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I immediately thought of Gecko-Roman architecture. What an interesting culture that would have been.
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Welcome to Indonesia! Actually it's more like Roamin' Geckos.</p>
<p>"wind through the amish country on route 30" ??? If you stay on route 30 from Philadelphia you will see more cars and stoplights then you would ever want to have nightmares about. Have you been on this road in the past 10 years? We used to live in Chester county and have family in Lancaster county, Route 30, although scenic for about 5 miles, is a very overcrowded road. 40 miles and probably 2 hours of driving....The Schuykill is a road that has been nick-named the sure kill. Actually maybe spelled the "Shore-Kill" because it's the route many take to the Jersey Shore. Anyway, both roads I try to avoid. The turnpike, now that's a good set of roads.</p>
<p>I would suggest doing Lancaster another trip and going with Momrath's suggestions. While Lancaster county on the whole is very pretty, I don't think it's worth the aggravation of getting there. The northern tier of New York, though completely different then Lancaster, is equally gorgeous.</p>
<p>Kathiep - I like the CC board for its range of opinions so that the reader can pick and choose what is right for him/her. Obviously, you and I are on opposite sides of the "Amish Country" recommendation I made. You are right about Lancaster Avenue as a road with traffic overload and oh-so-many traffic lights. However, my recommendation for a visitor to the Philly area is a "stop and smell the coffee" approach, not the "get there as fast as possible" approach. As I mentioned in my prior e-mail, once in Lancaster County getting off the main (and congested) drag of Lancaster Avenue on any of several two lane roads is very important so one can get into the "real" countryside and Amish life. </p>
<p>I did not mention it in my post, but in its own way Lancaster Avenue with all of its slow traffic misery is a pretty, scenic gateway to the charms of the blueblood Main Line (again with the need to drive left or right off some roads one can choose) as you get to Lancaster County. For instance, in western Chester County (a few miles before Lancaster County) my family and I saw an old farmhouse and buildings - not Amish -about 1 block off Lancaster Avenue as we waited at a stoplight. On a whim, we turned onto that road and parked by the old buildings so we could use up a few remaining pictures in our camera roll. A local resident was walking by and filled us in on the history (pre-1800's) of the farmhouse and buildings. Not on the itinerary but a wonderful stop nonetheless. Ardmore (with its small town downtown), Villanova, St. Davids, Wayne, etc. on Lancaster Avenue all beckon as well. Mansions, universities, high rises, shopping, etc. all mix on that slow route of Lancaster Avenue.</p>
<p>By the way, my latest venture on both the Pennsy Turnpike, Schulkyll Expressway, and Blue Route (the freeway through Delaware County that goes right by Swarthmore was March of this year). Congested, but the traffic flow was not stop and go at the time I went (about 7:00 pm coming from the west on a weekday), so I believe through my personal experience that the "quick way" does indeed work well as long as you don't hit the rush hours.</p>
<p>All potential college visitors to the Philly area - My nostalgia for my old hometown and state are showing and this may indeed be a "do this on another trip", but just north (30 miles or so) of Lancaster County with the Amish Country is Chocolate Town U.S.A., Hershey, Pennsylvania. Milton Hershey, the founder of Hersheys Chocolate Company, spent much of his long life and fortune beautifying the town and its surrounding area with gardens, a huge Victorian style hotel, an old time amusement park with a wooden roller coaster, and the town itself with chocolate drop (Hersheys kiss anyone?) shaped street lamps and other goodies. Again, maybe a "must see" for another trip but the quicker way to Lancaster County via the Blue Route (if in Delaware County and near Swarthmore College or Villanova U.), Schuylkill Expressway, and Pennsy Turnpike will also take you very close to Hershey with exits from the turnpike going north versus the exits south to Lancaster County. Again, mapquest the route if you decide to go.</p>
<p>Sorry lonestardad, didn't mean to offend. Pennsylvania is my adopted state, not my hometown one but I kind of snorted in my coffee when I read about route 30 as a good sight seeing road. Side streets are indeed charming. You didn't mention my neck of the woods - the Lehigh Valley near Lehigh, Lafayette, Muhelnberg and a couple of other small colleges. We have beautiful mountains, small towns AND we're easily accessible from the turnpike going north and south and route 78 heading east and west.</p>
<p>kathiep - Confession time - I have been to the Lehigh Valley only once in my life. It's amazing how many places are "so close yet so far" when your daily life (in this case my life growing up) never takes you there.</p>
<p>On my first post on this thread, I did sneak in a little promo for the Lehigh Valley..."Also, close to Philly (northeast about 50 miles or so) is Lehigh University and Lafayette College that also might be worth a browse." Along with Muhlenberg and the handsome countryside you describe, it certainly is worth a day or two on many college seekers' itinerary.</p>