Where to go for a weekend trip in the fall? (Pittsburgh: to rent, live)

[louislinus]

I live outside of Cleveland and my in laws are coming to visit from Colorado in October. We were thinking of doing a long weekend trip to see the fall foliage in PA. Where to go? We'd like to be no more than 3 hours from Cleveland. Have heard Cook Forest or Allegheny National Forest might be good bets. We would like to rent a cabin in the woods kind of thing, but also be pretty close to a town to go out to dinner and maybe do a little shopping.

Thoughts?

TIA!

[karen_s]

I personally love the Seven Springs/Hidden Valley area of Southwestern PA. We've visited twice, although not during foliage season. There are two neighboring towns where you can eat and explore - Ligonier and Somerset. There is a cool rail-trail we bicycled on, plus at the ski areas you could do chairlift rides/hayrides/horseback riding and take in the beautiful foliage. There are two different state parks nearby where we hiked and bicycled. There also is the Flight 93 Memorial to view if you wish, and Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, both designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. I believe this area is about 3 hrs from you.

[Smoker]

Ligonier, PA

Greensburg is near and has everything. Pittsburgh is 40 miles.

[astrogal]

Cook Forest is wonderful!!!!!!!!!! You might have a little trouble getting a cabin though, as fall brings lots of people down that way. Brookville is just down the road a spell and they have some nice restaurants...Tonys Lil Roma does KILLER prime rib and very reasonable.....and of course Punxsutawney is a short drive from Brookville. There is actually lots to do.

[PghREA]

Add an extra couple of hours and go to Bedford. Their fall festival is the first 2 weekends in October.

Cooks Forest, Ligonier, Seven Springs, Ohio Pyle, all get my vote too.

[Katiana]

3 hrs from Cleveland pretty much limits you to W. PA. My personal preference in Allegheny Nat. Forest. There are a number of state parks in that area. I think you can rent cabins online. You can google the state parks website. The Coloradans will love the trees. It's a different kind of beauty than the Aspens.

[RowJimmy]

I lived in Sprawlorado for 3 years. The aspens only change one color, but with them, the rockies, and the big open sky. It makes a beautiful picture.

also, I call it sprawlorado for the Denver, and Colorado Springs area. Endless two car garage housing plans as long as the eye can see. Not the mountain areas.

Go to Cook Forest State Park, and Allegheny national forest though. Coloradins are use to big mountains with pine forest. They are not use to the majestic hardwood forest we have in PA. This would be a good place to give them that experience.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by RowJimmy

I lived in Sprawlorado for 3 years. The aspens only change one color, but with them, the rockies, and the big open sky. It makes a beautiful picture.

also, I call it sprawlorado for the Denver, and Colorado Springs area. Endless two car garage housing plans as long as the eye can see. Not the mountain areas.

Well, it'll be a while before I say something nice about Pennsylvania again.

[RowJimmy]

I said I love the mountains of Colorado. I didn't insult it.

I did insult the sprawl there though. Denver was 1% city, 99% suburbs. I loved the center city of Denver, but once you get out of Capitol Hill, Five Points, or uptown, it is just your average urban sprawl communities over and over and over again. Yay!

[Katiana]

Actually, Denver is about 20% city, 80% suburbs. Some of the burbs are very old, having been small farming/mining towns in their own right before the area started growing. Louisville just celebrated its 125th birthday today! Was an old coal mining town. Pittsburgh is about 14% city, 86% burbs.