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We'll be driving from Pittsburgh to Buffalo in late June and trying to determine what the most scenic route would be / the route with interesting stops along the way. While it adds an hour, the route through the Allegheny National Forest seems as it would be the most scenic, but that's just a guess. Anyone have any suggestions?
If you're looking for scenic, then getting off I 79 at about Grove City and taking Rte 62 along the Allegheny River through the Allegheny National Forest is certainly more scenic than taking I 79 up to I 90. US 62 is a two lane highway, and it's a pretty winding road almost all the way to Warren because it runs along the east side of the Allegheny River, so you aren't likely to cruise at 60 mph a lot. Depending on when you go, you may run into a number of RVs as there are numerous campgrounds in the area. There are only a couple of small towns, Tionesta and Tidioute really, between Oil City and Warren, so don't expect to find fast food or a lot of other services in between, either.
Warren has a really large and interesting historic district along Market Street (Rte 62) and intersecting streets with lots of wonderful 19th century homes (and mansions). If you want to stretch your legs, this is the place to take a walk. Once you get north of the city proper, you can find restaurants and services out on "the four lane", and you'll have a nice highway until you get to the intersection of Rte 62 and Rte 60 just south of Jamestown, NY where you will have to make a decision on how you wish to proceed.
You can take Route 60 north through Jamestown until you connect with I 86 just north of the city. Jamestown is not a big city, so it's not like you'll be stuck in a lot of traffic. There are some interesting restaurants in downtown as well as the Lucy and Desi Museum.
You can take 86 West and hook up with I 90 by Westfield, NY.
You can take 86 East and hook up with Rte 62 at Kennedy, NY. Following Rte 62 North, you can follow it through farm country, Amish country, lots of small towns all the way to Hamburg, NY where you can connect with I 90 at Exit 57.
You can also take Rte 60 north and connect with Rte 394 just north of downtown.
Following 394 West will take you along Chautauqua Lake, including past Chautauqua Institute, and through the towns of Mayville and Westfield, where you can pick up I 90. There's a lot of traffic on this road from Jamestown until about Rte 474, but you hit lots of restaurants and fast food places.
Following 394 East will take you through the poor side of Jamestown and eventually to Kennedy where you meet up with Rte 62. I'd just go I 86 if you want this route.
You can also continue on Rte 60 north about 30 miles to the Dunkirk/Fredonia area. This isn't the most scenic route but it is the most direct (and shortest mileage) route to get to I 90 from Warren, PA. The intersection of Rte 60 and US 20 has all kinds of services.
When you decide on your route, post it, and I can give you more details on some places you might be interested in seeing along your route.
I've driven to Pitt several times using state and backroads. Linda mentioned rt62 along the Allegheny River and I'll second that is one of my favorites, very scenic. An alternative to getting to Warren is taking rt219 then go west on I86 and exit at either exit 18 (Quaker area of Allegany State Park) or the next exit 17 (Onoville). Go south for both cases. Both skirt the Allegheny Reservoir and thru the ANF, both are scenic. If you take exit 18, go east at rt59 towards Warren and you'll pass over the reservoir and by the Kinzua Dam, very scenic.
Another alternative is to keep on rt219 into PA, then take rt28 to Pitt. If I remember right, rt28 crosses the mountain ridges, it's pretty crazy for a stretch of miles that is non-stop up and down the mountains.
If you're looking for scenic, then getting off I 79 at about Grove City and taking Rte 62 along the Allegheny River through the Allegheny National Forest is certainly more scenic than taking I 79 up to I 90. US 62 is a two lane highway, and it's a pretty winding road almost all the way to Warren because it runs along the east side of the Allegheny River, so you aren't likely to cruise at 60 mph a lot. Depending on when you go, you may run into a number of RVs as there are numerous campgrounds in the area. There are only a couple of small towns, Tionesta and Tidioute really, between Oil City and Warren, so don't expect to find fast food or a lot of other services in between, either.
Warren has a really large and interesting historic district along Market Street (Rte 62) and intersecting streets with lots of wonderful 19th century homes (and mansions). If you want to stretch your legs, this is the place to take a walk. Once you get north of the city proper, you can find restaurants and services out on "the four lane", and you'll have a nice highway until you get to the intersection of Rte 62 and Rte 60 just south of Jamestown, NY where you will have to make a decision on how you wish to proceed.
You can take Route 60 north through Jamestown until you connect with I 86 just north of the city. Jamestown is not a big city, so it's not like you'll be stuck in a lot of traffic. There are some interesting restaurants in downtown as well as the Lucy and Desi Museum.
You can take 86 West and hook up with I 90 by Westfield, NY.
You can take 86 East and hook up with Rte 62 at Kennedy, NY. Following Rte 62 North, you can follow it through farm country, Amish country, lots of small towns all the way to Hamburg, NY where you can connect with I 90 at Exit 57.
You can also take Rte 60 north and connect with Rte 394 just north of downtown.
Following 394 West will take you along Chautauqua Lake, including past Chautauqua Institute, and through the towns of Mayville and Westfield, where you can pick up I 90. There's a lot of traffic on this road from Jamestown until about Rte 474, but you hit lots of restaurants and fast food places.
Following 394 East will take you through the poor side of Jamestown and eventually to Kennedy where you meet up with Rte 62. I'd just go I 86 if you want this route.
You can also continue on Rte 60 north about 30 miles to the Dunkirk/Fredonia area. This isn't the most scenic route but it is the most direct (and shortest mileage) route to get to I 90 from Warren, PA. The intersection of Rte 60 and US 20 has all kinds of services.
When you decide on your route, post it, and I can give you more details on some places you might be interested in seeing along your route.
The stretch of 79 from Pittsburgh to Buffalo is the most draining stretch of driving for me. Probably why the trips to Buffalo feel significantly longer than the trips out of Buffalo.
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