From pivotal wartime maneuvers to vital transportation networks, water has shaped and inscribed Pennsylvania’s story from prehistoric times to the present day.
The state boasts 83,000-plus miles of rivers, creeks and streams and numerous waterfalls, plus around 25,000 lakes—most, interestingly, are manmade. Two group destinations deep in liquid assets are centrally located Blair County, with Altoona as its main base, and Bucks County, just west of Philadelphia in the Countryside Region.
Within a three-hour drive radius of 7 million-plus people across the Mid-Atlantic region, the former counts among its attractions the new Laguna Splash Water Park, while the latter has nation-building history as the site of the Continental Army’s 1776 nighttime crossing of the Delaware River.
From lazy rivers and historic canals to waterparks and winter sports, each locale overflows with water-based activities for groups, plus plenty of liquid refreshments on tap to keep the conversation streaming.
Altoona and Blair County
Some 100 miles east of the “Three Rivers” city of Pittsburgh, Altoona beckons with a wellspring of countywide and area options for splashy fun.
“Whether strolling along the shores of a lake, taking an evening dinner cruise or enjoying the fun of a waterpark, spending time in or near the water helps us appreciate nature and life in general,” said Mark Ickes, executive director of Explore Altoona. “The Alleghenies of central Pennsylvania, including Altoona and greater Blair County, are no exception. Whether canoeing, kayaking, fishing or swimming, groups have a variety of memorable ways to ‘go with the flow’ when visiting our destination.”
With origins dating back to 1907, DelGrosso’s Amusement Park in Tipton celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. Last summer, the park debuted its $12.5 million Laguna Splash Water Park.
Featuring a wave pool and lazy river, the park’s decorative and interactive elements include Venetian-style archways, Roman frescos, wine barrels and vases, and as its centerpiece, a 25-foot tall replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
“As the region’s leading family entertainment attraction, we offer both business travelers and conference attendees a chance to unplug and relax in an amusement park with over 30 rides and attractions, as well as a new state-of-the-art waterpark addition, which is the only Italian-themed waterpark in the country,” said Carl Crider Jr., president of DelGrosso’s Amusement Park in an April 2017 release.
The waterpark is featured in Explore Altoona’s current marketing campaign, which uses trivia-type questions on different themes to highlight “exciting fun fact-filled adventures” around the destination. Another is 958-acre Canoe Creek State Park in the county seat of Hollidaysburg.
Providing a year-round post-meeting retreat, the park’s 155-acre lake offers a beach for swimming, fishing and renting watercraft, including rowboats, paddleboats, canoes, paddleboards and kayaks. Hikers are rewarded with the remnants of historic limestone kilns in the woods not far from the parking lot.
Flowing through a rural landscape, Blair County’s section of the Juniata River Water Trail offers fishing, camping and plenty of opportunities to connect with nature, history and culture along 142 miles of flat, easy water paddling.
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Designated a National Recreation Trail, the section forms part of the 320-mile Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Main Line Canal Greenway. Completed in 1834, the original Pennsylvania Main Line
Canal System paved the way for economic expansion westward from Philadelphia, across the 2,400-foot tall Allegheny Ridge to Pittsburgh and beyond.
The trail is aligned with the September 11th National Memorial Trail, an evolving network of multiuse trails, greenways, scenic roads and byways connecting the United Airlines Flight 93
National Memorial near Shanksville, Pa., with the National September 11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan and the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial.
During the summer season, 33-acre Reservoir Park in Tyrone is a popular local destination featuring an amphitheater and picnic pavilions (reserve well in advance) available for corporate and casual group events. Set amid the forested hills of the Allegheny Plateau cradle, Prince Gallitzin State Park is home to 1,635-acre Glendale Lake and its 26 miles of shoreline, with boat rentals and dinner cruises among group options.
An hour east of Altoona, 8,300-acre Raystown Lake is Pennsylvania’s largest manmade lake. An hour northeast of the city, Penn’s Cave is the nation’s only all-water cavern and wildlife park, offering guided boat tours of its national landmark underground limestone caverns.
Also flowing is investment in new tourism and hospitality infrastructure, which continues to boost the destination’s hosting capabilities. Since 2014, total guest room inventory in Altoona and Blair County has experienced a 22 percent net increase, with 1,450 rooms now available.
“With 550 new hotel rooms over the past two years, as well as the destination’s current award-winning hotel properties, Altoona’s capacity to accommodate overnight visitors is positioned at an all-time high, especially for meetings, conferences and group travel,” Ickes said.
Among six additions in this time period is the 82-room Wingate by Wyndham Altoona. Other recent ribbon-cuttings include Holiday Inn Express & Suites and the dual-branded Fairfield Inn & Suites and Towne Place Suites by Marriott.
Additionally, the destination’s only full-service property, the Altoona Grand Hotel, has invested $2 million in renovations over the last two years, including 100 newly upgraded rooms. The flexible venue includes a conference center and 4,500-square-foot ballroom for up to 550.
“Altoona’s meeting and event venues are versatile, extremely affordable and include major improvements at the Blair County Convention Center with the beginning of a $5.8 million capital expenditure plan,” Ickes added.
Bucks County
On Dec. 25-26, 1776, Gen. George Washington led the Continental Army across the Delaware River from New Hope, Pa., for a surprise attack on Hessian soldiers garrisoned in nearby Trenton, N.J.
The plan called for crossings at three different river points, but only Washington and his force of some 2,400 soldiers made it. Between the ice-jammed river and the night’s howling nor’easter, conditions were formidable. Yet, on ferries and cargo boats guided by experienced New Englanders and Philadelphians, the army crossed the river and routed the enemy.
Each December, thousands gather along the riverbanks to celebrate the annual reenactment of this Revolutionary War turning point at the Christmas Crossing of the Delaware River. The event is staged at this historic village within 500-acre Washington Crossing Historic Park, where groups can rent various indoor and outdoor venues, and book tours and educational programs.
The park also includes a section of the 60-mile multiuse towpath trail along the former Delaware Canal. Part of some 1,200 miles of canals created in the 1800s, this time-travel thoroughfare, with locks and aqueducts intact in places, played a major transportation role in the Industrial Revolution and in boosting Pennsylvania’s economy.
At the canal’s northernmost end in Easton, Delaware Canal State Park features a 90-acre pond and 11 river islands.
In Bucks County, water today offers group engagement.
“It’s summertime and visitors are looking to beat the heat, whether with their family, friends or work colleagues,” said Jerry Lepping, president and COO of Visit Bucks County. “There are plenty of ways to cool off in Bucks County, including tubing along the Delaware River, splashing with furry friends at Sesame Place, or enjoying kayaking or paddleboarding at our many local parks. Bucks County is the perfect place to create memories on the water.”
Lined with famous mansions, including Pennsbury Manor—the group-capable re-creation of William Penn’s 1683 country home—the Delaware River is for tubing, kayaking and rafting excursions. Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Bucks County River Country in Point Pleasant is the area’s original outfitter, offering special pricing for groups of 20-plus people.
For meetings, receptions and catered events, Bucks County Riverboat Company offers private cruises.
Rowboat, canoe and paddleboard rentals, along with full-moon kayak tours, are among the programs at 1,200-acre Core Creek Park in Middletown Township, while draws at Driftwood Water Adventures in Levittown include paddleboard yoga.
