This little-known gem of a railroad museum will appeal to the railroad enthusiast as well as kids of all ages!
Central PA
Be Your Own Captain: Renting a Boat from 7 Points Marina
The largest lake (entirely) in PA, Raystown Lake offers you more than 27 miles snaking through the mountains along the original path of the Juniata River, to explore! The original lake was built as a hydroelectric project, but was significantly enlarged in 1973 with a new, larger dam by the Army Corps of Engineers, primarily […]
Living Large at Lake Raystown Resort
If you’re looking for a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life — just over a couple hours away from several major cities, including Baltimore and Washington DC — then look no further than lovely Raystown Lake. Located on over 400 acres of waterfront property, Lake Raystown Resort is a great place […]
Kayaking Lake Marburg in Codorus State Park
Codorus State Park is a 3,500-acre Pennsylvania state park in southwestern York County, PA, with Lake Marburg as its center piece — and that’s where we headed to go kayaking. The waters are clear — you can see underwater grasses flourishing. The park was created around Lake Marburg, an artificial lake covering 1,275 acres, and […]
Geocaching Along Clearfield County’s Five Trails
Geocaching has seemed like something I’d like to do — I just didn’t know how to get started or what was involved. Not familiar with it? Has the idea of treasure-hunting every appealed to you? Geocaching is similar, except that it’s real, unlike the myths of gold buried in them thar hills. In fact, gecaching […]
Add Hearing the Elk Bugle to Your Bucket List
Since I discovered it was a thing, it was on my bucket list: hearing the bull elk bugle during rutting season. I’d visited Clearfield County a couple times already and had seen a herd of elk cows and calves grazing in a meadow — and yes, that was an amazing thing, in and of itself. […]
Adventure Awaits in Clearfield County!
Gaining in popularity as a weekend getaway, Clearfield County has a lot to offer folks seeking lovely scenery and outdoor adventures such as hiking, biking and kayaking. There’s also an historic car museum, local wineries, and plenty of places to enjoy some tasty meals. There’s more to do than meets the eye in Clearfield County, […]
Take the 24 in 24 Clearfield Challenge: Can You Do Them All?
I’ve visited Clearfield County three times now, and I’m impressed by how much there is to see and do there! From dinosaurs to cars to Civil War history, cute b&bs, some fab food, a bloody cabin, and hiking, biking and kayaking! You’ll find plenty there to keep you busy! Take the “24 in 24 Challenge,” […]
PA Military Museum
The Pennsylvania Military Museum preserves and honors the state’s military history from 1747 to the present, interpreting the story of the Commonwealth’s ‘Citizen Soldiers,’ civilian activities on the home front, and the contributions of Pennsylvania industry to military technology. The first thing you notice is the Sherman Tank near the road, sitting still in a […]
Bilger’s Rocks Update
I’ve visited Bilger’s Rocks twice now. The first time was cold, icy and foggy, and in February. But I was fascinated by this rock formation. It was fun exploring from on top, looking down into the crevices. But this second visit was all about experiencing it from within the rock formation itself. When I visited the first time, […]
Centre Furnace Mansion
Minutes from the Penn State campus in Centre County is an historic mansion that helps tell the story of the iron industry in America, how the county got named, and Penn State itself was founded. An artist’s interpretation of Centre Furnace Mansion in the early 1800s. The mansion is a restored and furnished ironmaster’s home […]
Browsing Bellefonte’s Spirits, Boutiques and Antiques
Bellefonte was named by a French diplomat on a land-speculation visit to central PA in the 1790s. He named the crossroads “la belle fonte” for the natural spring — “Big Spring” — in town that provides the town its drinking water. Bellefonte’s Big Spring was awarded the “best tasting water in the state” by the […]
Boal Mansion and Columbus Chapel
What’s an authentic medieval European chapel doing in the middle of Pennsylvania? You’ll have to daytrip to the Boal Mansion, in Boalsburg, to find out! The Boal Estate has been the Boal family home for more than 200 years. During a tour, you learn the story of America as seen through eight generations of one […]
A Month of Summer Daytrips for Kids
It’s that time again — when school ends for the year and kids cheer and parents groan (just a little, because, you know, we really love our kids). If you’re looking for some great ideas for day trips with your little cherubs — the kind of daytrips that will keep their imaginations active and expand […]
Lovely Discoveries at the “New” Penn State Arboretum
The only constant is change, and that’s never more apparent than when you revisit a place you lived and loved for four years. I graduated from Penn State 30 years ago, and although the bones are all still there, new buildings and new features jar the walk down memory lane. The field hockey fields and […]