Although it’s easy to forgot, that at one point, Western PA was the frontier of America. When Lewis and Clark set out for points unknown, the land my home now occupies was the Western-most “civilized” place (and, I would argue, may still be). So, maybe, a Wild West museum along the Allegheny River [...]

Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow! What perfect weather for a Christmas open house.
I had wanted to take my family on an afternoon outing to the Conococheague Institute near Mercersburg to see the frontier buildings decorated for Christmas. But the boys came down with fevers, so I sneaked out during nap-time on [...]

My friend’s birthday is in October and we went on a double date with our husbands to celebrate. We started the evening at the Dobbin House. It must be the greatest restaurant in Gettysburg since it already has two posts. Actually one of my colleagues, John, would say it’s the greatest restaurant in all of [...]

Philadelphia’s South Street is a well known destination for visitors interested in exploring a hip, urban, funky spot at any hour of the day. One of our favorite destinations is Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, a fantastical creation by an iconic artistic figure in the Philadelphia community, Isaiah Zagar. Click here to view our photos taken during [...]

My boss is a huge fan of Martin Guitars. He owns at least five of them and he’s been on the free factory tour numerous times (he says it never gets old). So on Friday, he took me to the Martin Guitar factory over in Nazareth to help me fulfill one of my last remaining New Year’s [...]

If you have a passion for automobiles you will certainly be interested in visiting the America on Wheels automobile museum in Allentown. Since its opening in April 2008, more than 35,000 visitors have toured the exhibits and attended the various events. But during my recent visit I discovered that it’s much different than other automobile [...]

Last week, while my wife and daughter were at a bridal shower, I took advantage of Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day to take my son to the National Toy Train Museum in Strasburg. The nearly empty parking lot was a stark contrast to the Strasburg Railroad less than a mile down the road.
Once inside, my four-year [...]

If you grew up in central Pennsylvania, chances are good that you took at least one field trip to the Pennsylvania State Museum in Harrisburg. I made the trip in fourth grade, and I still recall the scavenger hunt we were asked to complete. While interning at the State Archives (next door to the museum) [...]

As anyone who currently lives in Pennsylvania can attest, this has been one of the rainiest summers in recent memory. As a sun-worshiper, this doesn’t thrill me. But fortunately, there are still a ton of things to do in the Susquehanna River Valley despite the soggy weather. Here are a few suggestions…
The Packwood House Museum [...]

A few weeks back, Aleisha had to travel to Easton for a dress fitting for her brother’s upcoming wedding. The kids and I decided to tag along, and we left early enough to spend some time at Two Rivers Landing, home to the Crayola Factory and the National Canal Museum. After parking in a nearby [...]