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!

When I was looking at our travel itinerary pre-trip I noticed that we were staying in two limited-amenity campgrounds in a row: Robert Treman in Ithaca and then Ohiopyle in Pennsylvania. Niagara Falls had been in our 2020 plan that got cancelled due to COVID, but when we re-booked everything we made the decision to keep the trip the same length (6ish weeks) but cut a number of stops so we could spend more time in each location and less time setting up/taking down and traveling. So Niagara got cut. But looking at the trip and knowing that at this point we’d be dirty, tired, and probably pretty over the work of no-hookups, I shuffled things around to add back Niagara Falls. I also sought out the nicest, most positively-reviewed campground I could find in the area.

We’ve stayed in a few KOA “camping resorts” during this trip. While it’s been nice to have the full hookups, the facilities have been kind of trashy. The pools have seemed a little dirty and the playgrounds and shower-houses have needed some maintenance. Good enough for a place to sleep on this trip, but not somewhere I would seek out. The Branches of Niagara is a totally different experience. As soon as I arrived I knew we needed to book a trip to come back, ideally with friends or family (hey Nimmy, let’s go next summer). The camping resort has 3 pools, including a kiddie pool, a lazy river, and a main pool with waterfalls. There are kids activities and crafts everyday, a lake/beach with kayak rentals, mini-golf, lawn games, and so much more. The playground is awesome and the bathroom and showers are clean and spacious. There’s a zipline across the lake and even on-site laundry (no laundromat!).

We our first full day exploring Niagara Falls State Park, but then we literally just hung out at the campground. For the next couple of days we fell into a routine of eating a leisurely breakfast, doing the craft of the day at the activity center, hitting the park or biking around, and then spending the rest of the day at the pool. We rented the 4-person pedal bike (not recommended unless you like to pedal HARD), and watched an outdoor movie. Penelope braved the zipline. We played some mini-golf and participated in the water games. It was the perfect relaxing break.

Niagara Falls is the oldest State Park in the country; its breathtaking beauty and power led a group of citizens to petition to protect it for future generations and allow access for all. We spent a very long and active day in the state park exploring the Falls and a couple more days hanging out on Grand Island and checking out Buffalo. When we arrived at Niagara Falls State Park we got scenic trolley tickets to explore the park and proceeded to book the two main experiences on our must-do list: Cave of the Winds and Maid of the Mist.

The park is very spread out across two islands (and it was extremely hot that day) so we were thankful for the trolley. For just a couple of dollars we had hop-on hop-off access to all the stops within the park. We started with Cave of the Winds. After viewing a movie about the history of the Falls, including it’s preservation and it’s utility for hydroelectric power, we donned our yellow ponchos and descended to the bottom of the falls in an elevator. Once at the bottom we traveled along a series of wooden stairs and walkways to get up close and personal with the American Falls. It was epic and absolutely exhilarating. Near the beginning of the walkway a sea gull pooped on the top of Jake’s head and he was pretty frustrated until I suggested he use the falls to get his head clean. Surprisingly he agreed and took a nice long Niagara Falls shower.

Maid of the Mist is an electric boat ride that travels around the base of the American Falls and heads into the center of the Horseshoe Falls, chilling there for a while before turning around. I had read about the lines and long wait times so was anxious to get in line for stuff early. I don’t know if it was just because it was a Wednesday, but there were almost no lines. Apparently avoiding weekends is a big help at this busy state park. After a very short wait we put on our blue ponchos and boarded the boat. The first part of the ride gave us a gorgeous view of the falls from the middle of the Niagara River. I almost took off my poncho since we were only getting refreshing light mist (and those plastic ponchos are sticky in the heat). I mentioned that to Jake and he pointed out where we were heading: right into the Horseshoe. The center of Horseshoe Falls felt like being in the middle of a hurricane. It was amazing but almost too much. The water was so intense I couldn’t really see anything. But what an experience! After our boat ride we went to the top of the observation tower, and then checked out the 3 sisters islands to experience the rapids. Niagara Falls as a whole was 10/10. Next time we will definitely bring our passports so we can check out the Canadian side.

Many of the Ithaca bumper stickers and t-shirts feature the quote, “Ithaca is Gorges.” At first I thought it was cheesy, but after spending some time here I’ve decided it’s an apt description: Ithaca is full of gorges with stunning waterfalls, and the landscape is “gorgeous.” There is a 4+ mile round trip hike in Robert Treman state park that has breathtaking scenery around every bend. I did the first half solo near the beginning of our stay, which was mostly uphill but culminated in an overlook of Lucifer Falls and the gorge carved by the flowing river. From the outlook I could see the trail for the return hike, basically a path carved into the wall of the gorge meandering down to the base. I only had time for half the hike that day, but I was committed to coming back and doing the even more picturesque downhill with the family. Jake, Penelope and I tackled it on our last full day here and it was amazing.

Another cool feature of Robert Treman state park is the natural swimming pool. The park was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) during the Great Depression. Virginia has a bunch of CCC parks and they frequently have elegant old buildings and extensive trails or natural features built into the landscape using stone. At Robert Treman, the CCC dammed up a waterfall to create a multi level natural stone swimming pool compete with diving board. The only downside was the water temperature; it was only 68 degrees when we were there, which is quite cold for swimming.

Phineas flew home on Sunday to hang out with Nimmy and Pa until we get home in about a week and a half. I’ve gotten a few photos from him and it sounds like he’s living his best life hanging out with baby cousin Lucas and helping Nimmy around the house. We miss him but we’re grateful for the option to give him a break. Between the long drives, the cramped space and the lack of consistent routine, camping for an extended period can be a lot.

Penelope has been hanging out with us and being such a huge help. Robert Treman state park doesn’t have any hookups, so we’ve had to break out the 55 gallon olive barrel Jake repurposed for water storage. We hadn’t used it since earlier on the trip and it needed a good cleaning. We’d had a yellow water situation back at Camden Hill state park that we never figured out, but looking inside the barrel it was clear there was a layer of yellow mineralization (or sludge, not really sure). Regardless I wasn’t going to drink water from it without bleaching it. We drove the barrel across the campground to a water spigot but after spraying and bleaching the yellow was not budging. Unfortunately we discovered that neither of us are skinny enough to fit inside the barrel to reach the bottom to scrub. Penelope to the rescue! Jake went to get Penelope into her swimsuit for the task and she rode back on the back of his bike like a little knight in shining armor. We lowered the barrel over her and she scrubbed and rinsed for a good 30 minutes until the barrel was sparking. No more yellow water!

Penelope has also been a total trooper tagging along to an oyster bar, ramen (again!) and everywhere else we want to go. Jake found a board game bar called Modern Alchemy that is basically his dream place. It’s a little bar with food and drinks and tons of tables to play board games. There is even a DnD room that can be rented to run a game. You can check out a game from their big library and play. We had a fantastic time there last night playing Apples to Apples and Sushi Go. We wanted to tackle a longer game but didn’t have time before they closed.

Virginia state park trail maps almost always include the quote, “Virginia State Parks are a tonic for the mind, body and spirit.” That quote has always resonated with me when I’ve read it while hiking or exploring. Being back in a state park after so many private campgrounds does feel like a tonic; there’s something way more natural and relaxing about the vibe. After my epic solo hike (it was a lot of uphill climbing), I got back to camp in time to help the kids get showered and send Phineas off to play some Friday Night Magic.

While Phineas did his Magic thing, Jake, Penelope and I ate at a ramen restaurant (delicious) and explored the pedestrian mall area of downtown Ithaca. We’ll definitely need to go back when more of the little shops are open. A major highlight for Penelope was petting and playing with someone’s miniature dachshund puppy! After a few hours we picked up a very happy Phineas; he was so glad to have gotten the chance to play magic.

Quick backtrack in time… yesterday on the drive from Lake Placid to Ithaca we stopped to tour Howe Caverns, a huge underground cave similar to Luray in Virginia. The cave tour was great, but the really spectacular part was the boat ride. After walking a half mile or so through the cave viewing various formations, you board a boat to float down the underground river for the last quarter mile before turning around. It was such a unique experience to float down a dark cave river 15 stories below the earth’s surface. The boat had no motor; our guide propelled it by pushing off along the cavern walls. I seem to be slowing down on my picture taking. I had trouble finding enough pictures for this post!

We are down to our last 3 camping stops of the trip: Ithaca, Niagara Falls and then Ohiopyle in PA. We’ve had a bit of a rough time lately. Phineas has been struggling with the confines of the camper and the lack of consistent routine. We’ve been back and forth as whether we need to fly him home to stay with my parents while we finish up the trip. We bought a ticket and were set to drive him to the airport today but then he decided to stick it out for a few more days. It helps that Ithaca is a bigger town with a game store to play some magic. And yay for COVID-era flight flexibility.

Jake’s back has also been hurting. He had a bad bout of sciatica due to a bulging disc a few years ago and it’s starting to flare up again. The physical demands of setting up camp, hitching and unhitching the trailer and loading the heavy electric bikes into the truck are definitely not helping.

I’m starting to worry about the pile of work waiting for me when I get back. My plan was to work a couple hours everyday to stay on top of critical things but I’m finding that even if I’m able to carve out the time (which is not easy) I’m way less efficient working in small snippets, and it’s really hard to dig into harder tasks. Internet access has been spotty and the ergonomics of working from the camper, or a chair outside, are way less than ideal. I keep telling myself that I’ll get to x,y, or z when I have a better setup or I get home, but that list is growing and growing!

Penelope is being an absolute trooper. But I’m sure she’d prefer that everyone be a little less grumpy (and that we have better internet access)!

On the upside, we’re staying in Robert Treman state park in Ithaca, NY and it’s beautiful. I’m heading out on a solo hike to take in the beauty and clear my head. We’re all looking forward to exploring here!

We arrived in New York a couple of days ago. There was a lot of moaning and trepidation about heading back into the camper after our luxurious week in Burlington, but it hasn’t been as bad as everyone feared. We’re staying in a KOA between Lake Placid and the Whiteface mountains. KOAs are definitely commercial and we still have a love/hate relationship with private campgrounds, but the kids are appreciating the pool and game room. There’s also mini golf that we haven’t tried yet, and a little snack bar.

On our first full day we decided to check out High Falls Gorge, a beautiful waterfall with a system of bridges and wooden paths to get the best view and really experience the waterfall. They gave the kids a quiz to complete on the hike a earn a prize. My kids are very motivated by prizes! There was also a hiking trail along the nearby mountain that we walked. After the waterfall we headed into Lake Placid to check out the famous Olympic town. We had dinner at a cute brewery with a view of the lake.

Today we’ve had a chill day at camp. I got a bunch of work done and the kids have been at the pool and just tooling around. Both kids met some friends to play with, so that’s been awesome. Phineas has been back to the camper for more quarters for the game room multiple times! For dinner we tried a restaurant a half mile from our campground. We weren’t expecting much given the rural location, but Rudy’s turned out to be one of the best meals of our trip: a quaint ski lodge with simple but amazing food and an atmosphere that can’t be beat.

We love long, flat biking trails and Burlington has one of the best; it stretches for miles along Lake Champlain. It also heads out into the middle of the lake on a narrow causeway, but we didn’t make it that far. We biked from our house to the waterfront and then caught the Burlington Greenway trail and headed north along the lake. We stopped at Leddy Beach, to sun and swim for a while. Leddy beach is special because the water is clear and shallow for quite a ways out. The kids loved wading out into the cool, refreshing water after biking. The sun was more intense that we realized, and Phineas and I both got sunburns, but luckily Penelope is meticulous with her sunscreen application (and apparently Jake never burns).

On the way back home after our biking/beach adventure we stopped at Hong’s Chinese Dumplings, a local dumpling shop that was featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” We love checking out neat little places like this. We were hot, sandy and absolutely exhausted from the beach and biking, so we happily ate our weight in delicious dumplings.

Between the mountains, the lake, and the funky vibe, Burlington is an artist’s mecca. On Saturdays many local artists open their studios to the public. Being a craftsman, Jake loves visiting artist studios and learning about their techniques and process. On our last full day in Burlington we started by visiting Havoc Gallery. They weren’t technically open but the artist was working and happy to show us around. He makes spectacular art by brushing and sanding metal to “paint” designs. I didn’t get any pics – it felt weird and invasive since we were in his private studio – but check out his website! After a couple more stops we spent some time in a woodworking studio talking to a craftsman who makes custom, simple and natural coffins. It’s such a neat scene. For the afternoon Jake and Phineas split off the play board games at a nearby brewery while Penelope and I did some shopping and hit up a playground. Her favorite store is Claire’s Boutique and she snagged some cute tween jewelry.

Burlington, VT reminds me so much of Charlottesville. I’m not sure if it’s being in a house, the great restaurants, or the pedestrian mall, but it feels like home. With the huge added bonus of Lake Champlain, Burlington is definitely a place I could spend the whole summer. After our relax and reset first day, we spent the next day exploring the Echo Leahy Center, a science and nature museum for kids right on the Lake Champlain waterfront. The museum was wonderful; the exhibits were engaging enough to keep both kids occupied for multiple hours. There was a temporary exhibit about mythical creatures (unicorns, dragons and sea monsters) that was really interesting. The exhibit shared the backstory and possible scientific explanation for the creatures. There was also a hands on engineering project to build a moon drop basket (aka egg drop). Penelope was persistent and spent quite a long time experimenting until she was able to successfully protect the moon cargo twice.

The next day we booked a trip on a small sailing boat around Lake Champlain with Whistling Man Schooner. There were only 6 passengers (our family and another couple) plus a deck hand and captain. The small size made the sail feel very relaxed and private. The female captain told stories about Lake Champlain and sailing in general. We were encouraged to sit on the edge of the boat and trail our feet in the water. I brought my coffee thermos and drank probably the most scenic cup of coffee of my life. We have all decided we love sailing. Jake is starting to talk about living on a sailboat as a goal lifestyle instead of RVing, but we’d need to learn to sail first!