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Five Fantastically Fun, Family Friendly Fall Foliage Flings!! Pennsylvania

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Fall is in the air, the days are getting shorter, and Junior can’t decide what costume to pick for this Halloween. It’s the time of year when schools are in full swing, apples are fresh-picked, and mountain forests explode in a rainbow of brilliant yellow and red colors.

Let’s pack the kids into the car for a fun weekend getaway to see the leaves!

Pennsylvania is a wonderful state for fall foliage, with the craggy peaks of the Allegheny highlands in the west, the gently rolling hills of Amish country, the peaks of the Poconos, and the colonial flavor of the Delaware Valley region — every part of the Keystone state has great fall foliage potential, and there’s some wonderful weekend destinations that can combine family fun with fall foliage colors.

Here are five of my favorite Pennsylvania getaway spots where fall color is in the trees during the month of October. Let’s count ‘em down…

5. Pocono Mountains (NORTHEAST PA)
The gentle hills of the Poconos are filled with great foliage drives and delightful historical towns with romantic bed and breakfast inns (and of course, a few resorts with timelessly tacky honeymoon suites that look like they’re straight out of an Austin Powers movie). There’s also some great recreational opportunities at places like Lake Wallenpaupack or Lake Harmony. A fun way to see the fall foliage is to visit one of the areas ski resorts, some of which have chairlift rides in the offseason. Mountain biking is always a winner, and there are places where you can do a horseback trek.

Ski areas doing fall foliage chairlift rides include:
* Elk Mountain October 11 & 12
* Shawnee Mountain October 17, 18, 19 (hot air balloon rides too!)

4. Amish Country / Pennsylvania Dutch Country (CENTRAL PA)

I originally came to this part of Pennsylvania looking for Intercourse. Naturally I found it…not to mention a whole lot of other scenic little towns where the traditional Amish and Mennonite traditions live on. Horses outnumber cars in the rural farmlands and it somehow seems most appropriate to visit the rustic beauty of this region in the fall, when the trees are in full color and the cool nights just seem right for an extra large slice of shoefly pie.

The most scenic drive for fall foliage leaf spotting is along route 772 from Manheim to Gap. You pass through Lititz (stop by the historic cloisters, or visit the pretzel factory) as well as Intercourse. I also like the antique festivals in Adamstown, though nobody believes me when I say that — they think I just go there for the outstanding German-style beers and oom-pah bands in the beer hall at Stoudt’s Brewing Company.

Speaking of Stoudt’s, they serve some great German food in the beer hall, and the thickest steaks outside of Texas in the main restaurant. Amish Country is a place where it’s easy to eat your fill though. Down the road from Stoudt’s is a place called Zinn’s Diner, in the town of Denver, right next to the turnpike — it’s casual, low key, cheap, and authentically homestyle. The best places to bring hungry families though are the big, family-style smorgasbord restaurants, of which there are several around Lancaster County — like Millers in the town of Ronks or Good N Plenty in Smoketown.

Fun kid-friendly rides in Amish country:
* Amish buggy rides: Bird-in-Hand, Intercourse
* steam trains: Strasburg (www.strasburgrailroad.com)
* horseback trail rides: Flying M Stable in Leola
* amusement park rides: Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster

3. Presque Isle (NORTHWEST PA)
Way, way up in the far northwest corner of Pennsylvania (perilously close to Cleveland), are some wonderful weekend getaway spots. Conneaut Lake is famous for its heron population, but it’s also a great place to soak up fall colors reflected off the quiet waters. Presque Isle is the undisputed gem of this part of the state — even though it’s more of a peninsula into Lake Erie than it is a real island. There’s ample opportunities here for windsurfing, sea kayaking, or fishing, though the fall colors are best appreciated by hiking the 13-mile trail. There’s lots of other things to do in this area, but being a gourmand with a taste for local flavors, I’d recommend visiting a winery for a genuine local taste of the fruit of the vine and work of human hands. The wineries are all located near the shores of Lake Erie around the town of North East (a few miles northeast of Presque Isle and Erie), either on Lake Road or on Main Road.
Wineries near Presque Isle include:

* Ye Olde Vineyard
* Penn Shore Winery
* Mazza Vineyards
* Arrowhead Wine Cellars
* Heritage Wine Cellars

2. Ohiopyle (SOUTHWESTERN PA)
I can think of two great reasons to visit the small, southwestern Pennslvania town of Ohiopyle on almost any weekend of the year: First, it’s where you’ll find the stunning Frank Lloyd Wright home, Fallingwater, with its spectacular setting that bridges a babbling brook. Second, it’s a great place to do some whitewater rafting down the nearby Youghigheny River. If you’re a cultured traveler, come for the architecture, if you’re an avid outdoorsman, come for the whitewater adventure, no matter who you are, check out the leaves, the mellow mood of the town, and the nearby apple orchards for some of the season’s finest cider. The Ohiopyle State Park is a great place for hiking and picnics, but man that river calls! If you’ve got active teens in the family, they’d definitely prefer getting their dose of fall foliage along the river route — just be sure to plan ahead, pack swimsuits and towels, and reserve your spot before you go!
River outfitters in Ohiopyle:

* Ohiopyle Trading Post (http://www.ohiopyletradingpost.com/)
* White Water Adventures (http://www.wwaraft.com)
* Wilderness Voyageurs (http://www.wilderness-voyageurs.com/)
* Laurel Highland River Tours(http://www.laurelhighlands.com/)

1. Delaware Water Gap (EASTERN PA)
People from New York City, Philadelphia, or anywhere in New Jersey have a great opportunity to enjoy a scenic fall foliage drive through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. It’s an easy drive that only takes a couple hours at the max, but it offers great canoeing and some excellent spots to hike along the shores of the Delaware River, meandering along the hiking trails that wend their way through the hilly forests. There are bluffs that sit high up over the river where you can snap a few photos, or maybe even spread out a blanket for a romantic picnic lunch. Outstanding photo op spots include Dingmans Falls and the high walls of the gap between Mount Tammany and Mount Minsi. Official info about the Delaware Water Gap, mercifully free of my chatter and interpretation: www.nps.gov/dewa

There are several scenic routes running north, west, and south as you exit the National Park. A good southern route would be to meander your way along the Delaware River heading towards Philadelphia.
Be sure to stop at the Washington Crossing Historic Park so you and your kids can ask many annoying questions of the park staff. I suggest:

* Why was George Washington out boating on Christmas Eve when he should have been wrapping presents and drinking wassail with Martha?
* How come the picture shows daylight when Washington supposedly crossed the river under cover of darkness?
* Where’s his PFD?
* Why is Washington standing up in the bow of a moving rowboat moving through icy waters? No wonder he’s dead now!

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