Great facility for rest and bathroom breaks. Free maps and postcards! Helpful attendants and lots…read moreof great information to see and do things in Virginia. Bathrooms were clean and well kept. Only 1 family bathroom.

Just when you need a rest stop. The bathroom stalls are showing some wear, but are cleanread more

This is the quintessential Brownsville historical attraction. If you are looking for a prize of…read morelocal history you cannot find anywhere else then look no further

I have heard of Nemacolin Castle, but had thought it was near the resort by the same name. It…read morewasn't until I entered the address into the GPS that I learned it is located in Brownsville. Husband and I decided to visit when the Christmas tour was offered. We got a history lesson on the man who founded a trading post and built the castle. The Bowman family was quite influential in the area. It is impressive to be made aware of the history behind the family and the home. The home is managed by the historical society and volunteers. It would be great if they would get some additional funding for restoring the home. Right now, they rely on donations and admission fees to maintain the upkeep. There are areas of sagging floors and peeling wallpaper. It is fortunate that most of the furniture items were actually owned and used by the family. The piano is beautiful and one of the first to come to the area. The home was decorated for the Christmas holiday. Admission is $15 for adults and tickets may be purchased online or at the door. On busy times, I would recommend reservations. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. We were in a tour of about 18-24 people which was too large of a group. The some of the rooms were small and we were crammed in to hear the guide. Still, it was a nice way to spend a rainy Saturday before Christmas. I want to return when they have a haunted tour next fall.

A great addition to our trip to Ohiopyle and the beautiful Laurel Highlands. We did the…read morearchitecture tour that included access to the entire house, guesthouse and grounds. The information provided on the site is excellent and the check-in easy. Our guide was very engaging and knowledgeable about the history and home. I enjoyed learning about how FLW integrated the design into the natural surroundings and his inspiration for some of the features. I was also impressed by the art collection within the home. Tours are tightly timed and ours had a slight delay at one point to accommodate a couple of visitors slower pace up stairs because of mobility. This is a hilly area and the home is not fit with an elevator. There are stairs and tight passageways. My mom and I walked the grounds after our tour, enjoyed a pastry and latte in the cafe and did some shopping in the store. Don't miss the exhibit of old photos of the Kauffman family, owners of Fallingwater when it was a residence. Overall, an enjoyable way to spend half a day and well worth admission.

A great visit if you're into architecture or FLW in particular. There's a pretty large and nice…read morevisitor center including indoor and outdoor spaces plus restrooms, etc. then a bit of a walk to the house. Be aware there's no air conditioning in the house which normally isn't an issue due to the elevation and normally decent temperatures but in a big summer heat wave it can be an issue for many. Do a tour and upgrade if you can, we splurged for a Focus Tour and it was awesome despite crazy hot temperatures. Everybody at Fallingwater was so friendly and knowledgeable, it gets very busy but is a great visit for those who will appreciate it.

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.

The National Park Service has done a superb job of preserving the history of several important…read morehistoric sites along the National Road in Southwest Pennsylvania. Fort Necessity was the site of one of the first skirmishes that began the war between the French and Anglos. George Washington and his men did not fare well in the battle where they were outwitted and overpowered by their opponents. The primitive fort, composed of wood posts, was destroyed by the Indigenous army after Washington's surrender. Archeologists recreated a replica of the fort at the site that visitors may explore and contemplate the history. We walked the trail back, taking our well travelled dog for a walk. The trail is an easy walk with several historical plaques along the way. The setting is picturesque with a meadow surrounded by trees. An audio tour is available using your mobile phone. The Visitors Center is upscale and filled with information about several sites along the National Road. The Park Rangers are welcoming and knowledgeable about the local history. They provided me with an informative brochure about the sites with maps. A twenty minute film depicts the historic events that took place and shaped the war and early days in the colonies. Exhibits explain the tales of the battle that took place at the fort and other life in the area. Cases with artifacts are interesting. Information is well balanced. The gift shop inside supports the park and offers books, shirts and other nice souvenirs. The site also includes the historic Mount Washington Tavern, preserved as it would have entertained guests in the mid 1800's. The self guided tour of the Tavern is free. The staff offers several special programs throughout the year such as reenactments. A schedule is available on their website. The Park is filled with amenities including a pavilion with picnic tables, an outdoor classroom, nice parking and accessible walkways. The restrooms inside the Visitors Center are immaculate. Dogs are not allowed in the Visitors Center, but are allowed leashed outside. There is no charge to enter and explore the Park (thank you, tax dollars). Fort Necessity offers a truly unique experience and glimpse into the past. Plan two hours for the visit.

We were very impressed with the National Park Service presentation on the battle at Fort Necessity…read moreand George Washington role in this important piece of history. The visitor center has a lot of good information with a 20 minute film which gave a great overview. We then join a park Ranger for a walk to the fort, he was truly passionate about his job and very Knowledgeable. At the end of the talk a period dressed employee talked about the uniform, how to load and shoot a gun which he did at the end of the talk. Walked down to the fort, which I was surprised how smaller it was. It really gave a perspective of what the soldiers experienced. This was a wonderful stop in our National Parks journey. I recommend. stopping at Fort necessity and learning about this important. chapter of American history.

The Flenniken Memorial Library is amazing! It has two sweet cats and plenty of books…read more Would absolutely recommend for the feline company!

George Washington is credited with dreaming of the building of a road that would connect the east…read morecoast with the Midwest. The National Road was the first government funded road in the U.S, connecting Baltimore, Maryland with St. Louis, Missouri. I've travelled most of the National Road over the years, visiting historical sites. This week, I travelled through Western Maryland and Southwest Pennsylvania. A number of inns and taverns along the route provided shelter and food for early settlers traveling by stage coach. The Mount Washington Tavern was one of the upscale taverns and is today a museum managed by the National Park Service. The tavern was built in the late 1820's by Nathaniel Ewing on land once owned by George Washington. The museum has been restored with furnishing similar to what travelers would have encountered in the mid-1800's. The museum is a self guided tour with an audio tour available using a mobile phone. I walked through the tavern and saw the dining room, tavern, parlor and several of the guests quarters. I was able to imagine being back in time 200 years. If only these walls could talk, the stories they would tell. The parking lot is nice with steps or paved ramp leading to the tavern. On the grounds of the tavern is a stable that holds a Conestoga Wagon and memorial to early travelers. Several historical markers describe the National Road and tavern. Restroom and other amenities can be found at the Fort Necessity Visitor Center, a short walk or drive down the hill. There is no charge to visit the museum which is opened daily from 10 am - 4:00 pm. I highly recommend for history buffs.

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).