Awesome experience with Becka our very knowledgeable and fun guide! I learned so much and I'm a…read morenative of Lancaster!!!

I was fortunate enough to find Kendra's tour company. I cannot recommend Kendra's tours highly…read moreenough! (If I used all the superlatives in my mind, my review would sound unreal.) I have never had a better city tour experience, or a more attentive, sensitive, personable, professional guide. I felt like I was visiting a friend, and getting to share her day as she visited with her friends. If you're looking for an amazing experience with absolutely scrumptious food, history told with heart, and a chance to meet some of the most welcoming people in one city, Kendra's tours are for you.

Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is a historic pretzel bakery that opened in Lititz, Pennsylvania in…read more1861. It was founded by baker Julius Sturgis. During the 1850s, Sturgis worked as an apprentice bread baker. There are a number of variations of the origin story, but the most popular one seems to be that Sturgis was preparing a batch of soft sourdough pretzels and accidentally double baked them due to the summer heat. This "happy accident" resulted in dried-out pretzels. The head baker felt that no one would want them, but it gave Sturgis an idea to exclusively produce and sell crispy pretzels. By 1861, Sturgis had purchased a historic stone house and added a pretzel bakery in the back. Sturgis' brand of crispy pretzels soon became a big hit. He would continue to operate the business alongside his family for several years. The Sturgis Family is still in the pretzel business to this day. His grandson Marriott "Tom" Sturgis founded Tom Sturgis Pretzels in Reading in 1946. Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is the oldest commercial pretzel bakery in the United States. The current president and majority owner is Tim Snyder, uncle of current Tom Sturgis Pretzels owner Bruce Sturgis. My family and I recently visited Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery while we were traveling through Pennsylvania's Lancaster County. The area may be known for its rich Pennsylvania Dutch culture, but it's also known for its rich pretzel history and production. It just so happens that pretzels are my favorite snack! We arrived at the bakery just minutes after it opened for the day and signed up to take a tour. Participants have the opportunity to roll their hands in dough and make their own hand-made pretzels, just like workers did in the late 19th century. Our guide showed us all of the various tools of the trade from that period, but the highlight was seeing the original brick ovens. At the conclusion of the tour, participants were all given a complimentary bag of Tom Sturgis "Little Ones" pretzels. Afterwards, we headed into the retail shop which was stocked with various Julius Sturgis and Tom Sturgis pretzel products. Some of the varieties that we purchased for the road included "Little Cheesers" and "Honey Mustard". We also bought some freshly baked soft pretzels, which tasted out of this world! If you love pretzels then we highly recommend a visit to the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery!

Cute little storytelling tour that lasts just under 30 minutes. You learn some history and get…read moredough to shape your own pretzel, but you don't get to cook it or take it home. At the end, they give you a small bag of hard pretzels. The storytelling was good and the workers were friendly, but I wasn't too impressed. It's a small, cramped space, and I'd recommend the tour for kids 8 and up. Our group had several kids ages 2-5, with lots of crying and screaming, making it hard to hear and very difficult for the storyteller. You can reserve your tour online, and they start on time, so keep that in mind. There is street parking and a few spots in the back, and we had no trouble finding a spot. There's a gift shop available and fjeu also sell soft pretzels and other snacks. Overall, it's a cute and cheap activity if you have an extra 20-30 minutes.

Cute walking path along the river located near a handful of restaurants and hotels. The walkway is…read morewide and clean. You can rent out bikes here as well. During peak hours, biking is not allowed on the riverwalk.

The riverfront is beautiful at Christmas time!! The walk it nice and it wasn't that cold. I enjoy…read morecoming here, plenty of restaurants to eat. Totally recommend visiting.

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!

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.

I just love me a good ole Farmer's Market on a early Saturday morning!…read more I researched Farmer's Market in the PA area and I saw Central Market York. Central Market York is about 2 hours from Philadelphia. The market also offers easy parking with lots within minutes from the market and was free on the day I went. Inside is a standard Farmer's Market that offers a variety of stores from aromatherapy, candles, fresh flowers to vendors selling meats and fresh veggies. I purchased a dulce de leche cinnamon roll at Manna Microbakery and a delicious soft shell crab sandwich at a local Maryland vendor! I look forward to returning to Central Market York!

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.

Living in Central PA most of my life, the Pennsylvania Farm Show is not new to me. Annual…read moreattendance is basically a personality trait around here. But this year? This year I beat the system. I cracked the Farm Show code on timing, eating, and crowd avoidance--and when that happens, it deserves a Yelp review. After a spectacularly unsuccessful attempt to attend on a rainy Saturday (hard no), we regrouped and tried again on Monday evening, right after work. The strategy: arrive before the after-school-pickup-then-dinner crowd descended. At 5:00pm on the dot, we exited the highway onto Cameron Street. The electronic signs were screaming "TURN LEFT FOR FARM SHOW PARKING," yet there was no traffic turning into the main lot. Reader, I tempted fate. Moments later--$15 poorer but spiritually richer--we were parked in the main lot, just steps from the back entrance. No shuttle bus. No herding. No screaming children pressed against my will. I was stunned. The Farm Show gods had smiled upon us. Riding the high of our parking miracle, we hustled inside with a very clear and disciplined plan: Go directly to food. Do not browse. Do not touch. Do not get distracted. If you need to pee, you wait until after we eat. We power-walked straight to the food court and were immediately suspicious...because it was EMPTY. No lines. No chaos. Tables everywhere. It felt like we had broken into the Farm Show after hours. We split up and conquered, grabbing everything our fried-food-loving hearts desired. The haul: fried mushrooms, stuffed mushrooms, a strawberry milkshake, potato donuts, a pit beef sandwich, an apple dumpling with vanilla ice cream, and maple candy (for balance, obviously). The longest wait time? Two minutes. And that was for pit beef--which felt totally reasonable and honestly luxurious by Farm Show standards. With full bellies and zero regrets, we strolled through vendors and animal exhibits in a calm, almost serene state--something I didn't think was possible at the Farm Show. This experience easily ranks above every other visit I can remember. Perfect timing. Perfect strategy. Perfect amount of fried food. If you've ever left the Farm Show sweaty, overstimulated, and questioning your life choices, just know: it is possible to win. Monday at 5pm. You're welcome.

You have to do it at least one time in your life. I've lived in Harrisburg 25 years, been to 7 or 8…read moreduring that span. If you have kids, they'll love it and you can kill an entire day. It will also kill you and your wallet a bit, too. Traffic, parking, crowds, pricy food, it's all there to love and hate. So much to see, do, and explore within the entire complex.

I had no idea how special this experience was until I finally took the tour, and wow it completely…read morechanged the way I see the city. Id noticed the murals before just passing by, but seeing them as part of a curated journey gives everything so much more meaning. The guide helped point out details I never would've caught on my own, and it added a whole new layer of appreciation. The artwork is powerful, full of emotion, and spread across the city in a way that makes the whole place feel like an open-air gallery. It celebrates the personality of the neighborhoods and captures stories that stay with you long after you're done. What really stood out to me was how much heart is behind each piece. You can feel the intention, the humor, the honesty, and the love woven into every message along the route. It turns a familiar ride into something unexpectedly uplifting. I left feeling inspired and genuinely connected to the city in a new way. Highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see a different, more meaningful side of Philly.

I love this. They had an initiative in the early 2000s to have graffiti art just work on art…read moreprojects as part of their community service. I believe this project is part of that circle was to have about 2OOO murals up by the mid-late OOs. By the time that happened they were way more than enough it's always nice to see free art as welll.

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.

This hidden gem is the perfect place to pretend you're a model or a photographer. A great, albeit…read moredirty, place to snap some cool pictures. It's also a solid place to set up and fish or to get up to some general mischief. This based on the three types of people I saw in my visit here: photographers, fishermen, and shirtless parkour-ing teens. My best advice is to wear closed toed footwear. This place is littered with broken glass and other assorted garbage. I wore flip flops, and while I managed to avoid injury, my feet were stained with a layer of black dirt. It's kind of a sketchy area of town, but it's worth a visit to up your insta game.

The best view of the city is from here…read more It has come a long way in the past few years as volunteers have installed trashcans and cleaned up a lot of the trash that has been dumped here. Be mindful and whatever you bring, carry it out. I bring my two large dogs back here on walks to the end of the pier for the amazing view that shows the mix of nature taking over old industry against the new industry - the skyline of Philadelphia. Usually, you will see other urban explorers, fishermen, photographers, and artists. But be cautious, last time I was here kids were playing with dynamite and people have been mugged here. Just be smart and pay attention.