Mountain View

How I Found Lemurs Amid Farm Fields

The fall is a beautiful time for exploring our surrounding area and might offer some fun surprises...like a free zoo with exotic animals in the middle of farm country!

Fall is my most favorite time of the year! When I was first able to drive, I used to explore country roads and take in the amazing fall foliage that our area has to offer. That was back when gas was $1.28/gallon. (chuckle) Pennsylvania still remains as one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen, even after my travels across the United States. As much as I dislike the humidity in this part of the country, it sure does allow us to live in a lush environment full of color and sustenance. As fall settles upon us, the roadways become works of art. Bursts of gold and red, fluorescent orange and deep purples. You have to admit it is breathtaking, especially against the backdrop of cloudy autumn skies. As a parent, I’ve enjoyed continuing my back …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (17)

Jennifer Rodgers

9:17 am on Wednesday, October 24, 2012

What a great family adventure!   more ›

Day Trip

Day Trip: Bushkill Falls

The "Niagara of Pennsylvania" in the Poconos is a great outdoor destination for an autumn day trip

Address: Bushkill Falls Road, Bushkill, Pa Admission:  Hours: Generally 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through November but check website to be sure Summary: The "Niagara of Pennsylvania," Bushkill Falls is among the Keystone State's most famous scenic attractions. This series of eight waterfalls, set deep in the wooded Pocono Mountains, is accessible through a network of hiking trails and bridges which afford views of the falls and the surrounding forest. The attraction includes Pennsylvania wildlife and Native American exhibits, picnic area, snack bar, fudge kitchen and gift shop. Links:

• Photos (1)

Day Trip

Day Trip: Lehigh Gorge State Park

Lehigh Gorge State Park in Carbon County offers miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking, plus whitewater rafting for the more adventurous.

The 6,107 acres of park land in Carbon County follow the Lehigh River from Francis E. Walter Dam in the north to Jim Thorpe in the south. The Lehigh Gorge Trail follows more than 20 miles of abandoned railroad grade along the river, providing opportunities for hiking, bicycling, sightseeing and photography. The trail is closed to motor vehicles.  Parking areas are provided in White Haven, Rockport and Glen Onoko (outside of Jim Thorpe). Steep, treacherous terrain and fast-moving water make the gorge hazardous. Visitors should wear proper hiking shoes and be careful.  Whitewater rafting is one of the most popular activities in the park. Admission: Free (cost for whitewater rafting trips varies per outfitter) Hours: Dawn to dusk

• Photos (1)

Day Trip: Lost River Caverns

Explore limestone caverns and an underground river in Lehigh Valley's own Lost River Caverns.

Address: 726 Durham Street, Hellertown Admission:  Hours: Summary:  Lost River Caverns is a natural limestone cavern discovered in the late 1800s. It was opened for tours in 1930. Tours run every half-hour, taking visitors roughly 120-feet into the ground. Highlights include the Crystal Chapel, which has hosted dozens of weddings since 1949, and the Lost River itself. Links:

• Photos (1)

Day Trip: Ringing Rocks Park

Take a picnic and a hammer to a Bucks County park where rocks ring like bells when you strike them

Address: Ringing Rocks Road, Upper Black Eddy Admission: Free Hours: Open Daily Summary: This 128-acre park features an unusual boulder field containing rocks that actually ring when struck. Bring a hammer. Ringing Rocks Park is home to Bucks County’s largest waterfall, which provides a beautiful backdrop for a picnic. The site is also a popular destination for hikers and mountain bikers willing to take to the woods unguided as there are few actual trails. Links:

• Photos (3)

Day Trip

Day Trip: Big Pocono State Park

Take a picnic and enjoy the view from the summit of Big Pocono State Park near Tannersville

Address: Route 715, Tannersville Admission Fee: Free Hours: Open daily dawn to dusk Big Pocono encompasses 1,306 acres of rugged terrain on the summit and slopes of Camelback Mountain near Camelback Ski Area. The summit offers visitors a great view of northeastern Pennsylvania into New Jersey and New York. The park has 8.5 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. The top of Camelback Mountain is a unique forest called a scrub oak shrubland. There are three picnic areas with plenty of picnic tables and charcoal grills. Most areas provide “a picnic with a view” at an elevation of 2,100 feet above sea level. Spaces in Parking Lot 4 are designated for people with disabilities. In Parking Lot 2, parking spaces, the …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Day Trip

Day Trip: Dinosaurs at Reading Public Museum

A dinosaur exhibit at the Reading Public Museum is so popular that it's hours have been extended through Labor Day

Reading Public Museum - Dinosaurs Address: 500 Museum Road, Reading Pa Admission: Hours: Due to the overwhelming popularity of the current exhibition, Dinosaurs: T-Rex Face-to-Face, the Reading Public Museum will be open 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Mondays throughout the month of August and on Labor Day, September 3, in addition to its regular schedule. The exhibit is so popular that the museum has already surpassed last year's total attendance. You'll see huge, life-like, cutting-edge animatronic versions of dinosaurs — each outfitted with cameras, sensors and artificial intelligence — react to your every mood. Travel back in time 67 million years to explore the world of the cretaceous period when the infamous T.rex roamed the earth. It is sure …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Jenae Holtzhafer

7:24 am on Saturday, August 11, 2012

This is great to know! We have 31 Fresh Air kids coming to visit the Lehigh Valley on Monday for 10 days. This will be a perfect day trip for us!   more ›

Day Trip

Day Trip: Penn's Cave

Cool off with a trip to Penn's Cave where the temperature is a steady 52 degrees

Address: 222 Penn's Cave Road, Centre Hall, Pa. Penn's Cave, located near State College, is a great place to cool off in summer because the temperature in the cave is a constant 52 degrees. Your visit will feature a one-hour guided cavern tour by motorboat on an underground stream. Trout swim and jump up for feed along the limestone corridors, stalagmites, stalactites and flowstone cascades. The farm and wildlife tour is a guided 90-minute motorized tour of more than 1,500 acres of Penn's Cave forests and fields that have been preserved as a natural habitat for birds, plants and animals. North American animals, such as bears, wolves, elk, deer, bobcats, bison, longhorn cattle, mustangs as well as the Penn's Cave icon, the cougar, are seen…

• Photos (1)

Day Trip

Day Trip: Promised Land State Park

Go camping overnight or just spend the day at Promised Land State Park in the Poconos

Address: 100 Lower Lake Road, Greentown Admission: Free Hours: Open daily dawn to dusk Summary: Promised Land State Park spans about 3,000 acres atop the Pocono Plateau, which rises 1,800 feet above sea level. The park is surrounded by close to 12,500 acres of Pennsylvania's Delaware State Forest. There are two lakes with sandy beaches open mid-May to late September. The 422-acre Promised Land Lake and the 173-acre Lower Lake have five boat launching areas. There's also a concession stand offering both food and boat rentals off Route 390 north of Canadensis. Activities at Promised Land include hiking on 50 miles of trails, biking on 6.5 miles of roads, plus fishing, picnicking and camping. Rustic cabins are available for rent. Link:

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Susan Koomar

8:41 pm on Saturday, June 16, 2012

Thanks for the recommendations and directions, Carl! Sorry for the confusion, but Pennsylvania does indeed have a Delaware State Forest probably so named because it is in the Delaware River watershed.   more ›