Business & Tech

Cheap Trip$: Performing Arts, Great Outdoors and Manayunk

Find three local attractions you can visit on one tank of gas.

Want to get out of town and go for a trip, but looking to save money?

Try one of these three trips you can enjoy on just one tank of gas: Main Street in Manayunk, Big Pocono State Park in Tannersville and Brandywine Center for the Performing Arts in West Chester.

Main Street Manayunk

Address: Main Street, Manayunk, Philadelphia
How far from the Ardmore Patch? 5.7 miles; 12 minutes
Admission Fee: Free. Free parking is available, but metered and paid lots are also available. 
Hours: Varies depending on the store

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Summary: Manayunk was named a historical district in 1983 and the Manayunk Development Corporation's website boosts the area as "the ultimate experience with small town historic charm." Local shops include The Spiral Bookcase, The Little Apple, Human Zoom and Greene Street Consignment. The Manayunk Brewery, Kildares and the Manayunk Tavern are just a few of the bars and restaurants on the Main Street strip.

"Manayunk is a unique shopping, dining, and service destination with over 50 Chic boutiques and 30 restaurants and eateries," according to The Manayunk Development Corporation's website. With more than 20 furniture and home furnishing sites, the Philadelphia neighborhood features one of the largest concentration of furniture stores on the East Coast.

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Big Pocono State Park

Address: Route 715, Tannersville
How far from the Ardmore Patch? 95 miles; 1 hour and 50 minutes
Admission Fee: Free
Hours: Open daily dawn to dusk

Summary: Big Pocono encompasses 1,306 acres of rugged terrain on the summit and slopes of Camelback Mountain near Camelback Ski Area. The summit offers visitors a great view of northeastern Pennsylvania into New Jersey and New York.

The park has 8.5 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. The top of Camelback Mountain is a unique forest called a scrub oak shrubland. There are three picnic areas with plenty of picnic tables and charcoal grills. Most areas provide “a picnic with a view” at an elevation of 2,100 feet above sea level. Spaces in Parking Lot 4 are designated for people with disabilities. In Parking Lot 2, parking spaces, the restroom, and some picnic tables are designated for people with disabilities.

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Brandywine Center for the Performing Arts

Address: 317 Westtown Rd, West Chester
How Far From the Ardmore Patch? 20 miles; 40 minutes
Admission & Hours: Visit websites for information

Summary: The Brandywine Center for the Performing Arts is home to The Dance Center, which is the official school of the Brandywine Ballet Co. The company includes pre-professional dancers from the ages of 11 to 18, along with a professional division called the Brandywine Ballet Theatre. The Brandywine Ballet just completed its annual performance of The Nutcracker and is preparing for The Beauty and the Beast in April. Whether it’s for a show, a tour of The Dance Center, or a stop in the Village Dance Shoppe, fans of the arts will enjoy this trip.

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