I recently photographed a wedding at the Scenic View. The grounds are really beautiful and the…read morelookout trumps all. There's a tower up a long, winding road, but you don't even need to go up into the tower to see the gorgeous mountain view. The landscape is breathtaking, I'm sure, during any time of the day. But we went up at sunset after a storm and it was nothing short of spectacular. I cannot wait to get back to Penn's Scenic View for the view alone!

Penn's Scenic View is such a beautiful place. My large family would go up every year and rent out…read morethe Stable Lodge there. Of course, I loved being with my family. However, I loved going for walks in the area. It's such an amazing experience. Peace, quiet, utter bliss... what more could you ask for? If you walk up this dirt road, you'll encounter a wooden tower on a hill. If you walk up the tower, you can take in the breathtaking view. A full 360° of trees. It's all picture-worthy. You truly won't be disappointed. You can continue to walk around to discover new things. There's a lake next to the Lakeside Lodge. I would always see weddings take place at the lake from the Stable Lodge. It was really nice to see something like that. Unfortunately, this place is private property. You can't just walk in willy-nilly. We rented out a cabin, that's the only reason we were granted access. The place is being sold. It's up for around $1.3 million dollars. Therefore, we can't rent out the Stable Lodge anymore. The whole place is gated off. I wish I could go back up there, just one last time. It's truly amazing. That place means a lot to me. My family has been going up there since I was a baby, and I'm 17. A lot of memories are kept there. It's also the place where I found myself. I would do whatever I could to go up there just one last time. I want to share the experience with my girlfriend. I would pay that $1.3 million to go back up there. If you're lucky enough to visit the 18 acres of pure scenery, you won't be disappointed for even a second.

I've been wanting to visit this place since I was a kid. I finally got there. They are doing a lot…read moreof work on the building so unfortunately, a lot of the building was covered with scaffolding which was unfortunate and they were offering refunds, but this was only time to get there so I went. I did the guided house tour which was great. The lady who did the tour was very knowledgeable. I appreciate that they give you ear pieces so you can hear and don't need to feel like you need to be so close to the guide to hear. Unfortunately, there was a medical emergency (ambulances and all) so we could not get to the 3rd floor, but they did let us see the staff quarters instead which I do not believe was part of our tour initially. They had a really nice gift shop as well. They also had a café but I did not look into there so I do not know exactly what was being offered. I would love to visit again once the scaffolding and tarps are gone. Regardless, this place is very peaceful and just beautiful inside and out.

It's hard for me to convey why visiting this landmark was so significant for me. I was a lad of 12…read morewhen I saw pictures of this house in a coffee table book about Frank Lloyd Wright in a mall bookstore. I remember because I was so drawn to the aesthetic of the building. It initiated my attraction to open living spaces, mid-century modern design, and organic architecture. All these decades later, I made it, and the sight of the house actually made me tingle. I said tingle, not tinkle. That happened in the surprisingly spacious restroom at the visitor center before the tour. Built in 1935 for Pittsburgh department store magnate Edgar J. Kaufmann and his family as a vacation home, the unprecedented cantilevered construction is a 4 bed / 4 bath that would've been pooh-poohed by the more obnoxious wannabe buyers on "House Hunters". The main house is 9,200 square feet of which 4,400 are outdoor terraces. Outdoors is where Edgar's worldly wife Liliane threw parties for their friends. However, the key draw of the multilevel terraces was the sound and sights of the Bear Run stream underneath. Except for the Kaufmann's impressive art collection, there is nothing ornate about the two-tone house of light ochre and Cherokee red. The innovative design elements speak for themselves like the glass-enclosed staircase down to the stream. Given my longstanding desire to come here, I went for the $89 In-Depth Guided Tour which ran well over ninety minutes and gave us full access to the house interior and the surrounding grounds including the guesthouse and the gardener's cottage (now used as staff offices). Our guide Larry did a fine job sharing the history behind all the architectural details of Wright's idiosyncratic design and uncompromising commitment to organic compatibility. Be aware that the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy started a major $7 million preservation project in 2023 and it's not due to be complete until next year (fingers crossed). The advanced age of the structure had caused leaks, cracks, and corrosion, so repairs are still underway. However, some of the house was still covered with scaffolding with terrace access a bit limited. It didn't bug me though because we're talking about checking off a major bucket list item for me. RELATED - Exploring Pittsburgh? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/qN_tq21lnL

Located in the Town of Somerset, Somerset Co., PA on the corner of Centre and Union Streets. Built…read more1904-1906 architect was JC Fulton. Sits on 1 acre of land measures 146 ft x 112 ft and 135 ft tall. Made of Indiana Limestone, sits on Sandstone with terra cotta roof and copper dome on center tower. Gorgeous and free to go inside and look around. Beautiful building

I had recently heard that the Somerset County Courthouse is the highest court in all of…read morePennsylvania, elevation speaking. Makes sense as Mt. Davis, highest point in Pennsylvania, lies within Somerset County as well. It is quite the beautiful building, one of the first things you see when you drive into the area, proudly sitting on top of Somerset. Listed on National Registry of Historic Places and part of the Uptown Somerset Historic District basically tells you about the age of the structure. Inside you are greeted by security guards and metal detectors like you find in every government building today. Once you pass the checkpoints you are greeted then by the grand staircase that takes to exactly where you need to be. Three courthouses are housed within; one on the first floor and two on the second floor. All three are grandly ornate and distinct from one another. The biggest of the three is magnificent. I'm no architect, but I can respect the beauty of a nicely laid out building. The staircase is made of marble and splits at mid-level. If you cannot traverse stairs, you will be able to use the elevator in the building. Bathrooms are spread throughout with the main one being on the bottom floor. Also located on the bottom floor is a room with some vending machines, if you are here for an extended period of time that is a good thing to know. Many offices are located here that you would expect to find in a county courthouse. What you can't find in here they do have an annex building located across the street. The county jail is also located across the street. Everything from criminal and civil cases to jury selection happen here. I just so happen to have had the pleasure of serving jury duty and being able to do that here made my civic duty that much easier.

Pleasant little trip into 1830's roadside tavern history (and more history of the National Road,…read morecomplimenting some of the history at next door's Fort Necessity visitors' center), such as what sort of people traveled, how they traveled, what they could afford to eat, and how they slept (uncomfortably and sharing space with strangers).

The previous two Yelpers certainly explained the tavern well enough but I'm going to throw in a few…read moredetails that they overlooked. First and foremost is that it's an oddity of history that George Washington came to own the land on which he fought his first battle. He fought his first battle at Fort Necessity right down the hill from where the tavern stands in 1754. As history will tell you, things didn't turn out so well for young Colonel Washington. But the area stuck with Washington and fifteen years after his defeat at Fort Necessity he came back to buy the land consisting of 234 1/2 acres in southwestern Pennsylvania. The tract of land was called "Mount Washington" and embraced the Great Meadows. However, little did he know then that this tract would later boast a tavern whose story would live for generations. Although Washington never lived to see his land flourish, he knew it would be an excellent site for an inn. Soon after his death the first federally funded road was laid down through this country, crossing the Mount Washington tract, thus proving his speculations correct. Travelers stopping at the Mt. Washington Tavern were pleased to find a commodious brick and stone tavern of eleven rooms in two stories, with an attic and basement. Built around 1827 by Judge Nathaniel Ewing of Uniontown, the Tavern was operated by James and Rebecca Sampey and did a lively business from the time it opened. Four conditions were prevalent at this inn: the place was clean, the food was good, the landlady was civil and her husband was sober. The building was an inn for only a short period of time from its construction in 1827-8 to 1855 when the importance of The National Road declined due to railroad construction. It was then used as a private home until 1932 when the Commonwealth of PA purchased it and eventually the NPS acquired it in 1961 while making the building part of Fort Necessity National Battlefield. Today the tavern serves as sort of a museum of what life would have been like traveling the National Road in the mid-19th century. The tavern is open seasonally from April-November normally the same hours as the visitors' center but in particular thanks to the lingering effects of the Sequester, that is subject to change and you should call before coming as the hours are not updated on the nps.gov site.

A beautiful example of a bygone era of rural road construction. This covered bridge is very well…read moremaintained and beautiful too.

The Lower Humbert COVERED Bridge built 1891 near Confluence, Somerset Co., PA. This lovely…read moreCOVERED bridge is 126.6 inches long. It crosses Laurel Hill Creek. There were several out in the water flyfishing for trout. Water looked so beautiful and clear. Sunday, May 19th, 2019, Tony and I was driving back home from our short overnight get away. We saw a few COVERED BRIDGES in PA this weekend and they were all painted Barn Red. This is Free of course to enjoy! Hope you get to see this lovely bridge from yester year, one day soon and enjoy it. Can you believe this beauty is 128 yrs old!!!

A great place to stop and do some unique shopping. This little village off I68 and 219 has lots to…read morelook out. The restaurant has some wholesome food and also a gift shop. They have done quite a few improvements since a few years ago a big storm knocked down alit of trees. The Savage river runs right next to it. Unfortunately right now 6/25, you cannot go on the stone bridge over the river due to repairs. Just down the road is Candy-land that has a nice assortment of loose candy that you can mix and match. This is a definite rest stop if you are traveling I68.

A very cool place with a lot to offer…read more Funny thing is, I used to travel back and forth to Baltimore and DC for years for work and I would always pass by this place and I'd think, I wonder if that Penn Alps Restaurant is any good? I even had several of my customers who had businesses right up the road from this place who'd praise their food, but I have never once ate it. Hopefully one day :) Then not long ago me and a good friend of mine went on a little hiking adventure in the surrounding area with her kids and we decided to stop by here to look around and check things out. I was pleasantly surprised at all of the stuff they have here and the history tied to it all. It's such a cute little Swiss village and honestly has a decent amount of stuff to offer and learn about. Plus, there is a newer building behind all of this that looked to me like it was a super cool cafe at one time, but it was closed when I was there. It did have a sign on the door that said it would be reopening soon. The Cornucopia Cafe, which I hope to try soon as well. There is a lot to do and see here. Take your time and look around, buy some local merchandise, learn some history, and eat some good food. If you're on 68 heading East or West take a little break here to check it out and learn about a time period in which George Washington was a part of. Enjoy :)

The 1908-feet long Salisbury Viaduct is a spectacular crossing of the Casselman River Valley. My…read morehusband Rick and I rode across it as part of our Cumberland-McKeesport ride on the Great Allegheny Passage Trail. It was one of the scenic highpoints on the ride. Of course Salisbury Viaduct wasn't originally built to take cyclists and hikers across the valley. It was built in 1912 for the Western Maryland Rail Company. The construction of that rail line through mountainous Somerset County required numerous bridges, tunnels, and viaducts--nearly all of which you can ride your bicycle on or thru today. The construction of the viaduct took many years, a lot of men, and even cost a few lives. Remember that back in 1912 a lot of the work had to be done with mules, wagons & wheelbarrows. When the viaduct opened on January 18, 1912, hundreds of local families gathered to watch the first train cross. Newspaper reporters and photographers from all over Pennsylvania and Maryland were there too. Company officials and the spectators all cheered when the first train crossed. In 1975, the rail company abandoned much of its line and on May 21 of that year, a special passenger train operated over the viaduct giving company officials, railfans, and the general public one last ride over the line and the viaduct. Twenty three years in 1998, Salisbury Viaduct was renovated for trail use, with a special deck being added for cyclists, hikers, and equestrians. Today it provides an incredible view of the Casselman River Valley. It spans the river, old US #219, the modern four-lane US #219, and the CSX Rail Line, which Amtrak's Capitol Limited train runs on (you can see the viaduct from the train). Rick and I stopped and enjoyed the terrific view when we crossed.

Definitely the highlight of our 10-mile walk-about in either direction of the Meyersdale Train…read moreDepot/historical society. You can see for miles and miles..... Awesome! Unless you're freaked out by bridges and heights...in which case I would not recommend the Salisbury Viaduct! The little Meyers family cemetery at the one end of the viaduct provides an interesting historical resting spot!

I visited Fort Necessity alone in mid-June 2025 as a pit stop on a drive from Columbus, OH to…read morenorthern Virginia. Lot of pluses in visiting this federal park (the visitor center is open from 9am-5pm). First, it has a clean restroom on this stretch of U.S. 40. If you're in dire need of a restroom break, visitors will have a new appreciation for the meaning of "Fort Necessity". Second, the 15+ minute video is useful in providing historic context to the battle and role of the National Road which facilitated westward expansion and trade in the 1800s. Third, the museum displays were upgraded since my last visit in 2013. Overall, it provides in-depth context for the Battle and the National Road (US-40 today). The early mistakes of George Washington and that of General Braddock provided valuable lessons that helped Washington in the American Revolution. Something that I did not know was the 1930's Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the state park and illustrated how President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) saved many young American men from despair during Great Depression. Perhaps the US needs a similar initiative today to help young men looking for meaningful work.

It's very quiet here. Great place to see and learn the history. The fort itself isn't original…read more It's a recreation. Friendly ranger.

This covered bridge is one of 10 covered bridges that currently exist in Somerset County…read more I included it on my list for a day trip driving from West Mifflin, PA (outside Pittsburgh). You can't drive through the bridge but there is space to park near it and you can walk inside it. It is a good photo opp, especially was on this blue sky day. It is within a quick 2 mile drive of Barronvale Covered Bridge so make sure to include that one while you are in the area.

Another great covered bridge we saw as a side trip on our trip to Gettysburg, Love covered bridges…read moreand they are a piece of history. this was built in the 1800s and repaired 1905