Planning Our Summer Travel

Back to the mountains... again!

Every year my wife and I have numerous discussions about where we would like to go over the summer and this time around it is no different. While we don’t have any extensive plans like we did last year, we do plan on returning to our usual weekend trips around the state that we enjoyed so much in the past. Basically, now is the time to get the broad strokes down and we will fill in a lot of the other day trips as the season progresses. Plus, with all the things that usually occupy our weekends, being able to schedule this much is kind of surprising at this point.

The first trip that is on our agenda is a place that we have visited many times in the past the last drive up there being two years ago on our anniversary. Having introduced our son to the Strasburg Railroad a few weeks ago, we thought it was time to return to Jim Thorpe for a couple of days. Not only is it a place where we can relax a little and walk around but we can also take our son on the train through the valley. Also, it helps that it is only about an hour and a half away which affords us plenty of time for exploring. Of course, we might have to introduce our son to Country Junction while we are up there as well.

The second trip that we have locked into the calendar is a return to Gettysburg. With our son more mobile than ever and looking for a place that would allow us to explore both from in the car and by walking around, Gettysburg seemed to be one of the better options. Given the family history regarding the Civil War it is also important for me that we introduce our son to sites like this early on. And, as many of you know, no matter how many times you go to Gettysburg you always find something new every time you are there. 

In addition to a variety of local and regional events, I also have a number of locations on our calendar for later dates including Elizabethtown, Lititz, Ronks, Lancaster, Manheim, New York, Kennett Square, and a number of others. All of these are in various stages of planning and I am not sure if we will be able to fit them all in but there are some options beyond the scheduled items above. It certainly won’t be the busiest travel season that we have ever experienced and it won’t have some of the longer excursions like last year but it will give us all an opportunity to get out and explore a little this year. After all, our son wouldn’t want it any other way.

Preparing For The Summer Travel

Some days, especially on a weekend after a long week, you just have to get out of the apartment for the day and drive a little bit. While the longer day trips will start back up again next month, now is the time to gradually get back into the routine of putting some miles on the car during our weekly days off. This is why we decided to head down route 1 late this morning to find a new place for lunch. Last weekend we had passed Hank’s Place in Chadds Ford on our way back from Lancaster. While we didn’t take much notice of the “Luke’s” looking place during our return, it immediately resurfaced in our mind when we search for new places to dine in the area.

After about a rumble strip cruse down City Avenue, and through the succession of towns, we arrived in Chadds Ford just after noon. With one spot open in the parking lot and one table just opening up as we walked in the door, it seems as though we got there just at the right time. What would have made the short trip a little better would have been if this really was the first time each of us were to eat there… as it turns out and resurfaced in my wife’s mind as we pulled into the parking lot was the fact that she had eaten there previously after a day out with one of her friends at Longwood Gardens. Fortunately, she approved of the repetition and we didn’t have to search for a new dining destination for the afternoon.

Given the clear warm weather just beyond the windows, it was no surprise that the dining room was packed. With the gardens down the street in bloom, antique stores with their doors open, and the Brandywine River lined with lush with vibrant green trees everyone was out and about for the day exploring the beauty and attractions of the area. While that was not on our schedule for the day, it will be at some point over the summer as we continue our explorations of the Commonwealth. Actually, as you may have noted in that blog/list, we will actually explore that area just over the boarder as well.

I recommend grabbing breakfast or lunch there sometime… great to be near mushroom country. As for the return trip, the drive was relatively uneventful around the area. Of course, the traffic was a little heavier than usual but that is to be expected as people are still trying to shake off the last vestiges of cabin fever. So, the driving has begun. It was a small/short trip but one that awakens our next weekend routine so that we are ready for the longer travel this summer. Especially for me as I have a couple of much longer trips mapped out for next month. But that is a subject for another blog (with pictures).

Summer Travel Countdown and Review

Despite the fact that it is going to be in the 90’s on Wednesday, the summer is pretty much over so I thought I would take the time to go over some of the favorite trips that my wife and I took during the warmer months. This will not be a complete list as I am going to stick with my top 10 (with a favorite photo from each trip). They are ranked based on a variety of factors with some ranking higher because of the meaning of the trip rather than the place itself or because of some discovery that was made during our time there. Of course, many of them are simply places that we enjoyed and look forward to returning to in the near future. So, without further delay, here is countdown.

Honorable Mentions – Williamsport and Fort Washington

Williamsport was the furthest we traveled this summer and while it was an interesting trip I am not sure it was one that I would make again. It is a nice little town but one that leaves you wanting more. Fort Washington (Harvest Books in particular) is somewhere we will always visit. Maybe it will move up the list if we explore a bit more but for now it is just one of those common places that is part of our regular routine.

10 – Harrisburg

By no means is this one of the more pleasant or attractive places to visit and, during our time there, we weren’t able to get as much done as we hoped with regard to our genealogical research but it was a good trip. I put it at number ten because of the discovery I was able to make in a local book store (more about that in a later post) and for the glimpses of the past that the city still possesses (albeit deep under a layer of urban decay in some areas). It was a laid back trip for us and our first real exploration into the research process in an archive. For those reasons it made the cut but just barely.

9 – New Hope

I know a number of people who would easily put this in the top spot on their list but, for me, it was an okay trip. The town itself is very clean and easy to get around but the atmosphere is not something that I would like to spend a lot of time immersed in. The high tourist prices are also something that makes me hesitate to return. However, it was a great place to walk around and somewhere that my wife could browse around in multiple shops for Wizard of Oz merchandise. The smile it brought to her face bumped up this small town to number 9.

8 – Milford and The Delaware Water Gap

The drive along Route 209 through the Delaware Water Gap is one of the most beautiful day trips you can take on this side of the commonwealth. Milford was a nice little town and I would like to go back at some point when there isn’t a music festival clogging up the streets. This trip does win for best meal during our summer travels with the pastrami salmon sandwich at Bar Louis (I would return just for that). But the trip back is really what earns the spot on this list as we were able to explore Raymondskill Falls (similar in size to Bushkill Falls but free) and we stopped by Country Junction in Lehighton just before getting back on I-476. I don’t expect it to be anytime soon but I know we will take this trip again in the future.

7 – Appalachian Trail

This was not the most exciting trip we took during the summer but it was good to just get out and hike for a change. It had been way too long since I had put my boots on a dirt trail. The trail is beautiful in the summer and if get to the mid way point at the right time you can run into a number of through hikers and hear a handful of interesting stories about their time walking in the woods. But, in the end, the reason for the placement above the aforementioned trips is simple; this is something that I was able to cross off my bucket list. I would like to return some day to walk a bit more.

6 – Crystal Cave

When the temperature is in the mid 90’s with high humidity it is a refreshing experience walking into a cave. While I have explored a handful of caves in my life it had been some time since I had last gone spelunking and this was a first for my wife. The reason for the higher ranking is twofold. First, exploring a cave is a great exercise if you enjoy photography as it forces you to use depth and find patterns in a way that is seldom seen beyond the cavernous confines. Second, this was a trip back to my childhood as I have a vague recollection of a school field trip to this location and it was nice to share that memory with my wife. I am certain that we will bring others with us upon our return.

5 – Local Cemeteries (Leverington, Barren Hill, and Gulph Christian)

This trip was long overdue and while it had its depressing moments the overall experience was one that I will never forget. When you spend hours upon hours working on your family history you can easily get lost in the documents and forget the people and places. Visiting the graves of your ancestors brings you back to reality in a way that is hard to explain. This was the first time I was able to visit the resting places of my family and one that I will never forget. I will return in the future as there still is a lot of work to be done and a wrong that needs to be made right. I don’t know when but I will be writing about this topic in the future.

4 – Gettysburg

When you know your family participated in the Civil War, visiting some of the battlefields takes on an entirely different dimension. When you know you had family members on opposite ends of the field it brings about a certain surreal aspect to the experience. Standing behind the rows of cannons you can’t help but think about what it would be like knowing that your actions could cause the death of your family member. Today it is a fascinating contrast between the beauty of the scenery and the horrors of what transpired 150 years ago. I am certain that we will return in the future when we can spend more time walking the fields.

3 – Knoebels

This was a great trip and one that we are both looking forward to taking again in the future. It was one of those simply enjoyable experiences where we could walk around the amusement park taking in the sights and sounds all the while doing so on a budget. Being nestled in the mountains while going on rides and taking pictures is the perfect amusement park experience for us and one that I am glad we were able to share this summer.

2 – Jim Thorpe (x2)

There is a reason why this little mountain town was the only place we visited multiple times this summer. This may be our favorite little town to visit and we are looking forward to returning over and over again. It was a great place for us to both relax and explore at the same time which is not an easy combination to find. Natural mountainous beauty mixed with the small town charm is a hard combination to beat. This would have taken the top spot if it wasn’t for one very special event this summer.

1 – New Providence

I can’t say that I am a fan of Lancaster County. I really don’t have anything against it but it is not somewhere that I would choose to visit, I much rather go to the mountains. However, there is one reason why we continue to go back and that is to visit family. That alone would not get New Providence on this list but this summer it shot to the top. The reason is simple, my niece graduated in June and we headed over there both for the party and for the actual graduation ceremony. I am immensely proud of my niece and being able to see her graduate is why this was the best trip of the summer.

So that’s the recap of my favorite trips that my wife and I took this summer. As I said before, there are various reasons for the placements but this is how things fell into place as I looked back over the last few months. I am looking forward to continuing to travel around the commonwealth and while the frequency has since diminished I am looking forward to a few destinations in the near future that I will be writing about and posting pictures. For now I will leave you with a couple of questions (both topics I will also be writing about in the future): What are some of you favorite local destinations? Where would you like to go?