GPS sent us to the wrong side of the canal to a dead end road. It's a quick turn off, almost…read moreunnoticed so keep your eyes peeled for that sign! One lane road with pull off's to allow traffic to pass. All the way to the end is a turn around. Parking is just before this turn around. A small dock allows for kayaks and paddle boards to be put in the water, but the stairs down to the dock are not in good condition, so use caution There are several bike and hiking paths, but recent floods have closed some of the paths, so again, use care. It is interesting to see these canal Locks. So much commerce went up and down PA using canal's w/locks. To see one up close and personal, this is the spot to do it.

Great place for walking your dog. The canal water is surprisingly clean and clear for the most…read morepart. There are port-a-potties for when nature calls. Everyone I've encountered is friendly. I allow my dog off the leash to swim and the water is calm.

People were great, river was pretty. Plenty of wildlife. Would have been better if the river was…read morerunning as normal, lack of rain dropped the water level enough that I had to get out and drag the canoe a couple of times. Of course, Northbrook has no control over the rain !

I love this place. The best time to go is when it's extremely hot. It's so relaxing, kid-friendly…read moreand safe. You can take your time and enjoy nature. We typically canoe over rafting. This will not disappoint.

Our group had so much fun! Twin Rivers is very relaxed and gives you a lot of freedom. It was a…read morevery straightforward set up - check in and get your life vests, take their shuttle bus to the starting point on the river, get whatever style tube you paid for (we chose tubes with backrests and one cooler tube), and get out on the water! We slowly floated down the river, listened to music on our small portable speaker, swam around, made a short stop along a rocky bank at the edge of the water, and got to the end point after just over 3 hours. We got the shuttle bus back to the Twin Rivers office to drop off the life vests, then went back to our car in the parking deck right across the street. Very simple, and lots of fun!

HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend! Had the best time ever. I had a Groupon glitch but TWIN RIVERS was more…read morethan helpful and beyond kind. Then there's the tubing experience... soooo relaxing, soooo peaceful... soooo fun! Jet ski staff stayed on alert ensuring our safety everything was perfect. AND then to top it off, we dined nearby with a TRT discount on our meal. Thank you TRT for a much needed excursion... life is good!

We were scheduled to do a 1/2 day ice hike at Ricketts Glen. I had spoken to the owner Dave and…read morelet him know of my disabilities. He asked a few questions, then determined that it should be OK for me to go on the hike. Shortly before the hike we received an email from Dave saying that because of the warm weather the trip would not have as much ice as it normally does. He offered to reschedule or refund our money if we wanted, but also said we could go if we wanted. We wanted. When I got there Dave and the guides were fantastic. Very personable. They were helpful but without being intrusive. One of them carried one of my forearm canes in his backpack in case I needed it. (This was to have one hand free for the ice axe.) The hike was great. At the end of the hike I asked one of the guides if he thought I could do the repelling they offer... he conferred with the owner and the lead repeller guide, and they agreed that I would be allowed to do that in the Spring. I highly recommend Valley to Summit for a great time. I look forward to a full day ice hike in February.

Intro to Rock Climbing with Valley to Summit on September 18, 2022…read more This was my second trip to Chickies Rock with VTS and it was wonderful! There were only 5 of us, so plenty of time to climb. Our Guide, Bob, was so patient, engaged and informative. I learned a lot of great things that I had not known before about clothing, ropes and technique. Bob was so patient with me and was there with his " green pointer" to help me over the tough spots. You should know that I am 74 years old and tho I have climbed indoors for a few years, my stamina was not that of the youngsters who were there! Nonetheless, it was a great time! I highly recommend Valley to Summit, this being my 3 rd trip with them. They Rock!

My husband and I had a fab time with Edge of the Woods! We rented a raft and a tandem tube…read more Service was friendly and the Delaware Water Gap is goooooorgeous. Highly recommended!

(This was a few months ago so the details could be a bit iffy.)…read more This was a very impromptu trip and everything at Edge of the Woods makes doing that easy. Head to the website, book the date & time you want and you're done. www.watergapadventure.com/river-trips A few things worth noting: They offer multiple trip lengths. The standard 4-, 6- and 10-mile trip (Smithfield to Portland) are all booked generically and then when you get there you tell them what you want to do. All pricing is the same which believe me compared to others companies, that's very different - in a good way. They do offer two other longer trips but those require calls to the main office I assume to assess river conditions; your own competency and shuttle availability. The main office in Delaware Water Gap is very easy to find and there was plenty of parking on a quiet post-Labor Day Monday. You check in, you're handed a laminated map, life jacket and given a brief route explanation and then you're off in the van. One problem arose and it was kind of a PIA but it was worked around. Most companies have different types/sizes/models of kayaks and quite often, will ask you what you prefer. Not here. When we left the office, the guy driving didn't say a word to me until we get to Smithfield Beach to unload. He had a few kayaks pre-loaded in the carrier but definitely did not look at them before we left. One of them had a broken foot pedal that he said couldn't be used, another was very much designed for a smaller individual (i.e. if you're taller and/or taller & larger it ain't happening safely) which only left two tandem models. Using a tandem as a single individual is not the end of the world but especially when the seats are still left in the two person configuration (i.e. one front and one back versus the rear one being placed more towards the middle), it's a PIA to maneuver the craft and you are paddling harder to get the job done compared to a single. The scenery along the route was decent. You could see a bit of the Shawnee Resort and Golf Course, an old stone bridge abutment in the middle of the river, under and along 80 and then when you get into the Water Gap itself with the high cliff sides. Very picturesque. Once you go under the old train viaduct in Portland, you give the office a call for the shuttle to meet you at the out point which is at the Portland Pedestrian Bridge. The whole experience was about four hours door to door to cover the ten miles on the water plus the shuttle to & from the pick up and drop off points. Lots of nice scenery, due to the low water level there wasn't much in the way of current except for the area around viaduqt in Portland and even that wasn't bad. I'm not a big fan of the equipment here but I wouldn't let that deter me from coming back in the future for one of their northern longer trips.

By now, I've been to a number of Natural Lands preserves, and while all of them are naturally…read morestunning in their own unique ways, Stroud is most easy on the eyes, as one helluva photogenic preserve! 571 acres of GORGEOUSNESS!!!!!!! Sunsets are beautiful here. Many visitors were there just to hike up the hill to see the sunset. Some were even there with professional photographers, for a couple's shot in the moment. I wasn't able to hike the grassy trail with a stroller, but I got some shots of it setting behind the trees, and it was still beautiful to watch from the lowlands. This preserve features a paved trail, mowed grass meadow trails, and dirt woods trails. The terrain varies as explained, so be aware that bikes and strollers, etc. will have limited access. That said, the paved trail was quite long, and we didn't have time to finish with fading twilight, hence there is plenty of exercise to be had on each type of trail. Obviously the meadow trails leave you open to sun exposure, so be prepared in summer months. I did not feel too many bugs along the paved trail, but I would worry more about them in the meadow or woods, so consider repellent if you plan to explore those areas. Also, while I hike my local park on a daily basis with no symptoms, my allergies went nuts with the variety of grasses and trees at this preserve. There is ample free parking in the gavel lot. The East Branch Brandywine creek is very close to the parking lot, so if you plan to kayak, canoe, etc., it is not far to carry anything to a slip. There is also a smaller Taylor Run stream on the property, but it's not big enough for watersports. The Natural Lands website says some of the acreage is working farmlands, and yes, there are rolling hills of hay crop all over the place. There are some old buildings on the preserve (homes, barns, spring houses, etc.), but any I encountered were prohibited areas, and are not approachable for the public. This was unusual for other Natural Lands properties I've visited. According to their website, one of the stone homes dates to 1740, and is on the National Register of Historic Places, however it is being lived in, thus the notices not to proceed beyond designated boundaries. Also unlike other Natural Lands preserves, there is a lot of scientific study/research going on at this preserve. There is evidence of data collection in various places, and their website explains ecological projects run by the Stroud Water Research Center. Stroud is the only preserve in PA to be part of the Environmental Protection Agency's National Monitoring Program, to evaluate how human inhabitancy affects water quality. Natural Lands hosts various events at Stroud (low-cost admission, and pre-registration required). For example, in August they are hosting a splash in the creek for kids, and in September they'll have an evening Harvest Moon Hike and S'mores!

This is a perfect place for a quick-ish and relaxing hike. There are several different options and…read moremost of them loop. I did the red trail loop which is a bit longer. It's through some grass and along some private properties. I went on a Friday afternoon and there were not many people there. There are great views and clearly marked trails. Parking can be difficult.

This is THE paddlesports specialty shop in the Phoenixville area. Tim (the owner) is an absolute…read morewealth of knowledge regarding kayaking, SUP and more. Support small business and support local

Tim is super knowledgable about all the products he sells. From footwear to kayaks- he is a wealth…read moreof insight.

Took a kayak tour of the Schuylkill River with Hidden River Outfitters yesterday and it was a very…read morecool experience! Having run along the river thousands of times, the chance to see the city and the Schuylkill Banks from the actual river was really great. Jason led our tour- which departed from Walnut Street along the Schuylkill Banks and took us up to the Fairmount Waterworks (and back). We were provided with really nice kayaks, life vests and fascinating tidbits from Jason as he pointed out various points of interest along the way. Jason was really professional and provided a very helpful overview of kayaking to our group (which was comprised of first time AND experienced kayakers). Whether you're a visitor or a local who has seen the river a million times, I definitely recommend experiencing a kayak tour of the Hidden River!

My girlfriend and I were meaning to try kayaking in Philly for a while when I came across Hidden…read moreRiver Outfitters. We signed up for the 4pm guided kayak tour on the schuylkill river. Although much more expensive than renting a kayak for an hour on a lake, this was an experience I would highly recommend. My one disappointment was it really wasn't a "tour". I was hoping for the guides to tell us some things about the river , but it was more of just them supervising the large group of us. We were on the water for about 2 hours, going all the way up to the waterworks restaurant. On the paddle back you will get to see one of the most unique views of the city. It is a bit of a workout for those who haven't experienced it before. Overall a great date idea if you are looking for something fun to do outdoors.

The team here is incredibly helpful and friendly. I booked two kayaks for my wife and myself and…read morethey were so easy to work with and get things set up. Plus, they have free bike rentals - like you literally don't pay anything. You just sign out the bikes and you can go riding down the Schuylkill River Trail. Definitely will book with them again in the future!

As a member of the tech industry, I pine for opportunities to get outside and enjoy the natural…read moreworld. However, I often find it difficult to arrange details and make the proper connections occur. I discovered myself wishing over and over that I could take time and effort spent on researching trips and excursions and use most of it actually going outside. I admit, I was absolutely thrilled when I found the answer - Take It Outdoors Adventures. Located in the heart of southeastern Pennsylvania, TIOA provides fantastic opportunities throughout the year. I have found myself attending a variety of experiences - from casual after-work paddles during the week to a weekend camping excursion to a Paddle followed by a tour of a local Craft Brewery to a week-long expedition in the Adirondacks, the happy memories keep stacking up. Each week, I check the calendar as I anxiously wait to see what is coming up next. The past few years have been an adventure - I can hardly wait to see what 2015 has in store!

French Creek is a beautiful state park. Big swimming pool and big lake. Has camping and fishing and…read moreyou can rent cabins also .

The pool was nice and big but the people who go there were inconsiderate and played their awful…read moremusic so loudly it was as if we were at a concert. The music was not kid friendly as the lyrics were, shall we say "adult oriented". The staff were competent and friendly and I don't blame them for not asking these selfish patrons to lower their radios as they seemed like the type to start a major problem if you said anything to them.