Around 20,000 people call New Castle, PA, home. Located less than an hour away from the big city of Pittsburgh, and just 20 miles away from Youngstown, OH, the city prides itself on being a “friendly, family oriented community” with close access to big city attractions and amenities.
Right in town, there are plenty of things for seniors to enjoy. From close encounters with nature, to learning more about local history, the following are some things seniors enjoy doing in New Castle, PA.
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1. Tour the Living Treasures Animal Park
Living Treasures Animal Park is a zoo with a wide variety of animals on display. Species include camels, donkeys, sheep, pythons, monkeys, deer, foxes, lemurs, wolves, bears, sloths, pigs, tigers, tortoises and llamas.
Every Monday in September except for Labor Day, visitors ages 62 and older can enter the animal park with free admission. The park also hosts events, such as a holiday light extravaganza.
2. Stop by the New Castle Public Library
The New Castle Public Library dates back to 1910 and has evolved into a valuable community space for accessing free books, media and other resources for rent. The library hosts many free community events, such as heritage presentations, poetry nights, movie showings, open mic performances, book clubs and talks, sewing and quilting groups, and anime club.
The New Castle Public Library also has a genealogy department, where residents can access local city directories, county histories, yearbooks and other materials related to Lawrence County genealogy and history.
3. Visit the Lawrence County Historical Society
The Lawrence County Historical Society processes and preserves historical artifacts related to Lawrence County. The society’s museum includes one of the largest Shenango China archival collections in the world and features other artifacts, photographs, antique furniture, musical instruments, artwork and stained glass.
There’s also a museum exhibit on the county’s fireworks history. Visitors can book a docent-led tour to see the artifacts and learn more about the county’s heritage.
4. Take a Day Trip to Pittsburgh
The city of Pittsburgh is about 50 miles away from New Castle. You can take a day trip to Pittsburgh to enjoy entertainment and attractions like the following.
- Carnegie Museum of Art: The Carnegie Museum of Art includes a collection of more than 100,000 artworks, including paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs, drawings, architectural renderings, decorative arts, digital media and installations.
- Duquesne Incline: See picturesque views of Pittsburgh from the Duquesne Incline, a century-old cable car that’s one of the few remaining inclines in the U.S.
- Bicycle Heaven: Bicycle Heaven is the world’s largest bicycle museum and bike shop. Visitors can see a vast collection of antique bike collectibles and vintage and reproduced bicycle parts.
- Andy Warhol Museum: The Andy Warhol Museum features the largest collection of artworks by Andy Warhol and archival materials related to the artist.
- Carnegie Museum of Natural History: The Carnegie Museum of Natural History features exhibits on dinosaurs, archaeology, minerals and gems, endangered animals, botany, sea creatures and other natural wonders.
Pittsburgh is also home to major league sports teams including the Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Steelers. New Castle residents can make a day out of seeing globally renowned museums in Pittsburgh, or head into the city for other world-class entertainment.
5. See Harlansburg Station
The Harlansburg Station Museum of Transportation consists of more than 3,000 objects collected by retired U.S. Air pilot Donald Barnes and his family on display on a grass airstrip. The museum includes antique Greyhound buses, old gas pumps, railroad tools, steel mill badges, porcelain signs, a Model T 1949 Ford Truck and four passenger railroad cars.
The museum also includes a replica train station and various antique tools, accessories and clothes.
6. Visit Cascade Park
The New Castle Cascade Park is a nature lover’s paradise, with waterfalls, boulders and wildflowers. Visitors can hike, fish, play on the horseshoe and bocce courts, or have a meal at a picnic pavilion. The park also includes jungle gyms and playground swings, an off-leash dog park, fitness and hiking trails, and a dance hall.
7. Tour the Historic Warner Cascade Theatre Museum
The Historic Warner Cascade Theatre Museum is a nonprofit theater and museum located on the site of the first Warner Brothers Theatre. The nonprofit aims to preserve the Warner Brothers’ history and contributions to the film industry and to promote and educate about the film industry as a whole.
Visitors to the museum can see replicas of two theaters created by the Warner Brothers, exhibits on the Warner family, a “Wall of Superheroes” exhibit dedicated to creative teams and actors who played superheroes, a “Looney Tunes” exhibit, and historical artifacts and replicas, including old equipment and projectors. Visitors can also take a tour and see the first movie shown at the Cascade Theatre, a 12-minute-long, 1903 film called “The Great Train Robbery.”
8. Take a Class at the Hoyt Art Center
The Hoyt Art Center has a diverse variety of drop-in art classes, on subjects including drawing, stained glass, watercolor painting and photography. There are also non-art classes at the center, on subjects like yoga.
The art center also features a rotating display of art exhibits, featuring both global artists and regional artists featured in juried exhibitions. For residents who enjoy creating and viewing local art, a visit to the Hoyt Art Center is a must-do in New Castle.
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New Castle Also Features Clen-Moore Place
New Castle, PA, is also the home of Clen-Moore Place, a senior lifestyle community offering helpful personal care. Seniors who live at Clen-Moore Place can enjoy active and independent lifestyles, while having access to the exact level of care they need.
Residents get up to three chef-prepared meals a day, as well as have housekeeping and transportation services and access to an on-site hair salon. Each day, residents can also participate in on-site programming, including activities like:
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- Art appreciation
- Bible study
- Bingo
- Bird watching
- Exercise classes
- Happy hours
- Language classes
- Live music
- Meditation
- Puzzle and crossword clubs
- Walking club
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For seniors who live at Clen-Moore Place, there’s always something enjoyable to do, whether it’s right at home, or in the city of New Castle and the surrounding area.
To see what life at Clen-Moore Place is like, find out more about Senior Lifestyle, or schedule a tour today.