Swimming Holes in Pennsylvania

An amazing find.  I’m in the midst of planning a weekend getaway with friends from Maryland.  Pennsylvania is a perfect midpoint and this website - SwimmingHoles.org - is a great way to begin the search.  Who doesn’t want access to some fresh water in the summer?  

(via website - ON STATE MAP : BLUE = swimming hole, GREEN = road trip dip (click here for info) , RED = hot spring.  The map location is very approximate. Use our directions with a highway map)

click pic for website

Floating in the Delaware River

It’s hot.  So, if you’re planning to head northwest on a day trip or weekend getaway from NYC to NJ, PA area, consider checking out the water activities on the Delaware River. Click the pic for information dedicated to all the ways you can use the river.  It is full of useful suggestions and the best part is that people’s comments are up to date about where to launch, where the water level is too low, etc.  

WEEKEND GETAWAY

TOWN PROFILE: Phoenecia, NY in Ulster County

You won’t come across many people from the tristate area who enjoy spending time upstate that haven’t at some point enjoyed Phoenecia.  Only about two hours north from NYC, and right in the thicket of the Catskills, Phoenecia is a one road main street town. I love so much about it, it’s hard to fit it all into what’s supposed to be a succinct blog post. Basically, it is an ideal summer day trip or weekend getaway. Go up for tubing down the Esopus River (there is usually a discount coupon on the website), delicious breakfast at Sweet Sues or Bloody Mary’s and pizza at Brio’s - both classic beloved restaurants, and don’t forget the standard small ice cream shop.  Al’s Seafood, with its funny little pool in the back, isnt bad either for lobster.

Walk the small main street for art galleries, gift shops and country stores.  Don’t expect to find a gourmet food shop here though, so do that earlier (Route 28 has some places) on your trip up.  

There is camping right there on the river at Black Bear Campground or Sleepy Hollow Camp Site right off 28 or Devil’s Tombstone.  Make advance reservations to get better plots that are off the main road and on the water.  Or, you can read other beelocal Ulster County posts for inn or resort lodging and restaurants in the area.  

Have some beers in a cooler in your trunk so that when you’ve finished tubing the river you can grab a breski and drink it in the sun while lounging in your tube.  Pure heaven.

hiking?         theater?          farms and farmers markets?