"I have disliked Pittsburgh ever since my early graduate school days at Carnegie Mellon"
Aye, there's the rub.
"where is the beach?
how many 100's of miles to any resort areas?
where are the skiing mountains?"
Here are a few choices...............
Less than 45 minutes from downtown Pittsburgh...........
Moraine State Park features 3,225-acre Lake Arthur, an outstanding warm water fishery that is also great for sailing and boating. Visitors sometimes see osprey that were reintroduced to the park. Of special interest is the Frank Preston Conservation Area and a 7-mile paved bike trail that winds around the north shore of the lake.
Swimming: Swimming is permitted at two beaches along the shore of Lake Arthur. The Pleasant Valley Day Beach on the South Shore is a 1,200-foot turf and sand beach. Lakeview Beach on the North Shore is a 550-foot sand beach. Weather permitting, lifeguards are on duty daily from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day. Showers, changing facilities and food concessions are available at both beaches. To keep these areas clean and safe, pets are not allowed in the beaches.
dcnr.state.pa.us
And Lake Erie is about 2 hours away with numerous beaches, swimming, fishing, boating, camping & other recreational activities. You may have beaches closer to Boston, but few within 2 hrs drive that compare with Lake Erie's Presque Isle. Cape Cod may be closer in miles, but not in travel time. And Cape Cod is quite restricted in many places. To actually get to public facilities, it will take 2 or more hrs to get ther from downtown Boston(approx 70 miles from downtown Boston to Kalmus Park in Barnstable (Hyannis), one of the closest public beaches).
Skiing near Pittsburgh
Hidden Valley (less than 2 hrs)
Hidden Valley is a year-round family resort located in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania. Our 2,000 acre property is open to the public and residents, and features skiing in wintertime and golf in warmer months. Other resort amenities include restaurants, a conference center, wedding facilities, overnight lodging, and a sports club. Additional recreational opportunities abound, such as mountain biking on our extensive trail system, swimming, and tennis.
The surrounding area offers so many activities for residents and guests at Hidden Valley. For nature lovers, there are several parks nearby, including Kooser State Park, Powdermill Nature Preserve, and Bear Run Preserve. These include two rare old growth forests and offer extensive trail systems for hikers and birders.
For sports enthusiasts, local highlights include the Youghigheny Bike Trail, including the 1,000 foot Meyersdale viaduct. There is easy canoeing and kayaking on the middle Youghigheny at Confluence, and more challenging rafting below Ohiopyle, both some of the best whitewater in the Eastern USA!
hiddenvalleyresort.com
Area Attractions A complete list of all area attractions
pittsburgh.com
Pittsburgh Pro and College Sports
• Penguins
• Pirates
• Steelers
• Univ. of Pittsburgh
• Pro Golf
• Pro Tennis
Pittsburgh Recreation Guides
• Biking
• City Parks
• White Water Rafting
• Golf
• State Parks
• Horseback Riding
• Disc Golf
• County Parks
• Hiking
pittsburgh.com
Biking in Pittsburgh
Guide picks
Bicycling is a recreational sport that is taken very seriously in Pittsburgh. No matter what type of rider you are, from beginner to expert, you can find the right organizations, trails, shops, etc. for you.
Rails to Trails in Pennsylvania
The perfect close-to-home recreation opportunity for families, walkers, bikers, and runners, Pennsylvania's Rails to Trails program is a network of trails connecting our cities, towns and countryside.
pittsburgh.about.com
Boating
Guide picks
Information on Pennsylvania boating regulations, how to register a boat in PA, river conditions, boating safety and water rescue classes, rowing, crew, whitewater, and the PA boating handbook.
Powerboating
Information on powerboat safety, racing, freebies and more. Guide Ingrid Stamatson navigates you through the treacherous water of power boating on the Net.
Rowing/Crew/Whitewater
Water sports are big in Pittsburgh due to the easy accessibility of the city's three rivers. Join in the fun with these rowing organizations, events, and information about rowing, crewing, and whitewater paddling/kayaking in the Pittsburgh area.
pittsburgh.about.com
So there :-\ |
