Dutch Country Roads, Lehigh Valley, and UpstatePA
Shutterbugs
Smile and say Pennsylvania
Duration: Two days and two nights
Places like this part of the state are loaded with photo opportunities. The kind of shots that you post in your office or your Facebook page, and your friends say things like "Whoa, where did you go?" Here, that's where. This is the dramatic end of the state with the unfettered valleys and imposing mountains that practically pose for a camera and say cheese. We'll show you the Poconos, their very photogenic neighbor, Kempton, and the mountaintops, rugged trails and historic towns along the way. So break out the tripod, do some index finger stretches, and get ready for some sky blue skies, furry critters and sprawling valleys for as far as the eye, or 10x zoom lens, can see.
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Blue Marsh Lake (Leesport)
The earlier you get to Blue Marsh Lake, the better – it's an outdoor haven for nature-oriented activities. Find the best subjects in the early morning or wait until evening, and try a few different base camps to vary your shots: a few from the trails, some along the lake shore, and others right out on the lake in a canoe or motorboat (there's a nice rental place nearby). From spring through the summer you'll catch osprey, great blue heron and egrets as they call Blue Marsh home for the season. Once you've filled up a few memory sticks, head back into Leesport for a quick lunch at Ozzie's Cafe, just off Leesport Road. Then it's off you go to the pinnacle of Pennsylvania beauty, (literally).
The Pinnacle (Kempton)
Head 35 minutes north to the justly named Pinnacle, the highest point in Berks County. It's also the state's best-known vista loop hike. You can access the entrance on Hawk Mountain Road, part of the Appalachian Trail. Get your camera ready for dramatic bare rock and cliffs, incredible views from the north, east and south and if you're lucky, Turkey Vultures that soar in the thermals and rat snakes that bask on the sun-warmed rocks. Round trip for the hike is about three and a half hours.
Eat Here
Deitsch Eck Restaurant (Lenhartsville)
Deitsch Eck (Dutch Corner) is a family-operated restaurant, serving heaping portions of PA Dutch food. Get ready for staples like fritters, chowchow and chicken pot pie. And don't forget the pickled beets.
Sleep Here
Hawk Mountain Bed & Breakfast (Kempton)
There are countless luxury hotels, inns and B&Bs in the area, and this is one of the most charming. Located in Pennsylvania's scenic Blue Mountain valley, a lodge that combines the finest European bed and breakfast tradition with American comfort.
Hawk Mountain (Kempton)
After your pancakes and eggs from the lodge, it's time to prop up that tripod and get your zoom lens in focus because this is birds-of-prey country. In fact, it's the world's first refuge for them, with hawks, vultures, falcons and eagles majestically swooping over the broad, unfettered vistas over the ridge, looking for ... snacks. On arrival, check the Wings of Wonder exhibit in the Visitors Center to see life-sized carved replicas of the 16 raptor species, then grab a flight guide in the bookstore so you can figure out which bird is which. Keep in mind the famed raptor migration begins mid-August. So pay your trail fee, and get that F-stop ready for some serious postcard picture taking.
The Town of Nazareth
This is as good a place as any to get out and stretch your legs. Better than good actually - the town is at the foot of the imposing Blue Mountain, which seems to be whispering to you, "Stay awhile." Stroll along the tree-lined streets, get a lemonade or espresso and sit a spell on one of the many shaded park benches. It's the stuff songs are made of - good thing the famous Martin Guitar Company is in town. It's also the home of the Mario Andretti racing family, but don't let the speeding go to your head. Nazareth is all about slowing down and enjoying the scenery.
Big Pocono State Park (Tannersville)
Later in the afternoon, enjoy the magnificent views and picturesque places along the seventy-mile route to Tobyhanna in Pennsylvania's hill country. Here you'll find Big Pocono State Park and the summit at Camelback Mountain. The North and South Trails offer a 600-ft elevation change in under a mile and you'll be able to treat yourself to a gorgeous tri-state view: Eastern PA, New York and New Jersey. Up there you'll also find a unique scrub oak shrubland forest, where all trees have been wind-dwarfed down to 20 feet or shorter, and host all kinds of photo-worthy greenery like mountain laurel (our state flower!), blueberry and a nice cool rhododendron glen.
Eat Here
Barley Creek Brewing Company (Tannersville)
Barley Creek Brewing Company is the Pocono Mountain's original brewpub, and is home to over 600 personalized beer mugs and an official wiffle ball stadium. Plus, they have a brewery, where you can actually make your own beer. Not that you'll have time for brewing your own, with all the eating to be done. You can't go wrong with the burgers here. But go ahead and try the special shepherd's pie; it's as hearty and tasty as they come.
Sleep Here
Inn at Pocono Manor (Pocono Manor)
This inn is on the National Registry of Historic Places and has welcomed guests since 1902. This resort is located on over 3,000 acres with indoor and outdoor pools, state-of-the-art spa and Manor Sports Lodge where you can fish, ski and clay shoot.
