I learned about the Vincent DiFilippo Nature Preserve through social media and was genuinely…read moresurprised to discover it's less than 20 minutes from my house--yet I had never heard of it. This has been happening more and more lately, and I've been having a lot of fun discovering these close-to-home, beautiful outdoor spaces. Thankfully, this preserve did not disappoint. According to the preserve's website, this 54-acre nature preserve sits along the Conodoguinet Creek and serves as an important natural habitat featuring meadows, wetlands, and ponds. It offers creek access for kayaking and fishing, and the ponds are also open for fishing. Visitors can choose between an almost 2-mile outer loop trail or a shorter 1-mile inner loop trail, both clearly marked and suitable for walking, hiking, and biking. One section of the outer loop provides views of a bald eagle nesting area. The website notes that dogs are not permitted. I visited on a beautiful, though chilly, first Sunday in January. When I arrived around 9am, I found a large gravel parking lot with just a handful of cars. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of clearly marked handicap parking--always nice to see thoughtful accessibility. While the website states that dogs are not allowed, I encountered multiple leashed dogs during my walk (some even sporting sweaters), and several posted signs reminded owners to keep dogs leashed and clean up after them. It's possible the website is outdated, but based on what I observed, dogs definitely seem to be a common sight here. The crushed stone paths combined with the very flat terrain made this an incredibly relaxed and easy walk--perfect for a laid-back Sunday morning. After reviewing the trail map, I chose the Black Trail, which follows the Conodoguinet Creek and passes the designated eagle nesting area before looping back to the parking lot. I took my time, as usual, and the entire walk lasted about 45 minutes. The creek was especially beautiful that morning, with a thin layer of ice glistening in the sunlight. Homes perched high above the creek added to the scenery, and there was plenty of wildlife activity--birds flitting about and squirrels clearly enjoying the crisp morning air. While I didn't spot any eagles on this visit, the signage notes that they frequent the area between January and June, so I'm hopeful I'll catch a glimpse on a future visit. One thing to note: while the preserve is lovely, it does come with a fair amount of residential and roadway noise due to nearby homes and streets. This isn't a secluded, deep-woods experience. Expect to see other visitors, hear phones ringing, and encounter everyday neighborhood sounds. That said, the Vincent DiFilippo Nature Preserve is a solid community space for getting outside and stretching your legs. While I personally prefer quieter, more remote nature experiences, this is a safe, well-maintained, and accessible option for locals looking for a quick and easy nature walk close to home.

This trail is so well maintained with benches placed periodically throughout. It's mostly flat and…read morean easy, relaxing walk.

One of my favorite trails in the Harrisburg area! Riverfront Park is a beautiful, well-kept place…read moreto get outside and enjoy some time along the river. The trail is paved and easy to walk or bike A great way to bike uptown or downtown while enjoying the river views A great spot to watch the sunset Plenty of benches along the way to sit and relax The park and trail are well maintained It's a great place for a walk, bike ride, a relaxing evening, or simply enjoying the views. Definitely one of my favorite places in the area to get some fresh air.

Nice park with some benches along the way. There's a path you can walk alongside the river. Haven't…read moregotten to explore it yet but the bridge in the background connects Harrisburg downtown to City Island.

Cove Outlook Park (COP) is a beautiful park in Mount Joy. The town has a 25-year lease on the land…read moresince 2005 from Lancaster County Career & Technology Center and Public Works Department maintains it. I was excited when I found out about this place. Here's the amenities: * Trails * Volleyball Court * Horseshoe Pits * Playground * Pavilion with grills * Portable Toilets * Butterfly Garden * Bird Sanctuary * Multi-purpose Fields * Little Chiques Creek Unfortunately, what could be a peaceful oasis, turns out to be a bit stressful -especially for dogs- thanks to the Mount Joy Sportsmen Association, which is on Range Road adjacent to the park. I really can't bring my older dog to COP because he was spooked after our first visit and the noise of the shots got him scared. But I will definitely go back with my youngest son sometime.

Nice little hidden gem of a park in Mount Joy. It's good paved track with soccer fields in the…read moremiddle. The fun is in walking through the trails itself. Bunch of little parks, bochie ball and volley ball. Love this place.

Well paved, nice for walk or run or picnic and fishing. Dog friendly. Well maintained. Lots of…read moreshades and don't need to worry to loft from the track

Beautiful clean and well maintained large park. Great family environment. Picnic tables with Grills…read moreare scatter throughout the park. Designated fishing areas. Boat rental available, prices are honestly steep. Prepare to pay close to $100 for 3 hours depending what you chose to rent. There is NO swimming area. Paragliding is allowed with proper registration. Dog friendly park. With trash receptacles and even doggy bag dispensers which I saw at the far end of the Dam Dam is walkable and a nice place to cool off and feel the breeze coming over the lakes surface.

First stay here while traveling and it is a fine spot to stay while passing through. They did have…read morea camp host in our area, A, though we never saw them even when we went looking b/c of a question we had. Never saw them the entire time we were there. The park is fine, needs a little TLC which the volunteers are doing a great job taking care of.

Pretty to hike but *Do Not swim Here!** locals know that, my dad always told me that as a kid also…read moreand he's pretty lenient and a nature guy so if that tells u anything. I've hiked here a bunch though.

I enjoy coming to this park on my lunch and just watching the river pass by. Beautiful park that is…read morewell maintained. Love this place!

Now THIS is a park, my friends! Riverfront Park (RP) in Marietta is simply gorgeous, tucked behind…read moresome train tracks and a small, country town. Like many of the parks I visit, I stumbled upon it while researching for another park. RP has almost 300-acres, which includes the park and East Donegal's section of the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail (NRT). *Portable toilets *Boat Launch--oh how I wish I still had my kayak! *Covered Picnic Tables *Two parking lots: #1 is near the pavilion, boat launch and one end of NRT and #2 is next to NRT heading out the other direction *Benches *Historical Markers *Extremely large, grassy field to play *Nice lawn with shady trees and one lone seesaw--no other playground equipment *NRT is about 14-miles long so plenty of space to bike, walk and run. *Dogs are welcome--just clean up after them and keep them on a leash *The view of the Susquehanna River is spectacular. RP is now my favorite park in PA--so far. It has everything I need, including solitude. It's a great place to bring a picnic, watch the sunset, take a bike ride, or catch some ball. A well-planned park--great job, East Donegal Township!

This park is a gem if you are looking to escape deep into the woods. The trails are steep in some…read moreareas and you have to watch you don't stumble. It is nice to get away from it all in nature. I gave it only four stars because the trails are not marked well in places. I did get confused and two very nice people helped me back to where my car was parked. So for those that are directionally challenged, be careful or go with another person that knows the park.

Drove past the park many times, never realized this gem was here. Many mature trees, well-…read moremaintained and interconnecting trails. Good place for a stroll, though the trails are confusing at first. Lots of usual woodland birds. Informative signs along the way. Nice nature walk so close to residential areas.

This is a straightforward hiking path - pretty much straight and up to be rewarded with a beautiful…read moreview of the Susquehanna River. If you are lucky, like we were, you will see a low flying plane from the nearby military base. We stopped during the week, but I could imagine the parking at this area could get filled and you may have to wait for a spot. I'm seeing from other reviews that there are other parking spots and entrances, but the one we were at seemed fairly direct to the overlook. It was a beautiful quick hike to see some impressive views.

This was stop #2 on a beautiful late-September Sunday adventure. I'd done my homework ahead of time…read moreand planned to tackle the Chickie's Rock Overlook Trail first, then swing by the nearby Breezyview Overlook (just a 4-minute drive away). Chickie's Rock Overlook Trail: Parking was plentiful, and I appreciated the history sign at the trailhead--it turns out this path was once a trolley line leading to an amusement park near Chickie's Rock. So you're not just walking, you're walking through history. The trail itself is wide, relatively flat, and about a 20-minute walk to the overlook if you're taking your time (we were chatting the whole way--it was Sunday morning, not a cardio day). Pro Tip: Not far from the parking lot, the trail forks. Go LEFT for the easy stroll. Go RIGHT if you want a steeper climb and some cardio. Either way, the two trails meet up again before the overlook. When you arrive, the payoff is worth it: a panoramic view of the Susquehanna River and classic Central PA scenery--rolling hills, farmland, distant ridges, train tracks running at the base, and acorns plinking down around you. Pure magic. Just note: the overlook itself requires scrambling over some big rocks to get to the railing. Sneakers or boots are a must, and it's not super friendly for little kids or anyone with mobility challenges. Bonus history fact: Chickie's Rock was actually used as a Union lookout post during the Civil War in 1863, when Confederate troops invaded PA. That blew my mind. Breezyview Overlook: From Chickie's Rock, it's a quick 4-minute drive to Breezyview Overlook. This one's a lot easier--park, take a few steps on grass, and you're there. You even get the fun perspective of looking back at Chickie's Rock and seeing where you'd just been. Parking was easy, and they had a port-a-john if needed. The view is nice, but not nearly as epic as Chickie's Rock. Then again, the best things usually require a little extra effort. Overall, this was the perfect low-impact Sunday adventure. Bring water, pack out your trash, and don't forget to smile and say hi to fellow hikers along the way. If you're looking for an accessible trail with a stunning payoff, Chickie's Rock is a must.