Shorter Road Trips - Better Experiences
April 22, 2008 - 2:57pm — ecooley
As long as I could remember my family took road trips. Seldom did we travel by plane or boat. When I was a small boy we piled into my parents station wagon with our camping supplies and headed out for the campgrounds located around our home. We ate homemade blueberry pancakes (blueberries picked that day), slept in the back of the station wagon during thunderstorms, and hiked trails along waterfalls. The experience was spectacular and was the quintessential family trip.
Today I have an 18 month old, and a wife who wants a vacation. I am struck with the realism that the cost of gas is getting higher and my pay check is shrinking. No fancy trips to the beach, so I believe this year I am returning to my own heritage. The family get-a-way will be local get-a-way.
So this year I believe our lodging accommodations will include camping at our State Parks. I am interested in trying out Shawnee State Park or Prince Gallitzin State Park. I have been to Greenwood Furnace, Canoe Creek, and to Little Pine. All of those are great rural camping locations with great trails, camp sites and visitor centers. The facilities are clean and the staff is helpful. I love our State Parks because most have swimming, hiking, and biking opportunities. Some even have a museum, I love history (stories). It won’t be camping all the time.
I think we might take picnic lunches and dinners to some of our favorite attractions. Perhaps we will visit: Penn’s Cave to take a tour underground, check out the trains at Horseshoe Curve, take a cool summer walk on the trails at Allegheny Portage Railroad, or eat an ice cream at Delgrosso’s Park.
Perhaps it’s best that our vacations maybe one-three day events. Our local stories provide for some great experiences. Coal mine tours, stories of Indians and Soldiers, garden tours of wealthy industrialists, caves and quarries waiting to be explored, train rides and train watching, fishing and canoeing, and so much more all within a half hour drive of my house. Gee why would you want to leave Central Pennsylvania?
If you are looking for some ideas for things to visit this summer go to your local bookstore and check out the "Local" section. Most have some great books on attractions and camping options.
Anyone up for a StoryTrax.com Road Trip to State College for some PSU Creamery Ice Cream? I am planning a day in June.
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