Exploring Ohiopyle

This summer on two separate occasions we took a drive out to Ohiopyle. For one of the trips we also rented a cabin and invited family to join us. We were going to be in town for a wedding at the Barn at Fallingwater and decided to make a weekend of it. My parents, sister, and mother-in-law all came with us which was really fun.

This post has many more photos (enough to require a page break) and an overview of the trip after the jump.

While in Ohiopyle we explored the town, caught fireflies, enjoyed the shops and restaurants, made s'mores, splashed around in the river, hiked the trails, and rode bikes.

One of the big attractions to Ohiopyle is the white water rafting. Many small businesses operate tours, teach lessons, and rent equipment for rapid water seekers. But Emilia is too young for the fast moving water on this part of the Yough so if we couldn't wade in it safely, we stayed on land. But we still enjoyed watching touring folks make their way through the rapids.

In addition to the river fun, a big draw to this area is the architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater which is located nearby. Even the visitor's center has interesting architectural details that incorporate the natural surroundings and reflect Frank Lloyd Wright's style.

It takes us about two hours to get to Ohiopyle from Pittsburgh (folding in a stop to drop off Speck along the way) but it's a pretty drive. I'm sure it would be a bit faster via the turnpike.

The water levels were high during our family trip because of heavier rainfall during the early part of summer (when we were there). Even with more water than usual, Chris decided to try out one of the natural waterslides. I was happy to watch rather than try it myself. It looked pretty intense and the water was a bit cold.

If you decide to go, it's great to pack along a bike, swimsuit, water shoes, spare clothes, and sunblock. You can bring picnic things too but there are plenty of quaint eateries and shops to visit. The house we rented was through Airbnb and it was the only property we found that was walking distance to the downtown area and available that weekend. It is titled "Heart of Ohiopyle" in the area listings. The location was fantastic and the house was as charming as it was clean and well-appointed.

For food, we liked the BBQ outside of the Falls Market Restaurant and the ice cream inside the General Store. We also loved Paddler's Pizza and the Ohiopyle Bakery and Sandwich Shop. Cafe Firefly was very cute. All in all, Ohiophyle is definitely worth the short drive and I'm excited to go back again!