Easton and the Crayola Factory (and Canal Museum)

Today’s visit was to Easton, Pennsylvania. It’s an intriguing town, with hilly streets, narrow houses and buildings that reflect a rich history. But it’s also clearly down on its luck. It seemed like a good 50% of the storefronts downtown were empty, there were lots of “for sale” sales, and evidence of neglect. The people seemed sad and downtrodden, as though they’d been through a rough time lately. We hadn’t been out of the car for two minutes before a toothless man approached us, asking for change.

In this unlikely place is a fun and unique destination for kids, the Crayola Factory and the attached Canal Museum. Admission includes both attractions. While most seem to go for the Crayola Factory, the Canal Museum is fantastic – very interactive and child oriented. If I had it to do over again, I might have started at the Canal Museum first, then let my son run himself to the point of exhaustion at Crayola. Go on a weekday if you can and try to get there early. When it gets crowded, the need to manage your child among so many others reduces the fun factor.

I can’t say there is a lot to learn at Crayola, certainly not compared to the nearby Davinci. It’s basically a big test center for a wide variety of Crayola products. But it’s bright, friendly and there are lots of artistic opportunities. It was nice for River to be able to run from one project to another and for the parents to not have to clean anything up. I got to see what interested him most (the glow-in-the-dark coloring), which of course led me to the Crayola store to buy him the glow-in-the-dark color pad. At least I knew he’d like it before I bought it.

The Canal Museum does have some good educational elements. Especially the exhibit on the 2nd floor (also a good place to get to early, before a line forms), where each child is given a plastic boat and helped to guide it along a canal and through the locks. The third floor is less hectic than the others and it has several activities that appeal to young children. The opportunity to place panels that guide a boat through a maze is especially fun and thoughtful. This is a smaller, more controlled space, and more relaxing for kids and parents.

For lunch, there is a McDonalds on the premises and a Subway nearby. For more adult food we went to the River Grill, about a block away. They get a lot of Crayola Factory visitors and were very accommodating to kids.

The joy of finding a kid-friendly cafe

We’d had a long napless day. I didn’t get a chance for a real lunch and it was looking like I wouldn’t get dinner either. I didn’t think River would last through a meal.

I went into The Chocolate Café in Lititz. River seemed happy when he came across a selection of life-sized stuffed dogs.

“Are these toys?” I asked an employee, as River pulled them out.

“Yes, and we have some cars and trucks over here,” she said.

She made my day. It was OK for River to play, to roll around on the floor and to be a kid. This meant that we could actually have a meal without the struggle of keeping him in a seat and occupied for an hour.

The waitstaff didn’t seem to mind stepping over stuffed animals, cars or a mobile toddler. The fact that the food was delicious and healthy was a bonus. Thanks to those establishments that make it easier to enjoy a meal and to relax a bit by providing a space for children to be kids.

Science for kids

Today River paid his first visit to a science museum and LOVED it. We went to the DaVinci Science Center in Allentown, PA. We were the first people to arrive when the museum opened at 12, so we initially had the place to ourselves. In the preschool room, River got to put chocolate chunks into pretend cookies and count the pieces. He played with unusual shaped large soft blocks and he got to look at shells under a magnifying glass. He was thrilled to sit on a chair and to experience the backwards motion that happens when two people push their feet against each other. He saw what happens to liquid when it is spun rapidly, he learned how water erodes particles, he watched a ball react to vacuum pressure and he got a close up look at starfish and crabs. He smiled so much in the hour and a half we were there. It was one novel experience after another and he was so enthusiastic he threw a nice tantrum when it was time to leave. This is a great museum in that it’s fairly small, which allows kids to get through the whole place without being overwhelmed, and it really encourages tactile exploration and observation at the child’s pace. The friendly staff posted around the exhibits offer helpful explanations. This is a place I’d like to come back to because I think kids of various ages are able to get different things out of it. For me, it was the highlight of our weekend so far to see my toddler so happy to explore and to learn.

A visit to Lititz

Because I traveled to Lititz with a toddler, my attention span rather resembled that of a two year old. I enjoyed a close up look at many wolves at the Wolf Sanctuary, but unfortunately didn’t get to the hear much of what the tour guide said. I got to shape dough into a pretzel at Julius Sturgis Pretzel Factory, but didn’t get to finish the tour. I was able to stroll briefly through the town, buying chocolate at Wilbur, feeding the ducks at a local pond, and enjoying the great food at The Chocolate Café, but I left a lot unseen and undone.

Lititz is a charming little town with a rich history and a lot of beautiful buildings that bring the sense of history to life. I hope to be able to return here sometime, with more time and a better ability to pay attention. There is a lot to see and explore.

Bucks County camping

I’ve been meaning to get out camping for a while and this weekend, we finally made it happen. We made reservation at the Beaver Valley Family campground in Ottsville, Pennsylvania.

This is a convenience campground, rather than a wilderness spot. We had neighbors within a few feet of us on either side. It’s also primarily an RV spot, with a high RV to tent ratio.

Even as one of few campers without a lot of fancy amenities, I really enjoyed my stay. It’s in the midst of a dense forest of maple, walnut and ash trees, tall, brilliantly green, and providing abundant shade in hot weather. Deer came within a few feet of our site and I saw a toad and heard many birds.

The needed amenities are here – clean restrooms and showers with hot water, washing machines, a shop with the needed essentials that is open until 10 p.m. The owners are friendly and willing to provide advice on what to see and do. And the place is busy. Almost every spot was filled and I was told that people make reservations weeks in advance. It attracts a lot of families and retired people and the visitors seemed to be pretty well behaved.

It’s also a nice spot for children. There is a playground with equipment appropriate for both toddlers and older children as well as a swimming pool and a wading pool. A stream nearby is far enough away that a young child couldn’t wander off there. But it’s close enough for an enjoyable walk and once there, you suddenly feel far removed from all the RVs Weekend events are frequently organized, such as 50 cent hayrides or BBQ potlucks (which we would have liked to have gone to, but I had no idea how I was supposed to prepare a BBQ meat dish to serve 5-6, plus a dessert, over a campfire. So we skipped it).

A couple spots are on ledges that overlook forest views and those are especially nice.

As for what we discovered to do in the area:

First we took a bike ride, to Lake Nockamixon state park. The beautiful lake is a great place for a picnic or to feed the ducks. If you want to rent a canoe or kayak, it looks like a beautiful place to paddle.

We found an amazing ice cream shop – Owowcow. The ice cream is made on premises, in small batches, using local ingredients when possible. I tried three kinds, including tiramisu and they were all amazing. Definitely a special find.

In the tiny town of Ottsville, just three miles from the campsite, is a pleasant little coffeeshop, Brig O’Doon, with both indoor and outdoor seating. They have a good selection of quality beverages, as well as fresh bagels and gluten-free treats. Attached is the Kimberton whole foods store, which has an excellent selection of organic and natural food, especially for a small town, as well as a lot of cool toys and gifts. I tend to associate camping with junk food. But here, you can pick up all-natural chicken, grass-fed ground beef, local cheeses and quality pork chops. Don’t forget to bring something to grill with on the fire pit, unless you are using sticks. Unfortunately, the camp sites don’t come with grills to place over the flames.

Biking here allows for the discovery of some great local places, and many of the roads are narrow, green ad lightly trafficked. However, there are some very significant hills. Unless you are a very strong biker, you’ll probably spend some timing pushing your bike uphill.

This is an area where people have businesses making chapels and weatherwaves, repairing screens, operating a law firm next to a personal effects storage facility. It’s a place where the post office worker drives a car with a US MAIL sign atop and drives from the passenger side so as not to have to get out of the car to put the mail in the mailbox. There are a lot of trucks, horses, and recreational vehicles, and the flea market around the diner draws a large crowd on the weekend. But scattered amidst this fairly rural atmosphere are some specialty shops, like Owowcow and Brig O’Doons coffee, that bring a taste of sophistication. The people are friendly and unpretentious. It’s the kind of place that gives one a good feeling, and makes me glad to spend time here.

Pennsylvania Laurel Highlands

Earlier this fall, we took a three-day trip to the Pennsylvania Laurel Highlands. Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater, a house listed on several of the must-see lists, drew us there. But we quickly found out there was so much to do.

We were very pleased with our accommodations at the Glades Pike Inn in Somerset. The beautiful old building was located amidst cornfields and right next to a large, red barn. The prices ($95 on weekends and $65 on weekdays) are so reasonable compared with many East Coast bed and breakfasts. Our room was amply sized, with a couch, fireplace, bathroom and overhead fan. We had enough room for River’s crib, plus plenty of space to move around. The helpful and knowledgeable owner not only made delicious and plentiful breakfasts, she will pick up you and your bicycle/kayak/raft for a modest fee, allowing guests to bike or paddle in one direction only.

In addition to the Glades Pike Inn, there is a wide selection of lodging in the area, from resorts to hotels to B&Bs to motels to a variety of campgrounds.

Fallingwater was as beautiful as it’s said to be (see separate post on visiting with children). Another Frank Lloyd Wright home, Kentuck Knob, is nearby, but we didn’t have time to visit.

My favorite part of the trip was our 30 mile ride down the Allegheny Passage. The Passage goes from Pittsburgh, PA to Cumberland, MA and seems like it would be a great ride to travel the whole trail. We went from Rockwood, PA to Frostburg, MD and that was an enjoyable daytrip. The path is packed gravel and is mostly flat. On our part of the trail, the last seven miles were downhill.

Bikers pass a variety of rural scenery and ride across the Eastern Continental Divide. Most interesting are the several tunnels one passes through. One of them was so long and so dark I grew dizzy on my bike and had to walk it through.

Hiking is plentiful in the area. We took some pleasant short treks in the Laurel Highlands State Park. The hemlock trail provides a view of a rare hemlock grove and another trail takes you to a pretty waterfall.

The September 11th memorial field is nearby, as is a third Frank Lloyd Wright house. We want to return for the rafting and water sports available in Ohiopyle. Best of all, the people are very friendly and welcoming and prices moderate. It’s a very enjoyable place to spend some time.

Other than the great breakfasts at our inn, we didn’t find the food to be quite as exciting as the attractions (although the sweet corn sold fresh from the fields is out of this world). A farm next door to the Glades Pike Inn sells grass-fed ground beef for a bargain $1.99 a pound, as well as other meats from their farm. In season, farmers sell delicious corn and other produce along the roads. The River’s Edge has a beautiful location along the river and delicious food (try the sweet potato fries), but service is poor and it can be packed even mid-afternoon. If you want one of the prime tables overlooking the river, you’ll definitely want a reservation. A reservation would probably be a good idea in any case.

Overall, we loved our visit to the Laurel Highlands. I’d love to go back for more hiking and biking, rafting and skiing.

Where people are friendly and relaxed

Yesterday I called a bike shop in the Pennsylvania Laurel Highlands to reserve a bike for my husband. The man I spoke to said he needed to attend his grandson’s football game on the day we want the bike, but that someone would be around. He asked my husband’s height and said he’d leave two bikes out for him to choose from.

“Does the rental include a lock?” I asked.

“Oh no, we don’t need that here,” he said. “Our rental bikes sit out overnight and there’s no problem.”

I asked how we’d arrange payment since he wasn’t sure if he’d be around when we gave for the bike.

“Oh, we might meet up when you come. If not, maybe we’ll meet up when you return.” Although he had said we could bring the bikes back anytime that evening.

His laid-back, friendly attitude that assumed honesty and safety made me think this vacation destination is even better than it sounds. We’ll be spending three days there – doing some biking, hiking and visiting of Frank Lloyd Wright houses. I’m looking forward to it.