Long Weekend Getaways FROM Pittsburgh (Erie, Scranton: best cities, hotel, neighborhoods)

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

I was going to suggest Toronto too. If one has no problem with the drive to Niagara Falls, it's well worth the extra hour of driving to get to Toronto. It is the closest city of such a size to Pittsburgh.

there is no reasonable expectation on the amount of time driving to and from toronto. the volumes between Hamilton and toronto are incredible. i had been there several times for business and for family since 2017. i had never seen such a long ribbon of cars moving, then stopping, then moving along the 401 and other highways, like a slinky, for hours...yes, 3 hours to get from North York to Burlington one time (granted it was probably not typical for a sunday).

toronto is not a shabby choice, but please be warned - it is better suited for when you will have more time than a weekend. otherwise, so much time will be lost driving there.

i hate toronto, but admit it is a viable destination for people who like cities and urban life. you will probably enjoy the gay village, which is a festive, solid neighborhood. but i strongly suggest you keeping it simple - its a 3 day weekend, right? forget anything beyond niagara falls is my humble suggestion. i would want nothing more than to hear you had a wonderful, relaxing, fun weekend free of snags.

[Knepper3]

You also don't need to pick a single destination. We often find somewhere then pick another slightly further away as a day trip to expand our reach. Like one time we stayed in Erie and travel day 1 we enjoyed the wineries there, day 2 we got up early and drove to Niagara falls and a trip over into canada then back to Erie, Day 3 we enjoyed erie again and drove home late.


Did the same on a week long trip, drove to Louisville KY and spend a few days in KY then drove down to Nashville for 2 days then a few days again back in KY. Enough time to hit the entire bourbon trail in KY without any 1 drive being more than about 6 hours.

[guy2073]

Originally Posted by Knepper3

You also don't need to pick a single destination. We often find somewhere then pick another slightly further away as a day trip to expand our reach. Like one time we stayed in Erie and travel day 1 we enjoyed the wineries there, day 2 we got up early and drove to Niagara falls and a trip over into canada then back to Erie, Day 3 we enjoyed erie again and drove home late.


Did the same on a week long trip, drove to Louisville KY and spend a few days in KY then drove down to Nashville for 2 days then a few days again back in KY. Enough time to hit the entire bourbon trail in KY without any 1 drive being more than about 6 hours.

My wife and i did this recently, we stayed in atlantic city but traveled to ny city and to philidelphia on diffrent days.

[tyovan4]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

there is no reasonable expectation on the amount of time driving to and from toronto. the volumes between Hamilton and toronto are incredible.

The GO Train is much preferable to driving the QEW.

I agree with you in the sense that a previous poster said it was an extra hour from Niagara to Toronto.
In my experience, its been more like 1.5-2 hours.
And you can't drive ridiculously fast on the QEW - there are signs warning of STEEP penalties (ie - car seizure and $10k fine) and the Provincial Police DEFINITELY enforce on that stretch of highway

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by tyovan4

The GO Train is much preferable to driving the QEW.

I agree with you in the sense that a previous poster said it was an extra hour from Niagara to Toronto.
In my experience, its been more like 1.5-2 hours.
And you can't drive ridiculously fast on the QEW - there are signs warning of STEEP penalties (ie - car seizure and $10k fine) and the Provincial Police DEFINITELY enforce on that stretch of highway

But now he has to take a train....i hope SCR does not go that route. the point is r&r. i never find toronto to be relaxing.

sorry, i have never seen provincial police there. but then, im not local to there, and use the QEW only on weekends, coming and going.

One last suggestion, if the OP is still tuned to this thread: why not go home to Scranton? take a side trip to Jim Thorpe, or the poconos. maybe NYC for a day. visit an old friend. see an old relative.

[prnlvsxy]

Add a couple hours to your drive and hit the Adirondaks. Absolutely beautiful.

[tyovan4]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

But now he has to take a train....i hope SCR does not go that route. the point is r&r. i never find toronto to be relaxing.

GO Train is much more relaxing than driving in downtown.

SCR - if you go to Toronto when the Exhibition is on, I seriously recommend taking the train.
Then you'll need to get on the Gardiner Expressway, from the QEW, to get to downtown - and the Gardiner goes directly past Exhibition. I would expect a traffic nightmare.

The GO trains are double-decker trains, nice opportunity for views, above-ground, policed, and polite (it is Canada after all!)



Once you're in Union Station, take the subway if you want to visit points further north - or take an Uber if you want to visit the Distillery District or one of the markets. Everything else is easily walkable from Union.

[svband76]

Originally Posted by Charley Barker

Zanesville itself was depressing. But the Zane Grey/National Road museum on Rt 40 was awesome. Talk about lost history. The guy who showed us around (I wish I could recall his name) was wonderful. Burly guy with a grey beard. Really interesting, and mostly forgotten, history of a time and place that was pivotal (that is until the railroads came) in the making of America/westward expansion, settlement, the Pony Express, and on and on. We need to send Rick Sebak there. ;-)

Tom's Ice Cream Bowl! A place stuck in time since 1953. A bucket list place.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Flamingo13

OP hasn't responded to any ideas.

What do you call the below?

I've been busy recently. I greatly appreciate the additional suggestions thus far and will be along soon with additional replies. Thanks.

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Thanks. Hadn't actually considered Columbus.

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Thank you. I’m willing to extend the drive up that long. I’m picturing picking my partner up from work at 4:30 PM that Friday and then heading out of town. I’m figuring it will take us until around 5 PM to get out of the city from his office in the Strip. I was then hoping to check in somewhere by 9 to limit my nighttime driving. I could stretch that up until 11 PM if the destination was worth it.

Neither of us has a passport, but we could get them soon and have them in time for September. He’s always wanted to see Toronto. I visited just for a day (while staying in Crystal Beach, ON with friends) in June 2005 for our high school senior year trip. I liked Toronto at that time and assume it’s only grown immensely over the ensuing 14 years.

As a compromise we could book a place in Niagara Falls, ON. We could then drive up to explore Toronto for a day on Saturday, explore the falls on Sunday, and spend a few hours in Buffalo on our way home on Sunday.

We’ll add it to the list. Thanks!



I always assumed that Chautauqua, NY was basically “the institution or don’t bother”. I may be ignorant of this place, but I always assumed Chautauqua was expensive and attracted a predominantly more mature crowd. I’m 32. My partner will be 27 soon.



Thanks. I could envision us using Brookville as a home base for exploring. I’m familiar with the town because I catch I-80 there when I drive to visit my family near Scranton.

I’d imagine we could leave Pittsburgh Friday night and check-in somewhere in time to do dinner in Brookville. Saturday could be a day-trip further north to do Warren, Kane, and the Kinzua Bridge Skywalk (been there twice and can’t wait to make it thrice!) My colleague stays often at a cabin in Marienville and raves about Blackbird Distillery. Sunday could be Cook Forest hiking. Maybe see Punxsutawney, too, on the way home on Monday.

[guy2073]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

What do you call the below?

I've been busy recently. I greatly appreciate the additional suggestions thus far and will be along soon with additional replies. Thanks.

Your fan base is too demanding, you should start a web cam for up to date info.