenny Pavlasek Sweep the clouds away and hang with Elmo, Oscar and the gang at Sesame Place in Langhorne, Pennsylvania , the only amusement park in the U.S. devoted to the popular children’s television show. Designed for slightly smaller thrill seekers — but certainly fun for nostalgic fans all ages — the park has more than 14 acres of rides and slides, plus live shows and character cameos that make this one happening street. Make a splash at the Rubber Duckie pond, a small slide that’s perfect for kids under 5, or ta...

Water, Water Everywhere Issue: Spring/Summer 2008 Author(s): Catherine Larkin, Photo courtesy of Longwood Gardens The only things as abundant as the lush flora and fauna at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania , are the giggles of delight that emanate from its stunning new Indoor Children’s Garden. Before opening the 4,000-square-foot children’s space last fall, Longwood Gardens was already well known as a horticultural wonderland: With 1,050 acres of gardens, woodlands and meadows, as well as a host of summertime light-and-fountain shows set to music, this spot 30 miles east of Philadelphia has long be...

Bird’s the Word Issue: Spring/Summer 2008 Author(s): John Patrick Pullen, Photo courtesy of John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove For someone who’s more automobile aficionado than birding enthusiast, hearing the name Audubon might first spark thoughts of a super-fast highway in Germany. But while you won’t find anything fast or furious, it’s the furry and feathered attractions at the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove in Audubon, Pennsylvania , that provide plenty of excitement for nature lovers. Mill Grove was the first home of John Audubon, founder of the so-named nonprofit group famous (to everyone but auto fanatics, that ...

Follow Your Heart Issue: Spring/Summer 2008 Author(s): John Patrick Pullen, Photo courtesy of Sayre Mansion Inn If you and your special someone need a little help finding your spark, take this advice: Book a flight to Lehigh Valley Airport and follow your heart to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania , for a stay at the Sayre Mansion Inn . This elegant former mansion has been gorgeously restored and is only blocks from the historic downtown, where quaint shopping and quality restaurants will help you reconnect. The inn itself has 18 guest rooms that come with all the amenities you’d expect in a modern mansion (air conditioning...

Style and Substance Issue: Spring/Summer 2008 Author(s): By Gerald Bartell, Photo Courtesy of VisitPittsburgh For discriminating shoppers, there’s nothing more deflating than falling in love with a gorgeous piece of clothing or furniture that appears to be a one-of-a-kind find — and then discovering that it’s mass-produced by the thousands at big-box stores across America. But rest assured: Whatever lands in your shopping bag after a visit to the 16:62 Design Zone in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania , will likely be hard to find at a strip mall. Running from the 16th Street Bridge in the Strip Dist...

Three’s A Crowd Issue: Spring/Summer 2008 Author(s): Betsa Marsh Frank Lloyd Wright aficionados tend to crisscross the country like birdwatchers, flocking to the famous architect’s expertly designed homes, churches and offices and then gleefully checking them off their life lists. Fortunately, they don’t have to travel too far once they reach the Keystone State. “I call it the trinity,” says Patricia Coyle, a staffer at Kentuck Knob , a Wright work in Chalk Hill that has joined with Fallingwater , located in Bear Run, and Duncan House , in nearby Acme, to make one 30...

Vintage Retreat Issue: Spring/Summer 2008 Author(s): Betsa Marsh What could be more romantic than nuzzling together over glasses of vino while watching the dipping sun emblazon row upon row of grapevines? How about adding views out to Lake Ontario and the panoramic Toronto skyline, too?   That’s part of the draw of Flat Rock Cellars on the Niagara Peninsula , 20 minutes from Niagara Falls and an hour from Toronto. The winery, known for its Riesling, chardonnay, pinot noir and ice wines, offers free public tours daily from May to October, and on select days throu...

Colorful Memories Issue: Fall/Winter 2007 Author(s): John Pullen In 1903, cousins Edwin Binney and C. Harold Smith introduced an eight-per-pack box of nontoxic crayons for kids, and started selling them for a nickel. More than a century and 100 billion Crayola crayons later, those little waxy sticks are as commonplace as cartoons in the lives of children. At The Crayola Factory in Easton, Pennsylvania , doodlebugs of all ages can reflect on the spectrum of creativity that the cousins’ invention inspired. Located 70 miles north of Philadelphia, the Crayola Factory is ...

Miles Per Gallery Issue: Fall/Winter 2007 Author(s): John Pullen For travelers on the hunt for authentic American artwork, Pennsylvania's Route 15 is hardly the road less traveled. The so-called "Byway of the Arts" unfurls for 190 miles, bisecting the state north to south as it winds through rural expanses and metropolitan cityscapes in places such as Boiling Springs, Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg and Newport. But while the lay of the land changes with each passing town and city, seemingly every locale on the route is a hub of creativity.  Speckled with craft barns,...

Shopping Season Issue: Fall/Winter 2007 Author(s): Betsa Marsh Leaves are turning copper and gold, and the scent of a splurge swirls on the crisp fall air. With the holiday season right around the corner, you hardly require a reason to shop. But if you are looking for another way to justify a spending spree, consider this: Peddler's Village in photogenic Bucks County, Pennsylvania, not only features 70 diverse specialty shops –– enough to take care of everyone on your Christmas list –– it also presents plenty of free festivals throughout the...

Vine Time Issue: Fall/Winter 2007 Author(s): Amy S. Eckert Traverse City is a perennial favorite for autumn travelers. Lakeshore vineyards glow copper and gold in the fall, and the new vintages beg to be sampled. But many visitors to Michigan's premier wine-growing region long to move past the tasting-room bar.  Chateau Chantal's daylong Wine Immersion seminars offer wine lovers a crash course in the subject. The Saturday programs, conducted by winemaker Mark Johnson, begin with a tour of the winery's hilltop vineyards. Then it's inside for a winery tour a...

War Stories Issue: Fall/Winter 2007 Author(s): John Pullen Long before the battlefields of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania , became a mecca for Civil War experts and travelers interested in seeing the spot where President Abraham Lincoln gave his most famous address, it drew hordes of Americans for far more somber reasons. Within days of the Battle of Gettysburg's end in 1863, families from both Union and Confederate sides of the border flocked to the field to search for loved ones among the 51,000 dead. Today, Gettysburg National Military Park remembers those early A...

Chart Your Course Issue: Spring/Summer 2007 Author(s): Gerald Bartell On the Great Allegheny Passage , both the journey and the destinations reward. This 150-mile trail stretching from Cumberland, Maryland, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, offers pleasures for those who stay on the straight and narrow path and to those who stray from its crushed limestone surface. The path accommodates hikers, bicyclists and, on some stretches, equestrians. Grades average 2 percent, allowing visitors to concentrate more on sites than survival. Wildlife is abundant – deer often flock near the ...

Great Lake Escape Issue: Spring/Summer 2007 Author(s): Gerald Bartell The French name "Presque Isle" means "almost an island." But there's nothing "almost" about recreation on this peninsula that curves out into Lake Erie. Presque Isle in Pennsylvania offers a full slate of summer fun. Take swimming. Eleven beaches edge the lake, and nine of them have lifeguards. What you do besides cooling off in the lake depends on where you park your towel. On Beach 6 you can play volleyball, and on Beach 7 you can take the kids to an adjacent playground. Kids also like Beach 11. It's ...

Laurel Love Affair Issue: Spring/Summer 2007 Author(s): Bob Beasley If it's renewal and romance you seek, there's a getaway tucked in the mountains of western Pennsylvania that's calling for you. Located just 50 miles south of the hustle and bustle of Pittsburgh along the old National Road, the Summit Inn Resort sits high atop the Chestnut Ridge, providing panoramic views of the tree-covered Laurel Highlands . Whether you're resting poolside or simply gazing at the untouched natural beauty that surrounds you from the century-old inn's trademark Great Porch, all of your ...

No Pain, Much Gain Issue: Spring/Summer 2007 Author(s): Gerald Bartell A weekend at the St. Joseph Institute in Port Matilda, Pennsylvania , will have you glowing inside and out. This new wellness center promises to treat both the lower back and low self-esteem - or whatever else cramps body and soul. Package spa treatments at the Institute start by assessing your needs and then designing programs for a weekend of rejuvenation. A program might include stone and Swedish massage, detoxifying, skin care and chiropractic adjustment. Classes in a resistance pool offer low-impac...

Rugged Retreat Issue: Spring/Summer 2007 Author(s): Bob Beasley When heading to western Pennsylvania to hit the rapids, the first thing you need to practice is the name of the river. It's the Youghiogheny , pronounced Yawk-a-gain-ee. Just call it the Yough - as in Yawk - and you'll fit right in. No matter if you're a novice or an expert on a raft, the Youghiogheny has something to offer. If you feel like easing in, head to the Middle Yough's Class I and II rapids, which begin near the town of Confluence. Think you're really good? Jump right into the Lower Yough's Cl...

Country Air Issue: Spring/Summer 2006 Author(s): Gerald Bartell Just an hour north of Pittsburgh, Butler County’s rural charm attracts visitors looking for diverse vacation possibilities. Couples will find cozy inns and a full slate of outdoor recreation, along with small villages that are rich with historic sites and distinctive shops for browsing. And for those who bring along the kids, farms and playgrounds await. Couples may be content to spend an entire weekend enjoying one of the county’s B&Bs, many of them occupying historic farmhouses. Heather Hill , for...

Kid Capers Issue: Spring/Summer 2006 Author(s): Gerald Bartell Kids may end up pushing grown-ups out of the way to  get to the great “play with real stuff” exhibits at the Pittsburgh Children’s Museum. Renovated and expanded a year ago, the museum promises active fun for infants, kids and overgrown children of all ages. Many visitors head directly to Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, a re-creation of the village from the beloved TV series, which Fred Rogers created and produced in Pittsburgh. Tykes can try on Mr. Rogers’ sweaters and tennies, ride the neighb...

Gather at the Glen Issue: Fall/Winter 2005 Author(s): John Young When You Go Eagles Mere Inn, 1 Mary Ave., Eagles Mere, 800/426-3273. www.eaglesmereinn.com . Rates: $169–$269. Ricketts Glen State Park, 695 St. Rte. 487, Benton, 570/477-5675. www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/rickettsglen.aspx The possibilities for an adventurous fall or winter getaway in Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains are, as the region’s name suggests, endless. The centerpiece of an adventure into these majestic mountains is the 13,050-acre Ricketts Glen State Park , featuring a hiking tr...

It's a Wonderful Museum Issue: Fall/Winter 2005 Author(s): Gerald Bartell The eastern Pennsylvania town of Indiana is the ideal place for a James Stewart Museum: That’s where the lanky American actor was born (in 1908) and grew up. But a better reason may be that Indiana’s shady streets and early-20th-century homes evoke settings for such Stewart classics as "Harvey" and "It’s a Wonderful Life." The museum’s collections detail all the facets of the American icon’s life. Memorabilia from his films line the shelves – posters, stills, the rifle from "Winchester ’73...

Skiing in Style Issue: Fall/Winter 2005 Author(s): Gerald Bartell When developers transformed Pennsylvania’s Elk Mountain into a ski area in 1959, they blazed a handful of trails and built a small base lodge and a warming hut. Forty-six years and $10 million in improvements later, Elk Mountain skiers now swoosh through 27 trails, some of them the most challenging in the state, then snack at Elk Mountain’s cafeteria or have dinner at its Winter Garden restaurant. For après-ski pampering and all kinds of creature comforts...

Wild Country Issue: Fall/Winter 2005 Author(s): Betsa Marsh The Ridgway Chainsaw Carvers Rendezvous, Feb. 24–25, 2006. 814/772-0400, www.chainsawrendezvous.org . The Towers Victorian Inn, 330 South St., Ridgway, 814/772-7657, www.towersinn.com . Rates: $75–$119. Pennsylvania Wilds, the Northwest Pennsylvania Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau, 800/348-9393, www.pagreatoutdoors.com . Straub Brewery, 303 Sorg St., St. Marys, 814/834-2875, www.straubbeer.com . Allegheny National Forest, 814/723-5150, www.fs.fed.us/r9/allegheny/ . Route 6 Diner, 423 W. Main St., Sme...

Kicks on U.S. Route 6 Issue: Spring/Summer 2005 Author(s): Gerald Bartell Arcing across northern Pennsylvania, U.S. Rte. 6, built in 1925, offers travelers state parks, museums, home-style restaurants and restored inns. Wildlife and scenery dominate the drive. At its western edge, the Erie Wildlife Refuge encompasses 5,200 acres, sheltering birds and mammals. The central part of Rte. 6 skirts the Susquehanna State Forest with hundreds of miles of trout-fishing streams. Farther east, near Wellsboro, comes the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, spanning 50 miles and plunging more than ...

Stock Option Issue: Spring/Summer 2005 Author(s): Gerald Bartell In 1939, entrepreneur James Stoughton moved an 1805 gristmill to the snow-covered village of Jennerstown in southeastern Pennsyl-vania. Today, visitors enjoy lively theater at the Mountain Playhouse that Stoughton built from the mill, and in the summer can dine in the adjacent Green Gables Restaurant. The Playhouse stands as one of only 11 professional stock theaters in the U.S. The season runs from mid-June until mid-October, with laughter usually bouncing off the theater's log-beamed walls – line-up...

Steel Yourself For Excitement Issue: Fall/Winter 2004 Author(s): Amy S. Eckert Station Square, Station Square Drive, between Fort Pitt Bridge and Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 800/859-8959. Hours vary by business. Heinz Hall, 600 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa., 412/392-4900. Hours and admission for Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra varies by performance. Carnegie Museum of Art, 4400 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa., 412/622-3131. Tues.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. noon-5 p.m. Adults $10, seniors $7, children $6. Andy Warhol Museum, 117 Sandusky St., Pittsburgh, Pa., 412/237-8300, Tues.-Sun...

The Road Less Traveled Issue: Fall/Winter 2004 Author(s): Gerald Bartell For more information on attractions along U.S. Rte. 322, visit: www.pagreatoutdoors.com www.clarionpa.com/alf/index.com www.statecollege.com www.psu.edu U.S. Rte. 322, known as the "Lakes to Sea Highway," once sent travelers diagonally across Pennsylvania, from the Great Lakes to points along the Atlantic. Interstates changed all that, and now most drivers avoid this winding, hilly road and the small towns it visits in favor of highway convenience and speed. But for unhurried travelers who want to glimp...

Animal Farm Issue: Spring/Summer 2004 Author(s): Laura Faye Taxel Weatherbury Farm, 1061 Sugar Run Rd., Avella, Pa., 724/587-3763. www.weatherbury farm.com . Rates: $99.97-$136.48. Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, 1 Museum Rd., Washington, Pa., 877/728-7655. www.pa-trolley.org . Memorial Day-Labor Day, Mon.- Fri. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; weekends and holidays April-Dec., 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Admission: $6, children $3.50. Meadowcroft Museum of Rural Life's Meadowcroft Village, 401 Meadowcroft Rd., Avella, Pa., 724/587-3412. www.meadowcroftmuseum.org . Memorial Day weekend-Labor Day, We...

Dig This Issue: Spring/Summer 2004 Author(s): Michelle Jurek If you've always wanted to dig for buried treasure, your chance has come in the form of Fossil Park in Sylvania, Ohio . It's been 375 million years in the making, but the park is now open to treasure hunters and history buffs alike. Step into this five-acre stone quarry and return to the Devonian Era. Stockpiles of shale hide trilobites, brachiopods and more than 200 other species of prehistoric life, all awaiting the fossil hunter's discovery. A concrete walkway leads to three dig sites and accompanyin...

Gateway to the Past Issue: Fall/Winter 2002 Author(s): John Young If You Go . . .  Gateway Lodge Country Inn, St. Rte. 36, Cooksburg, Pa., 800/843-6862. www.gatewaylodge.com . Rates: $90-$198. Cook Forest State Park, River Rd. off St. Rte. 36, Cooksburg, Pa., 814/744-8407. Nestled in a forest of giant white pine and 300-year-old eastern hemlock trees, the Gateway Lodge Country Inn has been providing its guests with an escape into the majestic beauty of Cook Forest State Park since the inn first opened in 1934. The inn was constructed as an authentic log cabin lod...

Good Shows Issue: Fall/Winter 2002 Author(s): Peggy Sailors Just as the blooms of summer begin to fade, Pittsburgh's renowned Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens regales with autumnal splendor. And the blooming good shows continue all winter long. Inside the 13-room Victorian glasshouse, the Fall Flower Show features chrysanthemums. The festival is one of the most eagerly anticipated events all year long. For just three weeks (Oct. 18–Nov. 9), thousands of the fluffy pom-pom and daisy-like blooms fill the 1893 “crystal house,” one of the nation's larg...

Historic Retreat Issue: Fall/Winter 2002 Author(s): John L. Young Although Pennsylvania native George Welsh Olmsted (1874-1940) made his fortune as the owner of the Long Island Lighting Company, he chose the tiny village of Ludlow, Pennsylvania (population 600), to build his family retreat. The Tudor mansion was built in 1917. From 1912 to 1917 workers labored to complete the landscaping, gardens, and stonework, which channeled water into waterfalls and lily ponds. The gardens have been featured in House and Garden and Garden Magazine and the estate's massive iron gat...

Mountain Escapes Issue: Fall/Winter 2002 Author(s): John Tidyman Regardless of season, mountain resorts offer amenities not found elsewhere. In the fall, the golf greens contrast with inspiring autumn colors, and in winter, the landscape becomes fresh with glistening snow. The views are awe-inspiring, and sunrises and sunsets are to be anticipated and enjoyed. It is peaceful and quiet at night – no whine of traffic or blasts of horns and sirens. The sky is so bright you can read by starlight and moonlight. Mountain resorts provide families with an opportunity to cr...