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To do this week: How to handle noisy neighbors, and where to go to snap the most picturesque spots

We have lots for you this week, including how to handle noisy neighbors, road trips where you can take the best scenic pictures, and great events, both in-person and virtual, to keep you busy.

A covered bridge over Cabin Run creek in Plumstead, Bucks County.
A covered bridge over Cabin Run creek in Plumstead, Bucks County.Read more

We have lots for you this week, including how to handle noisy neighbors, road trips where you can take the best scenic pictures, and great events, both in-person and virtual, to keep you busy. And for more where that came from, we’re collecting everything you need to make the most of your summer at inqurier.com/summer.

Stay healthy, stay safe, and, as much as possible, it’s still a good idea to stay home.

thingstodo@inquirer.com

Plan this

Some events to keep you busy over the next seven days. Get our full events calendar at inquirer.com/calendar

  1. The African American Museum Presents Escape Artist Mixtape: Parable of Coronas (Launch Party / Virtual / Free) This virtual zine release party celebrates the art of survival with interactive and thematic experiences — this edition is inspired by Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower and promises engaging content created by a range of changemakers. (Free, Aug. 7, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., www.aampmuseum.org)

  2. Grand Ole Opry (Music / Virtual) This week’s socially distanced show from the stage of the Grand Ole Opry is a quality folk-country-bluegrass quadruple bill, with Nashville string band Old Crow Medicine Show, old-timey multi-instrumentalist Dom Flemons, bluegrass picker Billy Strings, and ace guitarist Molly Tuttle. (Free. 7:30 p.m., Aug. 8, on YouTube)

  3. Ill Doots (Music / In-person / Drive-in) The drive-in concert series at the People’s Light Theater in Malvern will continue for at least three more weeks. Saturday, it’s Ill Doots, the Philly hip-hop collective that draws on funk, R & B, and soul. Their new album is The Mess. The series continues on Aug. 14 with Colebrook Road and Greg Sover Band with Great Time on Aug. 21. ($75 per carload, Aug. 8, 6:30 p.m., peopleslight.org)

  4. Philadelphia Virtual StorySLAM (Theater / Virtual / Story slam) The Moth, a New York-based organization dedicated to the art of storytelling, presents a virtual — but Philadelphia-based — evening of tales. Guests can choose to listen to the stories through the virtual link or sign up for a chance to tell a story of their own around the theme of enthusiasm. ($10, Aug. 10, 7:15 p.m.-9:15 p.m., The Moth)

  5. Philadelphia Folk Fest (Music / Virtual / Multiday) The Philadelphia Folk Fest virtual experience kicks off Thursday night with a Campfire Open Mic night and access to the PFF archives, and then the fest gets going in earnest with over 150 acts playing Friday through Sunday. (Aug. 13 programming is only available with a $75 full-festival pass. One-day admission Friday through Sunday is $25. folkfest.org)

Drive to this

Need another road trip? Nick Vadala has a new to-do list, this time with 12 day trips in Pennsylvania for photo buffs. Grab your phone or fancy camera and snap some iconic shots. Here are some of the picture-perfect spots on his list:

  1. For a quick trick: Ridley Creek State Park. (Media, 26 miles from Center City) The 2,600-acre park includes everything from historic buildings and formal gardens to quaint creek views and 12 miles of hiking trails. The area, in fact, has so many scenic views that the Friends of Ridley Creek State Park organizes a photography contest every year.

  2. For a longer drive: Bucks County Covered Bridges. (New Hope, 40 miles from Center City) Folks who are into documenting historical structures should head to bucolic Bucks County, which is home to a dozen covered bridges dating back to the 19th century. You can see them all on a three-hour, self-guided tour developed by Visit Bucks County, and snap some pics along the way.

  3. For a day trip: Bushkill Falls. (Bushkill, 115 miles from Center City) Known as the “Niagara of Pennsylvania,” this spot has scenic views of eight waterfalls in the picturesque Pocono Mountains — and thanks to a well-maintained series of bridges and hiking trails, it’s not hard to get a good view (though tickets are required). If you’re looking for size, the Main Falls, which stands 100 feet tall, is your spot.

» READ MORE: 12 day trips in Pennsylvania for photo buffs

And in case you’ve missed them, here are some other road trips worth taking this summer:

Know this

Noisy neighbors? You’re not the only one. We’re all in one another’s spaces a lot more right now, with everyone, and their kids, at home a lot more. Elizabeth Wellington dug up some practical tips for talking about your neighbors about the noise. And, if that doesn’t work, here are some ways so you can hear it less:

  1. Earplugs are an obvious solution, and can help dull the noise. Plus, they’re cheap.

  2. White-noise machines will substitute the din with more calmer-sounding waves. These are good for helping your child fall asleep when loud music is playing or there is noise from construction. They range in price from about $25 to more than $100.

  3. Noise-canceling headphones. They aren’t cheap — a good pair from Sony or Bose will run you about $300 — but they work by generating tones that cancel out a lot of background noise.

  4. Transparency headphones. If you want to watch television, listen to music, or talk on the phone without being bothered by background noise, transparency headphones filter out the unwanted noise so that whatever you’re streaming or listening to comes in clear.

  5. Add soundproofing. Fill in gaps underneath doors by adhering rubber weather stripping to the bottom of the door. Install door curtains over your front door; they can act as a sound buffer. Hang a foam ceiling cloud. They aren’t cheap, but they can help eliminate echoes and absorb noises in your space.

» READ MORE: Noise. Noise. Noise. There is definitely more of it this summer. Here’s how you can live with it.