Summer Travel Guide
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Get out of town.
Short trips are the champion of summer. The months-long stretch of warm days is the perfect time to pack up and go, whether it be for a weekend or a day. With this list of getaways and events, it’ll be easy to find the trip – or trips – to get yourself, family, and friends out of the city this summer.
Buhl Mansion Guesthouse & Spa
Named one of America’s Top 10 romantic inns and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this 1890s castle—built by steel baron, Frank Buhl as a wedding gift to his bride—offers 10 opulent guestrooms with fireplaces, jetted tubs, the finest amenities, royal service and elegant gardens. The full-service spa, with over 100 indulgent spa treatments available, provides the ultimate in luxury and pampering. buhlmansion.com
Tara – A Country Inn
Tara offers a chance to enjoy the luxuries of days gone by. This 1854 Greek-Revival mansion revives Civil War-era hospitality with modern-day luxuries and amenities. Each of the 27 luxurious guestrooms has a fireplace and most have jetted tubs. Overlooking Shenango Lake, the inn has heated pools, acres of spectacular gardens and walking trails, gourmet and casual dining. tara-inn.com
Butler County Sweet Tooth Trail
Let your taste buds lead the way as you discover a wide variety of scrumptious treats on the Butler County Sweet Tooth Trail, a self-guided tour of local bakeries, ice cream shops, and candy stores.
How it works: Create your own itinerary on this tasty trail, fill up your passport with a specially designed symbol from each participating location, and move on to the next sweet spot at your leisure. Once complete, bring your passport to the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau to claim a commemorative prize and be entered into the grand prize drawing for a sweet-themed gift basket!
Each location on the Sweet Tooth Trail is unique and offers delicious options for everyone to enjoy. You’ll definitely feel like a kid again – or, you can bring the kids along – as you savor the flavors of Butler County’s finest chocolate, baked goods, ice cream, shaved ice, and nostalgic candies.
Sometimes picking out the perfect pick-me-up can be overwhelming, and you don’t know what to order. Go to the Tourism Bureau’s website
VisitButlerCounty.com/SweetToothTrail to learn all about the participating locations, along with the “Fan Favorite” from each business. (The “Fan Favorite” is a certain item(s) on the menu that the establishment is known for, or that typically sells the best.)
Passports can be picked up at participating Sweet Tooth Trail locations, the Tourism Bureau or any of the Bureau's 35 brochure racks throughout the county. Be sure to socially share your delightful journey by using #SweetExploring.
visitbutlercounty.com/sweettoothtrail
Mazza Vineyards
Great Taste Runs in the Family
Brothers Robert and Frank Mazza originally chose the Lake Erie region for their family’s winery for it’s ideal grape-growing climate and soil. The charming resort atmosphere with majestic lake views was just a fortuitous bonus. The family now owns three wineries in the region, which means your next wine-tasting getaway is planned for you.
Here’s your itinerary:
Start out in the spacious stone cavern tasting room at South Shore Wine Company. The wine list here is ideal for brunch-time sipping, featuring flights of sparklers, crisp whites, and a collection of sweeter wines.
Next, venture two miles down the road to Mazza Vineyards, the family’s flagship location. Inside the rustic, Mediterranean-style tasting room, sample the winery’s fascinating wine list that ranges from crisp and pristine to robust and fruit-forward thanks to the influences of a diverse lineage of international winemakers.
Finish up at Mazza Chautauqua Cellars (at sunset, if possible!) which shares a location with Five & 20 Spirits & Brewing, and boasts a sprawling patio. The wine list here exemplifies the parallel terroir and growing conditions between the Lake Erie AVA and similar wine regions from across the globe.
enjoymazza.com
Christian Klay Winery
Winery owner Sharon Klay and her husband John first developed an interest in winemaking while living in New York City in the 1970s. This led them to research and select the nearly 100 varieties of grapes that would be suitable for cool climate growing conditions.
When the Klay’s relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, they searched for three years to find a suitable vineyard site. In 1986, the couple purchased a 215-acre farm in Chalk Hill, Pennsylvania. Sharon took the original 1,000 vines on the property.
Fayette Springs Farm was a suitable place for the Klays’ venture as the farm had a long history of entertaining and welcoming guests. At the turn of the century, the farm was owned by U.S. Senator William E. Crow who opened his mountain estate to many visitors including President Harding and Black Jack Pershing.
Today, the winery offers guests entertaining special events, informative and educational tours, ideal venues for private events, wine tasting, and shopping in six locations.
cwklaywinery.com
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Salt Fork Lodge
Plan your next getaway under Ohio’s sunniest blue skies, where the air is filled with the joyous shouts of lake-goers and the smell of last night’s campfire. We have the state’s largest inland beach, where sunbathers can catch rays all day, and the best tubing and waterskiing territory around.
Make your summer plans at Salt Fork State Park Lodge and get ready to make memories. You’ll find comfortable lodging, 20 miles of trails to explore on foot or horseback, as well as a spacious swimming pool. Your best vacation, wedding, reunion, or retreat starts here.
saltforkparklodge.com
Fallingwater
Fallingwater, the masterwork of renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, has reopened for its 58th tour season with exterior guided and self-guided tours. Built in 1936 for the Kaufmann family of Pittsburgh, Fallingwater exemplifies Wright’s philosophy of organic architecture.
Explore the house’s intimate relationship with nature, enjoy a delicious lunch from the Fallingwater Café, and browse the Museum Store. Our Speyer Gallery features an exhibition on Joseph Urban’s designs for Kaufmann’s Department Store. Beginning in May, we’ll offer specialty tours — brunch, focus, and sunset — which offer in-depth experiences.
And, we’re taking reservations now for our Forest to Table Dinners in April, July, and October. Following a twilight reception of hors d’oeuvres and wine at the house, Chef Tom Shuttlesworth leads a culinary journey that includes a savory four-course meal with wine pairings at the chef’s table in the Café. The exquisite food will reflect local traditions and seasonal flavors of Appalachian Pennsylvania through ingredients sourced from nearby farms and foraged from the woodlands near Fallingwater.
Experience Fallingwater to discover why it is inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List and is a place that the Kaufmann family believed would enrich lives, inspire generations and connect people to nature.
fallingwater.org
Destination Gettysburg
Gettysburg, PA, just 3.5 hours from Pittsburgh, stands uniquely positioned as one of our nation’s premiere historic travel destinations. Nestled in idyllic Adams County, it offers breathtakingly scenic landscapes, outdoor activities, adventurous dining and – perhaps most famously – an unparalleled, firsthand look at our country’s dramatic and inspiring past.
Witness its hallowed battlefield, then take a stroll through the historically preserved downtown area. Gain insight into our nation’s gripping backstory at interactive museums. Find the perfect gift at charming shops filled with antiques, handmade treasures and Civil War artifacts. If the spirit is willing, go for an evening ghost tour of famous haunts.
And, of course, the entire region is brimming with foodie-pleasing dining establishments, offering local farm-to-table cuisine in a wide variety of styles. Enjoy unique, contemporary meals prepared by award-winning chefs, or experience period-specific foods prepared in a landmark setting. Craft beers, wines, ciders, mead, and spirits produced in Adams County can be found along popular beverage trails – or take a tour of the region’s farms and orchards. Whatever your tastes, Gettysburg has you covered.
Cozy bed & breakfasts, rustic cabins, luxurious inns, your go-to hotel with every amenity, or that special guest house for the entire family – you’ll find accommodations of every type in Gettysburg.
As we all define what the “new normal” looks like, Gettysburg is committed to the safety of their guests and community. Don’t forget to check their ongoing online safety updates and, for now, remember to bring your masks.
destinationgettysburg.com
Nemacolin
Stretching across 2,200 scenic acres in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania, our Forbes Travel Guide Award-winning accommodations offer guests and members a unique range of exceptional experiences. From the iconic art deco interiors of Falling Rock and breathtaking elegance of The Chateau, to the woodland comforts of The Lodge and private grandeur of The Homes and Estates, there's a getaway perfect for you at Nemacolin.
Get ready to luxuriate in one-of-a-kind dining and entertainment options, including the Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond restaurant, Lautrec, two championship Pete Dye-designed golf courses, and sensational spa and wellness treatments. Our enchanting resort is perfect for curious explorers, offering seasonal mountain sports and exhilarating outdoor activities, from Orvis®-endorsed fly fishing to wildlife safari tours and limitless fun for all.
Adventure awaits at Nemacolin.
nemacolin.com
Indulge in the taste spring with this delicious Cherry Galette