EXPLORE ALTOONA

WRITTEN BY LESLIE PERLMUTTER

Asthe days get longer,thoughts turn to quick getaways, romantic weekends and family road trips. Altoona (and the rest of Blair County), Pa., offers aplethora of activities. Whether you are ahistory buff, amusement park thrill seeker,outdoor enthusiast, craft beer aficionado, baseball fan, foodie or aspiring Instagram influencer,the destination will not disappoint.

Mark Ickes, executive director of Explore Altoona, and the man behind the revamped and super-informative explorealtoona.com website, is enthusiastic about the myriad attractions: “Altoona/Blair County is asmall destination packed with big adventures,”hesays.

“From two amusement parks each holding aunique place among the arena of family fun attractions; the County’s history being demonstrated and exhibited at Baker Mansion, the only Greek Temple style home in Pennsylvania; the western-most Revolutionary Warsite in America at Fort Roberdeau, to a blossoming performing and visual cultural arts scene and the recently designated September 11th National Memorial Trail, these are but just afew of the variety of experiences one will have the opportunity to explore in Blair County.”

DelGrosso’sAmusement Park offers great amusement park rides and Laguna Splash Water Park —America’s only Italian-themed water park with aColosseum-designed Roman Splash Bucket and areplica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Additionally,DelGrosso’sfamous restaurants and food kiosks serve delicious Italian cuisine.

Fort Roberdeau opened in May 1778 to protect an important lead mining and smelting operation during the American Revolution. Today,with 230 acres, Fort Roberdeau delights visitors with areconstructed Revolutionary Warfort, buildings and smelter,a restored 19th century farmhouse and barn, hiking trails and costumed interpreters.

Ickes highlights some other attractions for history buffs: “The Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum is America’s only interactive railroaders museum and consists of three floors of exhibits; in addition, the Horseshoe Curve National Historic Landmark is the only place in the world at which trains can be viewed climbing the mountainside in the shape of ahorseshoe,”hesays.

Sports enthusiasts will want to check out The Altoona Curve, an AA affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team celebrates its 25th anniversary season this year with special events at People’s Natural Gas Field, abeloved minor league park.

Ickes adds, “Lakemont Park is not only the home of the world’soldest roller coaster,Leap the Dips; it has also transformed itself into agathering place hosting events and festivals, boasting regulation-sized sand volleyball courts, two themed miniature golf courses, and vast green spaces for additional activities.”

Other outdoor recreation options abound from the mustsee Canoe Creek State Park to the September 11th National Memorial Trail, which is evolving into an unbroken 1,300mile system of roads, trails and greenways that link the three national 9/11 memorials in NYC, DC,and PA

For those seeking refreshment after all these activities, Ickes notes, “The County has 285 restaurants and brewpubs including locally-owned chef-inspired eateries, awealth of national flag restaurants, as well as signature treats like Gardner’sPeanut Butter Meltaway,Boyers’ Mallo Cup, and DelGrosso sauces.”Gardners Candies, alocal favorite since 1897, is adestination unto itself.