Old Bedford Village

Posted on December 16, 2022 by Janette

In a quiet area of rural Pennsylvania lies a village unlike any other. Made from historic structures (some local and some rescued and brought to this area) this village offers a glimpse into the past.

Parking in the arrival area, visitors have the opportunity to look through the gift shop first, or wait until the end of their visit. Map in hand, visitors can walk through each building with an open door or look through the windows of others to see what life was like many moons ago.

Some buildings are fully functioning and have artisans working inside. In addition to the tinsmith, there is also a broom maker, a blacksmith, someone weaving baskets and even a school teacher. These historians share what they know with visitors and send them on to the next point of interest.

A few times a year there are events scheduled for families to enjoy. Especially towards the end of the year, there are activities for visitors of all ages and these events are perfect opportunities to enjoy the romantic chilly weather as patrons prepare for the holidays.

This living history museum takes a lot of upkeep, so please take your families and loved ones, experience the history and knowledge that is gladly shared, and help keep this attraction going for years to come.

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Fall at the Fort

Posted on December 9, 2022 by Janette

Fort Indiantown Gap is a beautiful location, rich with military history. Touring the fort showcases equipment and tributes to educate the public and honor those who served.

Many of the historical pieces are within short walking distance allowing guests to see all the memorabilia easily.

It is hard not to be struck by the beauty, austerity, and solemn remembrance of the location, anytime of the year. On this particular day, the weather was on our side and the memorials shone beautifully in the sun. A trip is recommended as there is much to learn here. Pennsylvania is well-known for it’s National Guard, which is the second busiest in the entire nation. Stop by, pay tribute, and remember those we have lost.

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Touring Trenton – Part 2

Posted on September 5, 2022 by Janette

The WWII memorial is a short walk across the street from the State House. Standing out from the tightly backed buildings is a beautiful, expansive space that draws visitors in.

“Lady Victory” encompasses the grace and courage of the WWII generation.

Dedicated on Veteran’s Day, 2008, this memorial showcases the military branch service markers and battle scenes from the Atlantic and Pacific theatres.

Just down from the capitol and state museum (free and extensive with a great gift shop) is the Old Barracks Museum.

Constructed in 1758 this French and Indian War military barracks building served many purposes for both British and American troops. The building has now been a museum for over a century and can be visited year-round, Wednesday to Saturday.

Downtown Trenton was worth the visit. With plenty of small lunch shops, this area was educational, interesting, delicious, and cost-effective!

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Touring Trenton – Part 1

Posted on August 14, 2022 by Janette

Marking number 19 in my Capitol collection, the New Jersey State House was a fun addition to the list. Although construction prevented us from seeing the rotunda, our reserved tour still covered the rich history and decor of the third state in the union.

*Fun Fact: New Jersey’s Capitol building is the only Capitol from which you can see another state. Just across the Delaware River, you can see Pennsylvania.

From small beginnings, the state house has undergone 12 major construction projects since it was built in 1792. These projects altered the size and shape of the building, bringing it to the stately building it is today.

Nods to historical elements and stat icons can be seen all around the building.

Just remember that the building is off limits unless you have a scheduled tour, so go online for details and sign up before you visit. Parking is free, and there are lots of exciting things you can walk to from the parking garage!

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Who knew?

Posted on July 24, 2022 by Janette

On my quest for (relatively) local points of interest to explore, I looked up some interesting places I had never heard about before. Planning a day trip, I set out to visit two locations that had things I love: food, crafts, and beautiful architecture.

The first stop was the Lancaster Central Market. Located in the heart of downtown Lancaster’s Penn Square, this historic market is something to experience at least once.

This market was the oldest municipally-owned market in the country until 2005, and it is huge! I never knew this place existed, which is surprising considering it has everything I love inside! It took forever to weave back and forth around rows of stalls selling everything from fresh flowers, hot sandwiches and food items, snacks and bakery items, coffee, smoothies, candles, Amish quilts, and many other amazing treasures.

After some fresh juice, delicious donuts, a hot sandwich, and a few Amish-made gifts later…it was time to head back to the car. This area of downtown is very walkable, and if I had more time, I would have liked to walk around the downtown a bit more. It is a busy city, so parking the car in the garage and walking on foot is the way to go if you explore the area.

Next up was the city of Reading (pronounced “redding”). Here, high up on a hill overlooking the city sits a pagoda of all things! Who knew?

Built in 1908, this historic building sits atop Mount Penn and is the symbol of the city. This seven-story wooden building was first constructed to serve as a luxury resort hotel. Only a few years later, when that plan was abandoned in 1911, the pagoda was donated to the city of Reading and has remained an icon ever since.

Boasting 30-mile panoramic views of the area below, this is a great place to spend some time relaxing. Plenty of parking spots sit just outside the walking area so visitors can easily explore the area down below the building as well.

If you are ever in the area of Reading or Lancaster, Pennsylvania, come check out these points of interest!

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Philly Museums, Part 2

Posted on April 11, 2022 by Janette

Another museum worth the visit is the Rodin Museum. 

Jules Mastbaum (1872-1926) began collecting works by Rodin in the early 1920’s with the intention of opening a museum dedicated to him.  Considered the father of modern sculpture, Rodin had many plaster casts made of his clay models, allowing him to save his work and experiment with form further.  He was known for his ability to render extreme expressions which ranged from inner turmoil to overwhelming joy. 

By 1926, Mastbaum had collected the greatest collection of Rodin’s sculptures outside of Paris, but due to his sudden passing, Mastbaum’s wife had the museum plans executed to create the building that exists today.  This museum is not huge, but it is a beautiful place to spend an hour walking around. 

Also, if you happen to pay full price at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, you can get into the Rodin Museum for free.  Otherwise, the Rodin Museum is “pay what you wish” every day, which is still a great deal.

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Philly Museums, Part 1

Posted on March 26, 2022 by Janette

Spending time in this city is not something I did enough when I was younger.  So, I was very happy to spend a weekend taking in some amazing art museums.

The first museum to visit was the Philadelphia Museum of Art.   Yes, this is where the famous Rocky Statue is located, and the front of the museum is grand indeed, but this is not where you enter.  Appreciate the museum façade in all its glory, but then make your way around the right side of the museum, all the way to the rear, where you will enter as a patron. 

A helpful tip is to visit the museum at 5:00pm on Friday night.  The normal $25.00 a person fee is waived, and patrons can “pay what you wish” for their entrance ticket.  This is the only night the museum is open late, so enjoy the almost free price while you can!

This museum contains three floors and has two awesome gift shops.  Two special exhibits were on display on the second floor, and I loved viewing the Great Stair Hall with the Diana Sculpture on the same level. 

Besides the Arms & Armor exhibit (which was worth the visit) my favorite exhibit was the Asian Art collection.  There was a re-created Japanese garden and tea house where details of the infamous tea ceremony are depicted.  As someone who has traveled to Japan and participated in a tea ceremony, this exhibit was simply stunning.

There was an abundance of art to view in this museum. A patron could easily spend all day in this location, so my game plan was to view the areas I was most interested in, considering the visit took place in the evening and there were only a few hours to tour. Definitely worth while and I would love to go back in the future!

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Canyon Lake – Arizona

Posted on February 28, 2022 by Janette

Who doesn’t like a good nature cruise…especially when it takes you to the heart of the Superstition Mountains!?

On my visit to Arizona, I was able to take the Dolly Steamboat on a leisurely sightseeing cruise.  The steamboat has been cruising since 1925, and what a way to experience this six-mile section of water. 

Sitting on the top deck (the enclosed portion with air conditioning), we gazed out the large windows to enjoy breathtaking scenes of the mountains as we traveled down the lake.  The captain recounted legends and lore of this section of mountain and pointed out various wildlife as they popped into view. 

Small snacks were served on board, but there was a take-out window on the dock where you could order food to bring along with you on the boat.  And although we did see some smaller boats wiz by, our nature cruise was very peaceful and quiet.  This is a must-do if you are in the area!

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Bearizona Wildlife Park!

Posted on February 7, 2022 by Janette

For those of you who love to see animals in the wild, you will love a trip to Williams, Arizona, where you can drive through the Bearizona Wildlife Park. 

As I have already seen the Grand Canyon, and the Capitol building in Phoenix, this was a nice adventure.  Visitors can drive through sections of the park to get up-close and personal with dozens of bears at feeding time. 

There is also an area where you can freely walk around the enclosures of various animal dens, and to get refreshed after a long, hot day, visitors can enjoy a delicious meal at Canyonland Restaurant. 

Not to mention, the gift shop is pretty amazing…worth taking a turn to walk around if I do say so myself! This was a fantastic day trip to a place I had never heard about, but it was definitely worth the journey.

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Baldwin’s Book Barn

Posted on January 3, 2022 by Janette

http://www.bookbarn.com

Just seven miles away from Longwood Gardens sits Baldwin’s Book Barn, which boasts a collection of over 200,000 books.  Originally, when I heard about the book “barn,” I didn’t think about a building so large that you need a detailed map to navigate the four floors. 

However, the map was much needed if you want to see every inch for yourself.  There are narrow staircases, low ceilings, and books located around every nook and cranny and under every staircase. 

Even the décor is book-themed!  This was an awesome place to kill a few hours.  If you enjoy being emersed in literature of all types, this place is worth checking out for sure.  The next time you are in West Chester, PA, stop in.  The book barn is open every day from 10:00am to 6:00pm except for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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