John Golden, Director of Communications, Valley Forge CVB - Unravel Travel TV

Valley Forge is considered to be the birthplace of the U.S. Army, a distinction born of General George Washington's strategic decision to camp here from December 1777 to June 1778. Washington's ability to guide his men through a winter of disease, deprivation, death and desertion imbued the troops with enough grit and determination to see them through the remaining seven years of the Revolutionary War and emerge victorious. Washington also used his time here wisely, undertaking a training program that united the military tactics of 13 separate fighting forces into one U.S. Army.

Valley Forge National Historical Park, the 3,500-acre site of that encampment, remains a vibrant symbol of determination and the price that must be paid to win and retain freedom. Parks staff and volunteers run a steady calendar of historic presentations, lectures, demonstrations and children's programming to ensure that its key role in the formation of the U.S. is never forgotten.

For shoppers The King of Prussia Mall, the largest retail-shopping complex on the East Coast of the USA, features upscale items for the trendiest fashionistas. Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom's, Neiman-Marcus, Tiffany & Co., and Williams-Sonoma are just a few of the 400-plus stores in store for visitors. The Mall features a number of after-hour events and even provides a personal shopping service, guaranteed to become an instant gal-pal for an outing of fashion and fun. Just a few miles away is Philadelphia Premium Outlets with more than 150 outlet stores and savings of 25 to 65 percent every day on brand name designers. The collection of stores - really more of a European-style promenade encourages wandering and chatting while hunting for bargains.

Fifty-five miles of biking trails traverse the county and even connect Center City, Philadelphia to Valley Forge National Historical Park via the 22-mile Schuylkill River Trail. At the Park, 20 miles of multipurpose trails traverse rolling hills dotted with replica soldier huts. The 19-mile Perkiomen Trail leads north to Green Lane Park where visitors can rent boats and fish in the spring and summer and catch weekly concerts.

For adventure seekers there is Spring Mountain Adventures. Open year-round, Spring Mountain is an adrenaline addict's dream offering skiing, snowboarding, zip line canopy tours above the treetops, geo-caching and even extreme biking. To the mountain's east side, Woodside Lodge at Spring Mountain nestles in its quiet setting aside the Perkiomen Creek. This completely remodeled B&B was a former 1920s era inn, and every bit of its original charm (glass doorknobs, transoms above every door) has been retained.

-----------------------

Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board is a private, non-profit membership sales and marketing organization which actively promotes the Valley Forge area and Montgomery County as a convention site and leisure visitor destination by promoting patronage of its member hotels, restaurants, attractions and services. The Board represents more than 300 member businesses throughout Southeast Pennsylvania. The Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board was established as the Valley Forge Convention and Visitors Bureau by the Montgomery County Commissioners in 1963, making it the officially chartered tourism promotion agency of Montgomery County. It was an agency of Montgomery County until 1999, when the County Commissioners voted to privatize the bureau, while maintaining fiduciary oversight through appointment of the agency's volunteer board of directors. Funding comes from a combination of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania grants, membership dues and a tax imposed on visitors occupying the County's more than 7,500 hotel rooms. The Board does not receive funding from Montgomery County.

Rebeca Nesselrode, Reportera de Viajes, Unravel Travel TV spoke to John Golden, Director of Communications, Valley Forge CVB about what there is to do and see in the Valley Forge area and Montgomery County area.

Valley Forge CVB valleyforge.org