Roadtripping from DC to Cleveland, OH - where should we visit?
July 18, 2016 8:37 AM   Subscribe

We're headed to a conference in Cleveland, and giving ourselves a full day to explore and enjoy the roadtrip there. What magical treasures and delicious treats lie along Rte 76 through Pennsylvania and Ohio?
posted by torietorie to Travel & Transportation (6 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Delicious treats: from the Allegheny Valley exit on the PA turnpike, head to Oakmont PA for Oakmont Bakery. (I'm pretty sure they dip their coconut donuts in crack. I had a dream about them this weekend.) Same town has the Mystery Lovers Bookshop if you're into mysteries. It's a super cute little twee town in general, but also a short hop from the turnpike for you.
posted by librarianamy at 8:58 AM on July 18, 2016 [2 favorites]


If you plan a stop in Pittsburgh, Legume Bistro is REALLY YUMMY and has a great vegetarian tasting menu. Make a reservation - they're really nice. While you're there, go to the Andy Warhol museum, which is really cool and has an old school FILM photo booth.

Also, Roadside America has lots of novelties - you can visit a big coffee pot!
posted by beccasaurus at 9:52 AM on July 18, 2016 [1 favorite]


I haven't been there myself, but you might want to consider the Flight 93 Memorial near Somerset, PA.

Towards the start of your trip, Berkeley Springs, West Virginia -- "America's First Spa" -- is a very charming town. Perhaps a soak in the hot springs will put you in a good mood for the rest of the drive?
posted by QuantumMeruit at 10:04 AM on July 18, 2016 [1 favorite]


There's not much off the 79 exit in Cranberry north of Pittsburgh except chains and bar food. One exception is good Italian at Il Pizzaiolo in Warrendale. The arrancini are so good.

In Ohio nearer to Cleveland, Michael Symon's B Spots are spot-on for burgers with multiple locations in Cleveland. Mabel's BBQ, his newest joint, is in Cleveland.
posted by RoadScholar at 3:05 PM on July 18, 2016


This is right in my sweet spot - I live in Ohio close to the PA border and 76 is a constant companion of mine when driving anywhere.

When crossing over into Ohio, you'll pass through the small town of Canfield about twenty-five minutes in. A few minutes off 76, there is a family-run farm called White House Fruit Farm. Along with fresh produce, they have amazing baked goods and are noted for their blueberry donuts which people drive for hours to get ahold of.

If you guys are staying on 76 all the way to Akron, which you would if you're taking that path up to Cleveland, I recommend Cilantro for dinner, a Thai and sushi restaurant that I really love and should visit more often because it's amazing.

Then, also right there in Akron, there is the Bomb Shelter - my favorite place to find weird antiques, old books and albums, vintage jewelry and whatever else they find to put into the giant place with multiple rooms of cool stuff. Even if you're not into shopping, just spending time in there and looking around is highly encouraged by the super friendly owners.

If you want more specific recommendations, feel free to drop me a message. I can pretty much direct you to whatever along most of that path, especially once it crosses into Ohio. Have fun!
posted by Merinda at 4:06 PM on July 18, 2016 [1 favorite]


That's about a 370 mile trip, which I presume will entail a good 7-8 hours of straight driving. How much time do you want to devote to sightseeing along the way? What are you interested in?

Any thoughts about making a stop in Pittsburgh? There's SO MUCH fun stuff to do there. You could try searching Trip Advisor's list of the top 10 things to do in Pittsburgh for some ideas, or let me know what you like and I'll make some recommendations.

If you're interested in architecture/nature/beauty and are willing to veer a little more off of 76, Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater is an absolute must-see, Polymath and Kentuck Knob are in the vicinity, and there's a ton of outdoorsy things you can do in the Laurel Highlands. How about a white water rafting excursion to break up the monotony of driving?
posted by the thought-fox at 4:26 PM on July 18, 2016 [1 favorite]


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