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Autumnfest at Seven Springs is an Event for the Entire Family

When you think of Seven Springs in the Laurel Highlands, odds are good one of your first thoughts is about it being a popular destination for skiing in Pennsylvania. We are the same way.

In fact, it wasn't until recently that we visited Seven Springs outside of winter and got a chance to explore the resort during their Autumnfest celebrations (as guests of the resort).

So in this one we wanted to share a bit more about what you can expect when visiting Seven Springs for this fall event, and also feature a few of the attractions that can be experienced on the property outside of the deep freeze of Pennsylvania winters!   

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Grove City Outlets is a Massive Shopping Mall Near Pittsburgh

I'll be honest- in our quest to support local we often overlook some of the more commercial and national entities that are available in the city. Shopping is no different.

As such, I never expected to find myself stopping at Grove City Outlets. But on my way home from a trip to Erie and Presque Isle State Park, I saw the outlets coming up and decided to pull over.

While the outlet is still a commercial retail space for national brands, I have to say that the collection of shops is rather impressive all the same.

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Rafting the Lower Youghiogheny with White Water Adventurers

Ohiopyle State Park is Pittsburgh's nature hub. There are so many options to get out and explore, be it for hiking, outdoor adventure activities, and more. But of those, there is none that we love more than white water rafting in the Laurel Highlands.

We're no stranger to rafting the Middle Youghiogheny's Class I and II rapids (an easy trip out on the water), but what we really love is getting out on the Lower Youghiogheny's Class III and IV rapids for some excellent white water!

Recently, I was invited back down to the Laurel Highlands to be a guest of White Water Adventurers, Inc. in order to check out their new Taste of the Yough tour and catch some white water in a day trip from Pittsburgh. In this one, I wanted to share a bit more about what the experience is like. 

Note: Select photos and video clips in this article were provided courtesy of White Water Adventurers, Inc. I was joined on the outing with I've Been Bit travel blog and the Laurel Highland's Visitor Bureau. (Angie sadly missed this one.)

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Camp Life at Bear Run Campground Near Moraine State Park

Camp life near Pittsburgh is a cherished thing. Everyone knows someone with a camper, and virtually every camp is about an hour away from home (at least, every camp we've ever heard of through friends and acquaintances).

We, unfortunately, never got to experience camp life until only recently, and our first outing brought us to Bear Run Campground near Moraine State Park as guests of the Butler County Visitor's Bureau. After spending two days at the property, we now fully understand why camp life is so popular!

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The Compass Inn Museum Preserves the 1800s in the Laurel Highlands

You may know a lot of what life was like during the early days of Pittsburgh's history thanks to the forts found nearby and famous battles that took place leading up to the Revolutionary War.

But the period after the war quiets down a fair bit (apart from the brief Whiskey Rebellion) until a few decades later due to the War of 1812. This triggered a rapid increase in iron production, which subsequently became the steel industry, and ultimately modern Pittsburgh as we know it.

One spot in the Laurel Highlands, the Compass Inn Museum, captures the history from this rather calm period, around the turn of the 19th century, and showcases what life was like for those living in (and more appropriately, passing through) southwest Pennsylvania around this time!

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A Break in Nature at the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve in Latrobe

We're not used to thinking about nature reserves as being “new,” but the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve on the campus of Saint Vincent College in Latrobe is just that.

The 50-acre nature reserve came about after many in the area expressed displeasure in the development of nearby Route 30. To ensure that the land near Saint Vincent College was not over-developed, and protect the beauty of nature that the land held, the reserve was ultimately incorporated in the year 2000.

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Descending into the Earth at the Laurel Caverns

We are big fans of caves, and in southwest Pennsylvania, our options to go underground are a bit limited.

Closer to the city it is much easier to find an old coal mine to go deep into (like at the Tour-Ed Mine and Museum) than it is to find a cave. But for those who want to make the drive in order to explore a gorgeous cave system (and the largest cave in Pennsylvania), the 90 minute trip to the Laurel Caverns in the southern Laurel Highlands is for you!

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Solving Carnegie’s Millions at Escape Room Pittsburgh in Homestead

For the longest time, we never really saw the allure of escape rooms. We knew of their popularity and saw how many escape rooms in Pittsburgh were popping up, but it wasn't much of a priority for us.

It wasn't until we found out that friends of ours love escape rooms that we decided to check one out, and we made our way to Escape Room Pittsburgh at their Homestead location to try our hand at a challenging room.

The theme? An appropriate Pittsburgh connection aptly named Carnegie's Millions. Our goal? To save the world, of course!

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