A friend and I rode the Great Allegheny Trail from Myersdale, PA down to Cumberland, MD. It was a…read more33 mile ride overall, but we really enjoyed it. Now, neither of us are Lance Armstrong wanna-bes. We're old farts riding plain bikes. From Myersdale, the first 9 miles is uphill, but since it's an old railroad, it's a very gentle uphill slope. The highlight of this part of the trip was riding across the Keystone Viaduct. On our uphill leg, our average speed was 8.0 mph (from my GPS). At the end of the 9 miles uphill, we arrived at the Eastern Continental Divide. From there, it's ALL downhill all the way to Cumberland. We overheard someone else on the trail say that on the downhill side, "you don't need pedals, all you need are brakes." My GPS said our average speed during the downhill leg was 13 mph. There are a few spots along the way you could get on the trail and just do the downhill portion. We saw some families with kids doing the downhill portion, too. As an alternative, you can ride the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad from Cumberland up to Frostburg, then ride your bikes from Frostburg 16 miles back down the hill to Cumberland. Lesson learned: We had planned to stop and have lunch in Frostburg, MD. When we arrived in Frostburg, we found there was a nice rest area for bicyclists along the side of the trail with maps of the town, park benches, bicycle racks, and port-a-potties. Unfortunately, the path goes by at the BOTTOM of the side of the hill that Frostburg is on. In order to go into town for lunch, we would have had to either bike or hike half a mile UP a steep hill. We decided not to do that. We just ate snacks that we had packed in our backpacks and continued onward to Cumberland. The scenery was beautiful. There were three long tunnels to go through. Each tunnel was either short enough it didn't need to be lit up because you could see light from either side, or had installed lighting (the Big Savage Tunnel was really long but well-lit inside). The trail is well marked with mile markers along the way so you can tell how far you are from Cumberland, MD. The trail ends right in downtown Cumberland next to the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad train station and right where the C&O Canal Towpath begins. We had a great time and I would love to come back here and do the downhill portion with my kids sometime. I think we might try the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 1-way trip up to Frostburg then ride our bikes down the hill. Side note: Why do I give it 4 stars instead of 5? Only because I try to reserve my 5 star ratings for restaurants that are truly spectacular, and I don't want to inflate my average grade with a rating for a bike trail. :-)

We did it! My husband Rick & I biked the 130+ miles of the Great Allegheny Passage Trail between…read moreCumberland, MD & McKeesport, PA! I'm sore now! We'd been planning this trip for years as we are avid bike trail riders, and it's been our goal to bike the entire extant length of the trail. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Great Allegheny Passage, it's the ultimate in rails-to-trails conversions. It occupies the roadbeds of several abandoned rail lines including the Western Maryland, the B&O, and the P&LE. It connects with the C&O Towpath in Cumberland, and it's planned to connect with the present South Side/Three Rivers Heritage Trail in Pittsburgh. Thus a bike ride all the way from Pittsburgh (Station Square) to Washington, DC will be possible. So my brother Paul drove us down from Pittsburgh to the Canal Heritage Center, a former railway station in Cumberland. This also doubles as the train station for the Western Maryland Scenic Railway. And yes, because my husband's a railfan, I've ridden their trains. We arrived in Cumberland in the afternoon and from the Canal Heritage Center, we set out for the initial 17 miles to Frostburg. Because we had to carry overnight bags and our food supplies (I'm a type-1 diabetic) we borrowed some kiddie trailers from a friend. Rick carried the overnight bags and I carried the coolers. The initial ride from Cumberland to Frostburg is also the steepest. The Great Allegheny Passage rises from an elevation of about 500 feet in Cumberland to about 1600 feet in Frostburg. But the climb isn't that bad as the right-of-way remains an active rail line at this point. It's not like you're climbing Sycamore Street in Pittsburgh or Lombard Street in San Francisco. Here the line follows the Western Maryland Scenic Railway. The State of Maryland had considered forcing the rail line to discontinue so they could build the trail. But then they realized how much money visitors bring into Cumberland and Frostburg because of the train line. The scenic highpoint here is Helmstetter's Curve, where the trail and rail line arc around the Helmstetter farm in a "U" pattern. It's a smaller version of Horseshoe Curve in Altoona. Just beyond that the train line and the trail share Brush Tunnel. The tunnel is lighted, but trail riders are warned not to enter when a train is approaching. The WMSR runs both diesel and steam locomotives. Guess which one we saw? I'll give you a hint--Railfan Rick was slightly disappointed. We arrived in Frostburg and spent the night at the Trail Inn. We set out again the next day and just north of Frostburg, we hit the Borden Tunnel. This tunnel is NOT lighted. You MUST dismount your bike and walk it through. This tunnel is over 900 feet long, so headlights or a working flashlight are recommended. Around milepost 20, we came up to the Mason-Dixon Line, the boundary between MD and PA and the boundary between North and South (read your American history). A 1900 foot bridge connects the two sides. We turned to the north and went thru Big Savage Tunnel. This tunnel is 3,294 feet long, the longest on the GAP. It is lighted, but please take note. The Big Savage Tunnel is CLOSED between late November and early April and there is NO DETOUR route around it. So plan carefully if you intend to bike or hike in the area between those dates. Not long after leaving the Big Savage Tunnel, we came to the highest point on the Great Allegheny Passage at 2392 feet. We'd climbed 1892 feet since leaving Cumberland! A few miles later we hit Deal and from that point, it's all downgrade to McKeesport. Deal has restrooms, if you need to make a pit stop. Continuing northbound we made our way to Sand Patch, PA. Here we crossed the Eastern Continental Divide, marked by a short tunnel, which demarcates two watersheds of the Atlantic Ocean: the Gulf of Mexico watershed and the Atlantic Seaboard watershed. Much of the Great Allegheny Passage parallels the Amtrak Capitol Limited route and I've seen signs marking the divide while riding the train. We'd been following Flaugherty Creek and north of Sand Patch, we crossed the 909 foot long Keystone Viaduct. We made our way into Meyersdale, PA and as this is the largest town en route, we stopped at Food Lion for some supplies including steaks for our dinner tonight. We also made a rest stop here as we've been pedaling for about 20 miles with another 45 to go. Besides, I needed a snack for my blood sugars. Meyersdale was first settled by the Monongahela Indians and has hosted the PA Maple Syrup Festival for the past 60 years. --Continued in Part Two below--

So the funny thing is our pontoon boat broke down on the opposite end of the lake. However, for me,…read moreit's when something goes wrong that you can learn a lot about a company. Funtime's staff was quick to trouble shoot a couple options, then send out another boat to get us. They went above and beyond to take care of us. Definitely the kind of people I like to do business with! See you guys on our next trip!

Staff are very helpful and professional. Prices are reasonable. I typically have a great…read moreexperience. I would recommend a little more upkeep on the jet skis. My recent rental had one with a busted latch on the fire extinguisher compartment that became a nuisance. This was a one-off that hopefully they have resolved by the time you are reading this. Otherwise a 5* experience.

Sat in a dome car but unfortunately had a snooty young blonde at our very expensive table…read more.. So I Self located downstairs... Drinks were good . 90 minute stop in Frostburg was nice but many restaurants and shops were closed as it was a Monday.

A Mixed Bag at Best -- Disappointing Value and Execution…read more I paid $150 for the murder mystery train ride, and while I had a few expectations going in, the experience left a lot to be desired. The Good: The single bright spot of the evening was that--traveling alone--I was seated at a four-person dinner table with wonderful guests who made the night bearable. The chocolate cake for dessert was also quite nice. The Murder Mystery Show: If you are hoping for something engaging and even a little dramatic, you won't find it here. The performance was completely all over the place, making it hard to follow what was actually happening. It felt entirely improvised, leaning heavily into a corny brand of comedy rather than a true mystery. Logistically, the setup is a nightmare: actors, servers, and guests were constantly bumping into one another just to navigate the narrow aisles. The icing on the cake? One of the actresses spent most of the performance hissing, screeching, and shouting--likely spitting into nearby food in the process. The Food: Considering the price tag, I expected better. Dinner was just okay, landing at a solid 2.5 out of 5 stars. I ordered the steak, which was aggressively average, but my salad came with an unwelcome bonus: a hair. The Sunset Ride (Bonus Gripe): $60 I also participated in the sunset ride the following night, and it was equally underwhelming. First, the 7:00 PM start time is simply too late to catch a proper sunset. Second, any lingering sunlight is entirely blocked by the dense forestry cascading along the route. For a three-hour excursion, about two hours of it was spent riding a cold train in total pitch blackness--feeling more like a mundane daily commute than a romantic evening out. I sat in the dome car which was tight and cold, the space was so small it was impossible not to feel like everyone was in your conversation and you in theirs. The Verdict: Ultimately, I wouldn't recommend this train experience to anyone for any reason. But hey, if you don't believe me, feel free to find out for yourself.

The GAP is my home away from home, I bike and e-bike or sometimes hike. The trails are very well…read moremaintained. I have done everything from Ohio Pyle to the other side of the C&O canal. I only live a mile away so it's a hop, skip and a jump for me to jump on and ride everyday if I choose. The scenery between the towns is unmatched. Lots of rest areas and everyone I have encountered are friendly and respectful of the other riders, walkers and hikers

Amazing trail with amazing volunteers and people. A true American Historic Gem!…read more BTW, the food was amazing!

We have stayed here twice now and it definitely has its pros and cons. For us, it is close by and…read moreso for an impromptu weekend getaway it is a good option for us. We stayed in their back in FHU sites in site 102 on 2 different occasions. On our first visit, being new to camping we were nervous to have a back in site and I emailed them asking about the possibility of switching to an available FHU pull thru site I saw they had available.. they were excellent with communicating with me over email which was greatly appreciated!! They told me if the site was still available when we checked in we could switch to that site if we wished but they thought our original back in site was much nicer and spacious and shaded.. so we trusted their judgement and gave it a shot and it's easily "to us" the best site there ! Like many of campgrounds FHU pull thru sites are exposed to a lot of sun .. this is the case here too .. They do offer a fire pit and a picnic table at each site. They have gravel on the sites that could use some grading. There is some settling from them putting in FHU's.. so some extra leveling needed on your part to make sure your camper is not titling one way or the other here but still nice shade for the back in sites that you won't get in the FHU sites. The seasonal campers cruise the campground in their golf carts all through the night up till quiet time .. but they were all that we had encountered were super nice. The campground does not offer golf cart rentals. You can bring your own for a fee. Their playground could be better .. they have 2 heavy see saws and some swings and a Gaga ball area.. our kids literally said "where is the slide.." they are 2 and 4 years old.. so it disappointed us to an extent. They have a nice pool area with umbrellas available and super tiny store. However, the prices are super reasonable ! So they have some things you could need.. and then ice cream and snacks and magnets. The prices are low in comparison to other camps we have been to.. They do offer events depending on the season and holiday.. our first experience was an Easter egg hunt in August .. but it was fun for the kids .. and they also were able to do sand art which was all FREE. I loved that for the kids.. august is an odd month.. between seasons.. They do charge $10 per visitor which we were super bothered by because we have alot of near by family we don't get to see often and for them to come it would be $20 a pair ! They aren't even going to take part in amenities .. I have been to bigger camps that don't even charge for a visitor or at the most $5. I saw on their map that they used to charge $5 and increased it.. so I am sure something occurred to spark that spike in price. I appears to be run by a family .. the wife manages the emails and office and the husband handles the maintenance and the son is in the office and helps with checking in and out and making magnets and etc .. everyone was super nice though. The bathhouse was very clean and they have a laundry facility on site as well. It is pet friendly too! They do have a catch and realize pond but I honestly am not sure how because the aquatic plant growth around the edges would make it almost impossible to reel in their lines especially someone with smaller children. We were bummed by this sadly. This campground is literally minutes away from Rocky Gap State Park (where you can also fish) and 15 minutes from Cumberland, MD.

We loved this campground. It's a beautiful area. The…read moreowners kept it so nice and ran it very well. The restrooms/showers were clean and spacious. It's like a diamond in the rough, very safe with a gated entrance. We went to Rocky Gap each day and did the 5 mile lake trail. We also walked the full camp area for exercise too which was plenty. The seasonal campers were wonderful and kept their places looking very sharp. We met some of the friendliest people. We recommend 10/10! Thanks Mark and family for keeping this gem so beautiful and welcoming!

A great area to walk and enjoy the views. We accessed it from near the visitors center, which is…read morealso well worth a visit. It also provides easy access to restaurants and shops along the space too. There's even a little playground in the area. We also took the section leading from the Paw Paw Tunnel Campground to the tunnel itself, which was very fascinating to see and well worth it.

Great for bike riders! There's not much in the way of shops, but we enjoyed the tow path.read more

I would recommend this business 100% but be aware you need to reserve early online. The staff was…read moreextremely friendly and knowledgeable on where to anchor the trampoline, so that everyone would be safe and be able to jump in and not have any obstructions. They delivered it promptly and removed it promptly as per the agreement of our rental. We will definitely be using them. Next time. We come into town to rent another lake house I recommend also getting the pad to attach. It makes it much easier to get onto the trampoline.

What a great company to work with! Our whole crew had so much fun on the water trampoline. The…read moreowners were excellent communicators and made the rental process so easy. The trampoline made this week extra special. We will definitely rent from them again and have been telling all of our friends to check them out as well.

The new pro is very rude. I checked in as a member on a…read moreSunday, the pro ran out of the office, asked the clerk if I had the 7 day membership the man said yes I checked it. The pro then asked my name, pulled out a list and double checked it. He was very rude to the gentleman working there. They raised the cost of the 7 day membership from $300 to $750. Jacked up the cart fees $20 more than last year and $30 more for guests. You now have to get a bucket of balls from the pro shop to use the driving range which is included in the membership. You are no longer allowed to bring your own Gatorade, you have to purchase it from the course. Here's the real crime. Hot dogs are $8, a 20 oz rootbeer $4, a very small bag of chips $2.50. 4 hot dogs with chips and one root beer $50. You get a 15% discount with the membership but I was told that don't apply at the shack after the 9th hole. So $50 for 4 hotdogs and to add insult to injury the hot dogs were cold and the rolls were stale. Rocky Gap has made it nearly impossible for the locals to afford to play the course they've been playing since it was built, then to prohibit bringing a Gatorade or a snack so they can rape you with their products at absorbent prices and serve the food cold. This outing was a slap in the face from checking in time and just got worse as the day went on. The course was in decent shape other than the bunkers which were horrible and some construction on hole #7, its temporarily a par 3 during construction. Despite the efforts of the golf pro to be as rude as he can, we had a beautiful day and enjoyed golfing with good friends. The greed of our local golf course of so many years is truly shameful. Most of the seniors I know can no longer afford the membership and the $55 fee as a guest limits them to one round a year if they're lucky. SHAME ON YOU ROCKY GAP You're not a Country Club, stop charging like you are one!

Looks like a challenging golf course. I have been coming here for over 20 years. Always wanted to…read moreplay. Lots of hills, trees, traps and outdoor beauty. Years ago got a free golf ball in the pro shop with a yelp checkin special