This place for pets
August may be a oppressive month in terms of weather, but it’s also a month of impending change. Some kids may be looking forward to reuniting with their friends, favorite teachers, and the glory of senior year, while others are holding on to summer with clenched fists. Whether you choose to embrace the heat or escape into the air conditioning, the possibilities for entertaining yourself before summer ends are endless.
Little Buffalo State Park offers a trio of opportunities to cool off, with a creek, lake, and pool. A creek winds along beautiful trails that are nearly illuminated by ferns, moss, vines, and other greenery. If you’re lucky, you might even spot mushrooms bigger than your head! The Covered Bridge Trail connects to a playground after 0.25 miles, so it’s an easy option for a low-impact nature excursion. The 88-acre lake is wonderful for kayaking or boating. Anglers of all ages can enjoy daily catches like largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish, and yellow perch, though fishing regulations apply. Little Buffalo’s pool has a $6 entrance fee per swimmer. However, the Blue Ball Trail runs along a creek with several free access points for wading and splashing.
If you and your family love animals, check out the Capital Area Therapeutic Riding Association (CATRA). Located in Grantville, they offer a supportive, respectful and healthy atmosphere for those who can benefit from spending time with animals. They need volunteers to help care for the animals, including horses, goats, dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens and alpacas, as well as help maintain their garden. Volunteers ages 13 and up are welcome, but children under 13 can volunteer with a guardian.
For an indoor excursion, That Fish/Pet Place in Lancaster is air-conditioned and offers 88,000 square feet of animal experiences. Guests can interact with hamsters and rabbits or admire beautiful birds that chirp and sing. Turtles, frogs, lizards and more populate the store’s reptile and amphibian section. Kids will love the hide-and-seek games these cold-blooded creatures play. The marine area includes more than just traditional goldfish, as the walls swim with freshwater and saltwater fish that sparkle under the aquarium lights. While jumping in the water with these beauties is unfortunately not an option, there is a touch pool where people of all ages can pet stingrays. That Fish/Pet Place offers hours of entertainment and education as well as a respite from the heat.
Even though the days are long, summer flies by. Maybe it’s because this is the time of year when being outside is most enjoyable, when hours spent playing, laughing, and exploring are reduced to minutes. Even though summer is coming to an end, these magical moments are ours to warm us up for the seasons to come.
To learn more about Little Buffalo State Park, visit www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/LittleBuffaloStatePark.
The Capital Area Therapeutic Riding Association is located at 168 Station Rd., Grantville. For more information, visit www.catra.net.
That Fish/Pet Place is located at 237 Centerville Rd., Lancaster. For more information, visit www.thatpetplace.com.
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