When is the last time you took a road trip? Over the summer I decided that it was finally time to take a road trip to Niagara Falls, a 7 ½ hour drive primarily through Pennsylvania and into western New York. The trip was somewhat of a last minute idea with my youngest daughter, and I knew that it would also be a great opportunity to explore some new places along the way. With the help of the Roadtrippers trip planning tool, I was able to easily find several cool attractions including two state parks to explore and help break up our drive on both legs of the trip. We didn’t have time to check out everything that was on my list, but we did enjoy these 4 interesting places to stop on the way from the Northern Virginia area to Niagara Falls. And if you are looking for road trip itineraries and tips, check out other posts, including 5 Delicious Stops on the Road in Coastal Connecticut.
*This post was updated September, 2024 *This post contains affiliate links; if you purchase something familyTravelsUSA may receive a small commission. As always, opinions are my own. Corning Museum of Glass
When people hear about the Corning Museum of Glass, many think about the Pyrex dishes and those Corning glasses that we all had in our kitchen growing up! But this popular museum is not to be missed if you are traveling through the scenic Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. We arrived at the museum late in the day, taking advantage of the fact that the museum stayed open later during the summer. That gave us time to explore several of the galleries without crowds, and still have time to sign up for a bead-making session, where we learned the basics of flameworking. With centuries of colorful glass art on display, along with the state-of-the-art Innovation Center showcasing years of innovations in glass, it’s a very cool place where visitors can easily spend several hours exploring. And did I mention kids 17 and under are free? Be sure to stop by Aniello’s Pizzeria for some pizza or pasta while you are in town. We had a chance to stop for pizza on a recent trip and were happy to see the restaurant is still quite popular!
Take along this Hydro Flask Travel Tumbler on your next road trip!
Letchworth State Park
Visitors to the Finger Lakes region will find some truly gorgeous state parks, including the popular Watkins Glen State Park and Letchworth State Park. It was a tough choice to pick one of the parks to visit on our road trip, but I decided that Letchworth, sometimes known as the Grand Canyon of the East, might be less crowded and it was closer to our route to Niagara. Our visit was after a substantial period of rain, so the falls were rushing, but that also meant that the Genesee River roaring through the gorge was a muddy brown color. The park is home to 66 miles of hiking trails, and it was easy for us to see the upper, middle and lower falls during our short visit. Visitors will find year round activities, and I’m sure it would be beautiful to visit to see the fall colors, and to enjoy winter activities such as snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. It’s always recommended to check for the latest updates on the state park websites or on social media.
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Kinzua Bridge State Park
On our return trip, we took a route that meandered through western Pennsylvania on Route 219S, specifically so that we could make a pit stop at the unique Kinzua Bridge State Park and see the Kinzua Viaduct*. Once considered the tallest and longest railroad structure, destruction from a tornado in 2003 partially destroyed the bridge. This was another spot I found on Roadtrippers, and as we were driving through the backroads to get there, I was starting to wonder whether it was worth the time. When we arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to find a beautiful visitors center which train lovers would definitely appreciate. It was a perfect blue sky day, and the view from the skywalk was spectacular. Two cool things to see are the 11 bridge towers that were blown down by a tornado in 2003 still laying scattered on the ground in the valley, along with a glass floor at the end of the skywalk which lets you see beneath the structure while standing 225 feet above the ground. There’s also a short trail to the Picture Taking Platform for a unique perspective.
*A construction project on the Skywalk will begin in late 2024 that will lead to closures of the Kinzua Bridge Skywalk in addition to the Kinzua Creek Trail. Check the website for updates before you plan a visit.
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We certainly couldn’t stop at all the attractions on the way, but here’s a few more to consider. The World of Little League Museum, just off the highway in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, looks like an interesting place for young baseball fans. And the Shark Girl statue in Buffalo, with her blue dress and shark head, is definitely an Instagram moment waiting to happen. Finally, keep your eyes out for the 25 foot tall “Statue of Liberty” on the Susquehanna River near Dauphin. It was so unexpected I didn’t have time to grab a picture! Where’s your next road trip?
Be sure to read 6 Helpful Tips for a First Visit to Niagara Falls.
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