GATEWAY TO THE GRAND CANYON
We
decided to split our week in North Central Pennsylvania between two towns,
Coudersport and Wellsboro. Coudersport was just 14 miles west from Cherry
Springs State Park, a designated Dark Sky Park and the best area to see the
galactic display of the Milky Way on the east coast. Wellsboro, a much larger
town offering more amenities was 32 miles east from the state park which we
thought was too long a drive in the middle of the night.
A SHOT OF
CIVILIZATION
Perhaps it
was the rainy days that made Coudersport seem so dreary, but when we arrived in
picturesque Wellsboro, awash in sunlight missing for the week, we were
pleasantly surprised. Wellsboro is charming and elegant. Once Route 6 turns off,
Main Street becomes this sedate quiet stretch adorned with gas lanterns. Neat
homes grace the tree lined streets and the downtown area offers several shops
and restaurants and a classic movie theater. Time seems to have stopped here. Thankfully
the Arcadia Theater had new films listed on their marquee to give an inkling
this was 2018 and not 1968. The Wellsboro Diner dates from the late 1930’s and well
-known establishment looks like it hasn’t changed since they finally put in
electricity. The Green, just on the edge of the downtown has fountains and
statuary. It’s all very lovely and quite a respite from the rural area that we
were visiting.
THE ARCADIA WELLSBORO
LA BELLE
AUBERGE
We had
two days in Wellsboro. We rewarded ourselves with a stay in the lovely La Belle
Auberge B&B on Main Street. It is a beautiful Victorian crammed with lots
of choochkies with each of the rooms given a French motif. We stayed in the
Provence room and had a fireplace, jacuzzi, and were greeted nightly with
truffles on our pillow. La Belle Auberge offered gourmet breakfasts which we
took on the porch amid a well-manicured garden. They owners of LBA also run a
spa in town and we understand they rub people the right way with therapeutic
massages.
It is a
bit expensive but it is very lovely and well worth the extra money. We paid
mid-week prices which rise on the weekend and during the autumn season they
rise even higher. Evidently because of the fall foliage it is quite difficult
to get a room anywhere in the area. Supply and demand.
We
arrived that Wednesday afternoon after the drive along Route 6 from
Coudersport. Route 6 is the longest highway in Pennsylvania and even has its
own webpage guide to the attractions along and near its length. We strolled the
downtown area reading the different menus listed on the restaurants trying to
decide where we were going for dinner. It was hot and we stopped in a little
dive bar for some beer and shuffleboard. I liked the place, especially since I
finally beat Janet in shuffleboard for the first time ever.
THE PENN
WELLS HOTEL AND LODGE
To
celebrate this momentous occasion, we decided to take our meal at the Penn
Wells Hotel & Lodge. The structure seems a bit austere outside, but they
boast of having opulent rooms, a grand ballroom and an indoor swimming pool.
The Penn Wells was perhaps the best formal dining experience in all of
Wellsboro, but we are bar sitters when it comes to meals and we walked through
an ornate ballroom to reach their bar called the Lodge. We were still able to
order from the dining room menu. The place was airy with a fireplace. I ordered
a very satisfying shrimp and grits and Janet had a massive dinner salad. The
place was empty when we first arrived but people were circling around us by the
time we finished hoping to jump into our places.
WELLSBORO
HOUSE
They had
had a “tap takeover” of Wellsboro House beers at the Crittenden Hotel Taproom
while we were there and we made it a point to visit the brew pub for dinner and
well-earned beers after our lengthy bike ride along the Pine Creek Rail Trail.
A couple we met on the porch of the LBA that morning told us the food would not
disappoint and the Wellsboro House was a winning combination with their array
of good beers brewed by them and a lengthy menu of good quality food. I had their blackened Mahi sandwich and Janet
had a dinner salad topped with blackend shrimp.
THE WELLSBORO HOUSE
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