Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for pennsylvania
Just Ducky in Guy Mills
By Linda Tancs
Life is just ducky at Erie National Wildlife Refuge in Guy Mills, Pennsylvania. Its lakes and wetlands attract up to 20 species of ducks, not to mention the migrating Canada geese and bald eagles. One of over 500 national wildlife refuges in the United States dedicated specifically to wildlife conservation, the Pennsylvania landmark features at its heart Beaver Run Trail, a one mile loop with a spur trail at its eastern end. The four-seasons trail takes visitors through woods, cultivated fields and beaver ponds (as the name implies). Take PA 198 east one quarter mile to Cooper Road, then merge onto Hanks Road for one mile to the parking area on the right.
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George Washington Remembered
By Linda Tancs
In December each year George Washington’s decisive victories against the British during the American Revolution are revisited. In particular, his Continental Army’s famous crossing of the Delaware River from a stronghold in Pennsylvania on Christmas Day in 1776 is recounted in various re-enactments. His plan was to attack the British at the Hessian-held town of Trenton, just across the Delaware River in New Jersey. The prospects were dim, considering the beleaguered condition of the soldiers and the raging weather. But the attack took the opposing forces by surprise, resulting in a victory that marked a turning point in the war. Washington Crossing Historic Park will host a dress rehearsal on 12 December from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. prior to the Christmas Day event at 1 p.m. Across another “pond” even more Washington memorabilia is available in England’s Northamptonshire at Sulgrave Manor, home of the President’s ancestors.
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A Revolutionary Event in Germantown
By Linda Tancs
On 2 October historic Germantown in northwest Philadelphia will commemorate the Continental Army’s fight against the British there during the Revolutionary War. The day’s festivities include an exhibition of maps and prints related to the war, a battle reenactment, graveside ceremony and, of course, an Oktoberfest to celebrate the area’s settlement centuries ago by German settlers. Travel time from Center City is approximately 25 minutes. Public transportation is available via the R8 (Chestnut Hill West) commuter rail line (Upsal Station) or the Route 23 bus.
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Folklife Celebrated
By Linda Tancs
For 60 years they’ve been celebrating the way of American folklife at the Kutztown Folk Festival in Pennsylvania Dutch country, and this year is no different. So you have no excuse to miss the continuous entertainment on five stages every day from 3 July to 11 July. Where else will you find a reenactment of an actual 19th century hanging, a Mennonite wedding exhibition, early farming technique demonstrations or an actual country auction all in one venue? If the activities don’t rouse you, then surely the aroma of freshly baked bread from the 19th century bread oven or the roasted ox will beckon you. Save some room for the shoo-fly pie.
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Flower Power in Philly
By Linda Tancs
Winter white will mix with “Rainbows in Flight” at this year’s flower show in Philadelphia. Now through 7 March at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the largest and oldest indoor show of its kind has amended its moniker to the “Philadelphia International Flower Show” in recognition of its past exhibitions of landscapes and plants from Asia, Europe, Africa, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. This year’s “Passport to the World” theme builds on previous celebrations of the world’s flowers and gardens. Among the many offerings, visitors can experience the Amazon, trek through an Indian wedding, peek into Zulu culture, enjoy a tribute to the orchid and giant Victoria water lilies and witness exotic displays from New Zealand’s Maori tribe among the popular Casablanca and calla lilies. All the world’s a stage here, and you don’t have to trot around the globe to see it.
DISCLOSURE OF NO MATERIAL CONNECTION
The author has not received any compensation for writing this content and has no material connection to the brands, topics, products and/or services that are mentioned herein.
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Steely Determination
By Linda Tancs
You’ve heard the expression “making lemonade out of lemons.” How about “turning steel into slots”? That’s what they’ve done in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with the opening of Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem. Officials hope that the once mighty Bethlehem Steel mills, converted into what is a hoped-for gambling mecca, will steal (no pun intended) market share from economy-bashed Atlantic City with 3000 slots and video gaming. Don’t miss the gala grand opening on 9 June, when the Bethlehem blast furnaces will officially inaugurate the new digs.
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Philly’s Christmas Spirit
By Linda Tancs
Manayunk means “where we go to drink” in the Lenape Indian language, but this classic town in the northwestern reaches of Philadelphia is more than just a watering hole. Named a National Historic District in 1983, this bustling little hamlet of 60 shops and almost as many restaurants is a holiday favorite with shoppers looking to ditch the malls for a taste of Main Street, USA. Visit the arts and crafts tents every weekend through 21 December for contemporary homespun treats and check out the demonstrations of 19th century candle making, glass blowing, and weaving at Ye Olde Craft Shoppe. Best of all, admission is free.
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Solitary Confinement
By Linda Tancs
In 1732 German immigrant Johann Conrad Beissel sought out solitude in the Pennsylvania countryside in what is now Ephrata. There he established a reclusive retreat dedicated to the pursuit of spirituality, and the Solitary movement was born. The Solitary lived a monastic life dedicated to prayer and worship, eating a single evening meal off of the lands they tended. Although the last of the order died over a century ago and the lands sold to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, the Ephrata Cloister’s heritage is preserved at various houses and meeting rooms that can be toured on the property. The experience comes complete with guides in the white robes worn by members of the Cloister to hide their bodies. As the song goes, give me that old time religion. Or at the very least, as their website says, a quiet place to visit.
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Racing Around the World
By Linda Tancs
Start your engines, motor sports enthusiasts! In light of the IndyCar Series’ recent announcement on the 2009 schedule, let’s look at race car museums around the world. Just 30 minutes outside the Las Vegas Strip, the Vintage Race Car Museum in Henderson, Nevada surveys different eras in racing, covering sprint cars, midgets, Indy Race League cars and engines. Across the country, Philadelphia’s Simeone Foundation Museum recently opened an exhibition of racing cars from World War I to the latest 21st century NASCAR. For a European flair, head on over to Hamburg’s Prototyp for a view of a Le Mans race prototype and the Mercedes Benz world record car. Best thing is, you don’t have to fill up the tank.
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Jewels of the Brandywine Valley
By Linda Tancs
Beginning today, the glorious mansion and grounds of the late industrialist Alfred duPont will re-open after an eye-popping $40 million renovation. Named Nemours after the family homeplace in France, the estate is one of the highlights of the Brandywine Valley, located on Rockland Road in Wilmington, Delaware. While you’re in the neighborhood, why not follow the Brandywine Valley wine trail in the Philadelphia countryside and enjoy the spoils of the six wineries competing for your nose and palate. Poetry in a bottle? Perhaps. But a good vintage is better savored than spoken about.
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