Chesney Mosher, Sophomore
Spring is known as the countdown season ‘till summer. All spring long, you just sit around waiting for school and work to end and the weather to get warmer. Although you might not think it, there are many things you can do to keep yourself busy and prepare yourself for summer.
A great activity to do during the spring is to go to a flower field. There's many all around Pennsylvania that allow you to walk around and pick bouquets for yourself. Flower fields are also a great spot to take pictures. They supply an endless amount of color and happiness. The most popular flowers that bloom in the spring are tulips, daffodil, lily flowers, bluebell, hyacinth, and allium, all of which can be found in local fields. If you're looking to travel, some of the most beautiful flower fields in the United States are Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm (Clackamas County, Oregon), Borrego Springs (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California), and Mount Rainier National Park (Washington).
Once the cold is gone, the food trucks and festivals come out. The warm weather is perfect for a stroll in the park, finished off with some yummy food truck food. Many festivals and markets start in the spring; they vary from cultural food festivals, to craft markets, to musical festivals. Parks, festivals, markets and food trucks are a cheap way to busy yourself during the long countdown ‘till summer. Some of these activities are held not too far away. There's a Greek food festival held in Bethlehem, spring craft fair held in Quakertown, and several food truck festivals held in Lehigh Valley, Easton, and Nazareth.
Learning new hobbies is not only great if you need to keep yourself busy, but it can also help your mind be at peace. An amazing hobby to have in life is painting, and spring is the perfect time to start painting. The flowers are blooming and everything is turning green. Watercolor painting is a great way to express your feelings or paint a beautiful scenery inspired by the springtime. All the supplies you would need could be bought off Amazon or at a craft store. You can travel to a park, beach, or even your backyard to paint away. At first it may be hard, but once you get the hang of it, it is very peaceful.
A day trip to the city, Philadelphia specifically, can be a great spring weekend trip. There's so much to do in the city, from the Delaware River to the museums. There is a ferry that takes you on a fifteen-minute tour of the Delaware River, which just opened at the beginning of May. Although there are many museums in Philly, my personal favorite is The Philadelphia Museum of Art. It has unveiled 90,000 square feet of new and reimagined public spaces as part of its Frank Gehry-led Core Project, including 20,000 square feet of new gallery spaces. Last but not least, you have to visit the disco themed roller rink located next to city hall.
If you're not the city type of person, you can still enjoy similar activities but in the country. There are many historical museums and landmarks especially in Lancaster, Pennsylvania where they have an Amish village tour. There's also tons of beautiful state parks in Pennsylvania, like Presque Isle State Park, which are perfect for a hike or a picnic. Playing a game of any type of sport with your family or friends is a great activity especially considering the warm temperatures spring holds.
Whatever you do, be sure to have fun while waiting for summer to come!
Sources: https://www.discoverphl.com/blog/top-spring-activities-in-philadelphia/
https://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/nature-travel/carlsbad-california-flower-fields