There's No Pace Like McKean County for the Holidays
BRADFORD, PA, December 9, 2008. As the song goes, "There's no place like home for the holidays." But with all due respect to the Perry Como classic, the same can be true for McKean County during the holiday season.
Visitors can realize there's no place like McKean County to celebrate the sights, sounds and yes, even the tastes of the season.
The Lodge at Glendorn has just what it takes to take away the bitterness of a December wind and curb the appetite of a hungry shopper. Glendorn is offering Christmas Teas, an opportunity to sit back and enjoy the holiday decorations and the roaring fireplaces of Pennsylvania's only Relais & Ch^ateaux. Between 3 and 4:30 p.m., diners can indulge on cookies, scones, tea sandwiches, mulled wine and apple cider. These teas will be held Saturday, Dec. 13; Tuesday, Dec. 16; and Thursday, Dec. 18. The cost is $25 per person; reservations are required and can be made by calling Glendorn at 800-843-8568.
Those seeking a more adventurous time can hit the snowmobile trails on the Allegheny National Forest when they open on Saturday, Dec. 20.
There are 224 miles of groomed trails on the Allegheny National Forest (ANF). Helmets are required for all riders. A valid state registration form the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is also required to ride on the ANF.
DCNR's snowmobile hotline is toll free at 1-877-766-6253. Trail conditions are updated on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Information on groom activities can be found at www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/allegheny/recreation/snowmobile_trails.
The area also features a wide selection of lodging choices for every budget. A few that are perfect for snowmobilers are the Red Bird House, Lantz Corners Getaway and The Forest Lodge.
All three places welcome snowmobilers and provide information on snowmobile trails in the Allegheny National Forest. The Red Bird House, located at 5261 Gardeau Road in Austin, offers a "home away from home" atmosphere with a kitchen and wireless Internet.
The Lantz Corners Getaway - at the intersection of U.S. Route 219 and U.S. Route 6 - is located in the Allegheny National Forest and is near by other snowmobile destinations such as Smethport, St. Marys, Marienville and Warren.
The Forest Lodge & Campground, located on Route 66 just north of Marienville, offers snowmobilers the opportunity to ride their snowmobiles from their front door to the trails on the ANF.
Best Western Bradford Inn offers ski packages for those who prefer to enjoy the snow on the nearby slopes of Holiday Valley. A complete list of winter packages and lodging is available at www.visitANF.com.
After a day in the nippy outdoors, a trip to the two area wineries may just be what the doctor ordered. Flickerwood Wine Cellars, located in Kane, and the Allegheny Cellars Winery in Sheffield both provide the perfect atmosphere for shoppers to sit down and sample some of the flavors. Perhaps, you might find just the right gift that you have been looking for.
And you don't have to go the Times Square to ring in the New Year. First Night Bradford offers festivities for the entire family in several venues throughout town. Activities include entertainment, bowling, ice skating and an art show to name a few. Ball drop and fireworks blast revelers' way into 2009 at Veterans Square.
Buttons for admission to all of the events are $5 and can be purchased at the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce at 814-368-7115, all of the Crosby Mini Marts, The Grocery Stretcher at 814-9394, JD Novelties at 814-362-3573, and Tops Markets in Bradford at 814-363-9901.
But if you want to leave the kids at home and celebrate the New Year in a little more glamorous way, The Lodge at Glendorn is the way to go.
Fireside dancing and live jazz music with the Cleveland (Ohio) Jazz Trio plus hors d'oeuvres and an eight-course chef's tasting menu are just a few of the things Glendorn offers New Year's Eve.
At midnight, guests will also be treated to party favors and champagne toast.
Black tie is recommended, but not required. The cost is $250 per couple with overnight room reservations and $350 per couple without. Reservations can be made by calling Glendorn at 800-843-8568.
For more information on any of these events, or to receive a free visitors guide with ski package coupon, log onto www.visitANF.com or call the Allegheny National Forest Vacation Bureau at 800-473-9370.
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