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A Summer Road Trip Idea 

As summer comes, road trips are often a less exciting part of the vacation process.  Highway rest stops are particularly uninspiring.  When I have time on my side, I try to time my stops for more pleasant resting points with easy highway access and more inspiring views. 

 

Heading East on Route 84, Elizabeth Park, in Hartford, is just 1.5 hours from home and is the oldest rose garden in the country.  It also has a lovely tulip garden, a shade garden, a little café, a peaceful pond and a scenic view over the city.  For a 10 minute break or an hour’s rest, it’s a great alternative to the side of the highway.  

Directions are simple:  exit 44 off Route 84 toward Prospect Avenue.  Take a slight left onto Caya Avenue and then the 1^st left onto Prospect.  It is about .4 miles past Fern Street.  .http://www.elizabethpark.org/      http://westhartford.patch.com/listings/elizabeth-park-3

If you are heading west on 84, I have another favorite stopping spot with an entirely different flavor.  Also about 1.5 hours away in Scranton, Pa., is Nay Aug Park.  This is an Olmstead designed park with wonderful diversity from a covered bridge and easy foot trail to a lovely mountain waterfall to an Olympic size pool and waterslides.  This park is a wonder of many amazing places alongside a natural gorge.  The Scranton Natural History museum is on the property and an easy access treehouse (without access issues) overlooks the stream.  There is a community flower garden and a permanent exhibit on the old mining trains.  Spend 20 minutes or 2 hours…as you like.  

Directions: Route 84 West to 81S.  Moosic Street exit exit 184.  Turn right onto Moosic, right onto Harrison, and right onto Mulberry.  The entrance is at Mulberry and Arthur Avenues. http://www.nayaugpark.org/     http://www.scrantonpa.gov/nayaug_park.html 

Dawn Vacek