The 20 "must-see" Pennsylvania state parks (Erie, Gettysburg: amusement park, houses)

[Magritte25]

I was surprised about that comment as well ohiogirl.

[Mrs. Skeffington]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

Thanks for the recommendations! Pymatuning is on our list of parks to see this summer. Cannot wait!

The Pennsylvania side of Pymatuning is nicer, in my opinion (there is an Ohio side too). There are two swim beaches. No. 1 is the larger. There are no life guards - it is swim at your own risk. Years ago, they had a lifeguard and he kicked everyone out of the water at 6:00 p.m. Now, you are free to be in the water until dusk - which in the summer makes for nice long evening swims. That is our favorite time to swim, DH and I, after most of the crowds leave. We swim while the sun sets. It is a beautiful sight, with the sailboats in the distance. DH's family has a sailboat, and we enjoy sailing on Pymatuning, but plenty of people sail their pontoons, too. There are cabins for rent in the park, but there is usually a long waiting list for those. My oldest daughter spent a week in one with some friends - they are clean, secluded, and very comfortable. You'll see a lot of Amish there - they like to rent the cabins with their families. If you fish, there are good fishing areas, too.

Speaking of fish, like I said in my previous post, don't forget to get loaves of old bread and go visit the Linesville spillway at Pymatuning to feed the carp. There are thousands of them, all sticking their heads out of the water, begging for bread. Their mouths look like suction cups, opening and closing.

Enjoy your visit to Pymatuning. I hope you like it as much as we do!

[ker8]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

Overcommercialized?

Because you can rent bikes now?

I was just wondering the same thing, hahaha. Overcommercialized?? There's nothing out there. There's Presque Isle, the same dinor that's been there for years, Sarah's, and I think there's a bait&tackle shop. Sure Waldameer and the Tom Ridge Environmental Center are close, but one's been there for years, and there's nothing commercial abt the Ridge center.

[ker8]

I have not been to many of these. Presque Isle, Cook Forest, and I think Pymatuming. I've been to others, but they're not on this list.

[bradjl2009]

I've been to Presque Isle, Pymatuming, Jennings, Raccoon Creek, Ohiopyle, Cook Forest, Oil Creek, and the Kinzua Bridge.

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by ker8

I was just wondering the same thing, hahaha. Overcommercialized?? There's nothing out there. There's Presque Isle, the same dinor that's been there for years, Sarah's, and I think there's a bait&tackle shop. Sure Waldameer and the Tom Ridge Environmental Center are close, but one's been there for years, and there's nothing commercial abt the Ridge center.

The bait and tackle shop and dinor, and all the cottages and trailers, have been there as long as I can remember, probably have been there before I was born; obviously, so has Waldameer. And the Ridge center replaced a three-screen drive-in, one of which showed soft porn (oh, no, I never went there as a teenager ... ) although I do miss the flea market. And gone is the restaurant/night club at the bottom of the hill, which had a variety of names over the years before being replaced by condos.

[Gettingouttahere]

I'm sitting in a campground 20 miles outside Erie as I type this (Virginia's Beach - highly recommended), and Presque Isle remains one of the most deserted set of beaches I've ever seen. I cannot fathom how someone could see this state park as overcommercialized.

We live in the Poconos and the closest beaches are on the Jersey Shore. THOSE are overcommercialized, or else the towns are so restrictive you have to show up in a Bentley and sign over your first-born to get on the sand, where you will have to guard your three feet of dirt all flippin' day for fear it'll be snatched out from underneath you.

Our first trip to Presque Isle was the week of July 4 and every single day we hit a different beach in the park and rarely saw more than one or two other people on the sand with us. We couldn't get over it; wondered if there was some toxic spill we weren't aware of. But no, the lifeguards were there - just no people. What a gorgeous, unspoiled place!!!

Yes, there is some tackiness at the entrance, but anyone who's ever been to Yellowstone ... or the Grand Canyon ... or just about any worthwhile natural preserved spot will tell you the same stuff is at those places' entrances.

I love Presque Isle!!!

Anyway, we're heading home Saturday and figured we'd stop at Pymatuning on the way (we'll make a big L for the return trip, though anyone from our area who wants to go to Presque Isle should definitely drive out on Route 6 -great old-timey road trip).

Best recommendations for a quick morning-to-noon stop there? I think we need to feed the fish; besides that, which beach area would be best for us? Kids LOVE to swim, but they're only 9 and 6...

[Krisps]

I hear you. Considering its size and proximity to Erie, it's amazing how isolated Presque Isle can seem. You might try kayaking through the internal waters too, there are lots of ponds and lagoons, much of which you can't see otherwise.

On Pymatuning, I only know the spillway where people feed the ducks & giant carp... a bizarre sight. I've seen the same at Wolf Run marina near the Kinzua dam... FYI, I'd recommend rt 59 by the dam on the return & visit to Rim Rock & Jake's Rocks, quite a beautiful area.

[Gettingouttahere]

Originally Posted by Krisps

I hear you. Considering its size and proximity to Erie, it's amazing how isolated Presque Isle can seem. You might try kayaking through the internal waters too, there are lots of ponds and lagoons, much of which you can't see otherwise.

On Pymatuning, I only know the spillway where people feed the ducks & giant carp... a bizarre sight. I've seen the same at Wolf Run marina near the Kinzua dam... FYI, I'd recommend rt 59 by the dam on the return & visit to Rim Rock & Jake's Rocks, quite a beautiful area.

Thanks Krisps - kayaking is on our list .... we may try today if we get tired of endless expanses of empty beaches to sit on. It's our last day and we'll BBQ our dinner tonight, then fish off the pier near the Coast Guard station...

Thanks for the recommendations on Pymatuning. We will definitely check out the rocks you mention!

[jimmyev]

Originally Posted by Gnutella

1. Black Moshannon State Park
2. Canoe Creek State Park
3. Cherry Springs State Park
4. Cook Forest State Park
5. Delaware Canal State Park
6. Greenwood Forest State Park
7. Hickory Run State Park
8. Hyner View State Park
9. Jennings State Park
10. Kinzua Bridge State Park
11. Leonard Harrison and Colton Point State Parks
12. McConnells Mill State Park
13. Ohiopyle State Park
14. Oil Creek State Park
15. Presque Isle State Park
16. Pymatuning State Park
17. Raccoon Creek State Park
18. Ricketts Glen State Park
19. Trough Creek State Park
20. Worlds End State Park

Raccoon Creek and Jennings are typical Western PA, nothing special. McConnells Mill is really cool for hiking, as is Cook Forest, Leonard Harrison and Colton Point. Presque Isle is one-of-a-kind for PA. I don't know why Cherry Springs is on the list? Anywhere in the Black Forest of PA is just as desolate and star-struck.