Scott & Nelly, Eva & Charlie,
Loey and Violet
Markleysburg, Pennsylvania — high in the Laurel Highlands.
Swipe sideways to drift between days.
Marion, Iowa
Scott and Nelly collect the rental at the airport.
Bags, coolers, road snacks and supplies into the van tonight, so nothing is left to the morning.
The alarm goes off at four. Truly.
Marion, Iowa to Markleysburg, PA · thirteen hours
Out of Marion in the dark. Coffee is non‑negotiable.
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, then into Pennsylvania — and the clock jumps ahead an hour somewhere along the way.
Unpack, dinner, and a long overdue catch‑up with everyone.
Camp Sonrise Mountain
Sleep in. Pool. Books. A slow morning on the porch. This day is deliberately empty.
Dinner, cake, candles, and the whole family around one table.
Markleysburg and thereabouts
Outdoor games, board games, and a whole day of spending time together around camp.
Scotty and Nelly slip out around five for dinner with friends. Everyone else stays at camp for games and an evening in.
Ohiopyle State Park · the Youghiogheny
Guided trips and raft rentals both run out of town. Wilderness Voyageurs and the Ohiopyle Trading Post are the two to call.
Synthetic activewear or swimsuits — no cotton, it stays wet all day. Water shoes, and a dry change of clothes waiting in the van.
Falls City Pub has a covered patio, burgers and sandwiches. Twisted Spoke Cafe is the lighter, quicker option.
Outfitters, artisan shops and souvenirs along the main stretch, then the visitor center for the exhibits and the overlook above the falls.
Depart camp 9:00AM · home late
Start at Yinzers on Penn Ave for vintage Pittsburgh gear and photographs, walk Smallman through the old produce terminal, then iced lattes, boba and matcha at Aslin Coffee inside Novo Asian Food Hall.
Park in the Terminal lot on Smallman. An Aslin Coffee purchase validates two free hours.
Coop De Ville, right at opening so there’s no wait for a lane — seven dollars a game in the Tiki Trailer. Nashville hot chicken, tenders, fries and biscuits from the counter, eaten at the lane. Pinball, arcade cabinets and pool tables in the back.
Ride the wooden Duquesne Incline up for the skyline photograph everybody wants, then thrift and browse down East Carson Street.
The Green Mango in Monroeville sits right on the drive east toward camp. Open until nine.
Out at 9:00AM · back up the mountain by evening
Drive them down to pick it up, then Starbucks on the way, which is what everybody actually wants.
Scotty, Nelly, Loey and Violet: downtown High Street for shops and lunch, Suncrest Towne Centre if anyone needs something, or Coopers Rock for the overlook if the day begs to be spent outside.
Back up the mountain for food, games, and the kind of evening that is the whole reason for the trip.
Markleysburg to Marion
One last sweep of the rooms — chargers, towels, the one shoe under the bed.
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa — the hour we lost on the way out comes back somewhere in Indiana.
The driveway in Marion. We unload tomorrow.
Your checks are saved on your own phone.
A full-size bed, with four bunk beds in the same building.
Eva & Charlie, Loey & Violet — wherever you like:
Claim a bunk once we’re up the mountain.
In Safari, tap Share at the bottom of the screen, scroll to Add to Home Screen, then Add. It opens full screen and keeps working where the signal drops.