What a terrific place to find super fun treasures and tasty delights in a fabulously beautiful and…read morehistoric building with some pretty awesome architectural elements. Well worth a stop. Lots of local businesses offering lovely things from food, trinkets, bath/body, candles, candy, dog treats, herbs, veggies, etc. Just a great mix of all the things. Everyone is super friendly and attentive. There are restrooms available. Great pricing for homemade things. Stop in and enjoy a terrific place with lots to offer. It's even just charming to take a stroll even if not in the market to make a purchase.

we came here on our last morning prior to going to the airport saturday morning…read morewe got there shortly after opening so many vendors were still setting up i love and live for food halls i just love the variety of everything everyone was really nice there was so much to look at i literally wanted to take so much back with me, but i had no room in my luggage! we started off with coffee from pullshot coffee roasters. i got a bagel from lori v's , baby macaroons from salt & sugar and a mini cake from the reverie cafe lots of seating in the front prices were fair parking: we parked in the garage across the way. its free on saturdays

Probably one of the oddest and most unique places I have visited. The lore around Centralia is…read morestuff of legends. Many a show and documentary about abandoned places will mention this town. Even so far as a video game and movie using the premise. The history part of this. Centralia started out as Native American land sold to settlers around 1749. Reading Road was being developed and came through this area causing the land to be surveyed and ultimately developed. A few land swaps later and with the discovery of anthracite coal nearby a village started to pop up. Mining started in 1856 and continued for decades, up until the 1960s. While mining declined, and the population of the town, Centralia continued on. There are differing accounts on when and how the mine caught fire, but most people agree it was during the town dump clean up prior to the Memorial Day celebrations in 1962. Long story short, the fire department set the dump on fire to clean it up and this caught a coal seam as well. Over the years the signs that there was a problem went unnoticed until about 1979. At a gas station where they found the tank holding the gasoline was extremely hot. In 1981 a 12-year-old boy fell into a sinkhole because of the fire. In 1983 the U.S. Congress offered a buyout and nearly all the residence moved out, 500 structures were demolished. By 1990 only 63 people remained. In 1992, eminent domain came into play, condemning the remaining buildings. Legal suits followed, failed, by 2010 only five homes remained. Side note: nearby Byrnesville was also abandoned due to the underground mine fire. The fire continues to this day. Those five people remained after another lawsuit. Claiming the fire had moved on from underneath the town and the air quality had improved to levels o other nearby towns. My visit here was kind of quick. In order to get here I put in the only church left, otherwise I would have bypassed this area completely. But I am persistent and I knew I would find the area. It is interesting, and what an understatement that is. Knowing what happened here, that this used to be a vibrant small town like so many others in the area. Full of shops, houses, government buildings, and schools. But when you drive through here on the broken grid that once ferried numerous vehicles it feels different, you just get this feeling of unease. Not because there is only five houses, one church, a municipal building, and a handful of cemeteries. But because all movies about abandoned places tell you to get gone. But not me, I decided why not just keep going on the grid. That is until I came upon a dead end street (no pun intended there). This dead end literally lead into the woods. See the pictures attached to this, the one where it says "Stay out of the woods, there is more there than you think." That made the hair on the back of neck stand up. While I tried to turn around on the road I felt like I was being watched. Maybe it was subconscious but I made my way back towards the main roads. With that, let's segway into the next topic. Be aware of your surroundings. Not just for your own safety, but because there are still people living here. Also, there might be other vehicles on the broken street grid. Besides the broken street grid there are several reminders that a full town existed here. The cemeteries obviously, but the remnants of sidewalks, fences and retaining walls. You can obviously see where the school once stood as it is kind of obvious with that retaining wall taking up a whole block. On the outskirts you can see where the highway ended. Like I said, if you did not know that a town once existed here, you would fly by the area in your vehicle as if nothing mattered. You might even think to yourself that this would be a nice place for a town.

Abandoned town and tourist attraction are not words that usually go together but that's what has…read morebeen going on for the past few decades in the town formally known as Centralia. For the people that don't know the history I'm not going to go over it because I assume if you're looking at a listing for this place you probably have some idea of the backstory and if not, there are more than enough websites, blogs and videos out there that explain what has gone on here over the past 60 years. If you go, understand that this is not a destination stop because there is not a lot to see. Maybe a brief stop on the way to/from somewhere else like Knoebels, Yuengling or the Pioneer Coal Mine for example. What are you going to see? It's basically the three cemeteries and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church (Mass is Sunday at 11am - if you attempt to worship there you will be welcomed but they also very much know who is an outsider and who is a regular) and not much else. The few houses that remain are occupied by the last of the remaining residents. IME, no, they don't want to be bothered and no they don't want to talk with the tourists. Lots of dumped garbage and overgrown weeds/foliage. On weekends there will always be other people driving/walking/dirt biking/ATVing/off-roading the same as you looking for ?? whatever people come to Centralia for. The main prior "attraction" of the Graffiti Highway has been mostly covered over with dirt mounds for a few years yet when we were walking around during our visit we ran into two other groups near Odd Fellows Cemetery that had no idea and were looking to ATV on it. Good luck with that. I've seen other sites and reviews referencing that at this point in time there is no more smoke to be seen and that's not true in the least. Before coming here we stopped at the Pioneer Coal Mine in Ashland and our guide said that's an urban legend that is told to dissuade visitors. He told us that if you come during winter or on cold days you will definitely see smoke somewhere if you spend a few minutes driving around. Sure enough as we were driving down Big Mine Run Road we saw a few plumes of smoke coming up from the hillside not terribly far from the back of Odd Fellows. There is no goon squad up there telling people they can't wander around but at the same time I think the legend obviously is greater than the reality. It's worth a visit to say that you've been and that you've seen it but I think it's best to just leave well enough alone and have your expectations in check or else you might be disappointed that whatever you think is here, isn't really here.

Visited this neat geyser on the side of the road on my way to Hershey park. Not much in the area as…read moreit's located in the side of the road/across from someone's house. There is a space to pull over on the side of the road. Didn't smell too much like sulphur until up close

Let's clear one myth out of the way. This is not an actual geyser. I mean sure it's called that,…read morebut in reality it's not. I think overall though, the name works better than calling it a man made air ventilation hole that excess ground water now escapes from under high pressure from a long vacant mine. Why Big Mine Run? Was the mine big? Did it have the runs? I don't know but it could also simply be the name of the street it's located on so over time the name just stuck. Either way this geyser serves a purpose as without it the underground water would have nowhere to escape to except into local homeowners basements. If you're coming, know that now, in summer, is not the best time. Ideally you're looking for early to mid-spring when there has been a good combination of snow melt and some recent rain. During our visit in April the water was a solid 6-7 feet in the air. After a long dry spell you may not get much past some gurgling. Speaking of air, note that it does indeed stink by the geyser. That luscious sexy rotten egg scent is Sulphur from all of the mineral runoff. It's not bad then every so often the water will surge a bit and like Old Aunt Dinah Flo after $40 of Taco Bell, Wham!, it stinks. One last obvious one is that at the end of the day this is not a tourist attraction. This is not a place to leave garbage just like there is no parking here for a reason and that reason is I'm pretty sure the geyser is on private property. If you take a look on Google or Trip Advisor that of course doesn't mean anything to a lot of dipshits out there. Be decent. Pull over, stay in the car and take your pictures/video and leave it at that. Obviously this is not a destination stop by itself. This is at best a 5-10 minute junket which can easily be coupled with a visit to Centralia, Knoebels, Yuengling or the Pioneer Coal Mine. But if you love a good roadside oddity/curiosity and are in the area, this one is a must see and is worth the brief detour.

Oh my goodness! What an adorable village. The interiors are so well made. Carpeted floors, mirrors,…read morelamps, beds, chairs. It's all there. These houses are bigger than I had expected, maybe three feet at the roof line. You must squat down to look inside. Using my digital camera to 'see' inside helped a lot and revealed the surprising detail. Eagle scouts were on site decorating for Christmas when we stooped by. One of the houses is being repaired and the train needs to be set up to run before they open for the holidays. According to their social media page they open for the season this year on November 25th, but they are open all year 'round. Some houses are in need of TLC. A roof or two have moss, and the firestation is filled with cob webs. But honestly, if I were a spider I'd want to live in one of these amazing houses! This is a wonderful family outing location. Especially all lit up for the holidays and with Santa on site too. A donation box is located at the entrance, on the right hand side. It's not obvious, so please look for it and make a small donation to help keep this local public point of interest available for everyone to enjoy! One man's desire to build his cat a victorian home has turned into an impressive display. And yes, there are still cats on the property. Go check it out!

This place is SO CUTE during the holidays!!! Such a unique experience in Shippensburg. A great…read moreplace to take photos and walk around with lots of lights, blow up characters, and more. They also offered free hot chocolate. Parking is free and nearby, just be careful when walking along side and crossing the road. Well worth the visit during the holiday season, especially with the kids!

A very nice trail that overlooks the river, including an area that overlooks Safe Harbor Dam. Easy…read moreto bike or hike. Lots of nature. There's tracks where trains go by. The only sad thing is the trail is being over run by spotted lanternflies.

Moving to a new area is exciting and full of adventures. Today I planned to hike Tucquan Glen…read moreNature Preserve with my two dogs, but by the time I arrived, its two small parking lots were full. I had seen several different parks along the drive so I decided to go back and stopped at Enola Low Grade Rail Trail (ELGRT). (It's also next to Turkey Hill Nature Preserve if you're looking for the sign.) ELGRT was completed in 2013 thanks for a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, donation from Norfolk Southern and tipping fees from the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority. The 5.25-mile trail was built by the Manor Township Public Works Department and runs from Turkey Hill to the southern of Manor Township municipal line and into Conestoga Township. Amenities and Facts: * Ample parking with handicap accessibility * Port-a-potties throughout the trail * Benches * Picnic Shelters throughout the trail * Mile Markers * Bike Rack * Kiosk at the trail head with brochures with a map * Restored 1947 Caboose at the beginning of the trail * Gorgeous views of the Susquehanna River * Walking, running, biking and dogs are allowed (on a leash) * No trashcans--Carry in-Carry out ONLY * The 12 foot wide trail contains four inches of special trail mix. I was impressed with ELGRT. It's a beautiful trail especially for biking. There was plenty of shade and a nice breeze off the river. One day I will do the whole thing, but too much for my dogs. Honestly, I couldn't believe ELGRT wasn't on Yelp. It seems like an awesome place and busy with families biking. Go check it out if you haven't already!

Blue Meadow Farms has a really fun haunted hayride and maze that runs during the normal Halloween…read moretime frame. It's a great alternative to the much hyped Jason's Woods or Field of Screams, which are rather expensive. Blue Meadow Farms has just as good a hayride and I've got to say I really enjoyed the haunted maze, it was a lot of fun. Both together were like $12 or something close, definitely a fun evening. They've also got some great treats at the snack bar including some different varieties of homemade cider, I'd definitely recommend the place, I'm not sure what activities they have at the farm other than the Halloween stuff.

Heard while on the hay ride: "Well at least proceeds go to the firemen."…read more Oofah! We waited hours for a hayride that was cramped as hell. The people working there NEED an acting/improv class. They were pretty terrible. And there was a part of it that might have been a little racist...but the super drunk guy on my hayride made it COMPLETELY racist. They did play Hocus Pocus on a big screen while waiting...and I haven't seen that in a while. And they had food, so that was good.

Mount Joy has been my new home since July. My boys and I have been warmly welcomed here in…read morePennsylvania and we love our little town. So, I think it's time to share about this delightful borough. Mount Joy has a population of 7,410 (2010) and has a total area of 2.3 square miles. It is part of Lancaster County and considered part of the Susquehanna Valley. It may be a small town, but it's only 15-20 minutes to Lancaster and only 30 minutes to Harrisburg. Not to mention it's a quick 1.5 hour to Philadelphia and Baltimore. There is very little diversity in Mount Joy but it makes up for it with its strong, proud heritage. Around the 1700s, "most the Scottish Presbyterians left their Irish homeland and came to the colonies. One of the biggest settlements was Donegal, and the settlers brought with them the names from Ireland. Donegal and Mount Joy are two of those names" (http://mountjoyborough.com/about/history/). Also, Mountjoy was the name of an Irish supply ship that broke through a river blockade in Ireland in 1688-89. While researching for this review, I found out that because Mount Joy is not an actual mountain , it is not proper to use Mt. Joy when referring to the town when addressing an envelope or in print. Now I know! Mount Joy is a wonderful town to raise a family. I have found the people here to be warm, friendly, hardworking and extremely respectful. I have never seen such patient drivers as I do here. Everyone lets someone else go first. While I don't have the ocean nearby, the rolling country roads and the gorgeous Susquehanna River allows me to forget about the blue sea and sandy beaches. This town has several parks, an amazing butcher, tons of Mom and Pop stores instead of chains--this is what small town America should be. **I've got to say that I'm giving 4 stars for a couple of reasons but one is because of the smells. A good portion of the time, when I go outside my door, it smells like something died. Whether it's manure or from a factory--I could do without the odor. I do enjoy the chocolate smell!

We drove all over the area and despite using my Garmin & Google Maps, could not find Gravity Hill…read more On the positive side, we still enjoyed our afternoon in the area. In town, Main St has beautiful old Victorian homes and a couple of spectacular old churches. We also drove the country roads looking at the farms.

#2spooky4me This…read morewhole area gives me the creeps. What's the deal with the small cemetery nearby? It's there one second and gone the next. And is nobody going to talk about the bird sized moths? What's going on in Burkittsville Maryland you guys.

The Twin Bridges are two covered bridges and small park located four miles northeast of…read moreOrangeville. Parking is available on either side of the bridges, with the larger lot being after the cement bridge. The Twin Bridges are closed to vehicle traffic and are for walking only. The views of the creek from the bridge are lovely. Each bridge has several picnic tables on them, with additional tables in the park. The park is small but cute with a nice amount of green space and benches. Trash cans are provided along with a few porta potties. The only negatives about this area is some vandalism, including foul language spray-painted underneath the cement bridge and in the guest book. The Twin Bridges is a pleasant and serine area worth a stop if in the area.

Love these covered bridges so quiet and just to listen to the water makes you relax. They keep the…read moreplace to clean and well kept.