Great facility for rest and bathroom breaks. Free maps and postcards! Helpful attendants and lots…read moreof great information to see and do things in Virginia. Bathrooms were clean and well kept. Only 1 family bathroom.

Just when you need a rest stop. The bathroom stalls are showing some wear, but are cleanread more

Very informative Park Ranger. Grounds and outside of home was great. I felt the inside was sparsely…read morefurnished and most of it was closed off. Albert Gallatin is not as well remembered as Thomas Jefferson or James Madison but did serve for 13 years as our Secretary of the Treasury. He did feel his main goal was to work on the National Debt. We could use some of his foresight today!

This is a quiet and relaxing National Parks Service property. We only saw a few other people the…read moreentire time we were there, and one was the ranger. There is a really nice picnic area available near the parking lot. It has a number of picnic tables, a shelterhouse, and a clean restroom. This is a take your trash out with you park, but they do offer bags for you to put them in. From the picnic area, you can head up the hill to see the house, which can be toured, and you can also walk around the grounds, which also contains 10 miles of trails. So why is this a historic site? It was the wilderness home of Albert Gallatin, a lesser known figure from the US government in the late 1700s. The location is beautiful - there's a nice overlook behind the house that has a historic gazebo and looks out over the river. The section of trail that starts behind the house lets you get a glimpse at a number of interesting historical and natural sights: an old growth forest full of towering trees, the grave site of Gallatin's first wife, Sophia, a pond which had a number of turtles, a meadow area that was full of beautiful butterflies, and more.

I visited Fort Necessity alone in mid-June 2025 as a pit stop on a drive from Columbus, OH to…read morenorthern Virginia. Lot of pluses in visiting this federal park (the visitor center is open from 9am-5pm). First, it has a clean restroom on this stretch of U.S. 40. If you're in dire need of a restroom break, visitors will have a new appreciation for the meaning of "Fort Necessity". Second, the 15+ minute video is useful in providing historic context to the battle and role of the National Road which facilitated westward expansion and trade in the 1800s. Third, the museum displays were upgraded since my last visit in 2013. Overall, it provides in-depth context for the Battle and the National Road (US-40 today). The early mistakes of George Washington and that of General Braddock provided valuable lessons that helped Washington in the American Revolution. Something that I did not know was the 1930's Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the state park and illustrated how President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) saved many young American men from despair during Great Depression. Perhaps the US needs a similar initiative today to help young men looking for meaningful work.

It's very quiet here. Great place to see and learn the history. The fort itself isn't original…read more It's a recreation. Friendly ranger.

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.

This is a fun little stop along the roadside. There is signage about the historical significance of…read morethe area (a water stop along the National Road) along with a water wheel and trough (though signage indicates it is not considered drinkable now). They've clearly had some fun dressing it up, as there are some model bears and twinkle lights around. Practical amenities include a nice little shelter house with picnic tables and a small paved parking area. A nice place to stretch one's legs and get a little bite of history.

Pleasant little trip into 1830's roadside tavern history (and more history of the National Road,…read morecomplimenting some of the history at next door's Fort Necessity visitors' center), such as what sort of people traveled, how they traveled, what they could afford to eat, and how they slept (uncomfortably and sharing space with strangers).

The previous two Yelpers certainly explained the tavern well enough but I'm going to throw in a few…read moredetails that they overlooked. First and foremost is that it's an oddity of history that George Washington came to own the land on which he fought his first battle. He fought his first battle at Fort Necessity right down the hill from where the tavern stands in 1754. As history will tell you, things didn't turn out so well for young Colonel Washington. But the area stuck with Washington and fifteen years after his defeat at Fort Necessity he came back to buy the land consisting of 234 1/2 acres in southwestern Pennsylvania. The tract of land was called "Mount Washington" and embraced the Great Meadows. However, little did he know then that this tract would later boast a tavern whose story would live for generations. Although Washington never lived to see his land flourish, he knew it would be an excellent site for an inn. Soon after his death the first federally funded road was laid down through this country, crossing the Mount Washington tract, thus proving his speculations correct. Travelers stopping at the Mt. Washington Tavern were pleased to find a commodious brick and stone tavern of eleven rooms in two stories, with an attic and basement. Built around 1827 by Judge Nathaniel Ewing of Uniontown, the Tavern was operated by James and Rebecca Sampey and did a lively business from the time it opened. Four conditions were prevalent at this inn: the place was clean, the food was good, the landlady was civil and her husband was sober. The building was an inn for only a short period of time from its construction in 1827-8 to 1855 when the importance of The National Road declined due to railroad construction. It was then used as a private home until 1932 when the Commonwealth of PA purchased it and eventually the NPS acquired it in 1961 while making the building part of Fort Necessity National Battlefield. Today the tavern serves as sort of a museum of what life would have been like traveling the National Road in the mid-19th century. The tavern is open seasonally from April-November normally the same hours as the visitors' center but in particular thanks to the lingering effects of the Sequester, that is subject to change and you should call before coming as the hours are not updated on the nps.gov site.

This part of town doesn't get home mail delivery because it's mostly rentals so I had to pick up…read morepackages I had ordered to our lake house. The post office is small but has a surprising number of parking spots given its size. There is social distancing signage inside and outside the building and plastic sheets to separate customers from employees. The clerks are friendly and helpful and efficient. Glad this is so close to the home. Most Amazon orders arrive within the next day.

This is the quintessential Brownsville historical attraction. If you are looking for a prize of…read morelocal history you cannot find anywhere else then look no further

I have heard of Nemacolin Castle, but had thought it was near the resort by the same name. It…read morewasn't until I entered the address into the GPS that I learned it is located in Brownsville. Husband and I decided to visit when the Christmas tour was offered. We got a history lesson on the man who founded a trading post and built the castle. The Bowman family was quite influential in the area. It is impressive to be made aware of the history behind the family and the home. The home is managed by the historical society and volunteers. It would be great if they would get some additional funding for restoring the home. Right now, they rely on donations and admission fees to maintain the upkeep. There are areas of sagging floors and peeling wallpaper. It is fortunate that most of the furniture items were actually owned and used by the family. The piano is beautiful and one of the first to come to the area. The home was decorated for the Christmas holiday. Admission is $15 for adults and tickets may be purchased online or at the door. On busy times, I would recommend reservations. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. We were in a tour of about 18-24 people which was too large of a group. The some of the rooms were small and we were crammed in to hear the guide. Still, it was a nice way to spend a rainy Saturday before Christmas. I want to return when they have a haunted tour next fall.