Field notes
Where to eat:
We’ve found that you can’t go wrong with the small but tight menu, with several specials, at original House of 1000 Beers in New Kensington, which has really good food in addition to 32 brews on tap and hundreds more in bottles and cans (http://houseof1000beers.com/locations/new-kensington).
And there are several diners, including Clark’s Diner in Lower Burrell that friends have liked. We loved the exterior look if not the name of the Yak Diner, a 1956 O’Mahony stainless steel diner in North Apollo.
A sweet 72-year Vandergrift landmark is the Sweetlane Chocolate Shop and ice cream store: www.sweetlanechocolate.com.
These classic Western Pennsylvania towns are fun to explore.
If you also like beer:
On the drive between the two Wooden Door Winery locations, you’ll pass Conny Creek Brewing Co., which serves drinks and food. Opening soon in New Kensington is an artsy taproom of the Voodoo Brewing Co. that in the meantime is opening for weekend pop-ups. Downtown Vandergrift is going to be getting Allusion Brewing Co.
What else to do:
Go for a walk like we did on the lovely packed limestone Roaring Run Trail in the Roaring Run Recreation Area. It starts just south of Vandergrift in Apollo, Armstrong County, and runs along the Kiskimentas River — that’s the “Kiski” to the Allegheny River in this “Alle-Kiski Valley” — for four miles towards the town of Elram, with an additional mile-long section being rather steep. The first four miles and the lower half-mile of the Rock Furnace Trail that crosses it are suitable for persons with disabilities. At the Apollo trailhead, there’s also a put-in/takeout for kayaks and canoes (www.roaringrun.org).