Romantic Things to do in Coudersport PA: A Dark Sky Tourist Town

WHY GO: There are several things to do in Coudersport PA in Potter County. The main one: visiting one of the few International Dark Skies designated areas on the East Coast, Cherry Springs State Park.

Coudersport is also located a few miles from a fantastic museum about the industry that put this forested, mountainous area of Pennsylvania on the map: lumber. Stay in a funky studio apartment or go glamping out on a farm. Read on for a truly offbeat getaway.

Curious about more quick escapes in Pennsylvania? Check out our Best Romantic Getaways in PA post.

Things to Do in Coudersport PA

GO/NIGHT: Cherry Springs State Park – Dark Sky. (A 20-minute drive from Coudersport on Route 44, aka “Highway to the Stars”)

On new moon, cloudless nights, Cherry Springs SP is completely and utterly dark: as in can’t-see-your-hand-in-front-of-your-face dark.

Formerly an airstrip, adjacent to an old State Park (known for its Woodsman Show), far from any significantly populated town, and at the top of a hill, Cherry Springs affords a 360 degree field of view. Therein lies its value to both amateur stargazers and professional astronomers.

As one of the few Dark Sky parks on the East Coast of the USA, designated by the International Dark-Sky Association, Cherry Springs State Park attracts thousands of outer space enthusiasts from all over the world to observe what our ancestors must have seen from their farms and villages long before electric lights obscured these views. Watching the stars pop, and the cloudy Milky Way get brighter and brighter, is a transcendent and spine tingling spectacle.

Serious Astronomers, hauling thousands of dollars in photographic and telescopic equipment, have access to a designated field and campground. This dedicated campground features its own free parking lot that is closed after dark. White light is not permitted on the field at all. That includes headlights, car interiors, computer lights, flashlights, tent, and camper lights.

The general public is asked to park in a lot across the street at the old airstrip, which hosts programming on many clear Friday and Saturday nights. No charge for those just coming at night to see the stars. Most visitors stay in Coudersport or Wellsboro. Night Sky photographer, Curt Weinhold leads workshops for a fee. For now, there is no Visitor’s Center or lodging inside the State Park. Cherry Springs provides rustic camping sites for a fee.

TOUR: Pennsylvania Lumber Museum, Galeton PA

This region of PA, Potter County, is rich in natural resources. Lumber, coal and gas have made many a man a millionaire here since the 1800’s. When William Penn first scouted these thick woods in the early 1700’s, 90% of the land was covered with trees so dense, he could not see daylight. By the turn of the 20^th Century, only 30% of the trees remained.

Nothing illustrates the vicissitudes of the local timber industry better than the PA Lumber Museum, 10 miles East of Coudersport in Sweden Valley. In 2015, the addition of a modern 7,000 sq. ft. entryway created a more open, sun drenched first impression, and room for “beefed up” events.

Roosevelt’s New Deal and the CCC

It’s worth stopping in to learn about the logging companies that decimated these dense forests in the mid 1800’s. So much so, the once-lush Alleghenies became a wasteland.

Enter Roosevelt’s New Deal and the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps), which replanted and laid the groundwork for managing and sustaining PA forests. Pennsylvania had more CCC Camps (153) than any other state except California. All told, over nine years (from 1933-1942), over three billion trees were planted.

Exhibits continue outside, and include a series of weathered buildings housing lumber-hauling steam engines(including the powerful Shay Locomotive), a sawmill, mess hall, and all services related to the sweaty, stinky, rough life in a logging/lumber camp.

The Lumber Industry Today

And what about the lumber industry today? Managing forests for recreation, and adhering to sustainable practices, PA leads the nation in hardwood lumber (Oak, Maple, Cherry) production. Unlike other building materials, wood is the only “carbon negative” resource: young replanted forests absorb much more CO2 from the atmosphere than do older trees.

The Lumber Museum hosts a bevy of events, contests, and festivals year round. Try your luck at the Greased Pole Contest, Log Rolling Contest, Cross-Cut Saw Challenge, Bark Peelers’ Festival, and Spooky Lantern Tours. Kids love the Frog Jumping Contest and Sawdust Treasure Hunt, just to name a few. Check website for open hours and tours. Carol Jackson Coudersport PA Chamber Artisan Center

VISIT: Potter County Chamber of Commerce and Artisan Center

I’m a big fan of local art in small towns, especially when said art is more creative, unique, and affordable than in your average “gift shop.” At the Potter County Chamber of Commerce and Artisan Center, dozens of artists and craftsmen/women broker their wares in a modest space on Main Street.  Along with hostess and birthday gifts, you can stock up on handcrafted foodstuffs, teas, herbal products, and soap for yourself, too. Consult website for hours open.

SHOP/EAT/STAY: Olga Gallery, Cafe & Bistro 

*FYI – Olga’s Gallery and Cafe suffered a terrible fire several years ago, and recovery has been slow. Be sure to call ahead to find out if open.

I’ve been following Olga and John Snyder since I drove through Coudersport in 2011 on my transcontinental Route 6 trip. Each year since, they’ve been adding on to their wildly colorful businesses.

The Bistro still serves one of the best meals in town, thanks to Olga’s obsession with organic farming. Many ingredients for pure, fresh, delicious dishes are sourced from Olga’s garden. Consequently, The Bistro offers a great selection of vegan and vegetarian meals.

Next door, at Olga’s Yarn Shop, locals and visitors can join her knitting workshops, and Ukrainian Egg (Pysanky) painting classes.

From the Ukraine, Olga is skilled in this intricate and exquisite art form– rendering stories in miniature on eggshells. While in town, sign up for a class, and she will teach you.

PHOTO OP: Coudersport Ice Mine

Why does this pit in the earth freeze in summer and melt in winter? Though you can’t descend into this old mine, it’s worth a look to see and hear about this abnormal occurrence. Our friends at UncoveringPA.com let you in on all the deets.

Where to Eat and Stay in Coudersport PA

EAT: Cream & Sugar

Every ten days, owner Abbi Rossman must drive 2 ½ hours each way to State College PA to pick up Penn State Creamery ice cream (they don’t deliver) – arguably one of the top-ten ice creams brands in the USA. Besides ice cream, Cream and Sugar dishes out coffee, tea, salads, sandwiches, and baked goods the likes of Peach and Blueberry Squares – all mostly assembled with ingredients from local farms.

Shelves in this open, bright space are stocked with candles, lotions, and essential oils from Sunrise Ridge, Amber Fowler’s jewelry, local honey and maple syrup. “The town needed a place where you could sit down with a cup of coffee, and where people could grab lunch and a teacher’s gift and not have to go to a bunch of stores,” said Rossman. Kids come in swarms after school, sit on the couches, play games. It’s a local hangout for all.

Where to Stay in Coudersport PA

STAY: Olga’s Upstairs, Farm Cabin, Camping and Glamping

Olga has renovated a pretty appartment – Olga’s Upstairs. It – and other accomodations at Olga’s Farm (glamping and a cabin) have proven to be a hit with out of towners who come here for Cherry Springs “Dark Skies” State Park. Starts at $130 per night plus taxes and fees.