Best Lakeside Getaways Near Pittsburgh

If you're stuck for vacation ideas or are strapped for cash these five great, close lake locales are easily accessible from Pittsburgh. Only a short drive away, each lake offers beautiful amenities, pristine scenery, and a plethora of activities for the water lover in us all.

Lake Erie boasts world-class entertainment, attractions, sports and theater. Wineries, fantastic dining, theater productions, and shopping also abound, so be sure to allot as much time as possible to cram in every minute of fun into your stay. If you have kids be sure to check out the special deals and offers on Visit Erie's website for Splash Lagoon, Erie's premiere indoor water park.

For the camper at heart, Conneaut Lake Park is the perfect place to drive your RV or rent a cabin in the woods. This pristine lakeside venue is chock-full of activities, too, from fishing contests, to a widely renown amusement park, a full scale marina, and boat tours. Just a short drive from Pittsburgh, this historic site has been entertaining family and friends for more than one hundred years. Conneaut is also famous for their premiere birthday party packages, so consider taking the whole family to the park for an out-of-this-world celebration, vacation, or meditation retreat.

www.stateparks.com

Keystone State Park is a great destinations for fun year-round getaways. The lake is an ideal setting for a spring and summer outing with available camping, updated cabins for rent, trails to hike, bike, climb, walking trails, a lake for fishing, kayaking, or swimming and a swimming beach. The park is within close proximity to the Pittsburgh metropolitan area near the Allegheny county line in Westmoreland and is a multi-purpose park with overnight facilities and year-round recreational activities.

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Pymatuning State Park is the most relaxed of the recreation areas on this list. The park has 26 family cottages that sleep up to 6 individuals, that are heated, and are available year-round, and 32 standard cottages that sleep 4, and are available May 1 – November 1. There are also premium, and family cottages for rent, which include upgraded amenities, like gas fireplaces and microwave ovens. For the dog lover, four cottages are designated pet-friendly and allow you to bring your dog. In addition to the overnight amenities, a small beach, designated for cottage guests, is available to swim, fish and kayak in.

With dozens of cabins, lodges, and B&B's tucked into this terrific little getaway, you'll have a hard time saying goodbye. Whether you like to hike, jog, ride horses, raft, or bike, Raystown has everything that the outdoor enthusiast needs. Also, dependent upon when you plan your visit, you may be able to attend the Huntingdon County Fair, a hundred year old tradition that combines agricultural exhibits, as well as food, rides, sideshows, grandstand events, demolition derbies, tractor pulls, and an antique farm equipment display; this family-friendly event is always held in late August.

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