Dear Diary,

If you have a princess in your castle, you probably took your chariot out for a spin to see Beauty and the Beast recently. Maybe you took the trip several times, memorizing the movie. Now, it’s time to drive beyond your kingdom walls. Pennsylvania is home to several real life castles-some even offer tours, overnight stays and activities.

Bowman’s Castle, Fayette County

Bowman’s Castle, also known as Nemacolin Castle, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as it was once a trading post in the late 1790s. You can take a tour of the 22-room mansion with many original furnishings, selecting from historic or haunted. There are also candlelit tours available.

Buhl Mansion, Sharon, Mercer County

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this luxurious castle features 10 guest rooms and a world-class spa fit for a princess. You don’t have to book a room to book a spa appointment. This is a great place to get the royal treatment. You can also stroll through the gardens.

Click here for other castles calling the commonwealth home.

 

About The Author

Vlog Mom/DFTM Creator

Not long ago, Heather Hopson hosted a television show in the Cayman Islands. Today, she's back home writing a different kind of story as a new mom. In her 15 years working as a professional journalist, this by far is her best assignment! Growing up, she dreamed of becoming Oprah Winfrey. She was the features editor for her school’s newspaper and a teen talk show host for her city’s most popular radio station. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Michigan State University. After graduation, she worked as a television producer and reporter at CBS, NBC and Fox affiliates throughout the U.S. Instead of heading to Chicago to join Ms. Winfrey on her set, she bought a plane ticket to the Cayman Islands instead. She arrived five days before a category five hurricane! She lived in paradise for seven years, hosted an award-winning television show and traveled the globe with a government delegation. She also served on the board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters and spearheaded a Send a Kid to Camp campaign. Then, she relocated to Washington, D.C. to obtain a teaching certification and instruct 8th grade reading at a high needs middle school. She later returned to her hometown of Pittsburgh, PA to raise her daughter Caitlynn, now 4-years-old. During her 10-month-stint as a stay-at-home mom, Caitlynn inspired her to create this blog, and Diary of a First Time Mom was born on Mother’s Day 2012. Two years later, she expanded the family to include 20+ writers. Currently, Heather serves as the communications director at Allies for Children. In addition, she is the owner of Motor Mouth Multimedia, which ranked #49 in Startup Nation’s Home-Based 100 Competition sponsored by Discover Card and Sam’s Club. Recently, The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Heinz Endowments selected Heather to receive an Emerging Black Artist award to develop Diary of a First Time Mom.

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