Ohiopyle, PA is a tiny town right on the Youghiogheny River. While it has very few year round residents, visitors flood in during the summer months, especially on the weekends, to explore the many outdoor activities the area has to offer. The big draw is the river: the Youghiogheny River is known for fantastic white water rafting with three distinct sections that range from beginner to expert. Ohiopyle State Park is the heart of the town providing camping, hiking and many river activities. A section of the Great Allegany Passage bike trail runs through the town. It’s an excellent destination for adventurous families. It’s only about four and a half hours from Charlottesville, so it’s a great extended weekend or week trip from home.

Two famous Frank Lloyd Wright house are within easy driving distance of Ohiopyle: Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob. We visited Ohiopyle last summer for the first time and loved it so much that we made sure it had a place on the itinerary for this trip. Having toured Fallingwater on our last visit we decided to book tickets for Kentuck Knob. Frank Lloyd Wright designed many different types of buildings during his long career, and Kentuck Knob is an example of Wright’s Usonian series: homes for everyday families. The tour was fantastic. Penelope was really into the book she’s reading so she followed the tour around reading! Photography isn’t allowed inside the home, but we have a few pictures of the outside and the landscape. There is also a walking trail through the property that is studded with art, sculpture and historical items, including a piece of the Berlin Wall.

A visit to Ohiopyle wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the famous Youghiogheny River. Jake is an experienced rafter but I’m not (and Penelope is young) so we booked the beginner-level “middle yough” white water rafting trip. I was a little nervous – I’m pretty much the opposite of a dare devil – but it was very tame with mostly class I and a couple class II rapids. We booked a guided trip with Laurel Highlands that started with a bus ride to put in 9 miles up the river from Ohiopyle. The whole trip was about 5 hours, including a short lunch break. Despite exhausted arms, we are all pretty excited to try again next visit!