Last weekend I took a trip to Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, with some friends for a little getaway. The weather finally broke and it was a beautiful day for hiking and being out on the water, which is just what we did.

After a couple miles of hiking in the morning, we cooled off by the lake.

It was my first time here, and I loved every minute of it. Just a short two hours from Pittsburgh, there truly is something for everyone, whether you’re looking for adventure or just to relax in nature. We also did the Mountain Coaster, which was thrilling!

As the sun rose higher in the sky, we opted to go paddle boarding. I’d never been before and have terrible balance, so I was interested to see how I’d do. It was a blast, and honestly easier than I expected. We also jumped off the dock and went swimming.

On the way back to Pennsylvania, we stopped at Mountain State Brewery for some firewood flatbread pizzas and craft beer. With all these state parks right at our fingertips, there’s no excuse to not get out and enjoy them, especially if you don’t have the luxury of vacation days. I’ll definitely be back!