Thanks to our country's National Park Service relics like these are available to view about our…read morecountry's history. The park rangers add to the wealth of knowledge. This was well preserved to give you some history. If the walls could only talk!!

Got my Stamp for the passport!!!…read more Neat little place really nice walkway down to the forest and railhouse

I love history and not being from the Pittsburgh area, I especially enjoy going to sites like this…read moreto learn more about the history of the region I live in now. Everything about Fort Ligonier is incredible! When you first walk in, you check in at the admission counter and get a sticker for your admission. On the left is the George Washington gallery that has interesting artifacts like Washington's pistol from Marquis de Lafayette. There is also an art gallery. Artifacts are clearly labeled and well described, but if you want to dig in deeper, they offer guided tours at various points throughout the day. Even if there isn't a guided tour, the docents stationed throughout love talking about anything you have questions about. On the right hand side is the history gallery which takes you through life at the fort and a history of the area. So much to see and you haven't even ventured to the fort yet! When you decide to see the fort, you meander up a path with lots to see. Recreated cannons and guns, fortifications and guard towers. Once you get to the main area, there are several buildings that you can go in to to get a better sense of what daily life was like at the fort. On select days, they even have costumed interpreters on site to give demonstrations and provide additional insight and history. They are also currently doing some archeological digging to learn even more about the site. It is really neat to think that research is still ongoing after all these years. This is a top notch experience and I highly recommend everyone take the time to come and experience it.

Our family took the guided historic tour of the fort. I would highly recommend it. Our guide was…read moreknowledgeable and friendly. We spent two and a half hours total at the site. My skeptical 12 year-old came away saying it was a cool tour, and he came away knowing more about early American history.

It has been a while since I have visited The Little Museum so a few weeks ago I decided to stop…read moreback down and take a tour. I hear grumbles all the time from people all the time that aren't native to the area that there is nothing to do around the area. No brain food or nothing culturally important. I find it strange that the back bone of our nation, the little industrial towns that helped build this country are so often forgotten. The Little Museum has a wealth of information about Cameron County's little slice of Americana. The Little Museum can be a easy to miss if you are driving down 120, but if you are looking it should be easy enough to find. The museum itself is an old school house painted a stereotypical white. After parking I was greeted by one of the Museum's Guides who was quick to welcome me and offered to guide me through the exhibits. Admission appeared to be free, but I placed a $5 bill in a large glass jar with a donations sign on it anyway. The Museum consists of 3 main rooms all of which are nearly packed with old artifacts of the of the area. The first room on the tour mainly deals with work and industry. Everything from the factory worker to the farmer is covered in the well persevered products and tools of their trades. The second room is mostly about the daily home life of the people from the 1800s up to the mid 1900s. Everything from school desks to a curling iron that would cause half the people working at the under writer laboratories to have a panic attack. You can look at some of the objects for quite a while and have no idea what it is until the tour guide explains what it is and why it was so important. This room also contains posters and a bit of information about the Western movie star Tom Mix, who was born nearby. The last room is a Military room. It was much darker than the rest of the museum and as you step into the room you know this room is different. Pictures, models, medals, and weapons of war fill the walls and display cases. Like most little towns Emporium and its satellite towns they are very proud of those who served. The collection was very well preserved and maintained in a dignified manner. After the tour was over I brought up my phone and tried to check into The Little Museum on yelp and noticed there was no information on it. After talking with the people at the museum they agreed to let me take a few pictures (not normally allowed) so I could let the world know that such an amazing chunk of history existed out in the middle of no where. Staffed and maintained by volunteers and sustained by donations there is no place I have ever visited like The Little Museum. When I walked out of those old school house doors I wanted to world to know that it was here, it has been for a long time, and hopefully always will be to help preserve and protect the history of Pennsylvania.

Absolutely love, I've been here a dozen times and can't wait to visit again! So much to see!read more

We loved this place. As per recent review someone claimed it was a temptation for children around…read moreevery turn. Well it says it in the title! It's a candy store and you didn't expect it to be filled with candy? This is a great place to visit for children and adults. Lots to see and indulge in. Pssst Don't forget to grab some peanuts while you're there.

After five years, my wife and I finally paid a visit to this unque museum/candy store…read more This museum has over three thousand toy elephants of different sizes from other parts of the world on display. It is my understanding they have been in business for almost four decades The elephants are on display in glass display cases in the back of the store. There is full sized animated elephant outside in front of the store. It provides a great photo opportunity for the little ones The store is chock full of candy, ranging from hard candy to chocolate covered raisins, peanuts and just about everything in between. The candy and chocolates are sold prepackaged and loose for added convenience, as well as offering candy dispensers. They offer nostalgic candies as well, such as candy sticks and candy buttons on paper strips. At the front counter, they also offer store made fudge and chocolates. The store is packed tight with all kinds of candies and novelties. The parking lot is small and can easily get full during busy times such as weekends and warmer weather. There are restrooms in the rear of the store. I definitely recommend this store especially for young families and those young at heart.

Truth be told, I doubt I would've driven from Downtown Pittsburgh to the Laurel Highlands just to…read moresee this house even though it was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright toward the end of his life. Like most dilettante tourists, I came here because it's a scenic ten-minute drive from Fallingwater, Wright's unequivocal masterwork (review: https://yelp.to/dm_1LqdsKL). Did I regret making the detour? Absolutely not, Kentuck Knob definitely has its own merits. Built in 1956 for local ice cream tycoon I.N. Hagan and his wife Bernadine, this angular Usonian home sits on a hill that provides the structure its name. The Hagans were friends of the Kaufmanns, the owners of Fallingwater, and they were so impressed, they hired Wright to design their main house. Similar to Fallingwater, this house was integrated with the surrounding nature. It was built to look like an extension of the hill rather than residing on top of it. Unfortunately, photography was forbidden inside the house as the family still keeps their personal effects here. There were no right angles in the design. The dining room table has a trapezoid shape that could be separated into two parts. The kitchen reflects an irregular hexagonal shape with a large, matching skylight. The bedrooms are similarly angular, and in true Wright fashion, the hallways are very narrow with little room to breathe much less walk. A short walk away from the house provides a spectacular panoramic view of the Youghiogheny River gorge (Video). There's a shuttle between the house and the visitors center, which houses a gift shop and a cafe. Alternatively, I took the brief hike down the hillside because there were public art pieces to peruse along the way, including a piece of the Berlin Wall (Photo 7). It's worth knowing that Wright visited the site only once and never saw the finished house. RELATED - Exploring Pittsburgh? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/qN_tq21lnL

Truly amazing and beautiful place. We scheduled the in-depth tour with Luann as our guide and I was…read moreenthralled for the entire 90 minutes. Though it was pouring the day of our tour, I never felt like Luann was rushing through, even as we stood outside with umbrellas to see some of the details. My husband had so many questions and she was armed with an answer for every one, even knowing the history of the unique furniture pieces inside. You could tell she had a genuine interest in the house and was happy to share what she knew. The weather kept us from taking the woodland path back to the visitor center but I am excited to go back and walk the grounds.

We visited the museum as the Flood Museum was, ironically, closed due to water damage. The change…read morein itinerary ended up being a good thing as the Center was surprisingly informative, interactive as we toured the Center as a particular immigrant, and the staff were super helpful! Barb guided us through the flood exhibit on the third floor & recommended other places in town to visit & eat at. We also hope to bring our grandkids back to visit the children's area.

This is well worth visiting if you're in the Johnstown area, or even coming out from Pittsburgh if…read moreyou're looking for a good children's experience. It embraces the town's heritage while keeping it fun for the kids. Sadly, most of the negative reviews on here are out of date and don't really apply anymore. We became members and took our kid here every day for the last three days and he never tired of it! He loved all the interactive experiences and toys, but especially going up through the coal mine and slide. He loved the kitchen area and the DJ booth. The other kids there seemed to all be really enjoying themselves there, too. We have been to about a dozen kids' discovery centers in two different countries in the past two years and this is one of the better ones, if not the best. The employees do an excellent job keeping the place clean and tidy, and are friendly, too. Previous old reviews seemed to complain that several things were broken or worn out, but that wasn't the case now.

Lemon House is part of the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, meaning that it…read moreresides on the land and can be viewed while you are there. To note, Lemon House is one of the buildings you can see from the highway on your way by. Lemon House is an original building on the grounds. It has been restored to what it would have looked like for the time period. Lemon House, at times, gives you a better timetable for the time that the railway was in use. I suppose you can view this an an extension of the visitor center. When you walk in you are greeted by one of the rangers, they give you a little run down of the inside of the place and let you go on your way. They are also there to ask any questions, might you have them. You only get to view the first floor of this place. What you will get to see is the dining area, bar, and fancy parlor. The Fancy Parlor was by far my favorite room in here. Decorated with pieces from the time period and giving you a glimpse into how people would interact and relax. The dining room is kind of like a cafeteria style area, great big room specifically for eating your meal. The tavern area seems a bit small, but I can see it working. The other rooms on the first floor have not been restored to what they would have looked like. Instead they hold the informative information about the structure. This information gives you the timeline of the house, right down to who owned it at what time and how it changed hands so much. It also tells you that this is not the original house. They built this one here to be near the railway in order to take advantage of the traffic and offer services. They are not sure where the original house stood to this day. It is a beautiful structure. Great addition to the grounds, and I am happy that they decided to save the structure for reuse instead of demolishing it. It would have been too bad if they had.

"The Lemon House is a museum, not a working tavern or restaurant." So says my guidebook from the…read moreAllegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site. Located just south of the visitor's center and the engine house, it's one of the major attractions at the site and one of the few that has been completely restored. The Lemon House shows how the socioeconomic structure developed along the railroad and the Main Line. It was owned by Samuel and Jean Moore Lemon, two of the many entrepreneurs who used the development of the areas natural resources and transportation links in order to make a living. Travelers along the Main Line would stop here to eat, drink, and regale each other with their journeys' tales. The Lemon House was restored in 1997 in the style of 1830-1850, specifically what it might have looked like in 1840. I say "might" because as with the engine house, any plans or schematics for the design of the building have been long lost. There's also little evidence as to how the tavern was operated or what the menu might have been. What the restorers did know however were such things as period artworks and documentation of other 19th century taverns (many had remained in business into the 20th century). Also historians do know what the social mores were at the time, so we will keep them in mind as we tour the building. Historians also do know a few things about the Lemons. Jean Moore Lemon (1797-1880) was well educated and apparently was the bookkeeper for the tavern. The local banks have records of her signature. Her obituary praised her for her charity works. Samuel Lemon (1793-1867) was born in Huntingdon County, PA. His grandfather served in the War of Independence and his father in the War of 1812. He was best known as a tavern owner and businessman. He must have had some business acumen because the Lemon House was very solidly built. So let's take a tour of the Lemon House. Like the travelers of the day, we enter through the central hallway. In most houses the hallway was very welcoming and it's likely that travelers preferred this room. Here travelers could read the paper, play games, or catch up on the stories of the day. It is furnished with simple wooden chairs and benches which could withstand the elements. Period paintings, not original to the house, adorn the walls. The next room is the bar room. Ladies, we are allowed in here today but we would not have been back when the tavern was operating. The social mores of the day required men to act as gentlemen and women to act as ladies. In general, women of any social standing did NOT go into bar rooms. Here the men could ignore the social graces of the day. Guys, imagine such notorious behavior as removing your dress coat or tilting your chair back. Imagine uttering such oaths as "hell" and "damn"! Now the barroom was restored based on a watercolor "Country Inn" by August Koller. The watercolor was painted in 1840 in western PA. We proceed into the fancy parlor. Here a man or woman who wished to have a more quiet retreat could dine or relax (notice girls, we don't get our own room here--ah, the Victorian social graces). You did not have to be rich in order to use the fancy parlor, but you had to exhibit social graces. The furniture was designed for correct posture and appropriate behavior. Chairs were uncomfortable because they did not want you to linger or sleep here. Interestingly, you could smoke or chew tobacco in here and you can see the silver spittoons on the floor. Of course there is a piano because refined ladies would know how to play one. It's likely that Mrs. Lemon entertained neighbors and guests here. The last room we'll take a look at is the Double Dining Room, also known as the Common Room. Travelers and the occasional local foik could stop for a meal here. Unlike today, it was one set meal. There were no choices of what you wanted to eat. Stew was the most likely meal to be served because it could be kept hot on the stove all day. Trains would pull in and the crew would shout out "1 hour for lunch!". Community seating was the rule of the day, meaning you dined with strangers. This was done for efficiency's sake. This community seating lives on today--if you've ever eaten in an Amtrak diner car, you'll know what I mean. I could go on, but I'm almost out of space here. The Lemon House is my favorite site here because it's so complete and it gives you an idea of how people traveled back then. Quite a difference from the Holiday Inns and Denny'ses of today, huh?

So here's the deal: I rode the Pumpkin Patch Express at East Broad Top Railroad, and while it was…read moreabsolutely adorable, festive, and full of fall charm... I'm docking a star for one very specific reason -- they advertised a Halloween costume contest with every train departure and then... just didn't do it. Like, poof. Gone. No announcement, no explanation, no spooky spirit. Just me in a full Halloween costume wondering what in the Great Pumpkin was going on. Let me back up. I had to cancel my original trip a few weeks before because of a family emergency. Their staff was super helpful, issued me a gift card, and made rebooking easy. Total gold stars for that. I ended up rebooking on the last day of the Pumpkin Patch Express, and even splurged for seats in the caboose (because who doesn't want to pretend they're in a vintage movie for a day?). It was $65.32 for two adults, and honestly worth it for the unique view alone. The Orbisonia Station was clean, festive, and well-run. Fall décor everywhere, the kind of stuff Pinterest dreams are made of. The train ride? Perfectly timed -- long enough to enjoy the scenery, short enough that I didn't start questioning my life choices or wishing for snacks. When we arrived at the pumpkin patch, it was like stepping into autumn heaven: games, bounce house, mini-golf, food trucks, firepits, and plenty of pumpkins. The whole setup was great -- even the port-a-johns were clean (which is the real fall miracle here, let's be honest). We hit the food trucks first (pro tip!) and scored seats in the sunshine next to a firepit. I devoured my lunch, soaked up the view, and might've gotten a little competitive playing mini-golf -- nailed the final hole in one and absolutely celebrated like I'd just won the Masters. Now... back to that nonexistent costume contest. Picture me: all decked out, fully committed, ready to strut my spooky self for glory. I walk up to the counter, big smile, ready to ask where the contest will be -- and a rather grumpy man behind the desk hits me with a "Yeah, we're not doing that anymore." No apology, no explanation, no nothing. Just crushed dreams and a ticket in hand. Sir. I have read your Facebook event posts. All. Of. Them. You promised me a costume contest. You got me excited. And you're telling me this now? On the platform? In my Halloween costume? I'll admit it -- I was bummed. Like, "eat extra candy corn later to cope" bummed. But I wore my costume proudly anyway (as did my adventure buddy and a few other brave souls), made my own fun, and still had a great time. Though I definitely whined about it the entire train ride back. My poor adventure companion earned a medal that day. So yeah, East Broad Top -- the train, the views, the pumpkin patch setup -- all awesome. But if you're going to advertise something, please follow through. Some of us plan our entire fall outfit strategy around these things, okay? Still, I can't stay too mad. I had a blast, the caboose ride was a dream, and it's a memory I'll be laughing about for a long time. Just...maybe next year, they can keep their event promises or update their marketing so folks know what to expect? Less ghosting on the costume contest and more ghost costumes, deal?

Very family friendly, love the staff and great to see during Christmas and Halloween . Very…read morebeautiful to see always.

Never realized the history behind railroading, and how important the railroad industry shaped…read moreAltoona, PA. If you enjoy knowledge, trains and interactive displays, and learning this is the museum to check out. Great staff, reasonable gift shop, be sure to check out the Horseshoe Curve as well. There are even old models in the rail yards, and a current train their working on that moment. Perfect for travelers, locals, and everyone be sure to check it out.

This place is great I wouldn't bring kids nine and over because this place is a little boring for a…read morelittle kids and there's a lot to read and all the stuff other than that. It's really cool and don't forget when you're done checking out all the floors to go outside to the round house and check out the round house.