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Holiday Shopping Hot Spots in Lancaster County

During your trip to Lancaster County, get some of that holiday list crossed off by shopping local in the many specialty shops, markets, and family-owned businesses found throughout every part of the area. These thoughtful (and 100% Lancaster) gift ideas are perfect for stocking stuffers you can’t find anywhere else.

Kitchen Kettle Village is a great place to start your shopping spree. With forty specialty shops full of handmade wares, baked goods, and home decor, it’s easy to fill your cart. Your best option is to go with the homemade jams and jellies, especially if you know a friend or family member would appreciate the Hostess Box, with six of the most popular jars of jam. Visit the Kitchen Kettle Village website for a complete list of vendors.

Since 1894, Wilbur’s Chocolate has been making the signature, silky-smooth Wilbur Buds and other chocolatey. The same recipe is still used today and there are plenty of options for gift boxes, mugs, and sweet treat bundles available for purchase. Take your pick for someone special and don’t feel guilty for gifting some of Wilbur’s famous chocolates into your own stocking this year. Visit the Wilbur Chocolate Retail Store website for more information.

Creatively Lancaster Makers Market showcases a large variety of talented and skilled artists, crafters, creators, bakers, and makers. Find unique art pieces and paintings, one-of-a-kind decor, small sentimental gifts, and much more, all handmade by local residents. The Holiday Makers Market will be open every Saturday from November 30th to December 21st at Park City Center from 9AM to 4PM. Visit the Creatively Lancaster website for more information.

From sweets to ornaments and homemade jams to Amish-made candles, soaps, and lotions, find these Lancaster County treasures to share everything you love about Lancaster County with those that are most important to you back home. Maybe next year, you’ll bring them along!

Travel the Susquehanna Ale Trail

More than a dozen breweries and distilleries make up the Susquehanna Ale Trail in York County. Part of Good Libations Trails, alongside the Mason Dixon Wine Trail and Keystone Craft Spirits Trail, the taste buds of any food enthusiast are guaranteed to be satisfied after this beer tasting adventure through the historic countryside of South Central Pennsylvania.

The Susquehanna Ale Trail is a self-guided year-round tour to the many breweries and brewpubs in the York region that all make excellent, local beer. There is more to your visit than just a pint, though, and along your journey you will meet the brewmasters and learn all about the behind-the-scene processes that go into making beer. Additionally, some locations will allow you to create your own.

Participating breweries include Battlefield Brew Works in Gettysburg, Bube’s Brewery in Mount Joy, Troegs Independent Brewing in Hershey, and many more. At each location you visit, have your passport stamped and once it is completed with six stamps, send your passport in to Explore York to collect your prize.

Visit the Explore York website for more information on the Susquehanna Ale Trail.

Explore York
60 East North Street
York PA 17401

Octoberfest at Roundtop Mountain Resort

While you can enjoy its steep slopes and scenic views all year long, Roundtop Mountain Resort in Lewisberry officially opens its trails for the winter sport season on November 2nd. With 20 trails, nine lifts, a snow tubing park, and one of the best Learn to Ski and Snowboard programs in the country, Roundtop is the perfect place for an outdoor enthusiast to hone their skills or a beginner to learn something completely new. Pack your gear or stop by the Roundtop Mountain Sports for the latest equipment, clothing, and accessories.

November 2nd also marks Roundtop’s second annual Oktoberfest. Enjoy a great selections of beers and German food, live music from Polkadelphia, axe throwing, and more. Mountain Adventures tickets includes dual zip lines, climbing structures, Tree House, Cedar Maze, and more. Visit the Main Lodge for the Fall Mega Sale to enjoy the year’s best deals on used and new clothing, equipment, and accessories.

Worked up an appetite yet? Take a break from sliding down the slopes at one of Roundtop’s many dining options. Enjoy table service dining and drinks from the bar at the Fireside Pub and Grill; menu items include burgers, wings, wraps, pizzas, and more. The Main Lodge Food Court offers fresh sandwiches, salads, soups, and snacks. Find baked goods and coffee at the Coffee Shop or smoked food at the Smokehouse on weekends only.

Oktoberfest at Roundtop Mountain Resort will be held on November 2nd from 8AM to 6PM. The Fall Mega Sale will be held from November 2nd to November 3rd 8AM to 5PM. Visit the Roundtop Mountain Resort website for more information, trail conditions, directions, and more.

Roundtop Mountain Resort
925 Roundtop Rd
Lewisberry, PA 17339
717.432.9631

Landis Valley Museum Store Holiday Open House

Kick off your holiday shopping season with the Landis Valley Village Farm and Museum’s Holiday Open House. The event falls on Small Business Saturday on November 30th which is a national movement supporting local artisans and businesses. Browse handmade ornaments, create something at the make-and-take table, or attend a craft demonstration. Rest assured, you’ll head home with the perfect gift for a loved one or dear friend.

The Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum is a 100-acre living history museum on the National Register of Historic Places. Its exhibits interpret and display Pennsylvania German culture, history, and heritage in Pennsylvania for more than two centuries starting in 1740. It’s the perfect place to learn more about the region and local area in Lancaster County. Learn how Conestoga wagons were made or how gunsmiths crafted rifles in the 18th century. Besides the Visitor Center, explore the stable, leatherworking shop, pottery shop, tavern, and much more--and don’t forget the Museum Store’s holiday’s open house!

The Landis Valley Museum Store Open House will be held on November 30th from 9AM-5PM. For more information visit the Landis Valley Museum website.

2451 Kissell Hill Rd
Lancaster PA 17601
717.569.0401

Explore Lancaster's Best Haunts with Strasburg Scooters

Get to know the dark side of Lancaster County this fall on a guided tour with Strasburg Scooters. Stay close to your special someone as this spine-tingling, bone-chilling tour takes you to some of the region’s scariest and best-loved haunting locations.

Travel in one of Strasburg Scooters’ bright yellow scoot-coupes along the eerie back roads of Lancaster with your tour guide and stop to hear local folklore and creepy legends about the area. It’s the perfect way to get to know Lancaster’s nooks and crannies (as well as its resident ghosts and ghouls) during the Halloween season.

The Spooky Scoot tour with Strasburg Scooters is available on the following dates: October 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, and 26. Tour times are 7PM and 9PM and last 1.5-2 hours. Tickets are $129. Visit the Strasburg Scooters website for more information and to book your tour.

Strasburg Scooters
246 N. Decatur Street
Strasburg, PA 17579
717.344.2488

Take a Covered Bridge Tour in Lancaster County this Fall

Lancaster County is a big place to explore with wide open pastures and hills rolling off into the horizon. Dotting the scenic landscape and crossing the streams that snake through it are dozens of historic covered bridges. This fall, visit Lancaster County for some sightseeing in the beautiful Amish countryside of south-central Pennsylvania and stop to admire the craftsmanship and romance of the bright red covered bridges along the way. Combined with the vibrant colors of fall, your Lancaster County covered bridge tour will be truly unforgettable.

While there are many options to find each and every one of Lancaster County’s covered bridges, the Historic Rivertowns and Western Villages guide is the one that is closest to our bed and breakfast. This region-specific map will guide you to Forry’s Mill Covered Bridge, Siegrist’s Mill Covered Bridge, Shenck’s Mill Covered Bridge near Salunga, Kaufman’s Distillery Covered Bridge, and finally Shearer’s Mill Covered Bridge in Manheim.

Visit the Discover Lancaster website for guides and to get easy directions on Google Maps. There are, of course, other regional maps of the covered bridges scattered throughout the county. Pick one that is nearby along your Lancaster County travels and take a detour on the beautiful back-country roads to view the kissing bridges amidst the scenery of fall.

Browse Art at the Annual Bridge Bust

Annually held on the famous Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge between the respective boroughs on opposite banks of the Susquehanna River, the Bridge Bust is one of the area’s most unique art festivals. The single-day event shuts down the entirety of the Veterans Memorial Bridge spanning the Susquehanna. Enjoy hundreds of vendors of artisanal wares, original art, jewelry, and much more as you walk the bridge and soak in the breathtaking scenery of the sparkling water, bright sun, and steep hills alongside the river banks covered in the warm colors of fall foliage as well as the towns of Wrightsville and Columbia.

You’ll also be visiting a National Historic Landmark that played a key role in the outcome of the Civil War. Confederate troops neared the bridge with the plan to cross it and ultimately take the state capital of Pennsylvania, however, the bridge was set aflame. The act spared both Lancaster and Harrisburg from occupation and only a few days later, the climactic Battle of Gettysburg occurred.

Picture yourself in the middle of the 19th century as a resident of Columbia or Wrightsville. You have a front row seat to the longest covered bridge in the world. The 31st Annual Bridge Bust will be held on October 5th, 2019. Admission is $2 per adult. Get more details on the Bridge Bust Facebook page.

Veterans Memorial Bridge
Route 462
Columbia PA 17512
717.684.5249

Visit the Sweetest Place on Earth

Visit the Sweetest Place on Earth while the weather is still warm to experience of the country’s most exciting theme parks. In Hershey, the very air smells of chocolate and the towers from the theme park’s fourteen roller coasters fill the horizon.

Get a bird’s eye view from the Kissing Tower, drive antique cars, or face off in a variety of games scattered throughout the park. Get an adrenaline rush as the steel Storm Runner accelerates from 0 to 72mph in just two seconds and reaches a height of 150 feet. Take a ride on the historic wooden Comet, Hersheypark’s first rollercoaster, built in 1946, and then hop next door to the steel thriller Skyrush, the tallest and fastest in the park.

Besides some of the best roller coasters in the country, Hersheypark is also home to the Boardwalk. The 11-acre full water park features several water slides including brand new hydro-magnetic slides. Race each other down Vortex or Whirlwind, or head over to Bayside Pier, a tidal pool with lapping waves that will make you feel like you’re at the beach. Relax and cool off here or grab a bite to eat and soak in the sun.

Admission to ZooAmerica is also included in your tickets to Hersheypark. The 11-acre zoo features a variety of wildlife from North America, including bobcats, bears, wolves, bison, reptiles, and even vampire bats.

Afterwards, enjoy the air conditioning of Chocolate World and learn about the making of chocolate in Hershey on a relaxed, narrated ride through a factory simulation. Stop by the shop after the ride to browse candy, chocolate, and other take-home treats made by the Hershey’s brand.

You can purchase Hersheypark tickets and season passes online.

Hersheypark
100 W Hersheypark Dr
Hershey PA 17033
717.534.3900

Take a Horseback Riding Adventure through Lancaster County

Experience the scenic landscape of Lancaster County on horseback with Nookside Stables. The horseback riding adventure and obstacle course takes you through 47 acres of Amish country with an experienced guide. Take a vintage tractor ride to your tour guide, who will lead you through the rolling Lancaster pastures and teach you interesting facts and history about the local area along the way.

Whether you’re an equestrian extraordinaire or a helpless horse rider, Nookside Stables’ adventures are for people of all skill levels. From total newbie to experienced vet, private lessons at Nookside Stables are just $45 and is a great way to learn a new skill or just experience something new.

Each horseback adventure ride takes a little over an hour. Tickets cost $59.00 per rider.

Click here for more information or to make your reservations today.

Nookside Stables
500 Landisville Road
Manheim, PA 17545
717.618.8178

Explore the Susquehanna National Heritage Area

It may be hard to believe, but the Susquehanna River, in full view of our bed and breakfast, is one of the oldest rivers on the planet. Formed hundreds of millions of years ago, the Susquehanna was around when the dinosaurs walked the Earth. Today, the Susquehanna National Heritage Area, defined as the shores of the Susquehanna River in both York and Lancaster Counties, is recognized as being essential to understanding the land around us and the history of our country as a whole. Besides it’s prehistoric origins, the river has played a key role in both the birth of our nation and its rapid formation into the superpower we are familiar with today. Explore its many trails, overlooks, landmarks, and towns to discover what makes America’s 55th National Heritage Area so unique.

Start your visit at one of the Heritage Area’s two welcome centers, Columbia Crossing and the Zimmerman Center for Heritage in York County. You’ll quickly discover all the amazing recreational opportunities that the river offers to our local area. Both of these centers act as trailheads for hiking or biking and provide guided heritage tours as well as interesting art collections and exhibits about the river. At Columbia Crossing, you’ll get access to the Northwest River Trail for hiking and biking as well as powerboat and paddle boat launches. If you don’t have your own, canoe, kayak, and bike rentals are available on-site.

If you have the opportunity, a fascinating place to visit is just north of Harrisburg where the Susquehanna makes five clean cuts straight through the Appalachian Mountain ridges that it predates. Known as the Five Gaps, the geological phenomenon is a National Natural Landmark.

For more information about the Susquehanna National Heritage Area and to acquire maps of the hiking trails, click here and plan your visit today.

Columbia Crossing
41 Walnut Street
Columbia, PA 17512
717.449.5607

Susquehanna Heritage
1706 Long level Road
Wrightsville, PA 17368
717.252.0229