Decided to stop here for a visit because I hadn't been since my elementary school field trip! It…read morewas a gorgeous day and we had a good time listening to the audio guide they have on YouTube for each of the houses--that was really well put together and very interesting! However, even when visiting on a weekend there weren't many interactive things to do or see besides the blacksmith who was friendly and actively working on a piece. There was no one in the tavern or cookie shop, which would have been cool to experience. When we entered the chandler house (candle maker), there were workers there but no one even acknowledged us or said hello. We were really hoping to be able to make a candle or buy fresh baked cookies as the audio guide suggested! Overall an interesting stop but would have been nice to interact more with the village.

Old Bedford Village Shoppes are part of Old Bedford Village which consists of authentic and…read morereproduced log, stone, and frame buildings that were part of the 18th century. You enter the complex via a covered bridge and then park opposite the welcome center. Admission is very reasonable and gives you an opportunity to explore the different buildings of the town as well as some of the craftsmen who operate the various trades. They have events scheduled throughout the year and during this visit my husband and I got in on a "western" themed re enactment. All over the town were costumed characters who we learned had come in for the weekend only. Co-Vid restrictions are in place. They only allow 25 people in the visitor's center and you can only tour a house one family at a time. All over the complex are picnic area as well as tent stations where you can buy food or just meet up with the people. Some of the craftsmen we got to visit included the broommaker and the mortician. Things have come a long way since the 1700s so I found it very interesting to hear their stories on how they handled their crafts or events of the period. Photo ops abound if you want to grab a picture of yourself in the stocks by the jail and what's also great is that most of the craftsmen wares are found in the gift shop in the welcome center if you want to take a freshly dipped candle, a blacksmith's creation, or even a mini whisk broom. I was blown away by one building that housed and Indian museum. It was believed that an Indian tribe may have existed prior to the actual village that the property sits on and Indian artifacts are on display. Items are also available for sale in the general store, the bakery where you can get giant size homemade cookies, as well as pottery and tin. I couldn't get over how dark the interior of most of the buildings were but those were the days before electricity so you get that authentic feel. Hosts in various buildings are on hand to explain the history of that building and to answer any questions you may have. Christ church was designed after the 1806 log Union church which we later visited in the town of Schellsburg. The wine glass pulpit sits in the center and the building can be used for weddings. The western days didn't disappoint and we got to take in a couple of shows. I loved watching the bullwhip show and their expert ability to slice paper from one's mouth. The western show was well written and very funny. Even got an opportunity to hear from "Mark Twain" in the square. Allow at least 2 hours if you want to tour the place but you could spend all day here. Old Bedford village has so much to offer and is well worth a visit to get a glimpse of life in colonial times. We really enjoyed visiting and sits about 2 miles south of the PA turnpike at the Bedford exit.

On the way back to Pittsburgh from a trip to Philadelphia, we stopped at the North Midway Travel…read morePlaza along the PA Turnpike for a quick break. It was a brief stop, but overall a positive experience. The North Midway Tavel Plaza is a 24-hour service plaza, located along the PA Turnpike near the town of Bedford. Specifically, it is around mile marker 147, and only accessible from the westbound lanes. There is a sister location, South Midway Service Plaza, located across the road and accessible from the eastbound lanes. This is a smaller plaza, and it has a Starbucks, Subway, 7-Eleven MTO Food Counter, 7-Eleven Convenience Store, and a Sunoco Gas Station. The 7-Eleven and Sunoco operate 24 hours, but the Starbucks and Subway do close overnight. The building itself is open all hours, meaning facilities and other amenities are available at any time. The interior has a center area with a lot of different tables and seating options. The skylights give the seating area an elevated and spacious feel, as they are positioned higher than the rest of the ceiling throughout the space. There are also some massage chairs located near the restrooms. Throughout the space, there are odes to the Turnpike's past with photographs and information on all the walls. There is also the usual free informational booklets and papers on the area, the state, and the offerings of the plaza. We stopped here just before midnight on a Saturday, so only the 7-Eleven and the Sunoco were open. This was fine though, as we were only there to take a quick stop and use the facilities. Given the time of day, it was not at all crowded during our visit. I found the restrooms and space inside to be presentable and clean. Since this was what you would call the "off time" for travelers, I assume the crew cleaned for the day around the time I was visiting. I was overall pleased with the cleanliness of the building. Since it was essentially overnight, the seating area presented like it was closed. I assume tables got moved and flipped in order for proper cleaning, but there were still patrons utilizing tables. So, I am not sure if this area actually closes, or if it was just the way it appeared to my eyes on this particular trip. Everyone we encountered during this stop was kind, friendly, and welcoming. The only true staff we saw were those in the 7-Eleven, but they were pleasant to interact with. We were able to be in and out of the plaza rather quickly, and continue our journey back to Pittsburgh. This was a nice place to take a few minutes and reset for the rest of our travels. I would not recommend stopping here with an extremely large group, or a group that needs a lot of different options for a rest stop, as the size of this plaza is not ideal for that. However, if you need a small snack or just a place to use the restroom, this is a great in-and-out-type stop to do just that. I would recommend stopping at the North Midway Travel Plaza during your next trip along the PA Turnpike!

Service stations are always a welcomed sight for weary travelers. This on is ok as expected…read more Bathrooms are clean. Food court is adequate to fill your tummy.

This place is epic! EPIC!! you could literally spend an entire weekend here exploring and you still…read moreprobably wouldn't get to see everything! It's truly a colossal piece of history. We went on a Saturday..got there around 3pm and left at 5pm. We barely ran into anyone while exploring..which was great. 2hrs was obviously not enough time. When we got there we checked in at the table..you get a wristband while on the property. Purchasing your tickets ahead of time..it makes life for the employees a lot easier. It's dark and there isn't power..so using the iPad to check out is a pain for them. They give you the rules and what not to do..where to stay out of..and they let you explore all on your own. We literally had so much fun. Make sure to bring plenty of flashlights and warm clothes if you're going during that winter season like we did. There are tunles that run from building to building..awesome! The chapel is incredible, the cell housing areas are just as cool..just so many things..the prison barber school..the cobbler shop. So many nooks and crannies. We learned theyll have overnight explorations in the spring/summer/fall in 2023. There will be a hydroponics building as well. The place is just spectacular, and the drive to keep this place open for people to come see history and not let it wither away is amazing. Thank you! Truly appreciate places like this. Please don't leave trash and break things here and ruin it for people who have an appreciation for places like this.

I recently photographed a wedding at the Scenic View. The grounds are really beautiful and the…read morelookout trumps all. There's a tower up a long, winding road, but you don't even need to go up into the tower to see the gorgeous mountain view. The landscape is breathtaking, I'm sure, during any time of the day. But we went up at sunset after a storm and it was nothing short of spectacular. I cannot wait to get back to Penn's Scenic View for the view alone!

Penn's Scenic View is such a beautiful place. My large family would go up every year and rent out…read morethe Stable Lodge there. Of course, I loved being with my family. However, I loved going for walks in the area. It's such an amazing experience. Peace, quiet, utter bliss... what more could you ask for? If you walk up this dirt road, you'll encounter a wooden tower on a hill. If you walk up the tower, you can take in the breathtaking view. A full 360° of trees. It's all picture-worthy. You truly won't be disappointed. You can continue to walk around to discover new things. There's a lake next to the Lakeside Lodge. I would always see weddings take place at the lake from the Stable Lodge. It was really nice to see something like that. Unfortunately, this place is private property. You can't just walk in willy-nilly. We rented out a cabin, that's the only reason we were granted access. The place is being sold. It's up for around $1.3 million dollars. Therefore, we can't rent out the Stable Lodge anymore. The whole place is gated off. I wish I could go back up there, just one last time. It's truly amazing. That place means a lot to me. My family has been going up there since I was a baby, and I'm 17. A lot of memories are kept there. It's also the place where I found myself. I would do whatever I could to go up there just one last time. I want to share the experience with my girlfriend. I would pay that $1.3 million to go back up there. If you're lucky enough to visit the 18 acres of pure scenery, you won't be disappointed for even a second.

The exhibits in this museum are stunning - don't let the exterior (an old school) fool you…read more Fascinating even if you don't know much about the subject. The current exhibit focuses on patriotic and political coverlets (yes, that was a thing!) in honor of the 250th anniversary of the US. Well worth a couple of hours, and you can eat a great meal at Jean Bonnet's Tavern outside of town where more coverlets are on display.

This museum was really interesting. We enjoyed the combination of technology, art, culture, and…read moredaily life interpreted with the coverlets (which were fascinating and beautiful in and of themselves). The introduction was given by a gentleman who is an exceptional storyteller. This place is definitely worth a visit if you're near Bedford, especially if you're interested in technology, art, history, or textiles. They also have a nice gift shop.

Tony and I were driving down Route 144 West National Pike Road in Maryland near the town of…read moreFlintstone MD when I found the covered bridge on my GPS. Only 5 miles off our track and amazingly in PA...we didn't realize we were that close to PA while driving in Maryland. So I made the right turn and we ventured out into the back roads of PA. It was easy to find, our GPS took us straight there. So quite out there and peaceful. Only life we found was bugs and a mommy deer with her 2 babies. She hid in the bushes, but the babies just frolicked nearby allowing me to photograph. Very lovely area! Great road conditions and easily found off the National Pike Roadway. Highly recommend for you to visit and absolutely Free to enjoy!!!

Hewitt Covered Bridge, Circa 1879 at 88 feet long. The…read moreHewitt Covered Bridge is a historic wooden covered bridge located at Southampton Township in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. It is a 88-foot-long, low to medium Burr Truss bridge with a medium gable roof. It crosses Town Creek. It is one of 15 historic covered bridges in Bedford County.

This is an awesome experience the trains come about once every hour and if you could try to see the…read moreAmtrak train, it's a once in a lifetime experience

The funicular is almost never running, forcing people to climb a long flight of stairs. Even if you…read moreare able-bodied, it is difficult. And, they don't have the foresight to install a regular bonafide elevator to resolve the issue. You are better off going over to the Gallitzin Tunnel Park/Museum to railfan the trains that come through here.

History is worth looking at. This is an interesting spot if you're a Washington fan. Get to know…read morehis early days.

Borrowed from the below site:…read more www.mdmountainside.com/listing/george-washingtons-headquarters/2042/#:~:text=The%20Headquarters%20of%20George%20Washington,the%20United%20States%20of%20America. "The Headquarters of George Washington is a historic site, located at 38 Greene Street, in the historic downtown district of Cumberland, Maryland. The centerpiece and primary attraction at the site is a historic log cabin twice occupied by George Washington, the first President of the United States of America. The cabin resides in an area known today as Riverside Park but was originally built about 2 blocks away. The original site is located nearby at 16 Washington Street. The cabin was originally built by General Edward Braddock's men, between 1755 and 1758, for then Colonel George Washington's use during his service in the French and Indian War. He later returned and used it briefly during 1794, then as the Commander in Chief, in order to review the troops gathered to put down the Whiskey Rebellion. This site is notable, as it signifies Washington's first military command. The original site lies on a hill that overlooks Wills Creek and the Potomac River. It was once the location of Fort Cumberland (Maryland) and today, The Emmanuel Episcopal Church (Cumberland, Maryland). The headquarters was part of Fort Cumberland during the French and Indian War, and it is the only building to survive from the original Fort. Though closed to the public, the cabin has windows visitors can peer into and see historical displays and artifacts of what the cabin may have looked like including a bed, desk, and fireplace as well as a life-size wax replica of Washington." If you come here, parking in the area is somewhat tight. During our visit, Greene and Baltimore Streets were under a lot of construction so we parked two blocks away for a buck in a pay lot near Basecamp Coffee. If you're so inclined, you could also park on the other side of the creek at the visitor center and walk over the bridge to get here. We came, read the placards, took a few pictures, walked a short distance to read a few more of the placards that go under 68 but then saw a few loud locals (i.e. homeless-hobo-vagrant) and thought better of going any further. With that said, this is by no means a stop that you're going out of your way for. At best, this is a few minutes passing curiosity just to say that you saw it. If you want something more substantive about Washington's time in the general area as a British officer, the NPS site Fort Necessity is the place. Tons of stuff there that George did including surrendering to the French. www.nps.gov/fone/index.htm

Even though the incline was closed, we stopped to look since we were going to the adjacent…read morerestaurant for dinner. It was constructed as a "lifesaver" after the Johnstown Flood of May 31, 1889, the Incline has more than lived up to its original lifesaving purpose. I read that flood waters again swept through the Conemaugh and Stonycreek Valleys on March 17, 1936 and July 20, 1977. During both floods, the Incline carried men, women, children and vehicles to safety and help. It is one of the longest and steepest hoists in the world and one of the few transportation systems of its kind still in existence and has its place in the Guinness Book of Records as "The steepest vehicular inclined plane in the world." The incline is closed for refurbishments set to be completed in Spring 2023. We were thrilled to see a large American flag flying above the incline. The flagpole is 125 feet tall and is on the highest point above the valley. I am sure that this flag can be seen for miles.

This was an enjoyable little trip up the mountain over Johnstown. Great views!! Gives you a great…read moreperspective of the city