Nature & Outdoors

Beachgoers at East Harbor State Park in Lakeside-Marblehead, Ohio (photo courtesy of Ohio Department of Natural Resources)

Enjoy Lake Erie's northwestern shore in Lakeside-Marblehead, Ohio, on a beach packed with summer fun for the whole family. 

A Mountain Rail Adventures train excursion through West Virginia (courtesy of the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley Railroad)

Mountain Rail Adventures offers train excursions from depots in Cass, Durbin and Elkins, West Virginia

Fall color at Watkins Glen State Park in Watkins Glen, New York (photo by iStock)

Carved by glaciers that moved through the area nearly 10,000 years ago, this park in Watkins Glen, New York, is known for its famous gorge. 

Family skiing at Mad River Mountain in Zanesfield, Ohio (photo courtesy of Vail Resorts)

As Ohio’s largest ski area, this Zanesfield, Ohio, destination spans 144 acres of skiable terrain, including 20 trails, a tubing park, 11 lifts and 300 feet of vertical drop.

Kayaking is one of the experiences available at Goldberry Woods in Union Pier, Michigan (photo courtesy of destination)

This Union Pier, Michigan, spot not far from the trendy beach towns along Lake Michigan offers an oasis of forests, gardens and orchards on a curve of the Galien River.

Beam Rocks at Forbes State Forest in Pennsylvania (photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources)

This sprawling natural area located in parts of Westmoreland, Somerset and Fayette counties in Pennsylvania covers more than 60,000 acres. 

The famous falls at Tahquamenon Falls State Park in Paradise, Michigan (photo courtesy of Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation)

This Paradise, Michigan, park on the state’s Upper Peninsula is known for its famous root-beer-hued waterfall.

Man takes photo of hot air balloon in Bloomington, Indiana (photo courtesy of SkyVista Ballooning)

Several companies in and around Bloomington, Indiana, offer hot air balloon excursions that ride high above the changing leaves. 

Autumn scene at Babaock State Park (photo by Regis Mahoy)

The rustic structure built within the park in Clifftop, West Virginia, is one of the most photographed locations in the state. 

A bicyclist rides by the entrance to Frick Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (photo courtesy of Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy)

This Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, favorite holds the distinction of being the city’s largest historic regional park