2022-12-07 11:23:39
Perfect Day MINI-ITINERARIES FOR EVERY SEASON These ideas will get you into the great outdoors any time of year. SPRING Blooming blossoms, chirping birds—there’s so much to love about spring in Pennsylvania. Take in the splendor when you bike the Great Allegheny Passage, a 150-mile rail trail that passes by landmarks, vistas, and historic sites. Then tour the sugar camp at Brantview Farms Maple to see how maple syrup is made and to pick up a few sweet treats, such as maple popcorn and maple fudge. SUMMER Crystal-clear blue skies and bright sunshine set the scene for great summer adventures. Kick off your morning at Ohiopyle Trading Post & River Tours, where an experienced whitewater rafting guide can take you on a rip-roaring ride down the Youghiogheny River. In the afternoon, hop on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail from Ohiopyle State Park and follow the scenic trail for as long as you feel like. (It’s 70 miles total but beautiful even for a short, casual hike.) FALL Watch the morning sun illuminate the breathtaking fall foliage at Laurel Hill State Park in Somerset. Go on a scenic drive and stop to take a picture of King’s Covered Bridge in Rockwood. Enjoy an afternoon wine tasting at Vin De Matrix Winery in Rockwood, and then spend the night at SanaView Farms in Champion, featuring historic cabins on a 52-acre sustainable produce farm. WINTER Go dashing through the snow at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Champion, where 33 slopes and trails, plus terrain parks and pipes, will have you riding to your heart’s content. After getting in your turns, unwind with a relaxing massage and body wrap at the onsite Trillium Spa. In the evening, dine at Helen’s, featuring gourmet dishes and a Wine Spectator award-winning wine list.. More Places to Explore in This Region Hidden Valley Resort Ski resort on the Epic Pass, offering 26 slopes and trails, two terrain parks, and nine lifts. Hidden Valley Nemacolin (Bowman’s) Castle Third-oldest castle in the country, originally built as a trading post in 1786. Brownsville Meyersdale Area Historical Society Visitor center with exhibits on local history housed in a restored railway station. Meyersdale Idlewild and SoakZone Classic amusement park rides, waterpark, Story Book Forest, and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. Ligonier Laurel Mountain Ski Resort Skier’s mountain known for its challenging terrain and the steepest ski slope in the state. Boswell Nemacolin Resort Luxurious retreat with five properties, Woodlands Spa and Salon, and two Pete Dye-designed golf courses. Farmington Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art Comprised of five museums showcasing local artists and a variety of media. Altoona, Bedford, Johnstown, Ligonier, Loretto Polymath Park Four houses—two designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and two designed by apprentice Peter Berndtson. Acme Culture & Craft Beer Explore incredible architecture, art galleries, and shows, plus local craft breweries. Start your cultural journey in Mill Run at Fallingwater, a spectacular work of architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nearby Kentuck Knob in Dunbar was one of the last homes Wright designed, and its Usonian design imparts a sense of harmony and connectedness with nature. Have lunch in Mount Pleasant at Open Range Grille, where the menu touts everything from cheese curd pretzel bites to gourmet burgers, and then enjoy a craft beer like the Buffy Hazy IPA at nearby Helltown Brewing. Continue to Greensburg to see regional artwork and rotating exhibits at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art (free admission) and to sip ever-changing microbrews at All Saints Brewing Company. At night, catch a show—from musical productions to performances by the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra—at The Palace Theatre, a historic venue dating back to 1926. Uncover American History Get a hands-on history lesson on this road trip. Stand in the very place where the opening action of the French and Indian War erupted in the summer of 1754 when you explore the reconstructed fort at Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Farmington. Then, drive to Rockwood to see the 1845 Barronvale Covered Bridge, the longest covered bridge in Somerset County. Continue on to Quecreek Mine Rescue Site in Somerset, which recounts the miraculous story of nine miners being rescued in 2002 after 77 hours of being trapped in the frigid cold and darkness. At Flight 93 National Memorial in Stoystown, remember the 40 heroes lost during the Flight 93 plane crash on September 11, 2001, as you listen to the centerpiece monument, Tower of Voices, which houses 40 distinct wind chimes. Along your drive, pick up your own piece of the past at roadside antique shops, such as 1806 Uniques and Antiques in Jennerstown and Laughlintown Antique Mall in Laughlintown. In nearby Ligonier, peruse the exhibits at Fort Ligonier to learn about the events that led up to the American Revolution, and continue your education in Greensburg at Historic Hanna’s Town, established in 1773 and the location of many Revolutionary War issues.
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