Valley Forge offers fall fun

Options abound in this Pennsylvania town.

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. (AP) — Valley Forge was a tough place for George Washington’s troops to spend the winter of 1777.

But as a tourism destination this fall, the region sounds like a lot of fun.

You can pick pumpkins or wander through the corn maze at Freddy Hill Farms and Family Fun Center in Lansdale on weekends in October.

If you prefer shopping to agri-tourism, check out the King of Prussia Mall or Philadelphia Premium Outlets in nearby Limerick.

Fans of the old “Three Stooges” show will want to check out The Stoogeum, a museum in Gwynedd Valley dedicated to the slapstick trio. It’s open by appointment only; details at www.stoogeum.com/id7.html.

For golfers, Montgomery County has more than 40 public golf courses, and for bikers there are 55 miles of trails.

Fall is also a great time for birdwatching, as the birds head south for the season. You can look for the migrating species at the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove.

And if seeing the fall foliage through your car window isn’t exciting enough, take a look from a zip-line as you zoom 40 miles an hour along Spring Mountain.

Finally, if you want to find out what it was like to be a soldier at Valley Forge, without the snow, Valley Forge National Historical Park has programs for kids the first Saturdays of October and November where they can receive enlistment papers, be issued dummy muskets and learn how to march.

For details on visiting the area and information on how to earn a free $35 gas card for your trip, visit www.valleyforge.org.