Things to do near Kane PA (Erie, St. Marys: ski resort, high school, college)

[eewok]

I will be in Kane PA ( Mc Kean County ) for three months on a work assignment. Any sights that I must see? Besides Niagra Falls of course
Im not really into big cities. I found out there is a Zippo museum in nearby Bradford and that Lucille Balls hometown of Jamestown NY has a museum as well. Any other spots of interest?? Any online sites where I can get info on local happenings?

eewok

[R.J. MacReady]

Kinzua Bridge State Park is a must if you love the outdoors and scenic views. It has a 2,053-foot railroad bridge with a great view. I'm afraid of heights but actually was able to make myself walk across Shouldn't be too far away from Kane and highly recommended!

Pennsylvania State Parks - Kinzua Bridge - PA DCNR

EDIT: Looks like you might not be able to walk across anymore......see a tornado hit through the area and damaged the bridge in 2003..... I think I was last there in 2000. It's a shame if you can't walk across any longer as it was lots of fun Still a nice place to check out if you enjoy these type of things.

Also not sure if you are into these type of things but they have the Straub brewery in St. Marys. I went there when I was in college and was fun to check out. They have tours and you an eternal tap which is kind of cool

Brewery Tours in PA: Visit the Straub Brewery in St. Marys PA

[North Beach Person]

Kinzua Bridge fell down a couple years ago when it got hit by a tornado. There are plans to make a scenic overlook but nothing yet. The little short line railroad that ran tours to it has gone into receivership and the rolling stock was recently auctioned. Kane is really out in the woods. Olean, NY is close, as is Jamestown. The nearest PA city would be Erie, an hour and a half or so away. The towns in that region are small, if you're from a city you'll not find a whole lot of things you're used to. High school sports are big. I say the next with a whole lot of fondness, I was born in Port Allegheny and lived in Smethport until my dad died, but you'll be going to an area where there are more cows than people. If you're into outdoor sports the Allegheny National Forest is there, off-roading, hunting and fishing all over. My wife says to tell you there are a lot of trees and if you get tired of trees that there are.......more trees.

Look at www.bradfordera.com , it's the local newspaper. Also google Coudersport, Emporium, they have papres also.

[eewok]

Thanks!!! Great ideas!!!! Keep em coming please
I have been here two weeks already and love it. Beautiful scenery....... yep!! even all them trees
I ve been to Warren and St Marys shopping. No real stores here in Kane.
Snowmobiling is something else on my agenda. I grew up in a very rural area in South Louisiana and this is a whole new world for me. Gotta check out that brewery too. Even though I dont drink beer, it sounds interesting.

Thanks again
eewok

[North Beach Person]

Long underwear, get long underwear. I have the expedition weight polypropylene from Cabela's. And a snow shovel, I like the ergonomic ones with a bent handle. What kind of car do you have? You don't need 4WD really, but good all-seasons are good on FWD/AWD. Snow tires on RWD, with chains available. And if it's real bad don't go out. I'm assuming that you may not have a whole lot of experience driving on snow. Don't stop when you're going up a snow covered hill, you probably won't get moving again, except to slide backwards. Downshift, too-both up and down hill. A bag of kitty litter is a good traction aid. If you have to shovel snow, moving 3 inches of snow four times is easier than moving 12 inches once. Clean all the snow off your windows and don't forget the roof. If you are out driving your beautiful dark car it will be road salt gray. If it's below freezing, or predicted to be, don't wash the car-your locks will freeze. If you run out of refrigerator/freezer space the back porch will work-but if you're outside of town you might be visited by bears. Snowmobiling is fun but cold, trout fishing season starts in April. Over towards Smethport there are some really good trout streams-some are put and take/fly fishing only, others are worm and hook.

[Krisps]

-Letchworth state park in NY, just about as spectacular as Niagara Falls
-Rimrock and Jake's Rocks overlooks near the Kinzua Dam
-Minister creek area on rt. 666
-Oil history museum in Titusville, where the oil boom started
-In the winter, there's a chainsaw art festival in Ridgeway
-Wild elk herd in the Benezette area
-Cook's forest state park
-Pine creek gorge (PA Grand Canyon)
-Rock city park (giant boulders) near Olean, NY
-Panama Rocks (giant boulders) in Panama, NY
-If you go to the Falls, maybe go straight up the Niagara River to Old Fort Niagara at Lake Ontario
-Casino in Salamanca, NY
-Ellicottville, NY - great ski town
-Allegany state park, NY - big park, great xc ski & snowmobile trails
-Presque Isle (Lake Erie peninsula) in Erie, PA
-Erie maritime museum
-Peak n Peek ski resort in Clymer, NY
-Hyner View overlook (PA)

[adam36]

I know Potter County isn't terribly close, but if you've never lived away from artificial night lights, go to Cherry Springs state park to see the night sky at the Dark Sky Preserve. You can see the Milky Way amongst other parts of the night sky that you'd never see anywhere near cities and towns.

[Dawne]

The Lobo Wolves - a little zoo with lots of wolves, a lion and some other animals. Something to do in an afternoon maybe.

[Ohiogirl81]

Krisps covered a lot of what I was going to say.

But if you like wine, there are an awful lot of small and medium-sized wineries in Erie County, Pa., and Chautauqua County, N.Y.

Chautauqua Lake Erie Wine Trail (http://www.chautauquawinetrail.org/index.html - broken link)

And if you're in that area, the Lake Shore Railway Museum is small but fascinating, and the folks who volunteer there are very chatty (in a good way!):

Lake Shore Railway Museum (http://www.goerie.com/erieyesterday/lake_shore_railway_museum.html - broken link)

[eewok]

Thanks for all the wonderful ideas!! Esp the ones dealing with snow. I totally freaked out with the snow we got last week. Unfortunately I work at the hospital and HAVE to get out. I did get a shovel and some salt. Will get the cat litter ASAP. I have a front wheel drive car. 07 Monte Carlo. All season tires, remote start. The people I work with tell me the car is fine, but I really wish I had a SUV for some clearance. Will I need studs? Where to get them?
And I need a good pair of boots............LOL
The wolves den sounds amazing! So does the park thats better than Niagra. I rode up to St Georges when I went into Canada. Went by the fjord and the totem poles. Was a wonderful drive! Lovely country.
I passed the oil museum. Will have to check it out. It wasnt open that day. Went by Kinzua Dam and rode through the forest on the back way to Kane. Beautiful!!
The cold isnt too bad but I sure thought about tucking tail and heading back to LA when I saw all that snow Thursday and Friday lol

I appreciate all your responses. Thanls so much