My Afternoon in Emlenton

Emlenton from the sky

The PA Great Lakes Region is made up of four counties. At the furthest southeast point of this region, in the very corner of Venango County, is the Borough of Emlenton. I had read a bit about the heritage of this small municipality, so decided to take a quick trip, and while the town is made up of less than 750 residents, that didn’t prevent it from being an intriguing place to spend an afternoon.

The drive is one of the most exciting parts, lots of hills and valleys, and while you can't tell by these pictures, plenty of cows.

As I made my way into the historic district of the borough, I parked at the Emlenton Mill. Built in 1875, the mill was one of the first steam powered grist mills in the United States. Later converted to gas and then electricity, the Emlenton Mill was in operation for over 100 years. However, today, the mill has a different function, acting as the Emlenton Hotel; the Emlenton Mill Antiques shop; The Craft Mill (which hosts art classes); and The Emlenton Creamery (ice cream and coffee shop).

The entrance to the museum, which unfortunately, was closed on this day.

On this day, the coffee house was the only thing open, so I went in, took a seat with a beverage and looked out at the Allegheny River, which runs the entire length of the town and serves as the border between Venango and Clarion counties.

Sitting down near me were some local folks and I struck up a conversation with them to find out a little more about Emlenton's history. I quickly realized this place is one of those towns in which most of the residents know everything about it, so between talking with some nice people and some reading I did during the day, here is what I learned:

The Allegheny River running through Emlenton. The Main Street is just 30 feet behind me.

In the mid-1800’s, the borough was named after a woman named Hannah Emlen, the wife of Joseph Fox, a wealthy Quaker that owned land in the region. However, the town was first established well before that by Andrew McCaslin, an entrepreneur that found the land while traveling on the Allegheny River. Throughout the early 1800’s, people made their way to the new town, and with it came housing and new opportunity for business. At first it was lumber, then iron and by the late 1800’s, Emlenton, as well as the rest of the region, moved onto the industry they would be best known for: Oil. With the Allegheny River serving as the ideal transportation system, Emlenton thrived in all of these industries.

These days, kayakers and canoers are the main travelers on this stretch of the Allegheny but 150 years ago, this body of water was a major transportation hub for the most lucrative industries of the era.

In 1882, a group of locals realized that the “natural gas” created from the oil also had uses, which led to the creation of the Emlenton Gas Light and Fuel Company, who learned to harness this by-product and use it as a reliable commercial lighting and fuel source, becoming only the third organized natural gas company in the United States at that time. During this same period, the local oil producers banded together and in 1891 formed the Emlenton Producers Oil Company. Other oil companies in the region became involved, and in 1931, a merger among nineteen firms resulted in the formation of a little company we now know as Quaker State (as an added note, there have been three films produced about Emlenton’s role in the oil industry, all of which will be shown on December 2nd as part of the Oil 150 celebration. For more information, click here.)

Main Street Emlenton, circa 1910.

The great part about Emlenton is that all this history can be found on plaques throughout the downtown indicating how the town flourished and operated in its heyday.

A view of Emlenton from Clarion County (right across the bridge).

After several hours of strolling, reading and admiring, I left Emlenton a little more educated and a lot more entertained. On most days, a person has to look towards the future, so on those rare opportunities you have a chance to look back on history and learn about where generations before came from, you should take advantage. Emlenton is one of those places.

Labor Day 2009: A Visit to the Pennsylvania Great Lakes Region - Part 2

It was Sunday morning of Labor Day weekend, and with no professional football scheduled yet, I had no problem getting inspired to get up and plan Day 2.

Largest parrot I have ever seen (and this wasn't even the funniest sign I saw throughout the weekend).

Meadville

I hopped into the car and headed 40 minutes northwest to Meadville. I knew a bit about the town’s history and Allegheny College there, but wanted to check it out for myself.

Because it was a Sunday morning, Meadville, like many Pennsylvania towns, did not have many shops open. However, the town was so easy to get around, that I enjoyed just walking the streets downtown.

Meadville's Academy Theater, Diamond Park and Market House

After taking in some of the sites, I stopped in the The Artistist's Cup Cafe, an intriguing coffee house and internet hot spot that also sells local art. While waiting for my beverage, noticed the following pin:

After some research, I learned about a project in town called Make It Meadville, a local initiative to preserve, promote and improve the unique historic character, arts, culture, and educational opportunities of downtown and act as a catalyst for economic development. With a $3 donation, you can purchase the pin, and when wearing it, you can get discounts at stores and restaurants throughout the city. The locals should be commended for their proactive effort to keep their community thriving.

The Wilhelm Winery
By mid-afternoon, I was back in the car and on my way to the Wilhelm Winery in Hadley, which was holding its Tenth Annual End of Summer Winefest that weekend.

(Sidenote: Some interesting artwork outside of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation building in Meadville. Very creative use of street signs).

After a leisurely drive with some good tunes, all of a sudden I noticed that the GPS was telling me I was approaching my destination, despite the fact that I was surrounded by fields of...well, not much.

I thought that perhaps I was asking too much of my navigational device, but then out of nowhere, a sign appeared...

As I was parking, I initially thought that this was a family gathering and not actually open to the public. It felt very much like a community, but I guess when you hold a free picnic and wine tasting every year for a decade, it tends to bring people together (although based on a straw poll, about 70% of the people there that day had never visited the winery before).

First things first. Head into the winery and start my “research.” Very impressed by the selection of wines, as well as the knowledgeable staff. They were having as much fun serving as the patrons were having consuming.

After 20 minutes, I decided to take a break and take a look at the small museum they had that consisted of techniques and tools used by previous generations for making wine.

As I was looking at the antiques, an announcement was made that a tour was about to commence. Despite all the action going on, Gary and Trish Shilling, the husband-and-wife owners of the winery, took time out of their schedule to show a group around the century-old house. To my surprise, the entire winemaking process (from crushing to bottling) takes place in three rooms in the basement. It seemed a little strange, but between the information that was shared and sampling that I drank, they were clearly doing everything right.

Once the tour was over, I decided to take one more sampling of my three favorites (the Fredonia, the Delaware and the Sunrise Blush) before choosing a bottle to purchase. The last sips confirmed what I had decided earlier, and I quickly went to the front and requested a bottle of the Delaware, a nice white wine, before heading back to my car and hitting the road.

The Great Stoneboro Fair
To continue my trip south, the Great Stoneboro Fair is something that peaked my interest. Festivals and fairs had been a staple of my Labor Days throughout my life, and based on the description and history I read about this particular one, I definitely wanted to check it out.

Once again, after a very relaxing drive, I arrived at the fairgrounds to see the event in full effect. For $10, I got to park and was told that I had access to the whole grounds (didn’t really understand what a great deal that was until later).

Before I started, I needed to “carb-up” (especially with the heat and the wine I just consumed), so I grabbed a quick gyro (without the sauce. Have many a fair story involving wearing messy food) and started taking everything in. The carnival section was going strong. and while I wasn't in the market for a composter, combine or subsoiler, based on the selection they were showing off, I thought that perhaps I should be.

Needing a quick break from the heat, I sat down in a little barn with some benches. All of a sudden, four guys with instruments appeared on stage. It sort of happened suddenly, so I thought it was an impromptu jam session (which wouldn't have surprised me in the slightest), but one guy showed up with a double-bass, so it couldn’t have been too spur of the moment.

The gentlemen (2 of whom were brothers. The 2 in the middle, I believe) spent a little over an hour playing an array of bluegrass music. Bluegrass is not a style of music I grew up with or I would consider a staple on my mp3 player, but I appreciated that they were having a great time playing together and the audience was having a great time listening (and singing along in some cases).

When the performance was over, I went to grab some homemade ice cream and people-watched for a bit when I noticed a large of group headed toward some stadium seating. Now, the one complaint I had about the fair was the lack of availability to an itinerary. I wasn’t sure what was happening at at all, so, I just followed the crowd most of the time.

As I approached, I noticed a huge banner with the name Chuck Wicks on it, which was sitting next to a tour bus, also with the name Chuck Wicks on it. Based on this information, and the number t-shirts I saw people wearing with the same name on it, I deduced that Chuck Wicks was nearby. The problem was, I wasn’t really sure who Chuck Wicks was or what he did. I assumed, based on the stage and the CDs that were being sold, he was a singer of some sorts.

However, that didn’t stop me. I headed towards the seats (which were free with admission. Great job, Stoneboro Fair!!!), where it became clear that I was the ONLY one who had no idea who Chuck Wicks was. Most of the people knew him as a touring country music star, while others knew him as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars. Either way, the crowd was in a frenzy waiting for him to appear, and when he did, it erupted.

Now, I don’t listen to a lot of country music either, but I found myself rather impressed with not only Chuck Wicks’ talent, but his stage presence and his ability to keep the crowd riled up. It was a very entertaining show.

After the concert, I decided to grab a quick bite and stake out the best place to watch the fireworks. While I was waiting, I started up a conversation with a gentleman that had been coming to the Great Stoneboro Fair for 56 years. I asked him about how it has changed in that time, and his response was simple: It hasn’t. Sure, some of the carnival rides are different and some of the farm equipment is more technological and the types of food that is sold is more expansive, but overall this Labor Day event has stayed the way it has since he had been coming, and probably well before that.

Sitting on my car, watching the fireworks explode into the sky with the full moon as a backdrop, I thought about the gentleman's comment and what a comfort that must be. Life can throw curves at you at every turn, but for the people in this community, they have known that every September, for 142 years, the Great Stoneboro Fair has been there to entertain them and help them say goodbye to summer. It is tradition, which was a common theme to everything I saw throughout the region that day.

It had been a long day, and so I headed back to my hotel to sit back and relax. I still had one more day to go, and I was determined to make the most of it.

Labor Day 2009: A Visit to the Pennsylvania Great Lakes Region - Part 1

Summer was coming to an end, and with the stresses of life hitting as they usually do when summer comes to an end, I needed a place to escape to just for a bit. However, I didn’t want to travel for the sake of traveling. I needed to go someplace specific:

• I wanted to be able to relax, but didn’t want to be just lounging around.
• I wanted something that could be educational, but wasn’t only educational.
• I wanted something that was away from the grind, but not away from the human race.
• Oh, and if it wasn’t too expensive, that would be ok.

A friend of mine suggested the PA Great Lakes Region. Now, he is a bit biased (he does some promotional work for the region), but he said it was the exact kind of place I may be looking for.
I decided to give it a shot. Why not? It is only three days, and if I get bored, I know how to get home.

However, it became clear early on that three days was far too little to see everything I wanted to see…


The Drive
I drove from Harrisburg on Saturday, leaving as the Penn State game was starting because I knew I would be driving in that direction and I wanted to avoid all semblance of traffic that usually comes with a home game.

Driving towards Beaver Stadium. Penn State was winning 31-0 at this point

It was about a 3 ½ hour drive up to the northwest region, and one of the easiest 3 ½ hour drives I have ever done.

Much of the trip was on Route 322, which spans a large majority of Pennsylvania. I have traveled on parts of 322 in a number of different counties in Pennsylvania, and I must say that Venango County has some of the prettiest strips of the route I have been on.

I set up my homebase in Cranberry, a nice town that is home to the Cranberry Festival (being held on September 19th and something I'm going to be sorry to miss based on the agenda). Plus, it wasn’t too far from any of the spots I wanted to visit.


Oil City
After getting to the hotel and getting caught up on football highlights, I headed out to do some exploring. Oil City, being only 8 miles away, was my first trip. Oil City’s heritage is pretty well documented, so I won’t go into the history that I learned, but the place is like a blast from the past. Crossing the bridge over the Allegheny River into the historic district, it was like entering the back lot of a movie set, with train tracks that ran through the town like Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. I took a nice walk around and enjoyed both the architecture and art while enjoying the afternoon turn to evening.

A quick collage I call "Sunset in Oil City"

Franklin
Too early to head back to the hotel, so I followed signs to Franklin, which I had also heard good things about. Unfortunately, it was too dark to take quality pictures, so you are going to have to trust me when I say that the Main Street of Franklin is quite intriguing, again, with many retro-style storefronts, as well as a beautiful park.

One thing I did want to highlight was the meal I had. At the suggestion of a colleague, I was told to try out Bella Cucina, a fine dining establishment - serving everything from seafood to steak - right in the heart of town. I decided to sit at the bar and enjoy their chicken caesar salad (a house specialty I’ve been told) while talking with some locals about the area. A tremendous meal with tremendous atmosphere.

Clearly, by the number of people there, it is a favorite of the locals, but if I wasn’t looking for it, I probably would not have noticed it. Unfortunately, they don’t have a website, but for more information, you can email them here.

By this time, I had no trouble calling it a night. I had a full schedule the next day and I wanted to be ready for it….

Ready, Set, Shop! (In PA Great Lakes of Course...)

My favorite time of year is quickly approaching…I can just feel the anticipation in the air. It’s time for…okay, take a deep breath because I know you’re excited too…back to school shopping! Ah, yes. The perfect excuse to go shopping frequently, hit all of the good sales and bring home a multitude of bags filled with your new purchases! Oh, the thrill! Going into my senior year of college, I have mastered the art of back to school shopping and each and every year I have done my shopping in PA Great Lakes. (I’m a Mercer County native who now resides in Erie County) And, here is some even better news about shopping in this region…with no sales tax on clothing or shoes, and a variety of stores, PA Great Lakes is the perfect place to go to get ready for a new school year.
Okay, so you’re wondering what kinds of stores there are, right? Well, PA Great Lakes is home to a plethora of malls and shopping centers. With places to go like the Meadville Mall in Crawford County, The Millcreek Mall and Colony Plaza in Erie County, Reyers (the world’s largest shoe store), and The Winner (the world’s largest off-price women’s fashion store) in Mercer County, and the Cranberry Mall in Venango County, you can stay busy shopping and finding great deals for days. After a single trip, you’ll be dressed in style – ready to start the new semester. Looking your best can make you feel motivated to study more, right? (This is not a scientific fact, but I think looking your best is important anyway!)
Next on the list of important places to go is definitely the Prime Outlets in Grove City. This outlet mall is home to over 140 brand name stores, like Juicy Couture, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Banana Republic, The Children’s Place, Bath & Body Works, American Eagle, Guess?, GAP, Old Navy, and tons more. The Grove City Outlets has also been placed among the 20 best outlet malls in America, so if this isn’t reason enough to stop in and visit PA Great Lakes – then you are not a true shopping enthusiast! Also, to sweeten your experience at Prime Outlets Grove City, there is a coupon book available at the service center in the food court with current coupons and hundreds of dollars worth of savings. Don’t you just love saving money and still getting great merchandise? I know I do!
Lastly, if your new apartment needs a little sprucing up to match your new stylish look, there is a variety of quaint specialty and antique shops in the PA Great Lakes Region. Stop in and look for frames, photos, and other treasures to give your pad that special, homey feeling.
Alright, my fellow shoppers…cut your coupons, hop in the car and get ready to have a great time shopping, saving and getting ready for a great new school year in PA Great Lakes! Hope to see you here!

Family Vacation Time!

Well, it is now officially summer…and you know what that means: family vacations! Ah, yes, one of the perks of summer...getting to take off to various destinations with the parents and the siblings. I can sense the bonding experience already! Okay, so now that we’ve established that you’re taking a family vacation, the next step is going to be figuring out the age old question of “Where to?” Well, I have a feeling you know my answer to that question. PA Great Lakes, of course! Follow me as I guide you through a great family vacation experience!

Erie, Pennsylvania is generally known for its mild summers and lovely breezes. This is the perfect weather to enjoy Waldameer Park and Water World! The amusement park offers roller coasters, other rides, water slides, live shows and so much more! So, this was my first stop along the way, of course. Waldameer is also home to the Ravine Flyer 2, a rollercoaster that has been rated as one of the top 10 coasters in the world by Coaster Grotto, a roller coaster-enthusiast group that ranks coasters from around the globe. I spent time riding the rides and just strolling around taking it all in – this is a great family destination, as there is something to appeal to almost everyone.

Just across the street from Waldameer is the Tom Ridge Environmental Center at Presque Isle. TREC features interactive exhibits, a large-format theater, observation tower, a food court and a nature/gift shop. The inner geek in me absolutely adored this stop on the trip, as this is a great place for learning (disguised as fun, of course…the kids won’t even know the difference!) The Tom Ridge Environmental Center is of course, home to one of Erie’s greatest attractions, Presque Isle State Park.

Presque Isle State Park is made up of 3,200 acres of natural sand surf beaches (that’s seven miles!). Of course you can’t forget all of the other attractions of the wonderful Presque Isle State Park, as well. You can hike, bike, fish, boat, go birding, picnic, go on a narrated scenic boat cruise on the Lady Kate, rent boats and visit the historic Perry Monument. Wow – that’s a lot to do in one place! Presque Isle is an absolutely ideal place to be on a beautiful summer day with your family. Trust me, this was my favorite stop on the trip. There are few things better in life than lying on a beach with a great book.

After spending the day in the sunshine, you have tons of options for a delicious dinner in downtown Erie (State Street has a wide variety of great places to eat, I have a few favorites.) After you get a great meal, you are going to need to find a hotel in the area, because you are going to have an even busier day tomorrow!

Alright, so to start the next day off I decided on the perfect place: The Erie Zoo and Botanical Gardens. There is enough at the Erie Zoo to keep you occupied all day, with various exhibits, shows, and children’s activities as well. With a variety of animals, from Polar Bears to Giraffes and tons in between! Once you have gotten your fill of observing the animals, our next stop is Splash Lagoon Indoor Water Park Resort.

Splash Lagoon was Pennsylvania’s first indoor water park – where the water is always 84 degrees, and the fun is year-long! (There is also at the Holiday Inn Express, which is connected to Splash Lagoon, so stay here and enjoy the benefits of staying beside the water park!) Just a short distance away is Family First Sports Park, which includes an indoor golf driving range, arcade center, pro shop, miniature golf, go-karts, bumper boats, rock climbing and batting cages. Again, so much to offer in just one place! After playing around at Family First, it is definitely time to go back to the Holiday Inn Express for a good night’s sleep!

Bright and early the next morning, it is time to venture to Crawford County for a visit to the historic Conneaut Lake Park. I couldn’t resist taking a ride on The Blue Streak, which is one of the country’s best wooden roller coasters.

After spending time at Conneaut Lake Park, I decided to head over to the Spillway at Pymatuning State Park, which was well…interesting. They say that this is the place where “the ducks walk on the fishes backs,” and this is too true. You need to see this for yourself to believe it!

To end this last day of my little trip, I decided to stay at one of the park’s 657 campsites (they also have 25 cabins.) But, this of course wasn’t before I checked out the waterfowl museum and the aquarium.

All right guys! So, there it is…another great get-away to Pennsylvania’s Great Lakes Region. I keep telling you all that this is the best place to be – you need to visit to see for yourselves!

-Road Trip Gal

History, Golfing, Food...Who's In? A Guys' Weekend Adventure

Alright, guys. You’ve worked hard this week, I’m sure. And of course, you’re in desperate need of a get-away just as much as the ladies are. I’ve got you covered with a tour involving the three most important elements of a perfect gentlemen’s weekend: golf, great food, and beer (or insert other beverage of choice). Am I right? Well, obviously. I’m not cocky, but being raised as the daughter of my father, I learned the male necessities pretty quickly. (I’m not stereotyping, I’m sure there are many men that don’t enjoy any of those three things, but they’re also lying to themselves.)

First stop of this crazy journey: Titusville, Pennsylvania. I decided to unwind by taking the 2.5 hour round trip through “The Valley That Changed the World” on the Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad. I know how you guys like your history, and this is a really great place for it. I learned a lot and had a really great time getting a glimpse of the history of this place. This is a peek into the rich history of Oil Country, and there’s a great opportunity for seeing a variety of wildlife. It’s a perfect way to unwind, right? While in the area, I had to check out the Drake Well Park and Museum and the Tyred Wheels Museum. At the Drake Well Park and Museum I had the opportunity to check out a full-sized replica of the world’s first oil well, which was drilled in 1859, and is actually very interesting. That’s just a little bit of proof of the rich history that resides in PA Great Lakes! Alright, so the Tyred Wheels Museum was the real kicker for me. I, myself, am personally not into antique cars…but keeping my dad in mind and remembering that I’m plotting out a great guys’ weekend, this place is honestly essential. I got the opportunity to check out antique cars, motorcycles, radios, miniature tractors and trains and toys. Okay, I know you’re totally ready to hop in your car and head out there right now, but you had better finish reading my blog so you get the full picture of your weekend!

Alright, now that you had a chance to take a few deep breaths and you’re prepared to keep reading, my next destination was riding into the lovely Mercer County. My first stop in Mercer County was at Wendell August Forge in Grove City. There are two locations, one being in downtown Grove City and the other being at the Grove City Prime Outlets. (You should take the time to roam around the Outlets if you have the time, there is a large variety of stores specializing in pretty much anything you can think of, trust me. I may not know cars, but I do know shopping.) This is a great opportunity to witness a tradition of craftsmanship and pick up a few souvenirs for the family. They use aluminum, bronze, pewter or sterling silver to create beautiful pieces that same way that did it when their doors were first opened in 1923.

With a mind filled with some great history, I decided that my next stop would be at Elephant & Castle Pub and Restaurant. Here comes the really fun part, this is North America’s leading British-Classics eatery so they have a long list of really delicious food. Trust me, you will love it. They also serve a great selection of beers, scotches and wines from all over the world, so you can really enjoy your time here. And luckily enough, there is a Holiday Inn Express right across the street, so you can end the first night of your trip comfortably. This is extremely handy if you get carried away sampling all of the fine food and drinks at Elephant & Castle.

Okay, so who’s ready for a great day out on the green? I’m not much of a golfer, but I sure do like to ride the cart – especially around courses like these. Golf Digest named Mercer County one of “The Top Golf Destinations in the USA.” No wonder why! With all of the options of courses with beautiful landscape and challenging terrain, this is pretty much a golfer’s dream. I, personally, chose to check out Oak Tree County Club, in West Middlesex Pennsylvania. It seemed like a great place to golf (it’s one of my dad’s favorites) and the course was very well taken care of. I’ve also heard that it’s a pretty challenging course, so bring your “A” game, boys! Aside from Oak Tree, you can choose from Buhland Golf Course, Tam O’Shanter Golf Course, Yankee Run Golf Course, Spring Valley Golf Course, Pine Grove Golf Course and even more. Seriously, Mercer County is the place to go to brush up on your swing.

To finish off this day, I traveled to Sharon, Pennsylvania to the original, yes I said original, Quaker Steak & Lube Restaurant. Enjoy the car-and-motorcycle-themed décor while feasting on 32 flavors of wings and other delicious options and wash it all down with a cold beer. Oh yes. Perfection in a day, guys.

Okay, this is yet another awesome, one of a kind weekend planned in PA Great Lakes. I dare you to ask, yet again, what better places exist? So I leave you with that thought…I’ve got to go work on my golf swing. See you on the greens gentlemen!

-Road Trip Gal

Girls only road trip in PA Great Lakes? Yes, please!

Who doesn’t love a weekend get away with the girls? Okay, as a woman…I fully understand the importance and sanctity of girls’ nights. With that in mind, what better idea is there than a girls’ weekend out…in Pennsylvania’s Great Lakes Region, of course! You might be formulating a list of things in your head right now that you think could possibly top it, but after my experience I’m just going to have to prove you wrong. Shopping, relaxing, excellent restaurants, sunshine…what else could you even want?

I started out my weekend in Crawford County at Lilac Springs, a luxurious spa that includes a teahouse, guesthouse, and recourse. With a full list of relaxing services, Lilac Springs is the perfect place to get you in the right mindset for a weekend full of adventure, trust me. This gem is a renovated 19th century farmhouse nestled on 70 acres of pristine land. With the available guesthouse, if you’re too tired to keep driving after your day of relaxation, there’s always the option to spend the night, which I took advantage of, obviously. (Night and weekend packages are available.) For dinner, a stop at Julian’s Bar and Grille was the perfect capstone to my day in Crawford County. A day of blissful relaxation deserves to be topped off with a delicious meal.

I continued to travel through Cambridge Springs, PA, where I encountered the Riverside Inn. If you stop here around dinner time, you might be lucky enough to catch a dinner theater show, which is always a lot of fun. This inn is listed on the National Historic Registry, and is known for its 74 antique decorated rooms. I didn’t get the chance to stop at the Riverside Health Spa, but that is another prime place to stop if you feel you need a double dose of pampering.

Moving right along, the next stop on my tour was good old Edinboro, Pennsylvania. Here I was able to create my own stunning jewelry at the Bead Shoppe and browse through the work of some local artists, working in stained glass, jewelry and print at Lake Effects. I mean, you can’t get enough one-of-a kind jewelry to match the outfits you can find at the Millcreek Mall, right?

From Edinboro, I traveled north towards the Millcreek Mall complex. With more than 175 retail stores, shops and restaurants, the Millcreek Mall can really keep you occupied all day. Although the option of food does exist inside the mall complex, you really won’t want to spoil your dinner with restaurants like Aoyama, Red Lobster, Smoky Bones, Max and Erma’s, Oh! Charley’s, Olive Garden, Outback and even more right outside its doors! My personal favorite: Aoyama. Aoyama is a Japanese Steak House that serves some really delicious food – chicken, steak, seafood, veggies, rice, sushi…the whole deal; all cooked up right in front of your eyes! Of course, the other restaurants in the area have their perks too, so there’s really no way to make a bad choice.

After a hard day of shopping, I had the pleasure of picking out some great outfits for a fun girls’ night out in downtown Erie. With a hotel reservation at the Avalon, you’ll be close enough to the downtown action to walk yourself home whenever you choose, which is a wise idea, trust me. With fun places to go like The Boardwalk, Coconut Joes, The Cellblock, Sullivan’s, Molly Brannigans, Parkplace, Sherlock’s, Under the Clock, Sluggers, Plymouth and many more, you can keep yourself entertained until…well until 2 am, really.

It is really only appropriate that when in Erie, you go to the beach. So I spent my last morning enjoying some sun on the sand of Presque Isle State Park. If choose a more adventurous route, you can always take to the bike trails and bike, walk or rollerblade until your heart is content. I’m happier laying stationary on the beach with a book, but that’s just me.

So, my vacation seeking friends…I look forward to hearing your visit, and I leave you with one question. Does life get better outside of Pennsylvania’s Great Lakes Region? I just really can’t imagine how it could…now you just need to come see for yourself!

-Road Trip Gal

Welcome!

It’s summer. And with summer often comes vacations. Vacations are a great time to relax, spend time with friends or family or even both. They’re also a great opportunity to get outside of yourself – to try new things, take risks, have an adventure! We take vacations to get a little escape from reality too.

Okay, so here’s the big question, right? Why am I talking about vacations? We all know what they are and generally why people take them, so what’s the point? Am I going to share some secret insight with you about where to go and what to do while you’re there? Well yes, very good guess actually.

You’re going to be following me through the summer as I take exciting road trips through Pennsylvania’s Great Lakes Region! What does PA Great Lakes have to offer? You will come to see that it offers so much; from outdoor adventures like fishing, birding, biking or hiking; fine dining and wine tours; great shopping; and really just a great time! So get ready for an exciting summer with me and hopefully I’ll run into you along the way!

To learn more about Pennsylvania's Great Lakes Region check our their website.

- Road Trip Gal