In 1935 a Pittsburgh department-store owner asked Frank Lloyd Wright for a weekend house with a view of the waterfall on Bear Run, and Wright put the house on top of the waterfall instead. Fallingwater is still the reason most people first drive into the hills southeast of Pittsburgh, but the things to do in the Laurel Highlands go far beyond one house: the whitewater and waterfalls of Ohiopyle, a second Wright house on a hilltop, the field where Flight 93 came down, the fort where George Washington surrendered in 1754, a 150-mile rail trail and three ski mountains. It’s all within about 1 to 2 hours of Pittsburgh.
Quick answer: Book Fallingwater first (guided tours are $42 in 2026, closed Wednesdays), then spend the rest of the day in Ohiopyle State Park for Ohiopyle Falls, Cucumber Falls and a ride on the Great Allegheny Passage. Add Kentuck Knob, 15 minutes away, and Fort Necessity. Give Flight 93 National Memorial (free) a quiet half day. Base in Ohiopyle or Farmington for the outdoors, Ligonier for a walkable town, or Somerset and Bedford for the Turnpike. Avoid Wednesdays, when Fallingwater is closed.
Last updated October 1, 2026. Hours, prices and closures were checked that day against Fallingwater, the National Park Service, DCNR, CamTran and the attractions’ own sites, with other details verified in late September 2026.
- Fallingwater 2026: the Guided Architectural Tour costs $42 and the In-Depth Tour $89; the Grounds Pass is $18. It’s open year-round except Wednesdays and major holidays. Children under 6 can’t join the standard house tour.
- Closed: the Johnstown Inclined Plane, billed as the world’s steepest vehicular incline, was still waiting for state certification after its rebuild when CamTran last reported on August 28, 2026.
- Free: Flight 93 National Memorial, Johnstown Flood National Memorial and Ohiopyle State Park charge no entrance fee.
- Owners: Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain are Vail resorts on the Epic Pass; Idlewild belongs to Herschend, the Dollywood company.
- Tolls: the Turnpike is cashless, and Open Road Tolling reaches the western Turnpike, including the Laurel Highlands exits, in January 2027.
On this page: At a glance | Where it is | Top 16 | Fallingwater or Kentuck Knob? | Where to stay | With kids | By season | Itineraries | What’s changed | FAQ
The Laurel Highlands at a glance
Prices are for one adult as of October 2026. Drive times are free-flow estimates from downtown Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C.
| Attraction | Near | Cost | From Pittsburgh | From Washington | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fallingwater | Mill Run | $42 tour; $18 grounds | About 1 hr 30 min | About 3 hr 30 min | Architecture lovers |
| Ohiopyle State Park | Ohiopyle | Free | About 1 hr 30 min | About 3 hr 15 min | Waterfalls, rafting, biking |
| Kentuck Knob | Chalk Hill | Tour tickets online | About 1 hr 30 min | About 3 hr 30 min | Wright fans |
| Flight 93 National Memorial | Stoystown | Free | About 1 hr 30 min | About 3 hours | Reflection, history |
| Fort Necessity | Farmington | See NPS | About 1 hr 30 min | About 3 hr 15 min | Colonial history |
| Johnstown Flood National Memorial | South Fork | Free | About 1 hr 30 min | About 3 hr 15 min | History |
| Ligonier | Westmoreland County | Free to wander | About 1 hour | About 3 hr 15 min | Small-town weekends |
| Seven Springs | Champion | Lift tickets vary | About 1 hr 15 min | About 3 hr 30 min | Skiing |
| Bedford | Bedford County | Free to wander | About 1 hr 45 min | About 2 hr 30 min | History, Turnpike stopover |
Where are the Laurel Highlands, and how do you get around?
The Laurel Highlands are the long ridges of Laurel Hill and Chestnut Ridge, part of the Allegheny Mountains in southwestern Pennsylvania, with the Youghiogheny River cutting through. The region usually means Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties, and the tourism region adds neighboring parts of Bedford and Cambria counties for Bedford and Johnstown. The Pennsylvania Turnpike runs right through it, with exits at Donegal, Somerset and Bedford, and US 40, the old National Road, crosses the south past Fort Necessity.
You’ll need a car. There’s no rail service to the main sights, and distances between them are short but slow on winding two-lane roads. Allow more time than the map suggests, especially behind trucks on the ridges and in fall, when weekend traffic around Ohiopyle and Fallingwater backs up. Cell service is patchy in the river valleys, so download maps before you leave Pittsburgh.
| Destination | Pittsburgh | Harrisburg | Philadelphia | Washington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohiopyle | 1 hr 30 | 3 hr 15 | 4 hr 45 | 3 hr 15 |
| Fallingwater | 1 hr 30 | 3 hr 15 | 4 hr 45 | 3 hr 30 |
| Flight 93 | 1 hr 30 | 2 hr 15 | 4 hr | 3 hr |
| Ligonier | 1 hr | 2 hr 45 | 4 hr 15 | 3 hr 15 |
| Johnstown | 1 hr 30 | 2 hr 30 | 4 hr 15 | 3 hr 15 |
| Confluence | 1 hr 45 | 3 hr | 4 hr 30 | 3 hr |
| Bedford | 1 hr 45 | 1 hr 45 | 3 hr 15 | 2 hr 30 |
If you’re starting in the city, our guide to things to do in Pittsburgh covers the museums, inclines and neighborhoods for the rest of the trip.
The 16 best things to do in the Laurel Highlands
Ranked for a first visit, starting with the big two. Many of the top sights sit within 20 minutes of each other around Ohiopyle and Mill Run, so a well-planned day covers three or four of them.
1. Fallingwater
Paid, reservations required; closed Wednesdays; the essential stop. Frank Lloyd Wright designed Fallingwater in 1935 for the Kaufmann family of Pittsburgh, cantilevering its terraces out over the waterfall on Bear Run so that the sound of water fills the house. It’s a National Historic Landmark and part of the UNESCO World Heritage listing for Wright’s 20th-century architecture, and it’s in its 63rd season of public tours. The standard Guided Architectural Tour takes you through the house and grounds; the In-Depth Tour goes further and allows personal photography inside.
Book online or at 724-329-8501, and book early for summer and October weekends, which can sell out weeks ahead. After the tour, walk the woods trails and the view down to the house from below the falls, the angle in every photo.
Skip it if: You’re traveling with children under 6, who can’t join the standard house tour (the $18 Grounds Pass lets them see the outside), or you can’t plan ahead: walk-ups rarely work on busy days.
Plan it: Mill Run, on PA 381, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Pittsburgh, 3 hours 15 minutes from Harrisburg, 3 hours 30 minutes from Washington and 4 hours 45 minutes from Philadelphia. Entry hours in 2026: 8am to 4pm from September 1 to November 29, 9:30am to 3pm from November 30 through December and January to March 13, 8am to 4pm in spring and 8am to 4:30pm in summer; closed Wednesdays, New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, per Fallingwater’s visit page (October 2026). Guided Architectural Tour $42 (no children under 6), In-Depth Tour $89 (no children under 9), Grounds Pass $18 (free under 6). Allow 2 to 3 hours. Best for: everyone, once.
2. Ohiopyle State Park
Free; spring to fall; the outdoor heart of the region. Ohiopyle covers about 20,500 acres along the Youghiogheny River Gorge, and DCNR calls it the gateway to the Laurel Highlands. Start at Ohiopyle Falls, right beside the little borough, then follow DCNR’s own highlights: the view into the deepest gorge in Pennsylvania from Baughman Rocks, a picnic at Tharp Knob, the loop around the Ferncliff Peninsula, and Cucumber Falls on Cucumber Run, a short walk from its parking area. In summer, the natural rock waterslides on Meadow Run draw crowds; wear old shorts and take the slides seriously.
Skip it if: You want solitude on a summer or October weekend. Come midweek, or head to quieter trailheads on Laurel Ridge instead.
Plan it: Ohiopyle, Fayette County, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Pittsburgh and 3 hours 15 minutes from Washington. State park parking is free, but some borough lots in town charge. Weekend parking fills by late morning in summer and October. Allow a full day with a hike and a bike ride. Best for: families and anyone who likes being outdoors.
3. Whitewater on the Youghiogheny
Paid; spring to fall; the region’s adrenaline. Ohiopyle is one of the busiest whitewater towns in the East. The Lower Yough, starting at Ohiopyle Falls, is the classic guided trip, with Class III and IV rapids; the Middle Yough, upstream toward Confluence, is a gentler float that families can paddle in rented rafts or inflatable kayaks. Several outfitters in town run guided trips, rent boats and shuttle you back; compare age minimums, which are higher for the Lower Yough.
Skip it if: You’re a nervous swimmer or have young children. The Middle Yough float or a ride on the GAP gives you the river without the rapids.
Plan it: Ohiopyle. Book guided Lower Yough trips ahead for summer weekends. Water levels change with rain and dam releases upstream, so ask the outfitter about conditions. Bring a change of clothes and shoes that strap on. Allow half a day. Best for: teenagers, groups of friends and adventurous couples.
4. Kentuck Knob
Paid tours; a second Wright house, 15 minutes from the first. Wright designed this hilltop house of local sandstone and tidewater cypress in the 1950s for the Hagan family, who ran an ice cream business in Uniontown, and it was later owned by the British collector Lord Palumbo, who filled the meadow below it with outdoor sculpture. It’s smaller, quieter and less crowded than Fallingwater, and the house’s hexagonal geometry is a good contrast. Tickets for Kentuck Knob’s tours are sold online.
Skip it if: You only have time for one Wright house. Fallingwater is the one to see; Kentuck Knob rewards those who already have.
Plan it: Chalk Hill, about 15 minutes from Fallingwater and Ohiopyle, and 1 hour 30 minutes from Pittsburgh. Book a tour on Kentuck Knob’s site. Allow 1.5 hours. Best for: Wright fans doing both houses in a day.
5. Flight 93 National Memorial
Free; open daily; the most moving place in the region. On September 11, 2001, the 40 passengers and crew of United Flight 93 fought back against the hijackers, and the plane crashed into a field near Shanksville. The national memorial tells their story with care: a visitor center with the timeline of that morning, a walkway down to the Memorial Plaza and the Wall of Names at the edge of the crash site, which is reserved for the families, and the Tower of Voices, a 93-foot tower holding 40 wind chimes, one for each person. The grounds are open from sunrise to sunset every day of the year, weather permitting, and there’s no entrance fee.
Skip it if: You’re short on time and would rush it. It deserves an unhurried visit, so schedule it for a day with room to spare.
Plan it: Near Stoystown, Somerset County, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Pittsburgh, 2 hours 15 minutes from Harrisburg, 3 hours from Washington and 4 hours from Philadelphia. Check NPS hours for the visitor center. Allow 2 to 3 hours, and come in a frame of mind for reflection. Best for: every visitor crossing the state.
6. Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Open year-round; where a world war began. In 1754 a young George Washington led Virginia troops into a skirmish with French soldiers at Jumonville Glen, a clash that helped start the French and Indian War. Weeks later, he surrendered his hastily built stockade, Fort Necessity, the only time he ever surrendered. The National Park Service has reconstructed the fort, runs an Interpretive and Education Center on the National Road, and preserves Mount Washington Tavern, an old stagecoach stop, and Braddock’s Grave nearby.
Skip it if: Colonial history leaves you cold. The site is small, and its interest is the story rather than the scenery.
Plan it: On US 40 near Farmington, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Pittsburgh and 3 hours 15 minutes from Washington. NPS suggests 1.5 to 2 hours for the fort and tavern, plus an hour for Braddock’s Grave and Jumonville Glen (open May 1 to October 31). Check the NPS site for visitor center hours and fees. Best for: history buffs and families with school-age kids.
7. The Great Allegheny Passage
Free; spring to fall; the region’s great bike ride. The Great Allegheny Passage runs 150 miles from Cumberland, Maryland to Pittsburgh on old railroad beds, crossing the Eastern Continental Divide, and its gentlest, prettiest miles pass through the Laurel Highlands. Trail towns such as Confluence, Ohiopyle, Rockwood and Meyersdale have bike rentals, cafés and places to stay. The 11 miles between Ohiopyle and Confluence, along the Youghiogheny, make the easiest scenic sample.
Skip it if: You want hills and technical riding. The GAP is a gentle rail grade, perfect for families and long-distance touring, not mountain biking.
Plan it: Rent bikes in Ohiopyle or Confluence. The trail surface is crushed limestone, fine for hybrid bikes. Best for: cyclists of every level.
8. The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail
Free; spring to fall; the long ridge walk. Laurel Ridge State Park’s 13,625 acres stretch along Laurel Mountain from the Youghiogheny at Ohiopyle to the Conemaugh Gorge near Johnstown, and its main feature is the 70-mile Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail. Day hikers can sample it from road crossings, such as near the Seven Springs area and US 30, while backpackers use its overnight shelter areas, which must be reserved.
Skip it if: You want an easy stroll. The LHHT is a real mountain trail with steady climbs; for a flat walk, use the GAP or Ohiopyle’s Ferncliff loop.
Plan it: Trailheads across Fayette, Somerset, Westmoreland and Cambria counties. Bring water and good boots: the trail climbs and drops steadily. Best for: hikers and backpackers.
9. Ligonier
Free to wander; any season; the best base town. Ligonier’s square, called the Diamond, is ringed with shops, cafés and restaurants, and it makes the most pleasant small-town base in the region. Fort Ligonier, a reconstructed British fort from 1758, tells the story of the French and Indian War; it runs 10am to 5pm, with guided tours for $5 on top of admission, and a special exhibit runs through December 30, 2026. The Compass Inn Museum, an old stagecoach stop in nearby Laughlintown, and Idlewild & SoakZone, the old-fashioned family park just west of town, round out a weekend.
Skip it if: You want outdoor adventure on your doorstep. Ligonier is a town base; Ohiopyle and the rivers are about an hour south.
Plan it: About 1 hour from Pittsburgh, 2 hours 45 minutes from Harrisburg and 3 hours 15 minutes from Washington. Idlewild runs its Hallowboo event on weekends through October 31; check its calendar. Best for: couples and families who like to walk to dinner.
10. Johnstown
Free and paid sites; history above all. On May 31, 1889, the South Fork Dam failed upstream and a wall of water destroyed Johnstown, killing more than 2,200 people. The Johnstown Flood National Memorial, at the site of the dam, tells the story; it’s free, and its visitor center is open Friday to Tuesday from 9am to 5pm (closed Wednesdays, Thursdays and some holidays). In town, the Johnstown Flood Museum covers the aftermath. One current gap: the Johnstown Inclined Plane, billed as the world’s steepest vehicular inclined plane, is closed while it awaits state certification after a long rebuild, so check inclinedplane.org before you plan around a ride.
Skip it if: You were mainly coming to ride the Inclined Plane. Until it reopens, put Johnstown on a day you’re passing through anyway.
Plan it: About 1 hour 30 minutes from Pittsburgh, 2 hours 30 minutes from Harrisburg and 3 hours 15 minutes from Washington. The memorial is in South Fork, about 20 minutes from downtown. Best for: history buffs.
11. Bedford
Free to wander; best in fall. Bedford is an old frontier and Turnpike town with a handsome brick downtown. Its Fall Foliage Festival, with more than 400 vendors, filled the streets on October 3 and 4 and 10 and 11 in 2026 and returns every October. Just south of town, the Omni Bedford Springs Resort, which opened as the Stone Inn in 1806 and has hosted 13 presidents, is the region’s grandest place to stay; our guide to the best resorts in Pennsylvania compares it with Nemacolin.
Skip it if: You want to be near Ohiopyle and Fallingwater. Bedford is about 1 hour 30 minutes east of them, better paired with Flight 93 and the Turnpike.
Plan it: Off the Turnpike’s Bedford exit, about 1 hour 45 minutes from Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, 2 hours 30 minutes from Washington and 3 hours 15 minutes from Philadelphia. Flight 93 is about 45 minutes west. Best for: couples and Turnpike travelers.
12. Somerset and Mount Davis
Free; spring to fall. Somerset is the county seat and the practical hub of the region, with Turnpike access, chain hotels and restaurants. Forty minutes south, the High Point Observation Tower on Mount Davis stands at 3,213 feet, the highest point in Pennsylvania, in Forbes State Forest. Nearby overlooks include the accessible High Point Overlook, Beam Rocks and Wolf Rocks.
Skip it if: You’re looking for a destination in itself. Somerset is a convenient, practical base rather than a place to linger.
Plan it: Somerset is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Pittsburgh and 3 hours from Washington. Best for: road trippers and summit collectors.
13. Skiing at Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain
Paid; December to March. Western Pennsylvania’s three biggest ski areas are all here, and all belong to Vail Resorts and the Epic Pass. Seven Springs is the largest, with 33 slopes, seven terrain parks, night skiing and tubing, according to Ski PA; Hidden Valley, nearby, has 25 slopes and night skiing Wednesday to Sunday; Laurel Mountain, known for its steep terrain, has 20 slopes and 761 feet of vertical. Our guide to ski resorts in Pennsylvania covers lifts, passes and lodging.
Skip it if: You’re an expert looking for big mountains. Western Pennsylvania’s resorts top out at 761 feet of vertical; they’re best for families and intermediates.
Plan it: Seven Springs is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Pittsburgh. Check Seven Springs’ site for 2026-27 opening dates. Best for: Pittsburgh skiers and families.
14. Nemacolin
Luxury resort; any season. Nemacolin’s 2,200 acres near Farmington hold three AAA Five-Diamond hotels, golf, a spa, its own ski hill, The Peak, and a casino for guests and members. It’s 20 minutes from Ohiopyle and Fallingwater, which makes it the region’s luxury base. Its Falling Rock hotel, inspired by Wright, takes only guests 16 and older.
Skip it if: Your budget is tight. A cabin near Ohiopyle puts you in the same scenery for a fraction of the price.
Plan it: 1001 Lafayette Drive, Farmington, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Pittsburgh. Best for: a splurge weekend. Compare it with other Pennsylvania resorts before you book.
15. Laurel Caverns
Paid; any season; the rainy-day plan. Laurel Caverns, now inside a state park on Chestnut Ridge, calls itself Pennsylvania’s largest cave, with more than four miles of passages. It’s a sandstone cave, so there are no stalactites, and one of the steepest caves in the world. Tickets are sold on arrival, with no reservations needed.
Skip it if: You expect classic stalactites. Laurel Caverns is a sandstone cave, impressive for its size and steepness rather than formations.
Plan it: Near Farmington, about 1 hour 30 minutes from Pittsburgh. Bring a jacket: caves stay cool year-round. Best for: families on a wet day.
16. The Laurel Highlands scenic drives
Free; best in October. DCNR maps two fall driving tours through the region. The Northern Loop runs about 125 miles along the ridge, past four state parks, a bog walk, the Johnstown Inclined Plane (closed to riders this fall) and what DCNR calls the third-deepest gorge in the state; allow at least four hours. The Southern Loop is about 70 miles through the valleys. Either makes a fine way to spend a color-season Saturday between stops.
Skip it if: You get carsick on winding roads, or you’re short on time. Pick one segment rather than a full loop.
Plan it: Download DCNR’s loop maps before you go, since cell service drops out. Best for: leaf-peepers and photographers.
Fallingwater or Kentuck Knob?
Both houses are Frank Lloyd Wright designs, 15 minutes apart, and doing both in one day is easy. If you can only fit one in, use this table.
| Fallingwater | Kentuck Knob | |
|---|---|---|
| Designed | 1935, for the Kaufmann family of Pittsburgh | 1950s, for the Hagan family of Uniontown |
| Setting | Over a waterfall on Bear Run | On a hilltop with a sculpture meadow |
| Tickets (2026) | $42 guided tour, $89 in-depth, $18 grounds only | Sold online; check the site for prices |
| Children | No children under 6 on the standard tour; under 9 on the in-depth tour | Check the site |
| Closed | Wednesdays and major holidays | Check the site |
| Crowds | Busy; book weeks ahead in summer and October | Quieter |
| Best for | Everyone’s first Wright house | Fans who want a second, calmer visit |
Where to stay in the Laurel Highlands
Ohiopyle and Confluence are the outdoors bases, with cabins, campgrounds, rentals and trail-town inns within walking or biking distance of the river and the GAP; Ohiopyle State Park’s Kentuck campground is the in-park option. Farmington means Nemacolin, or more modest lodges along US 40 near Fort Necessity. Ligonier has inns and bed-and-breakfasts and the best evening stroll. Seven Springs has a big resort hotel and condos, ideal in ski season. Somerset has the cheapest chain hotels off the Turnpike, and Bedford has the Omni Bedford Springs and smaller inns downtown.
Book early for October weekends, ski holidays and summer weekends in Ohiopyle. Cabins with hot tubs are popular year-round, and many have minimum stays on weekends.
The Laurel Highlands with kids
Ohiopyle is the family center: the Meadow Run slides on a hot day, the easy Ferncliff loop, a Middle Yough float with an outfitter, and a flat ride on the Great Allegheny Passage between Ohiopyle and Confluence. Idlewild & SoakZone near Ligonier is one of the gentlest, prettiest amusement parks in the country for small children, with Hallowboo on October weekends. Laurel Caverns makes a good rainy-day trip for older kids, and Seven Springs has snow tubing in winter.
Plan around Fallingwater’s age rules: children under 6 can’t join the standard house tour, so families with small children can buy the $18 Grounds Pass (free for under-6s) to see the house from outside, or split up and take turns. Fort Necessity’s reconstructed fort and Flight 93’s visitor center both work for school-age children, with a quick talk beforehand about what they’ll see.
Eating and drinking
The Laurel Highlands are small-town country: expect diners, family restaurants, ice cream stands, cafés in the trail towns and a handful of special-occasion dining rooms at the resorts. Ohiopyle and Confluence have casual spots for hungry rafters and cyclists; Ligonier’s Diamond has the best choice of sit-down restaurants and cafés; and Nemacolin and the Omni Bedford Springs have the region’s fine dining. The regional tourism bureau counts more than 50 craft beverage makers across the Laurel Highlands, from breweries and wineries to distilleries, cideries and a meadery, many of them on farms and small-town main streets. If you’re touring several, pick a driver: the roads are dark, winding and full of deer at dusk.
The Laurel Highlands on a budget
Many of the region’s best sights cost nothing. Ohiopyle State Park, Laurel Ridge and the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, the Great Allegheny Passage, Mount Davis, Flight 93 National Memorial, Johnstown Flood National Memorial and DCNR’s scenic driving loops are all free. If Fallingwater’s house tour is out of budget, its $18 Grounds Pass gets you the famous exterior view. Camp at Ohiopyle’s Kentuck campground or rent a simple cabin instead of a resort room, travel midweek, and pack a picnic for Tharp Knob or the Ferncliff Peninsula.
Things to do in the Laurel Highlands by season
Fall. Peak season. Color usually peaks in October on the ridges, Fallingwater runs 8am to 4pm through November 29, DCNR’s driving loops are at their best, and Idlewild’s Hallowboo fills October weekends. Book Fallingwater and lodging weeks ahead.
Winter. Skiing at Seven Springs, Hidden Valley, Laurel Mountain and The Peak at Nemacolin, plus cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on the ridges. Fallingwater stays open on shorter hours (9:30am to 3pm), and Flight 93’s grounds remain open daily. Roads over the ridges can be icy: carry a scraper and check forecasts.
Spring. Waterfalls run high, the rivers rise and whitewater season begins. In 2026, Fallingwater’s longer spring hours began March 14 and its Guided Grounds Walking Tour ran from April 13; check the 2027 calendar when it’s posted.
Summer. Rafting, biking the GAP, swimming at Meadow Run’s slides, Idlewild & SoakZone and cool nights on the ridges. Ohiopyle is at its busiest; arrive early on weekends.
Itineraries: a day trip and a long weekend
A day trip from Pittsburgh
Leave Pittsburgh by 8am. Take a morning tour at Fallingwater (book ahead), then drive 15 minutes to Ohiopyle for lunch, Ohiopyle Falls and Cucumber Falls. If there’s time, add Kentuck Knob’s last tour or Fort Necessity on US 40. Drive home via the Turnpike from Donegal. Don’t try this on a Wednesday.
A three-day weekend
Day one: Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, with dinner in Ohiopyle or Farmington. Day two: a morning on the river (Lower Yough with a guide, or the Middle Yough on your own) and an afternoon bike ride on the GAP toward Confluence. Day three: Fort Necessity in the morning, then Flight 93 National Memorial on the way home, or north to Ligonier for lunch on the Diamond.
From Washington or Baltimore
The Laurel Highlands are about 3 to 3.5 hours from Washington. Drive in on I-70 and the Turnpike or on I-68 through Cumberland, stay two nights near Ohiopyle, and leave via Flight 93 and Bedford, about 2.5 hours from home.
A short history of the Laurel Highlands
The ridges were a frontier long before they were a playground. In the 1750s, British and colonial armies cut roads over the mountains toward the Forks of the Ohio, where Pittsburgh now stands. Washington’s surrender at Fort Necessity in 1754 and the British fort at Ligonier in 1758 belong to that struggle, and the route through the southern Laurel Highlands later became the National Road, the country’s first federally funded highway, whose stagecoach inns, such as Mount Washington Tavern, still stand.
In the 19th century, coal and coke turned the region industrial, and Johnstown grew into a steel town in the Conemaugh Valley, until the South Fork Dam failed in 1889 and the flood killed more than 2,200 people. In the 20th century, wealthy Pittsburgh families came to the mountains to relax, which is how the Kaufmanns’ Fallingwater came to be built in the 1930s. The railroads that once hauled coal became the Great Allegheny Passage, and on September 11, 2001, a field near Shanksville became the site of Flight 93 National Memorial. Today the same ridges draw skiers, rafters, cyclists and leaf-peepers from Pittsburgh, Washington and beyond.
What to pack
Layers, first: the ridges run noticeably cooler than Pittsburgh, and fall mornings can start near freezing even when afternoons are warm. Bring rain gear and shoes that can get wet for Ohiopyle’s falls and rivers, sturdy boots for the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, and a printed or downloaded map for the valleys where phones lose signal. In hunting seasons, wear blaze orange on trails. Keep some cash for borough parking lots and small-town cafés.
What’s changed, and what to skip
- Fallingwater prices went up. The standard guided tour is $42 in 2026; older guides quote less. Children under 6 can’t join it, and under 9 can’t join the In-Depth Tour.
- The Johnstown Inclined Plane is closed pending state certification after its rebuild; check CamTran’s updates.
- The ski resorts changed hands. Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain are now Vail resorts on the Epic Pass.
- Skip: Wednesdays at Fallingwater (closed), arriving at Ohiopyle after 11am on a summer or October weekend (no parking), and trying to raft the Lower Yough without a guide on your first trip. And don’t treat Flight 93 as a quick photo stop.
Laurel Highlands FAQ
What are the Laurel Highlands known for?
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, Ohiopyle’s waterfalls and whitewater, Flight 93 National Memorial, Fort Necessity, the Great Allegheny Passage and the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, and western Pennsylvania’s main ski resorts, Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Laurel Mountain. It’s Pittsburgh’s mountain playground, about an hour or two away.
How far are the Laurel Highlands from Pittsburgh?
About 1 to 2 hours by car. Ligonier is about an hour from downtown Pittsburgh, Seven Springs about 1 hour 15 minutes, and Ohiopyle, Fallingwater, Fort Necessity, Flight 93 and Johnstown about 1 hour 30 minutes. Bedford and Confluence are about 1 hour 45 minutes away.
How much are Fallingwater tickets?
In 2026, the Guided Architectural Tour of the house and grounds costs $42 per person, the In-Depth Guided Tour $89 and a Grounds Pass, without the house interior, $18. Children under 6 aren’t allowed on the standard tour. Fallingwater is closed on Wednesdays and major holidays; book online or at 724-329-8501.
Do you need reservations for Fallingwater?
Yes. Tours run on timed reservations, and summer and October weekends fill weeks ahead, so book as soon as you know your dates. Grounds Passes are also sold online. Wednesdays are always closed, and winter hours are shorter, 9:30am to 3pm.
Is Flight 93 National Memorial free?
Yes. There’s no entrance fee or pass required. The grounds are open from sunrise to sunset every day of the year, including holidays, weather permitting; check the National Park Service site for visitor center hours. Allow two to three hours for the visitor center, the Memorial Plaza and the Tower of Voices.
When is the best time to visit the Laurel Highlands?
October, for fall color on the ridges and crisp hiking weather, though it’s also the busiest month. Summer is best for rafting, biking and swimming; winter for skiing; and spring for full waterfalls and the start of whitewater season. Midweek visits avoid the weekend crowds at Ohiopyle and Fallingwater.
Where should I stay in the Laurel Highlands?
Ohiopyle or Confluence for outdoor trips, Ligonier for a walkable small town, Seven Springs in ski season, Nemacolin or the Omni Bedford Springs for luxury, and Somerset for the cheapest chain hotels off the Turnpike. Book October and ski-holiday weekends well ahead.
Can you see Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob in one day?
Yes. The two Frank Lloyd Wright houses are about 15 minutes apart. Book a morning tour at Fallingwater and an afternoon tour at Kentuck Knob, with lunch in Ohiopyle in between. Remember that Fallingwater is closed on Wednesdays and that its standard tour doesn’t admit children under 6.
Related Pennsylvania Guides
- Things to do in Pittsburgh: the city base for Laurel Highlands trips.
- Skiing in Pennsylvania: Seven Springs, Hidden Valley, Laurel Mountain and the rest.
- The best resorts in Pennsylvania: Nemacolin and the Omni Bedford Springs compared.
Sources and How We Checked
Everything on this page was checked between September 24 and October 1, 2026 against the official sources below and compiled from them; we don’t claim first-hand visits. Drive times are free-flow estimates from OpenStreetMap-based routing (the Valhalla engine), rounded to the nearest 15 minutes.
- Fallingwater, visit: hours, tours, prices and age rules.
- NPS, Flight 93 National Memorial hours, Fort Necessity and Johnstown Flood National Memorial.
- DCNR, Ohiopyle State Park and Laurel Ridge State Park.
- Great Allegheny Passage: trail length and towns.
- Fort Ligonier: hours and tours.
Also used: Kentuck Knob’s website and CamTran’s August 28, 2026 update on the Johnstown Inclined Plane.
Pennsylvania Tourism Guide is an independent publication. We are not affiliated with Fallingwater, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the National Park Service, DCNR, Kentuck Knob, CamTran, Vail Resorts, Nemacolin, Omni Hotels or any outfitter or business named here, and no one paid to be included.
Photo Credits
- Fallingwater over Bear Run: photo by fuzheado, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
- Cucumber Falls, Ohiopyle State Park: photo by bobistraveling, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
- Rafting on the Youghiogheny River: photo by PerryPlanet, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
- Kentuck Knob: photo by Andre Carrotflower, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Tower of Voices, Flight 93 National Memorial: photo by Andre Carrotflower, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Fort Necessity National Battlefield: photo by Wilson44691, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
- Johnstown Inclined Plane: photo by Niagara, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)