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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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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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The Headkeeper Review – A Small Plate Tapas in Greensburg

The Headkeeper is a popular tapas bar located in Greensburg, PA- just about an hour east of downtown Pittsburgh.

The restaurant is acclaimed for its small plates/tapas menu, but also comes along with a large seating area (including an impressive outdoor space), a modest draft list, over 600 bottles of beer available in cans/bottles, and a lot more!

I visited this one while exploring the area with Westmoreland Heritage, and share some thoughts on our meal and the restaurant as a whole in this one!

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Bridges & Bourbon Review – Elevating Pittsburgh’s Craft Cocktail Scene

Bridges & Bourbon opened in Pittsburgh's Cultural District in June 2019 and was a much-awaited cocktail bar due to their strong lead-up on social media.

The bar focuses on high-end cocktails with some rather interesting flair and novelties thrown into the mix as well, making it rather unique in Pittsburgh's cocktail bar scene!

We were guests of Bridges & Bourbon for a media preview event and wanted to share some of the great cocktails we tried in this one!

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A Behind the Scenes Tour of The Palace Theatre in Greensburg

The Palace Theatre in Greensburg is a popular performing arts space that is known for its history as much as its world-class performers that take the stage each week.

While I am still looking for the perfect show to take in a performance at the theater, I was able to get in on a behind-the-scenes tour to check out more of the history of this iconic spot!

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Out of the Fire Cafe Review – A Must Stop in Donegal

If you've spent much time in the Laurel Highlands, odds are good you've driven by Out of the Fire Cafe and did not give it a second glance.

This restaurant is located right off the turnpike at the Donegal exit, and is one of those places we've passed many times while traveling from home to Ohiopyle and other nearby attractions.

It took me many, many years, but I finally stopped for this one and now regret not visiting sooner.

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Stand Up Paddleboarding at Moraine State Park with SurfSUP Adventures

Moraine State Park is one of our favorite parks in the area as it is quite large, accessible in about 45 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh, and offers a wealth of things to do when visiting both on and off the water.

On a recent visit, I got to try out something that I've been eyeing for quite some time- stand up paddleboarding with SurfSUP Adventures. I've got to say, this one was a ton of fun!

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Polymath Park is a Testament to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Legacy

When it comes to Frank Lloyd Wright in the Laurel Highlands, you likely know of Fallingwater. You've probably also heard of Kentuck Knob just a few miles away. But did you know that there is a third site containing the acclaimed architect's work?

This location is Polymath Park- home to two Frank Lloyd Wright houses and two more built by his student, Peter Berndtson.

But the Wright houses here are rather unique- the two houses were completely relocated to the park in the last few decades!

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Southern Tier Pittsburgh Offers an Array of Options on the North Shore

Southern Tier Pittsburgh is one of a handful of breweries that did not originate in the city but expanded here due to the producer's popularity in the region.

Originally from New York, this brewery expanded into Pittsburgh in early 2017 and has been a popular spot in the North Side ever since. While we are often frequent visitors to this brewery for the beer, we were recently invited out as guests of the brewery to try more and to sample a bit of the food menu as well.

As a result, this guide to the brewery was born!

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