2022-12-07 10:20:02
Soak up some sunshine while reveling in gorgeous waterfront views when you road trip through Pennsylvania’s Great Lakes Region. Start off your journey with a wow factor at Presque Isle State Park, comprised of a 3,200-acre peninsula that curves into sprawling Lake Erie. Spend your day lounging on the sandy beach and swimming in the surf. Then, make yourself at home in the quaint cabins at nearby Edinboro Lake Resort in Edinboro, where you can rent a pontoon boat during the day, and at night, listen to live music and dine on the waterfront at Sunset Grill. Continue to Conneaut and make a stop at The Sandbar at Fireman’s Beach for ice cream and lake views before heading to Conneaut Cellars Winery & Distillery for wine tasting and a free guided tour. At Pymatuning State Park in Jamestown, take your pick from recreational activities—this is the largest state park in Pennsylvania, after all. Take in scenic lake views from the historic Pymatuning Dam Gate House and then stroll along the 1-mile Sugar Run Trail that meanders along Sugar Run, where the trees are home to plentiful songbirds. To enjoy some fishing, drive to Maurice K. Goddard State Park in Sandy Lake, where you’ll find 1,680-acre Lake Wilhelm, a warm-water fishery teeming with a variety of fish, including largemouth bass, walleye, crappie, and catfish. The Rounded Point area near the marina parking lot has an ADA-accessible fishing pier. In the afternoon, make your way to Shenango Recreation Area Campground in Transfer to set up camp along the Shenango River Reservoir. More Places to Explore in This Region Burch Farms Country Market & Winery Local winery and tasting room with an on-site bakery and farmers market. North East DeBence Antique Music World More than 100 musical instruments—from phonographs to organs—from the mid-1800s to 1940s. Franklin Daffin’s Candies Iconic candy store dating to 1949, selling “pecanettes,” gourmet chocolate bars, and assorted treats. Sharon Dutch Treat Restaurant Amish-style restaurant with homestyle classics such as the “Famous Broaster Style Chicken.” Spartansburg Guthrie Theatre Historic movie theater with new movies, comedy shows, and live music performances. Grove City Pymatuning Deer Park Seasonal animal park with more than 250 animals and birds, plus a kid-friendly petting zoo. Jamestown Buhl Park Biking trails, a swimming pool, offleash dog park, and the country’s only free 9-hole golf course. Hermitage Sara’s Eclectic retro-style diner known for burgers, hot dogs, and orange-vanilla twist ice cream cones. Erie Voodoo Brewing Co. An ever-changing tap list of inventive beers, plus a menu of mussels, creative pizzas, and pub grub. Meadville Arundel Cellars & Brewing Co. Fruit-forward wines, craft beer, and hard cider in a 19th-century barn surrounded by orchards. North East Waldameer & Water World Amusement park with roller coasters, kiddie rides, bumper cars, and a 500,000-gallon wave pool. Erie Explore History & Industry IN THE OIL REGION NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA Delve into the rich past of the petroleum industry at this officially designated National Heritage Area, where an oil boom changed the course of American history Begin your road trip in Titusville, at the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad, where you can hop on a vintage railcar at the 1890s Perry Street Station and enjoy a three-hour train ride that passes through beautiful Oil Creek State Park. Then, check into the Caboose Motel, where you can stay overnight in a caboose car. The next morning, see where it all started at Drake Well Museum and Park, as you explore the replica of Edwin L. Drake’s engine house and derrick, which housed the well that struck oil in 1859. Continue your drive and stop in Kennerdell to see Rockland Tunnel, an abandoned railroad tunnel; Rockland Furnace, an 1830s iron furnace; and Freedom Falls, a 20-foot waterfall cascading into a pool. In Oil City, see an enclave of artists in their studios at ARTS Oil City, and then learn more about local history at the Venango Museum of Art, Science and Industry. An Architectural Tour From historic homes to splendid government buildings, this region is home to grand examples of all types of architecture. Explore a maritime treasure in Erie at the 1873 Presque Isle Lighthouse, where you can climb the tower and take a self-guided tour of the attached lightkeeper’s house, which reflects a 19th-century French architectural design. Then, stroll through Erie’s Hagen History Center campus and see the 1891 Watson-Curtze Mansion, a brownstone mansion built in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, as well as the new location of Frank Lloyd Wright’s original San Francisco office, housed in a new, specially designed building. In nearby Franklin, explore the Franklin Historic District where you’ll find the stately Venango County Courthouse and the Samuel F. Dale House. Then spend the night in style. Tara – A Country Inn in Clark is an 1854 Greek Revival-style mansion with Gone with the Wind-themed rooms, while Buhl Mansion Guesthouse & Spa in Sharon is a Richardsonian Romanesque-style castle that was once home to steel magnate Frank H. Buhl.
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