Five Fun Nearby Attractions

Spring break is just around the corner, and while some may be jetting off to Florida or Cancun (kids still do that, right?), chances are most of you will be hanging around the homestead and complaining.

That’s one thing I hear all too often around here: “There’s nothing to do.” (Read with whiny connotation.) I’ve lived a lot of places, and trust me, there’s plenty to do around here. Never mind the fact that we’ve got movie theaters, malls, restaurants, bars, go-karts, indoor laser tag, bowling alleys, and pools halls—all within 30 minutes of us.

Still, I hear it all the time. “There’s nothing to do.” Well, if you’re afflicted by this phrase, this week’s list is for you. See below for five totally cool places to go for a day’s getaway, all within a couple of hours of the Lehigh Valley.

There’s guaranteed to be something for everyone, and you don’t even have to leave Pennsylvania. After reading this list, I don’t want to hear from anyone that there’s nothing to do around here.

1. Ski Resorts – Less than an hour away, we’ve got Blue Mountain, Camelback, and Shawnee Mountain ski resorts, all of which offer skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing. I include snow tubing because it requires no skill, it’s the cheapest option, and is totally awesome. $20 - $40 will get you a whole day of fun, depending on when you go during the week. The season is drawing to a close, but it ain’t over yet!

2. Amusement Parks – Count your blessings that we have  right in our own backyard. There are some entire states that don’t have an amusement park in their boundaries. A little further down the highway is Hershey Park, a whimsical land that combines the appeal of massive amounts of chocolate and high-speed thrill rides. For the thrill seekers, that’s a combined 18 roller coasters!

3. Museums – I could write a whole article about traversing the great city of Philadelphia, but for now we’ll just limit it to the museums, since that’s my favorite attraction. Philly is home to Independence Hall, the Franklin Institute, and the Museum of Art, just to name a few. Then there’s the slightly more esoteric, like the Insectarium and the Mutter Museum. There’s also the Athletics Museum, the Wagner Science Institute, the Penn Museum… the list goes on and on.

4. State Parks – Pennsylvania is home to 120 state parks. One-hundred and twenty! Most of them have facilities, and plenty of them even include campsites or historic attractions. The closest to home is . Beltzville State Park is a worthwhile venture in the summer, since it borders a lake. Hickory Run State Park in Carbon County is enormous and features the awesome attraction, the Boulder Field. Lackawanna State Park sits on the site of a 19th century community. Check outwww.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/ for a full list of parks and their features.

5. Wine Tasting – Fancy yourself a drinker? There are more than 100 vineyards state-wide that allow visitors and hold regular samplings. If you don’t want to go too far, check out the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, a map of nine local wineries and their hours of operation. I suggest a designated driver, because by the end you’re probably going to be a little sloshed. See www.lehighvalleywinetrail.com for directions and scheduled events.