In living color: Here are 5 northeast destinations near Erie to peek at fall foliage
Erie and the surrounding countryside are on fire — with color. As fall foliage colors hits their peak this week, you might be itching to take it all in before the gales of November erase it. Highways and byways are some of the best places to see Mother Nature's 2022 paint job, which makes getting there more than half the fun. We picked five unique day trips that will give you not just an eclectic mix of cool destinations, but journeys providing panoramic views of the best this autumn has to offer.
Don't miss it:Top 10 places to enjoy the fall colors in Erie County, plus more spots nearby
Holden Arboretum, Kirtland, Ohio
From Erie: 83.5 miles; 1 hour, 24 minutes; via Interstate 79 south and Interstate 90 west
Holden Arboretum, 9550 Sperry Road, Kirtland, Ohio, is an expanse of land that offers gardens, trails, lakes and meadows. It also includes a canopy walk and 12-story tower offering panoramic views of the countryside included in admission. It's open year-round and has seasonal events and workshops in nature and conservation. Tickets range from $13 to $19. Read more information about Holden at holdenfg.org/holden-arboretum/plan-your-visit/.
Fall 2022 features:
Each week, Holden will spotlight which trees are changing and when they are showing off their fall colors. Visit holdenfg.org for color watch updates.
This month is your last chance to see Stickwork, a 2-year-old art installation built by Patrick Dougherty, his son, and Holden volunteers and staff. Dougherty had requested that when the structure started to deteriorate it would be dismantled and allowed to "return to the earth," according to the Holden website. "That time has come, and the last chance to see this extraordinary masterpiece will be this fall."
Sharpen leaf and tree identification skills as regional trees change color using a brochure while following the Leaf Trail, an immersive autumn leaf identification activity.
On Nov. 5 and 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the outdoor marketplace Artisans at the Arboretum takes place, featuring artisans, music and food.
Through Nov. 6, enjoy Nature’s Source inside the Corning Visitor Center, an exhibit by local artist Kristen Chittock, an abstract acrylic artist based in Moreland Hills, Ohio.
The Murch Canopy Walk is a 500-foot-long elevated walkway built 65 feet above the forest floor. The Emergent Tower is 120 feet tall, providing a view to Lake Erie.
On Oct. 29, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., enjoy a family hike to Little Mountain. Cost: $10 per member, $20 per nonmember. Registration required.
By the sip:Autumn ales: Seasonal craft beers to taste this fall at Erie-area breweries
Troll Hole Museum, Alliance, Ohio
From Erie: 134 miles; 2 hours, 12 minutes; via Interstate 79 south and Interstate 76 west
The World's Largest Troll Doll Collection & Museum, 228 E. Main St., Alliance, Ohio, features more than 8,000 unique troll dolls and over 25,000 troll-related items, according to the owner, Sherry Groom, who has been collecting troll dolls since she was 5 years old. In 2013, she and her husband, Jay Groom, opened the museum and she received her first designation as the biggest collection of troll dolls in the world by Guinness World Records.
"Trolls fascinate me," Sherry Groom said. "The myths and folk tales. The doll represents that. And the doll history is that they were launched in the 1960s and again in '87-'94, and now you can only get them second-hand," she said.
She said she just started to collect them as a child.
"My collection grew and grew and grew from a 2,000-piece collection when we opened to more than 40,000 pieces," Sherry Groom said, estimating that each piece would go for about $10 apiece today, making her collection worth nearly half a million dollars.
And she's still acquiring them. "One lady called me, she has 4,000 and is willing to sell them to me for $3, but that's still $12,000, so I'm trying to sell others to get that money together," Sherry Groom said.
Guided tours of the Troll Hole are available and there are even virtual tours available at thetrollhole.com/book-now.
Since opening the Troll Hole, the Grooms also have opened Wisecracks Comedy Escape Room, 117 E. Main St. in Alliance, and Mad Dogs and Crazy Cats, 40 N. Arch Ave., a cat cafe and pet boutique, which sits next door to the National Feline Historic Society & Cat Museum, making for a unique neighborhood with a whimsical vibe. They also run a store called Sticks, Stones Bones & Magic at 123 Main St., Alliance, which features a Himalayan rock salt room and metaphysical shop. They also have recently opened an event venue for weddings and parties.
Sherry Groom estimated that she gives guided tours of the Troll Hole to 3,000 guests a year, and that's been growing, so she's considering adding open business hours this fall, when she usually only operates three days a week unless a group books a tour.
"It's a growing business and there's more and more demand," she said, adding that she's planning several "scavenger hunts," during which several dolls might "escape" the store and guests are encouraged to comb the city of Alliance to find them.
"We just believe that life is meant to be enjoyed," she said "We’re going to help create memories."
Admission to the Troll Hole runs by age group from free to $12. For more information, visit thetrollhole.com or call 330-596-1157.
Warm up:Fall for autumn-themed flavors and treats at coffee shops around Erie. Here's a list
Pittsburgh Heinz History Center
From Erie: 129 miles; 2 hours, 4 minutes; via Interstate 79 south
The Senator John Heinz History Center — a Smithsonian Institution affiliate museum in Pittsburgh — is offering free admission for all visitors 17 and younger through October to the complex, including Heinz History Center, Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum (located within the History Center), Fort Pitt Museum in Point State Park and Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village in Avella, Washington County. Regular admission applies to all other visitors. The History Center and Fort Pitt Museum are open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village is open Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
At the History Center, kids can enjoy six floors of exhibits and activities, including:
Landing a rover on the surface of the Moon inside the Apollo 11 section of "Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovation."
Climbing the UPMC SmartSteps, a history exhibition in a stairwell.
Throwing a touchdown pass to legendary Steelers players and scoring the winning goal for the Penguins inside the two-floor Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum.
Designing pop art, constructing bridges and more in the interactive "Discovery Place" exhibition.
Spiraling down a 12-foot slide nicknamed the “Liberty Tube.” Exploring the Neighborhood of Make-Believe featuring the original set and puppets in the "Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood" exhibition.
Visits to the Fort Pitt Museum allow exploration of Pennsylvania history, including a Native American leader’s cooperation with George Washington before the French & Indian War, as well as the museum’s new exhibition, "Guyasuta: The Life and Legend of a Seneca Chief."
At Meadowcroft Rockshelter and Historic Village, visitors of all ages can learn how prehistoric hunters and gatherers, early settlers and American Indians lived, exploring 19,000 years of history in one day.
Fall in:Dig in to this list of fall festivals, pumpkin patches and more underway, and ahead, for the season
Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad's Halloween train ride
From Erie: 45 miles; 1 hour, 6 minutes; via Route 97 south and Route 8 south
On Oct. 30, the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad will host a three-hour train ride starting at 11 a.m. It's designed for families and is not a "haunted" attraction. Riders are encouraged to wear costumes and children 12 and younger will receive a treat bag.
The train departs from Perry Street Station, 409 S. Perry St., Titusville. But you can't buy tickets there. You have to call 814-676-1733 to make advance reservations or visit octrr.org/ticketinfo to print a reservation form.
Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors 60 and older, $16 for children ages 1-16 and free for infants.
For more information, visit octrr.org/halloween_train_ride.
Get out:Steelhead fishing will draw big crowds to Pennsylvania's Lake Erie tributaries this fall
Panama Rocks Fall Foliage Festival, Panama, N.Y.
From Erie: 39 miles; 47 minutes; via Interstate 86 east
Panama Rocks, 11 Rock Hill Road, Panama, New York, will host a Fall Foliage Fest Oct. 22, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (outdoor movie at 7 p.m.), and Oct. 23, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The festival will feature an arts and crafts show, demonstrations such as chainsaw carving, blacksmithing, glass blowing, quilting and weaving, and more. Entertainment includes musical acts Davis & Eng, Josie Huffman and Velvet Waves. Also catch aerial acrobatics (Saturday); a showing of "Nightmare Before Christmas" (7 p.m. on Saturday); and axe throwing.
There is no admission fee for the craft show or musical entertainment. Admission to explore Panama Rocks is the normal admission rate, described at panamarocks.com/hours-rates--rules.html. Admission to see "Nightmare Before Christmas" is $7 per person. Street parking is free and field parking is $5 per vehicle.
Food vendors will include Wieners on the Water (hot dogs and snacks); Lab Press Co. (grilled cheese, soups and other Lab favorites); Ramsey's Food Truck (cheese steaks, sausage, fries and funnel cakes); and Fowler's Candy (candy apples, taffy, sweet treats); and more.
Other fun features will include trick-or-treating with craft vendors; daily costume contest for which winners receive their choice of a 2023 season pass or Panama Rocks T-shirt.); face painting; pumpkin painting; and building stuffed animal friends with Plushihut.
Contact Jennie Geisler at jgeisler@timesnews.com. Follow her on Twitter @ETNgeisler.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Arboretum, History Center, Foliage Fest and more awaits
