So we decided to visit an old auntie in Pittsburgh and unbeknownst to us, it's PARENT's Weekend. Accomodations in the Univ. area where she lives, are slim pickings, but I booked a"studio" room at the Courtyard by Marriott. We're in Pitts. for 3 full days and I'm sure the family will keep us very busy. Suggestions are welcome.
We're leaving there on Sunday heading towards Lancaster or??? on our way to visit friends in Hershey. I don't know where to stop, stay and enjoy. We like a really comfortable room in a good place, I'm sure we'll be ready for a king bed after 4 nights in a queen! Suggestions for interesting or popular hotels/b&B's are welcome. We'll have a room in our friends home on the 8th but if we have lots to see and do we'll arrive on the 9th. We'll spend one night there and maybe drive to Philly for two nights. I'm waiting to hear if I was able to score tickets to the Barnes Foundation, otherwise we'll play tourist and see the major Philly attractions.We fly home on the evening of the 12th.
DH loves photography, so a trip to Longwood Gardens is on the agenda. I'm also thinking of Ephrata too. He's a history buff so Valley Forge and maybe Gettysburg? What are your thoughts here?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

If your husband is a photography buff, you two might want to stop in Harrisburg. There's a local site--www.beyondsecond.com--that's devoted to photography in Harrisburg. I've got a page there at http://www.beyondsecond.com/artists/?id=91 .

To be a bit more specific. the Susquehanna River can keep a photographer busy. There are some 7 bridges that cross the river, and a guy can keep busy filling a card. It's worth a shot (or a dozen, or more) as it were...

> He's a history buff
> so Valley Forge and maybe Gettysburg?

Philly has more history than any city in the U.S. (except MAYBE Boston), so you should have no problem filling up the three days, even if you don't get to the Barnes.

Gettysburg, if you've not been, is a MUST for American history buffs; it's the largest battle fought in North America and one of the costliest battles in American history.

Be aware that nothing happened at Valley Forge beyond what DIDN'T happen -- the Continental Army didn't disintegrate -- so you might not find a lot of interesting things to see on a truly historical basis. It's value is purely symbolic of endurance under suffering; despite the fact that the Continentals suffered worse at Morristown. So, if it's a choice between VF and GB, choice the latter by far.

For your weekend in Pittsburgh, I would highly recommend the Chihuly Exhibit at the Phipps Conservatory. I have seen exhibits by Dale Chihuly in other museums and he is a fantastic glass artist! My daughter saw the exhibit at the Phipps a couple weeks ago and was blown away by it. I'll be up there to visit her next month (no, not Parents' Weekend!) and I hope to see the Chihuly Exhibit for myself.

Since you will be in Pittsburgh, one might consider the Frank Lloyd Wright home--Fallingwater. It is definitely 45 minutes out of the way on your route from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg. You might need advance reservations to tour, but it is definitely worthwhile to visit.

Lancaster is east of Hershey, so you will want to stop there en route to Philly. If you are looking for photo ops, take Route 30. But try to go off Route 30 to places like Intercourse where you can still see some pretty farmland with the Amish working the fields. Such scenes, however, are becoming more rare as land has been developing. I would also make time for some good Pennsylvania Dutch cooking at places like Miller's Buffet or Good and Plenty restaurant.

As for hotel rooms in Hershey, it is definitely low tourist season. It might be pricey, but check out the Hotel Hershey. It certainly one of the prettiest hotels in America. It sits on a hilltop surrounded by manicured gardens. The Circular Dining Room is a favorite special occasion restaurant in the area. Of course, chocolate rules in the restaurant and at their famous spa. Milton Hershey, one of the 20th century's great philanthropists, built the place during the Great Depression to help alleviate unemployment in the area. The interior is features a Spanish style courtyard, similar to Milton Hershey's home in Cuba. Cuba was an important sugar producer.

Gettysburg is a beautiful place to visit. Its about 45 minutes from Hershey. The visitor center is a great place to get a guide to the battlefield. Also, you can visit President Eisenhower's farm and get tickets for a tour of it at the Visitor's Center. Of historical interest was when Eisenhower took Nikita Kruschev during critical peace talks with the Soviet Union. As for accomodations, there are some nice b&b's in the Gettysburg area.

As for Philly, if you cannot score tickets to the Barnes, consider the Rodin Museum. It is a small museum, but it has the largest collection of his works outside of Paris. Its on the Parkway, and is quite scenic area of Philly. Also, the Philly Museum of Art is having a very good Renoir exhibition. So, you might want to check that out.

Thank you for your helpful replies. We will be taking a copy of them with us.

We will be staying with our friends in Hershey, but still need suggestion for Philly.

There are just so many hotel options in Philly. Areas you might want to stay in for two nights are Rittenhouse Square and Olde City. The Park Hyatt atop the Bellevue is very nice.