I'll be spending a week in Bedford next week and besides attacking Altoona for a drink or 10, what's there to do or see? I'll be there for work but can squeeze time to get out and enjoy whatever it is that's on offer... Cheers, Caleb.
hmmmm gooooooood luck pretty rural round those parts to me atleast .im from pittsburgh about an hour and a half away
Let's see. Fort Ligionier, The flight 93 memorial, Frank Llyod Wright's "Fallingwater" are all in that part of Pennslyvania.
Yeah, You're kind of in the middle of nothin' there, but within a couple of hours east you can be at the AACA museum in Hershey, at the Harley Davidson plant and museum in York, in Amish country in Lancaster (Pennsylvania Railroad Museum, TCA Museum- very good toy train mueum, and the Strasburg Railroad- steam railway), or go west and get into Pittsburgh. Have fun, Bill
If you are into photography, there is alot of photo opportunities in that area.. I live about 45 mins from there and my fiance is from Breezewood which is about 10 miles or so from Bedford.. Aside from driving around and looking at all the old buildings and stuff, there really isnt anything to do in Bedford. When you are in Altoona, hit up the Knickerbocker bar.. Its a turn of the century place that has about 200 different beers and its fully decorated inside with antiques and old pictures from around the area. Another place to check out in the Altoona area is the Railroad Museum, Bakers Mansion(which is supposedly haunted) and the Horseshoe Curve.
Ask the locals about "gravity hill". Real close to Bedford. Very interesting place. It's a hill [slight grade] on a rural road where everything rolls uphill, including your car. Take a soccer or basketball with you and see for yourself. Also Flight 93 memorial, and the Quecreek mine rescue site.
Thanks for the tips so far. I'll be heading back during the summer and taking the time to explore further afield. Looks like I may just head out Altoona way and see if I can find that Russian underground bar I got locked in a few years back...
I live in Somerset pa which is about an hour away and we have 2 decent ski resorts nearby..fair sized resorts with a bunch of different activities in additon to skiiing. In Bedford there is a neat old resort called the bedford springs... It is an OLD resort, a lot of historical people stayed there and they recently restored it. The jean bonet tavern is also near bedford and is a pretty neat place with alot of history. Somerset has a lot of live bands in diferent bars on the weekends as well as at the resorts (I would know since my band plays out a lot at the different places in the area). If you are into natural stuff there are some really nice hiking trails, some with overnight camping shelters with firewood already cut and stacked...just pay 3 bucks a night..I have camped there in zero degree weather before....I had a BIG fire in the firepace though..... whitewater rafting and the like. are nearby and pretty fun but it is probally too cold to even thinkabout it now. There are also a lot of placed to rock climb as well as 4 wheel if you want a risk killing your rental car/truck!!! There are some caverins in the area as well as a lot of historical locations form the french and indian war.. fort ligonier, fort necesity, fort bedford, jumonsville glenn etc etc. As well as a bunch of old Iron furnaces out in the woods from the civil war era. If you need anymore info or help just shoot me a PM and I'll give you me number.
The railroad museum in Altoona is very good and Horseshoe Curve-world famous engineering feat- is close by. Fallingwater is fabulous. If you have a vehicle-go to the Gettysburg Civil War site-fantastic. There was a great museum out that way for cars-the Swigart Museum, but this fall they started to break up the collection so I am not sure if it's still there-check it out online. It was started in the 20's when the cars weren't antiques but greedy heirs have done it in.
I didn't even think that place exsisted, I thought it was all a dream. Anyway, long story short I spent a wknd out there at a friends parents motel, Judy's Motel I wanna say? Real cozy joint. But if you really want a tour, talk to the owner, Bill. He's an alright guy, but very local. There's actually some cool stuff out there. He knows it all. In the middle of town there's a real old Gulf Station that you should def check out, and its sill in service. Here's a "photoshoot" shot from the station.
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