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 As locals know, Pittsburgh's latest incarnation, clean and green, pulls its rivers, hills and past into a handsome present. (© Albert Vecerka - Esto)
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Sea glass collecting -- gathering sea-smoothed pieces of old broken glass -- was once considered an arcane hobby. Now it's becoming a national obsession, and will be celebrated Oct. 17 and 18 at the fourth annual North American Sea Glass Festival in Erie, Pa.
Pennsylvania
Ridge Soaring Gliderport in Julian, Pa., lets visitors view the fall foliage from 2,000 feet in the air ... in a two-person plane with no engine.
Escapes
On the right: a deep, Swiss-style farm valley encircled by high peaks. On the left: sheer rock. Overhead: a sulfurous storm cloud. Behind us: the nearest town, six miles back. Up ahead: the gloomy entrance of the Big Savage tunnel.
Travel Q& A
Find advice on visiting the Canary Islands and sightseeing on a road trip to Michigan.
During our online chat (most Mondays at 2 p.m.), you ask your travel questions and we answer them -- mostly. Here's one we couldn't get to last week.
For people who love red-sauce Italian cooking, any day is a good day to visit Pittston. But every adventurous eater should know about the Tomato Festival: four days of celebrating red sauce, small-town America and the tomato itself with contests, pageants, concerts, a parade, a Sauce Wars cooking competition and an organized tomato fight.
President James Buchanan, who served on the brink of the Civil War, is consistently ranked as one of the worst U.S. presidents. The reviled leader found sanctuary at Wheatland, a beautiful and stately Federal Revival mansion in Lancaster, Pa.
Starwood Hotels and Resorts' new hotel brand, Aloft, is targeting tech-savvy travelers with DJ nights, a pool table, board games, specialty cocktails, flat-screen TVs and iPod, PlayStation and computer connectivity units.
Escapes
"I was about 8 years old, and it seemed kind of bizarre," remembered Kathy Nicholson Paulmier, 48, a teacher at Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia.
Previous Pennsylvania Travel Stories
Philadelphia's haunted prison isn't a hard sell (Post, October 28, 2009)
ESCAPES KEYS: Where to go, what to do in Philadelphia (Post, October 28, 2009)
RoadTrip York and Lancaster Counties, Pa.: More Than Landscapes on the Pennsylvania Arts Experience Trails (Post, October 18, 2009)
Philadelphia: A 'Wild' Experience for Little Ones (Post, October 7, 2009)
What's the Deal?: What's the Deal: The Week's Best Travel Bargains Around the Globe, by Land, Sea and Air (Post, September 13, 2009)
travel q& a: Travel Q&A: Where to Find a Royal Dinner, How to Enter Prince Edward Island (Post, August 30, 2009)
Road Trip: Maryland State Fair (Post, August 16, 2009)
Postcard From Tom: Philadelphia (Post, May 20, 2009)
Pennies Become Souvenirs When Put Through a Press: Under Pressure, a Plain Old Penny Can Become Something to Remember (Post, May 17, 2009)
Mural, Exhibit, Sixth Street Honor Philadelphia's Black Roots (Post, March 25, 2009)
Lititz, Pa., Wolf Sanctuary Offers Moonlit Tours (Post, March 22, 2009)
Give History a Workout (Post, March 11, 2009)
The Sweet Science (Post, March 8, 2009)
Winter Delights in Philadelphia (Post, March 4, 2009)
Following the Path of Runaway Slaves in Southern Pennsylvania (Post, February 25, 2009)
Look Up Updike (Post, February 22, 2009)
Toboggan Slide and More in Pennsylvania (Post, February 11, 2009)
How to Have a Great Time Without Going Very Far (Post, February 1, 2009)
QVC Tours Draw Shoppers to West Chester, Pa. (Post, January 28, 2009)
Upgrade to First Class (Post, December 28, 2008)
Finding Christmas Cheer in Bethlehem, Pa. (Post, December 17, 2008)
Color Them Entertained at Crayola Factory (Post, December 3, 2008)
Philadelphia Thinks Big: Museum's New Home Gives Kids Room to Imagine (Post, November 12, 2008)
In Philadelphia, a Warrior at Peace: The First Marine Had Quaker Roots (Post, November 5, 2008)
Market Is Central to Lancaster's Charm (Post, October 19, 2008)
Fall Fest Lights A City: Pittsburgh Goes Artfully Offbeat (Post, October 15, 2008)
Vroom, Vroom: Pa. Harley Tour Gets Motors Running (Post, September 24, 2008)
Grandeur, Quaint Charms Mix in Pa. (Post, September 10, 2008)
Harrisburg Turns On The Lights: Lively Night Scene Helps Pa. Capital Brighten Up (Post, August 20, 2008)
British Roots in The Forests of Pa.: Ligonier: Where the Union Jack Still Flies and the Past Is Ever Present (Post, August 6, 2008)
Two Inns, One Weekend -- at the Very Minimum (Post, July 2, 2008)
In Pennsylvania, the Morel the Merrier (Post, May 4, 2008)
Always on a Sunday: How to Make The Most of a Weekend in Pa.'s Amish Country (Post, April 16, 2008)
In Pa., a Museum That Hits Just the Right Notes (Post, April 9, 2008)
Three Wrights Don't Make a Wrong: In Pa., you can sample a trio of the master's works in a day -- and it's quite a rush. (Post, March 19, 2008)
Philly's Best Sub? (Post, March 9, 2008)
The Nyuk Stops Here: A museum celebrating the Stooges? It's better than a poke in the eye. (Post, February 27, 2008)
Spring Under Glass (Post, February 6, 2008)
TRAINS: Ride the Rails, With or Without Your Car (Post, February 3, 2008)
WEEKEND GETAWAYS: Great (Close) Escapes (Post, February 3, 2008)
February Madness: A Basketball Fan Finds Plenty to Cheer About in Philadelphia (Post, January 30, 2008)
She's Hooked on . . . Taxidermy?: No Guts, No Gory in A Pennsylvania Studio (Post, January 9, 2008)
Really? You Don't Look a Day Over 299 . . .: For Annapolis and others, 2008 is a milestone year. Here's how to get in on the celebrations. (Post, December 26, 2007)
Away in a Manger: At a Pennsylvania Farm B&B, the Moo the Merrier (Post, December 16, 2007)
Foam for the Holidays: A Pre-Thanksgiving Look at What's Brewing in Pottsville, Pa. (Post, November 21, 2007)
'Anatomy of a Nightmare': The Readers Respond (Post, November 18, 2007)
Breezewood: It's a Wonderful Interchange. Really. (Post, November 14, 2007)
Philadelphia (Post, October 7, 2007)
Scranton, Making All the Dwight Moves: In the Pa. City, Every Day Is Now an 'Office' Party (Post, September 26, 2007)
Springs Awakening (Post, August 29, 2007)
Philly Park: They Got the Slots Right Here . . . (Post, August 22, 2007)
A Big Wet Kiss (Post, August 8, 2007)
A Fine Spot for Spring Training: Railroad Fans Stay Ahead Of the Curve in Altoona, Pa. (Post, May 2, 2007)
SMART MOUTH: Nosh Around the Clock (Post, April 15, 2007)
A Cook's Tour In Amish Country: At Harvest Moon B&B, The ABCs of Fine Cuisine (Post, April 4, 2007)
Divan Intervention: Why pay for a hostel? With CouchSurfing, you can find a bed -- or at least a sofa -- for free. (Post, March 11, 2007)
ON EXHIBIT: A Pharaoh Escape (Post, February 18, 2007)
A Fine Line: Between Gettysburg, Pa., And Emmitsburg, Md., Mason and Dixon Still Draw Subtle Distinctions (Post, February 14, 2007)
Isn't It Romantic? (Post, February 7, 2007)
Taking the Train (Post, February 4, 2007)
You? Tube?: Slip. Slide. Repeat. Tube parks are getting more than kids pumped up. (Post, January 31, 2007)
Well, Well: Wellness spa treatments are a hot travel trend. But do they work? Therein lies the rub. (Post, January 7, 2007)
Ready to End It All?: For Folks Willing to Take a Road Trip, There's a Variety Of New Year's Eve Celebrations Around the Region (Post, December 27, 2006)
ESCAPES: Going Out in . . . Philly (Post, December 20, 2006)
The Buck Stopped Here: The Author and Humanitarian Found Her Own Good Earth on a Pa. Farm (Post, November 15, 2006)
THANKSGIVING DAY PARADES 101: Who Needs Macy's? (Post, November 12, 2006)
Pittsburgh Resurrected (Post, October 29, 2006)
Frightful Fall Getaways: This Is the Time of Year for a Frightful Fall Getaway (Post, October 25, 2006)
FRIGHTFESTS 101: Do the Monster Bash (Post, October 22, 2006)
Bridge Out. Way Out.: In Pa., an Old Game Makes a Bid for the Hip Set (Post, October 18, 2006)
FILE THIS: Take Your Peak: A Guide to Fall Foliage on the East Coast (Post, September 24, 2006)
Not Just Outlet Malls: A Former Safety Goggle Factory Puts Pa. City on Arts Map (Post, July 19, 2006)
RAYSTOWN LAKE, PA.: Into the Deep (Post, May 28, 2006)
10 MORE GETAWAYS: Point the Car in a New Direction (Post, May 28, 2006)
ESCAPES: An Epic Weekend (Post, May 17, 2006)
Wood That Could: Near Philly, Two Master Craftsmen Homes Will Shiver Your Timbers (Post, May 3, 2006)
At Philly's Barnes, The Art of Location (Post, April 12, 2006)
YOUR VACATION IN LIGHTS: Hershey's Sugar High (Post, March 26, 2006)
Burg in Gettysburg: Iconic Civil War City Seeks to Lure Battlefield Tourists Downtown (Post, March 22, 2006)
ESCAPES: Junk Food Trail (Post, March 8, 2006)
Hostel Sleepover: With a mix of ages and nationalities, the least expensive lodging can also be the most fun. (Post, February 8, 2006)
Out of the Shadow (Post, February 1, 2006)
ESCAPES: No Frills, Big Spills (Post, January 11, 2006)
New Year, Memories (Post, January 1, 2006)
It's Mummer Time: On New Year's Day, the Real Philly Party Begins After the Parade (Post, December 28, 2005)
Another Football Weekend? I'll Pass (Post, November 2, 2005)
Scream Parks: For Halloween, Amusement Parks Pull Out All the Shocks (Post, October 26, 2005)
Reel Simple: At a Pennsylvania Trout Farm, Kids Get Hooked on Fishing (Post, October 19, 2005)
Wall Fresco: Philly Claims the Most Outdoor Murals of Any City in the World. Here's How to See Them. (Post, October 5, 2005)
Room With A Choo: In Pennsylvania, a B& B for Rail Fans (Post, September 28, 2005)
Live Around Here?: Then you're one lucky weekender. Washington abounds in great Escapes. (Post, September 25, 2005)
The Near Side: Regional Events for Now or Later (Post, September 18, 2005)
Talon Show: On a Pa. Mountain, an Annual Spectacle of Raptors (Post, September 14, 2005)
The Pa. Turnbike: Cyclists Have Turned an Old Stretch of Highway Into Their Own Turf (Post, August 17, 2005)
Ye Don't Say: This Summer, Philly Talks Up Its Storied Past (Post, July 20, 2005)
Raising the Bar: Pennsylvania's Hersheypark Has a Flavor All Its Own (Post, July 6, 2005)
DETAILS Fishing in Pittsburgh (Post, June 19, 2005)
Pittsburgh: Hooked on Bass (Post, June 19, 2005)
The Near Side: Regional events for now or later. (Post, June 12, 2005)
The Near Side: Regional events for now or later. (Post, May 8, 2005)
Keystone Confidential (Post, May 4, 2005)
Man of the House: In Pennsylvania, Wright's Fallingwater is as much about the builder as the building. (Post, April 20, 2005)
Go Take a Pike: After two centuries of traffic, from carts to Cadillacs, the National Road still moves us. (Post, November 10, 2004)
on exhibit: In Philadelphia, Dallying With Dali (Post, February 20, 2005)
Room With a Clue: At a Pennsylvania inn's murder mystery weekend, they're knockin' 'em dead. (Post, February 2, 2005)
10 Things to Do in . . . Philadelphia (Post, January 5, 2005)
A Place Called New Hope: From Dicey to Pricey, a Pennsylvania River Town Just Keeps Rolling Along (Post, December 8, 2004)
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