Top 5 Tours to Try in Erie County October 15, 2021 by Visit Erie Hop in your car or explore on foot, Erie has plenty of self-guided driving and walking tours to keep you busy for days. Self-guided tours gives you the flexibility to do a tour on your own time, stopping and starting at your leisure. We also offer guided tours that show you the ins and outs of subjects such as whiskey making, pottery and horse-back riding. Immerse yourself in any tour and get to know Erie County in an organized, non-traditional, educational and FUN way! Whether you’re by yourself or a small group of family and friends, stay overnight, choose one or more tours and make it a weekend or week-long adventure! VisitErie tours are available on the FREE ‘Hello Erie’ mobile app or you can check out our experiential tours on VisitErie.com’s DIY Tours page. African American Heritage Trail Tour – VisitErie has partnered with the creators of A Shared Heritage Tour and Erie Arts & Culture to create a self-guided, narrated tour that celebrates Erie County Black History. The African American History Tour features numerous historic points of interest, public art, and businesses that pay tribute to the City of Erie’s African American heritage including the church where internationally celebrated soloist and composer Harry T. Burleigh sang in the choir. Another stop, New Jerusalem, is one of Erie’s oldest neighborhoods. Here African American families provided much-needed refuge for men and women fleeing enslavement through the Underground Railroad. Click here to learn more. Murals of Erie County – If you’ve been to Erie and the surrounding area, you had to have noticed a multitude of colorful murals decorating the exterior walls of local buildings. There are OVER 80 murals scattered across the City of Erie and throughout the surrounding towns of Girard, Edinboro, Union City and North East. They range from abstract works to specific figures, historical moments, landscapes and pure whimsy. Be inspired by the creativity of our local muralists and residents. We challenge you to try to find them all in the pursuit of Great Art! Some of our favorites include: Flotsam (Bicentennial Tower), Her Voice, Her Vote (downtown Erie), The Pontiacs (Bayview Park) and Rudy (Methodist Towers). NOTE: Most of the murals are located outside, however, there are a few located inside. The majority of murals are not artificially lit, therefore we recommend viewing them during daylight hours. Click here to download the full list of Erie County Murals. Click here to download the Erie County Mural Google Map. Erie’s Lighthouses – The Erie area boasts not one, not two but three lighthouses! For the first time in its historic history, the Erie Land Lighthouse will open to the public this summer (May 22, 2021). The lighthouse, located at the foot of Lighthouse Street on the east side of Erie, has previously only been available to tour during special events. Public tours will run every Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, and on every first Tuesday of each month will offer tours free of cost. Visitors will be able to climb the tower, get panoramic views of Lake Erie, Presque Isle, and the North Pier Lighthouse, and learn about the history and function of the lighthouse. The Presque Isle Lighthouse, located on Presque Isle State Park, will open for the 2021 season on May 27th. That lighthouse will be open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Erie Harbor North Pier Light, also known as the Presque Isle North Pier Light, isn’t an actual lighthouse, rather, it is a beacon has a design that is unique among surviving U.S. lighthouses with its black band and a fixed red light. In 1995, the fourth-order Fresnel lenswas removed, and a modern flashing red light was installed in its place. To view the North Pier Light, simply walk out along the north pier at Presque Isle (just past the entrance to the Coast Guard Station). More information on lighthouse tours and programs can be found here. Whiskey Barrel Tour (Guided) – Our friends at Five & 20 Spirits and Brewing invite you to join them at the first combination winery, distillery and brewery in nearby Westfield NY, surrounded by 80 acres of farmland, for a tour of the facility where a member of their distilling team will lead you through an exclusive tasting of whiskey being aged in their selection of barrels…samples not available in the tasting room. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how whiskey is produced and a peek into the magical world of whiskey aging and wood. A member of their distillery staff will guide you through a selection of samples that illustrates how the nuances of barrel aging influence the finished product in the bottle. You will then be invited to enjoy a featured cocktail (included with ticket). Watch a video about it here. Downtown Erie Sculpture Walk – Erie Arts & Culture assisted the Erie Downtown Development Corporation to plan and implement the first-ever Downtown Erie Sculpture Walk, a year-round outdoor exhibition of art. This privately funded initiative was curated by a panel of local leaders, art enthusiasts, and Downtown stakeholders. The Downtown Erie Sculpture Walk features 15 sculptures in Downtown Erie and the Bayfront, representing the work of 13 different artists from throughout the United States. The inaugural set of sculptures are on display through August 2023. As you participate in the Downtown Erie Sculpture Walk, Erie Arts & Culture encourages you to think critically about public art. They’ve created a handy guide to assist you in the process. The questions they encourage you to reflect on are intended to assist you in moving beyond immediate responses such as “I like/don’t like it” and “I don’t get it.” For a list and map of current sculptures, click here. Other Available Tours: Courtyard Winery Meet the Winemaker Private Tour Erie Food Tours Outdoor Adventures and Trails Gems of the City Walking Tour (available on the ‘Hello Erie’ app) Get Your Grape On In Lake Erie Wine Country (available on the ‘Hello Erie’ app) West Bayfront Walking Tour (available on the ‘Hello Erie’ app) Cruise on Lake Erie Waters(available on the ‘Hello Erie’ app)
Pennsylvania Historical Markers in Erie County October 15, 2021 by Visit Erie Did you know Erie County is home to over 56 historical markers? Each marker is dedicated to either a person, place or event that has had a historical significance to our community on a state, regional and even national level. Travel throughout the City of Erie and surrounding towns of Union City, Corry, Edinboro, Girard, Waterford and others to discover such markers honoring the Erie Extension Canal, Fort LeBoeuf, Harry Kellar, Perry’s Shipyards and Miracles on Maple Hill. Also included in the list are missing markers and their significance along with GPS coordinates for every stop on this list. All historical marker information was compiled by Bethany DeMuth from the Erie Times News. Click here to access the tour information.
Your Guide to Arts & Culture in Staunton, VA October 15, 2021 by StauntonVA From Shakespeare performances to giant metal sculptures to delicate glass art, Staunton offers its residents and visitors a wealth of artistic experiences. Make sure you help keep the arts and culture scene alive and thriving in Staunton. You’ll also enrich your life! American Shakespeare Center Staunton’s most famous contributor to the arts and culture scene is American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse. Not only does the playhouse perform Shakespeare’s masterpieces (and more), it also lets you get a sense of how the plays were actually performed in the space. Visitors to the Blackfriars can attend performances that include scholarly lectures or talk sessions with the actors. They can take behind-the-scenes tours of the space and sign their kids up for camps. During the pandemic, the Blackfriars shifted gears and offered performances in alternative spaces, including outdoors on the lawn at the Blackburn Inn. The Blackfriars also filmed seven productions to air digitally on BLKFRSTV. Camps still educated young people, but they were virtual. The ASC SafeStart program will bring “safe, live theatre to audiences online, outdoors, and inside in our beloved Blackfriars Playhouse.” Staunton Augusta Art Center Located in the R.R. Smith Center for History and Art, the two galleries at the Staunton Augusta Art Center host regular shows of work by regional artists. With the beautiful, historic hotel building designed by T.J. Collins in 1893 as a background, the curated exhibits will inspire you. Original work is available for sale in the gift shop as well as the annual Art for Gifts sale each winter holiday season. The SAArtC also hosts the annual, juried Art in the Park Festival. Enjoy a day in Gypsy Hill Park exploring the vendor’s open-air displays while live music happens on the bandstand, and kids take advantage of a number of free activities. The art center runs workshops and summer camps for children. There’s a community arts calendar on their webpage that gives you a centralized schedule of all the upcoming arts happenings in the area. CoArt Gallery & Beverley Street Studio School After you contemplate paintings, photographs, and more by local artists at the CoArt Gallery, you should buy your favorites to take home and display on your own walls. Serious art students can sign up for a class with the Beverley Street Studio School. Lectures, workshops, and classes for teens and adults are held in a variety of forms including in-person, Zoom, and outdoors. Love nature? Sign up for plein air painting this June or a course devoted to drawing trees. Staunton Music Festival The Staunton Music Festival presents nearly 40 concerts each year, featuring more than 80 acclaimed professionals from around the world. The highlight of each season is the annual Summer Festival in August, a time when each day offers visitors multiple concerts of chamber, vocal, and symphonic music. During the Spring and Fall, SMF presents more intimate concerts often focusing on specific repertoire, from Baroque to Modern. Heifetz International Music Institute The Heifetz International Music Institute educates young musicians in their artistic growth and treats the community to a variety of world-class listening opportunities. After a year of online programming and virtual concerts during Covid, Heifetz will perform live music again as part of its Ensemble in Residence concert series. Sunspots Studio & Glassblowing You don’t have a Sunspots glass ornament hanging in your window or on your Christmas tree yet? Don’t worry. Not only can you purchase glass art, glassware, vases, and jewelry at Sunspots Studios & Glassblowing, you can make yourself comfortable in the onsite studio and watch the artists making the art. The live demonstrations happen every day, and the artists will explain what they’re doing in each step of the blowing, coloring, and shaping process. Once the glass cools, you can come back and take it home with you! Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Artmobile The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Artmobile travels around Virginia carrying selections from the VMFA collection to share with visitors. As visitors view the art, they’ll actually be connected with museum educators via Wi-Fi, so they can get a real-time lesson! If you miss your chance to see the artmobile in Staunton, you can catch it at Waynesboro’s Fall Foliage Art Show. Murals Make time to walk down West Beverley to the corner of North Central Avenue to visit the “You Belong Here” mural. Painted in 2019, by Charlottesville artist Christy Baker, this colorful painting covers the entire side of a building with its welcoming message and Shenandoah Valley imagery of cardinals and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Nearby Waynesboro also boasts murals along its Street Arts Trail. More than a dozen interesting and beautiful works have been created during the annual Street Arts Festival. Giant Metal Sculptures You can’t miss the giant watering can as you turn under the railroad tracks and head into Staunton’s downtown, but did you know you can find more giant metal sculptures if you know where to look? Ferguson Metal Fabrication created carbon steel flower pots, nuts, books, eyeglasses, crutches, and shoes for the city and area businesses, and they bring a surprising touch of whimsy to the urban landscape. Oak Grove Theatre and ShenanArts Staunton is home to two community theaters that, in normal years, offer robust schedules and a chance to enjoy lots of local talent. Oak Grove continues to offer virtual programming and hopes to resume some of its outdoor productions this summer for its 68th season. Each year ShenanArts produces an ambitious schedule of plays and musicals by and for participants of all ages, always striving for material that appeals to the broad tastes of the community, to promote a culture of excellence and inclusion. Shops Offering Handmade and Fair Trade Crafts The Potter’s Daughter Studio is home to both a pottery and painting studio and Concepts Creative constructs custom furniture out of reclaimed wood and other materials. If you’re looking for handmade and fair trade crafts, clothing, art, and jewelry by both domestic and foreign artists, make sure to visit Harmony Moon, Latitudes, Blair Made, and Made; By the People, For the People. The Sparrow’s Nest and Medieval Fantasies both carry cool, handmade products.
Check Off These Bucket List Items in Staunton, VA October 15, 2021 by StauntonVA We’ve rounded up Staunton-area bucket list ideas to brighten up your year. Read on to live your best life. Walk Under a Mountain The 2.25-mile Claudius Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel trail has just opened for foot and bike traffic. At just under a mile, the tunnel was the longest railroad tunnel in North America when it was completed in 1858. Part spooky, part history lesson, part invigorating and just plain dark, the tunnel stays a temperate 50 degrees, so it’s a good way to get outside even on the hottest and coldest days. Make sure you bring your strongest flashlight and look for subterranean creatures like crawfish and salamanders. Complete Your Beerwerks Passport Need some motivation to get more beer in your life? Grab a Shenandoah Valley Beerwerks passport and taste your way through the best craft beer the Shenandoah Valley has to offer. Many breweries are located in Rockingham, Augusta, and Lexington/Rockbridge Counties, making Staunton an enviable jumping off point. You’ll enjoy taproom vibes that range from homey, to cool industrial, to alfresco with bucolic views. Get your passport stamped at 8 breweries and earn yourself a free t-shirt! Enjoy a Spa Day Feeling stressed and ready for some major relaxation? This is the time to book a spa day at the new spa at the Blackburn Inn. Choose from massage, skincare treatments, nail treatments, or go crazy and indulge in all of the above! Want to pamper yourself even more? Buy yourself a cute new outfit at Design@9 or the Fashion Gallery, where you can browse 25,000 square feet of high quality clothes, shoes, and accessories. Better Yourself by Learning Something New Beverley Street Studio School offers “year-round, non-degree, college-level art classes to the serious art student.” The public can register for classes, lectures, and workshops that are being delivered via Zoom as well as in person. Spring offerings include watercolor, art as exploration, and more. If you’re not ready to take a class just yet, get inspired by their gallery, which shares space with Co-Art Gallery at 22 W. Beverley Street. If you’d rather learn a skill that keeps you outside and active. Sign up for some private golf lessons or instructional clinics with the golf pro at Gypsy Hill Golf Club. Kayak Through a Whitewater Gorge Does racing whitewater make your heart thrill? Rack your kayak and head to Goshen Pass for six miles of powerful class II, class III, and class IV rapids. The gorge was created as the Maury River cut through Little North Mountain and the water that courses through is considered some of the best whitewater for intermediate paddlers in Virginia. Take that Hot Air Balloon Ride You’ve Always Promised Her Picture gliding smoothly through the air, gazing down as the Valley spreads out like a map below you. Enjoy the sunrise or sunset with up to three of your favorite people. Bridgewater’s Star Ballooning takes photos, provides champagne toasts, and can even arrange a special proposal flight, should the mood strike you. Spend the Night in Lodgings with a History Much of Staunton’s downtown dates from the Victorian Era, and there are several places to rest your head that date back 100 years or more. Travelers can choose between Hotel 24 South, which was where society ladies went to drink their tea in the early 1900s, or historic homes that have been re-envisioned as B&Bs. Travelers will also enjoy the luxurious Blackburn Inn, which has an institutional past, but is now an updated inn and spa, or Gibson’s Warehouse, which started its life as a warehouse that stored goods as they came off the train, but is now modern suites. Go on a Wildlife Safari You don’t have to travel to Africa to take your kids on safari. Virginia’s only drive-thru safari, Virginia Safari Park, is just a short drive down the highway in Natural Bridge. The 180-acre property includes three miles of gravel road through animal habitat. You can drive with your windows down and the animals will stick their heads into your car for feed. There’s also a walk-through section where you can see giraffes, tigers, penguins, birds, and farm animals. If you’re looking for an even rarer experience, sign up to spend a Saturday with a pair of cheetahs, penguins, or sloths and their handlers. You’ll learn how the animal-care specialists feed and interact with them. Eat an Entire Cake…or Quiche…or Pie all by Yourself You know you’ve always wanted to do it. Take that first delicious bite and keep on eating until it’s gone. Well, maybe you are capable of restraint, but you won’t want to after you taste a cake from Giancarlo Fine European Pastry. This tiny shop is tucked away, but once you discover it, you’ll return again and again for cakes, chocolates and tarts. Check Facebook for a taste of what’s available. Réunion Bakery & Espresso serves pastries, breads, and if you’re lucky, quiche. You can check out what they’re baking on Facebook and order at the window. And if pie is your weakness, Firkin Pie Company has something in the oven right now that will make you swoon. Pretend to Be in a Movie Parts of several major motion pictures were shot in Staunton! Step one is to watch the movie and try to spot Staunton. Watch the Civil War come to life in Gods and Generals or Wicked Spring. Get spooked on Sears Hill after watching Hearts in Atlantis or giggle along with Evan Almighty. Step two is to head to the location and snap your selfie there. Explore the area while you’re there!
Mill Creek | More than just a creek… October 15, 2021 by Giles County LET’S TALK ABOUT NARROWS… A little, rural town of a less than 2,000 residents, Narrows, Virginia is quite possibly the epi-center of easy-to-access, family friendly outdoor adventures. We’ll walk you through some prime examples of how to spend some time basking in the great outdoors… We start at Mill Creek Nature Park. Truthfully you could spend all day at Mill Creek Nature Park and be quite content. The options available to you are extensive. Mill Creek Nature Park is owned and managed by the Town. It’s free to access, but it never hurts to put a few dollars in the donation box to help offset the costs and maintenance of the park. Photo credit: Aspires Marketing Getting to Mill Creek is straight forward, but a little tricky. Coming via Route 460, at the Narrows stoplight, turn off 460 and head towards downtown. Coming this way, you’ll find options if you want to stop to pick up supplies or snacks. Once in Narrows you’ll turn left onto Main Street. In approximately one and a half miles turn right onto Northview Street. It’s important to note this is residential area and the road can be narrow, so be careful but you’ll find the entrance to Mill Creek at the end of Northview. The asphalt gives way to a gravel road that passes between a garage and house, go on through and follow the gravel road to the ample parking (and donation box) at the end. Seriously you could spend all day enjoying the picnic shelters and easy creek access within minutes of the parking lot. A favorite of mine is just below the first shelter at the creek, you’ll find two spots where you can get right down to the water. The water is cold, beware! There are benches along this section of trail and you’ll see signs for other trails throughout the property. I could spend a good chunk of the day enjoying the sounds of water, reading a book, with my toes in the water. Trout fishing is excellent in this little stream. Native species abound for fly or bank fishing. Don’t forget your license that can be purchased online or a local shop that sells gear. Other wildlife I’ve seen in these lower fields include deer and wild turkeys. I’ve also seen brown snakes and water snakes near the water, but not to worry, this is their home and they’re just hanging out. Starting up the waterfall trail you’ll follow an old road, but still hear the sounds of the rolling mountain creek. Then you’ll come to a very unique spot that also could make a perfect picnic location. They’ve built a sleeping shelter, because you’re on a spur trail off of the Appalachian Trail. Narrows is an AT Community and sees many hikers every year, either hiking the AT or the GET, Great Eastern Trail, of which both parallel near Narrows. You’ll also notice here that the water pools up behind a stone wall. In the olden days, this creek along with this reservoir provided all the water to town residents. The structure holding back the water is thought to be the oldest surviving engineered structure in Giles County. Again, the water is very cold, but some people have been know to take a dip in these mountain waters. You’re welcome to do so, but burrrrr. From here you have a lot of options to traverse the mountain. If you’re a family of mountain bikers, then you’ve found a great spot! Trails with single track crisscross the landscape providing fairly challenging treks and switchbacks. If you’d rather go on foot, I highly recommend the waterfall trail, because as the name suggests there’s a waterfall to enjoy! It’s only a 1.3 mile hike (overall about 3 miles parking lot out and back). From the reservoir follow trail markers to the Waterfall Trail. It’s considered a moderate trail, because you do have to navigate over rock outcrops and the trail becomes very narrow in spots as you go up the gorge. At one point, before the falls, you’ll also have to cross a branch that meanders down to the creek on a wooden single bridge. It’s beautiful and a work of art if you ask us… The waterfalls at Mill Creek are just that, multiple opportunities to take in the spectacular scenery. Some have even been known to take a picnic up to the falls. Between the upper and lower falls there is a nice flat rock you can sit between and enjoy a break or snack. The falls are in a gorge and from the trail you’ll have a few yards down a steep slope to get to this in between area, but completely doable, and worth it! Going beyond the falls you can hike all the way up to Sentinel Point. On a clear day this viewpoint of the Town of Narrows is amazing. The last quarter mile is steep and challenging, but overall the hike is gentle sloping through hardwood forests. Finding native wild flowers or fungi is as easy as looking down and around you. There’s a Shortcut Trail that I like to take on the way back, take the long way going up… One of my other favorite spots is crossing over Mill Creek just before the Shortcut Trail. The rhododendron thicket provides unusual lighting and the illusion of a secret spot along the trail. It’s pretty flat here and when it’s been rainy this could be muddy and difficult to cross, but when it’s not, it’s a really neat spot tucked away up in the hills. Well, we said we’d talk about Narrows, but I’ve only talked about Mill Creek. We’ll have to save the rest of the fun stuff for another day. You can learn more about Mill Creek on the Town’s website http://townofnarrows.org/. Check out the other waterfall hikes in Giles on our website, including Dismal and Cascades, https://virginiasmtnplayground.com/dismal-falls/. If you and your family take advantage of Mill Creek or other trails throughout Giles be sure to check in on Facebook or Instagram. Use #GilesCoVA for us to share your adventures. Stay safe and have fun in Virginia’s Mountain Playground!
Laurel Highlands Fall Checklist October 12, 2021 by Laurel Highlands PA The trees are turning colors and the leaves are slowly falling. Fall is here! That means it is now perfectly acceptable to wear sweaters and eat and drink everything pumpkin flavored, right? We know that fall brings a ton of festivals, events, activities, and views, and we don’t want you to miss a thing. Start your fall checklist today! Complete the Limited Time Laurel Highlands Pour Tour Passport: Boos & Brews! If you’re a fan of fall-themed beverages, the Laurel Highlands Pour Tour launched an exclusive fall tour right up your alley: Boos & Brews! The tour runs until Nov. 30, so get sippin’! Download the free Laurel Highlands Pour Tour app and check-in at 18 of our 40+ locations, and we’ll mail you an exclusive Boos & Brews t-shirt! Visit Frightening Haunted Attractions The Laurel Highlands is a prime spot for hair-raising Halloween horror. At Haunted Hollow, take a haunted hayride to the Toxic Wasteland, make your way through the Milford Asylum and try to find your way out of the escape room. Try and survive a trip to Crawford School of Terror, where the only lesson on the curriculum is FEAR. Cap off your haunted experience with a spooky night’s stay at the Grand Midway Hotel, whose roof is one giant Ouija Board. Or Celebrate a Family-Friendly Halloween Do not fret, there are family-friendly alternatives to the scary Halloween activities! Plan a day at Maple Bottom Farm and navigate through the corn maze, go on a hayride, and watch a movie on the barn. Put on your Halloween costume and spend a Night at the Zoo at Living Treasures Wild Animal Park, where you’ll see more than 50 active nocturnal animals along torchlit paths. And don’t forget to stop at Idlewild‘s Hallowboo! for trick-or-treating through Storybook Forest! Visit Frank Lloyd Wright‘s Masterpieces Four of Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs stand in the Laurel Highlands, and the fall is the perfect season to see them thanks to the beautiful foliage! Check something off of your bucket list and reserve a tour of Fallingwater. Less than ten miles away, you can visit the mountain home, Kentuck Knob, which features an art collection and sculpture garden. Planning on staying in the Laurel Highlands? There are two Frank Lloyd Wright houses open for overnight stays in the region: Duncan House and Mäntylä, both onsite at Polymath Park. Discover the Wonders of the Laurel Highlands If you’re about that outdoors life, the Laurel Highlands is the place for you. There are more than 700 miles of hiking and biking trails in the Laurel Highlands. From the Great Allegheny Passage to the Meadow Run Trail in Ohiopyle State Park, you’re guaranteed to find a trail that is your pace. Stay at Buffalo Bill’s House from The Silence of the Lambs If you’re a horror movie fan, you’ve seen “The Silence of the Lambs.” But did you know that there’s a filming location from the movie right in your backyard? For the first time ever, Buffalo Bill’s House in Perryopolis is open to the public as a boutique accommodation and cinematic destination. Perfect for spooky season! Be sure to use #LaurelHighlands when you post photos from your fall adventures to be featured on social media, on our website, and more!