Travel

March 2, 2023

Take a trip to Starr Hill Vineyard & Winery

Between the rolling hills of Curwensville, along the I-80 Frontier Landscape of the PA Wilds, sits Starr Hill Vineyard & Winery. This business's traditions and entrepreneurial spirit have created over 30 unique wines and one very wild one.

December 19, 2022

As the year closes

At the beginning of the year, Lou Bernard wrote a piece about things he would like to do in the Pennsylvania Wilds called "In the coming year: A PA Wilds bucket list" – places he'd love to visit and thing he'd like to learn. Now, at the end of 2022, he reflects on how many of the those goals he was able to accomplish (like a trip to Cook Forest or learning about the communities in the PA Wilds), along with some things he wasn't able to do yet but wants to achieve in the upcoming year. Lou knows there's always next year, and he'll keep exploring the Pennsylvania Wilds.

December 2, 2022

Fantastic Food photo contest focuses on 5 PA Wilds counties

Think about the best, most interesting, delicious meal you've ever had. If you've snapped a photo of a mouth-watering meal in Pennsylvania’s Great Outdoors region (part of the Pennsylvania Wilds that includes the counties of Cameron, Clarion, Elk, Forest and Jefferson), that photo could win you some cash with their Fantastic Food photo contest!

November 30, 2022

Wilds Child: Exploring historic Bellefonte

If you’re looking for a community to get you into the holiday spirit, Writer and mother Tia DeShong says to look no further than Bellefonte. The Borough of Bellefonte is, itself, like a town out of a Christmas card, with streets full of boutiques, artisan shops, cafes, museums, restaurants, history, and culture.

November 28, 2022

The Pine Creek Rail Trail

Lou Bernard accidentally discovered the Pine Creek Rail Trail for himself while biking. Once he realized what an amazing journey it was (even though he himself was only on it for a short time), Lou decided to do a little research about what makes the trail so special and all the things people can explore along its miles of scenic beauty.

November 15, 2022

A Trip to Tionesta

Although writer Lou Bernard never set out to go to Tionesta, he found that he quickly fell in love with the little community, which is the seat of Forest County. With its stolen courthouse, the gravestones next to its library, the Tionesta Market Village, a replica of the Statue of Liberty, and a rare lighthouse on the shores of the Allegheny River... well, Tionesta has plenty of unique stories in its history.

October 27, 2022

Wilds Child: Climbing Beartown Rocks

Although Tia DeShong doesn't think of herself as a particularly cautious mother, she admits seeing her young sons standing on the edge of a large boulder (with only trees and rocks 20 feet below them) made her breath catch in her throat. So why did she decide to bring her kids to Beartown Rocks? Tia says helping them to learn to take chances when they are young sets the foundation for healthy resourcefulness, confidence, and independence when the stakes are higher than a tall boulder.

September 22, 2022

Wilds Child: The Wildlife Center at Sinnemahoning State Park

Although Sinnemahoning State Park's visitor center has nature exhibits and wildlife tunnels that are perfect for little learners, writer and mother Tia DeShong found that it was enlightening for both herself and her two young boys. She calls it "hands-on learning at its near-finest" (perhaps even better than the real thing since no actual bobcat dens were required).

September 1, 2022

Wilds Child: The Elk Country Visitor Center 

Growing up in Ridgway, Tia DeShong's two young boys are no strangers to elk. When asked, they will gladly demonstrate the sound of an elk grunt or bugle. The boys (and Tia herself) were impressed with the Elk Country Visitor Center in Benezette, where they got to know these familiar creatures a little better. It also served as a good reminder of being respectful and keeping your distance... which can sometimes we just as difficult for adults as it is for children!

August 16, 2022

Lunch at Doolittle Station

Lou Bernard and his family drive to Doolittle Station in DuBois, a restaurant and entire plaza filled with eclectic array of kid-friendly things, like trains, frogs, dinosaurs and even Bigfoot himself!