Good stopping point on PA TP between Lakewood & Cleveland

OOTBubby

Thu, Mar 19 2015, 8:25 pm

Some of my kids are driving from Lakewood to Cleveland for Pesach. They'll be taking the Pennsylvania Turnpike. They're looking for a good idea of a stopping point with stuff for the kids to do around half way through the trip. They have kids aged 7,6,4,3, infant. Ideally indoors as we can't count on the weather. Anyone have a suggestion? Also shouldn't be more than 20-25 minutes travel off the road in each direction.

OOTBubby

Thu, Mar 19 2015, 8:40 pm

sky wrote:

I remember someone told me they once did the Hershey Factory.

Thanks, but, unfortunately, it is far from mid-point-- just a couple of hours out of Lakewood.

greenfire

Thu, Mar 19 2015, 9:18 pm

last year there was a group from cleveland who did a barbeque with mincha off I-80 for travelers before pesach ... all proceeds went to matan b'sayser [I think]

I've been trying to see if & when they are doing the same thing this year ...

doctorima

Thu, Mar 19 2015, 10:51 pm

There aren't so many major towns they'll pass through. Pittsburgh is the best, though it's more than halfway. The science museum there is phenomenal. They won't be too far from Lancaster and could go for a train ride there if they're running. Harrisburg is about halfway and should have some options as well.

greenfire

Thu, Mar 19 2015, 11:45 pm

http://reptiland.com/index.php.....imes/

this is one of the places we've stopped by ... my kids have good memories from there

you would have to switch from I-76 to I-80 but personally 80 has better rest stops along the way for eating, gassing up & bathrooms

nylon

Fri, Mar 20 2015, 12:16 am

Lancaster/Harrisburg/Hershey is all the same area. Lancaster is also a bit of a trek from 76. However it's more like 3hrs from Lakewood, not 2. Hershey is nearly 2hrs from Philadelphia. If it's this time of year that whole area will be quiet. Summer is the tourist season.

I would do something in Pittsburgh though it's more than halfway. Both the science center and children's museum are excellent and the kids are really the perfect age for the latter rather than the former. Reptiland is fun but out of the way. I prefer 76 to 80--80 has no rest areas and you need to get off the highway for everything.

There is really nothing between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg.

greenfire

Fri, Mar 20 2015, 12:27 am

nylon wrote:

I prefer 76 to 80--80 has no rest areas and you need to get off the highway for everything.

quite the opposite ... not only that but I-76 has tolls with no bathrooms to stop at ... I-80 has easy pull off/pull on rest stops all along the highway there are also plenty of truck stops with bathrooms/coffee/gas ... if you know the right exits you can even find a walmart or 2 ... and some scenic places for a picnic - again if you have the exits planned out

nylon

Fri, Mar 20 2015, 8:47 am

All the rest areas on the Turnpike have bathrooms, a mini mart, and fast food. They are in the process of refurbishing them all. (I travel on it regularly)

The tolls are not cheap but the other consequence of the tolls is that all the trucks use I-80 to bypass them.

greenfire

Fri, Mar 20 2015, 9:12 am

according to google - there's construction along most of I-76 ... even if rest areas have changed over the years

we travel through I-80 it's much more convenient

in the case of the OP's travelers especially, because they are trying to have a nice stop along the way

OOTBubby

Fri, Mar 20 2015, 10:04 am

Thanks everyone. I did a lot of googling last night and it looks it might be better to have them take I-80 then the turnpike. It seems there may be some attractions in State College, PA that might be of interest. Does anyone know anything about the Children's Science Museum or the Reptile Museum near there?

greenfire

Fri, Mar 20 2015, 1:41 pm

OOTBubby wrote:

the one I posted above or a different one ?

http://reptiland.com/index.php.....showtimes/

OOTBubby

Fri, Mar 20 2015, 1:42 pm

greenfire wrote:

the one I posted above or a different one ?

http://reptiland.com/index.php.....showtimes/

Looks like the same one. Is it appropriate for young kids or is it something scary?

nylon

Fri, Mar 20 2015, 2:19 pm

Very appropriate, my kids have been there. I have not been to the children's museum in State College but I think it's small. Do bring food because aside from anything packaged you can buy in the store, there won't be anything (I have been to State College for a conference)

OOTBubby

Fri, Mar 20 2015, 3:15 pm

gibberish wrote:

There is also a small BWP bat factory that is right off the I-80 in Pennsylvania

All of the kids are girls except for one so I don't think this will would be a big hit (no pun intended) with them. Thanks.

greenfire

Fri, Mar 20 2015, 3:30 pm

my grown kids still talk fondly of the reptile place ... we had fun

as for the bat factory - was more like a scary nightmare because the entire place seemed deserted and we thought we were in a 'children of the corn' field ... so we ran for our lives

OOTBubby

Wed, Mar 25 2015, 6:45 pm

greenfire wrote:

http://www.localjewishnews.com/2015/03/23/interstate-80-travellers-bbq-at-exit-173/

Thanks so much! I'll pass the info on. In the past was it only on 1 day or more than 1? And who sponsors it?

sky

Wed, Mar 25 2015, 7:51 pm

This isn't for now. but if they do the drive ever in the summer I've heard of people stopping her. (its not open now).

http://www.knoebels.com/

Its a religious park so I was told that visitors dress very decently even in the summer.