Staycation Vacation

Making the best of summer at home.
By Blair Johnson

As the Director of Sales at Bucks and Montgomery Living Magazine, I have the privilege of meeting many locals, see their businesses and hearing their stories! Like so many others, my family has had to tighten our vacation budget and seek “staycations” closer to home. In Bucks and Montgomery counties and the surrounding area, we are fortunate to have so many exciting places to visit and experience. In this column, I’ll help you plan staycations that offer the excitement of traditional vacations, with affordability, convenience and true family bonding.

I know I’ll never forget my family’s recent adventure, which took us just northeast of Easton PA, roughly sixty-seven miles from Doylestown. My family and I had the pleasure of visiting Bushkill Falls in the East Stroudsburg area of Pennsylvania. As their slogan states, it is “the Niagara of Pennsylvania.” There are endless choices of scenic trails for different skill levels. We took the long hike trail through the forest and mountains, where the views were breathtaking and the staff could not have been friendlier. My family was even permitted to take our dog on the excursion, making it a truly memorable experience. We saw three distinct breathtaking, mist-covered waterfalls, and a variety of plant and animal life. When visiting, be sure to dress appropriately as this is not for the sandal-wearing folks!  Bring plenty of water, OFF and sunscreen.

After over two hours of hiking and snacking, we headed over to Fernwood Resorts, about two miles away, where we were greeted with a plethora of different activities. We chose horseback riding for an hour through the woods, where our guide took an interest in us, our skill level and our riding experience. Famished, we ate at one of their many restaurants, Mama Bella’s, to recap the day’s adventures. We hadn’t even scratched the surface—bumper boats, golf and a wide variety of local shopping, including the year-round Pocono Bazaar flea market, all minutes away from the resort. Along with having the benefits of ease and affordability, our trip was filled with many unique memories that we will always cherish.

To plan your own adventure, visit www.visitbushkillfalls.com or www.fernwoodhotel.com for more information. If you have any feedback or suggestions for staycation adventures, contact me at bjohnson@locallivingmag.com. Until next time, keep living!

Blair Johnson is the Director of Sales at Bucks & Montgomery Living Magazine.