Weekend getaways are my absolute favorite thing, and when they are with my favorite people it is even better. We booked a short weekend getaway to Ohiopyle on a whim, and it was such the needed escape from the city. We hiked, played board games and even explored an iconic Frank Lloyd Wright house. Whether you hate his work or love it, this house was definitely unique. Anyway…. check out all the things we jammed into a three day weekend in Ohiopyle, PA.
Hiking Ohiopyle State Park
Ohiopyle State Park trails start right in downtown Ohiopyle – if you can call it downtown. The town is nestled along the Youghiogheny River and the trails to choose from in the state park are endless. Sadly we were about three weeks too late for the fall foliage color change. But we could tell it was epic based on the amount of leaves on the ground.
We opted for an easy hike on a trail that used to be a railroad line, and is a section of the Great Allegheny Passage to Jonathan Run Falls. We followed the trail, which parallels the river for 3.3 miles out and in total the hike was 6.8 miles with 450 ft of elevation. Then we ventured up a little offshoot to Jonathan Run Falls. This waterfalls was hidden and an adventure to get a good view of it, but what is a trip without an adventure. There were plenty of little waterfalls along the trail as well to admire. And Winter just loved getting to run free and explore. Overall – an easy hike and great little outdoor adventure for me.
Fallingwater – Frank Lloyd Wright
Sooo… here is the thing about the Fallingwater house. It is truly epic, right on a creek above a waterfall. There is also a museum to go with it. All honoring Frank Lloyd Wright. To be completely honest – we had zero clue about this house until we were looking for something to do in the afternoon and found it on google. It was a cool stop for sure, but it was EXPENSIVE. At least in my opinion. We also got rained out of our adventure around the gorgeously manicured grounds. But I have never seen a house like this before.
Before you go
Honestly – this may be the largest section of this blog post. But for good reason. There were a lot of things we learned on this trip that will be great for others to know before they plan a fall getaway to Ohiopyle. The first of which being Ohiopyle is really a summer time destination. They have so many activities – including whitewater rafting on the Youghiogheny River. They have a lot of little shops and restaurants as well. Welp, I am here to tell you these are all closed during the fall and winter seasons. So I would highly recommend a spring or summer trip here.
Another thing we wanted to check out was Laurel Caverns. Again, closed for the season for bat hibernation. But if you are in the area, I would highly recommend checking it out for just a tour or even the spelunking.
Our little airbnb was PERFECT though. It was secluded with an amazing little outdoor area the dogs absolutely loved. My favorite part was enjoying some coffee on the chilly mornings wrapped in a blanket. The weather even gave us a dusting of snow during our stay. It gave us the peaceful weekend we were seeking at the end of the day. And with the right company, you can have fun anywhere.
What a rad weekend getaway to Ohiopyle! 🌲 Hiking the scenic trails at Ohiopyle State Park, exploring the unique Fallingwater Frank Lloyd Wright House, and embracing the chilly weather at a perfect Airbnb – sounds like the ideal escape! Thanks for sharing your adventure, Emily!
Always happy to share! Hopefully you can enjoy the same type of weekend there too!