# Laurel Highlands, Pennsylvania



## Ubil (May 2, 2010)

My wife and I will be visiting Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater in two weeks.  Having done the standard tour last year, we are doing the in-depth tour this time.

We had a wonderful and enlightening time last year visiting Fallingwater, Kentuck Knob, Fort Necessity, Braddock's grave, and Ohiopyle State Park.

Are there other "can't miss" things to do in the Laurel Highlands?  I have visited the Laurel Highlands website and other tourist information sites, but I would like some recommendations from the fine and knowledgeable people of TUG!


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## Iwant2gonow (May 6, 2010)

Depending on what direction you are coming from or where you are staying, Pittsburgh has many great restaurants and great museums.   
Pittsburgh is one hour and twenty minutes from Fallingwater.
Aside from that sorry I can not offer any other insight but I hope to hear how your trip goes.  Last year’s trip that you outlined sounds great.  My daughter will be a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh this fall and we intend to visit Fallingwater on one of our trips to see her.  You really have given us an entire itinerary!  
Thanks and have fun.


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## Iwant2gonow (May 6, 2010)

Where do you stay when you visit this area?  Have you found a TS within driving distance?  Thanks


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## gnipgnop (May 6, 2010)

I live in the Laurel Highlands and Historic Ligonier is a great place to visit.  It is a small town surrounded by specialty shops, antique shops and restaurants.  Also a must see while in Ligonier is Fort Ligonier.  You can go to www.ligonier.com.  I have lived here for the past 20 years and if you have any questions about the area please feel free to contact me.
Another web site is www.fortligonier.org


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## Ubil (May 6, 2010)

gnipgnop said:


> I live in the Laurel Highlands and Historic Ligonier is a great place to visit.  It is a small town surrounded by specialty shops, antique shops and restaurants.  Also a must see while in Ligonier is Fort Ligonier.  You can go to www.ligonier.com.  I have lived here for the past 20 years and if you have any questions about the area please feel free to contact me.
> Another web site is www.fortligonier.org



Sounds good.  I think that is just what I am looking for.  Thank you.  Will it occupy a day?


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## Ubil (May 6, 2010)

Iwant2gonow said:


> Where do you stay when you visit this area?  Have you found a TS within driving distance?  Thanks



We stay at Hartzell House B&B in Addison, Pa.  We have stayed at some outstanding B&Bs, but this is the best.   The owners, Kitty and David, are what make it so good.  Before we went there the first time,  I looked up the reviews of Hartzell House B&B in Tripadvisor.  The reviews are many and are all excellent.  I found that hard to believe until we went there ourselves.  All of the reviews are accurate.  

I really haven't looked for TS's in that area - we have only stayed for 3 days at a time.  It is close to Deep Creek Lake in Maryland - I seem to recall that there is a timeshare there.


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## Ubil (May 6, 2010)

Iwant2gonow said:


> Depending on what direction you are coming from or where you are staying, Pittsburgh has many great restaurants and great museums.
> Pittsburgh is one hour and twenty minutes from Fallingwater.
> Aside from that sorry I can not offer any other insight but I hope to hear how your trip goes.  Last year’s trip that you outlined sounds great.  My daughter will be a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh this fall and we intend to visit Fallingwater on one of our trips to see her.  You really have given us an entire itinerary!
> Thanks and have fun.



I had always wanted to visit Fallingwater and my wife and I finally made time time to go.  I expected to be fascinated by the architecture.  I was, but it was more than that.   This might sound over the top - I had the same reaction to Fallingwater as I had to the Grand Canyon.  Fallingwater is a place that everyone should try to see.


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## gnipgnop (May 7, 2010)

Ubil said:


> Sounds good.  I think that is just what I am looking for.  Thank you.  Will it occupy a day?



Yes, I believe it will.  The shops in town close at 5 p.m.  They are not open at all on Sundays.  There is also a small theater in town.  Often they have live plays and othertimes they show regular run movies.  I'm not sure of what is playing there in two weeks but I can check for you if you would like me to.  Also, if you are interested in having lunch I would recommend the Ligonier Tavern.  It is a very old building with an outside eating area upstairs.  If you have a problem with steps then you should stay down on the main floor.  There is also a bowling alley in town and ATM machines.  :whoopie: 

Have a good time and I hope the weather cooperates for your visit.  When the sun is shining it is a most beautiful spot.  We welcome you!  Any other questions?

Oh, I almost forgot.  There is an art gallery on Rt. 711N going toward Donagle.  You can ask at the Ligonier Fort for directions as the gallery is very close to them.  And if you really feel like traveling (would take about an hour or perhaps an hour and 15 minutes you can continue to travel on Rt. 711 N to Seven Springs Resort.  There are so many things to do there it would probably take another day to do that.  There web page is www.7springs.com This is a beautiful ski resort but at this time of the year it is not overcrowded and very peaceful.


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## Ubil (May 7, 2010)

Could you find out if a play is on next Saturday (5/15) night?


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## gnipgnop (May 7, 2010)

Here is a site for the theater.  It is better for you to look at the dates rather than me guess if you would be able to make a show.  There phone # is also listed on the site if you should want to inquire about a regular movie.
www.valleyplayers.org


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## Ubil (Oct 19, 2010)

*Laurel Highlands Fall Foliage*

We took a trip over the past three days to see the fall foliage at the Laurel Highlands and see Fallingwater in the fall.  Here is the itinerary:

1. Drove to Somerset (about 3 hours).

2. From route 30, took Laurel Summit Road (a lot of it gravel) south to Beam Rocks.  The trail to the rocks is easy, about 1/2 mile on level ground.  You can see a long ways from Beam Rocks.  The leaves are muted this year, but still saw a lot of color.  The Beam Rocks are huge and shear, without any improvements, such as handrails, so care is needed. 

3. Continued south on Laurel Summit Road to Laurel Summit State Park.  Took a short trail to the Spruce Flats Bog.   The Bog was easily 15-20 acres. There was a wooden walkway about 50 feet into the bog.   I don't recall ever seeing a bog that large before.  As we were leaving, a family was going into the bog to pick cranberries.

4. Continued south to Penn Scenic View.  Tried to follow the Google Map instructions, but the roads in the forest were not marked.  We turned when it seemed about right.  Somehow we made it with only a couple of wrong turns.  Penn Scenic View is a private area that has a tower at the peak of the hill on the property.  It is open to the public for free.  The tower provided a beautiful view.  The wind was easily 30 mph.

5. By this time, it was late enough in the day that we needed to get to Fallingwater.  Followed 653 west to 381 and then south on 381 to the Fallingwater entrance.  The leaves were much more colorful as we went down in altitude.  Bought grounds passes for $8 each and wandered the grounds, especially trying to get pictures of Fallingwater from the downstream lookout point.  Wanted to get pictures without anyone in them, but it was a very busy day and did not succeed.

6. Had supper at the Lucky Dog Cafe in Confluence.  Interesting place and the food was good.  They had T-shirts and hoodies with their logo, name, and Volkswagen Bus.  We can't resist a Volkswagen Bus, so we bought a hoodie.

7. Stayed the night at Hartzell House B&B.  This is the third time we have stayed there and recommend it highly.

8. The next day, we went to the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort.  While my wife went to the Spa and had the Woodlands Classic Collection, I golfed at The Links.   Very expensive, but it was my wife's birthday and she had never been to a spa before.  She was literally glowing when I finished golfing and met her at the spa. 
We had never heard of the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort before our first trip last year to the Laurel Highlands.   I don't know why they don't advertise it more in the DC area.  It is a huge resort, with the spa, 2 golf courses, shooting academy, a zoo, and many other activities.  It is, however, very expensive.

9. Back to the B&B.  The next morning, David, one of the owners of the B&B, took us to the Addison Toll House, where he is doing some restoration work.    It is one of the few remaining toll houses on the National Road.  It is owned by the Daughters of the Revolution, and it is open infrequently, so we were glad that David could show it to us.

Back home.


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