Every once in a while you drive past a place so many times that it almost becomes part of the…read morescenery. That was the Turkey Hill Experience for me. I'd driven past it countless times over the last few years but either didn't have enough time to stop or couldn't convince anyone else to stop with me. During my Lancaster Adventure Day, though, all of that changed. I purchased a Single Scoop ticket online ahead of time for $16.75 and reserved the very first time slot of the day at 10am. I figured a late-summer Thursday morning would be the sweet spot, and it turned out to be a great decision. It was busy enough that the place felt lively but not so crowded that I had to wait for every exhibit. Parking was plentiful, and I somehow managed to snag a spot right in front of the GIANT cow out front. Honestly, my day was already off to a fantastic start! The only hiccup of the visit came during check-in. Even though I'd already purchased my ticket online, I still had to wait in the same line as everyone buying gift shop items, purchasing admission and asking questions. Since there were only a two employees working both the registers and admissions, the line moved a little slower than I expected. If I could change one thing, it would be creating a separate express check-in line for folks who already have tickets. Once I finally made it inside, though, everything became easy peasy! The exhibits are completely self-guided, so you can wander at your own pace learning how Turkey Hill makes its ice cream and iced tea while playing with interactive displays along the way. One of my favorite parts was creating my own virtual ice cream flavor, complete with custom packaging. I also wanted to film my own Turkey Hill commercial, but those stations stayed busy the entire time I was there, so that'll have to wait until another visit. Naturally, I made a beeline for the tea sampling station. As someone who appreciates sugar-free options, I was thrilled to find both Zero Sugar Sweet Tea and Zero Sugar Fruit Punch available to sample. Both were fantastic! Then it was time for the part we'd all been waiting for...unlimited ice cream samples. One thing I really appreciated is that they weren't tiny little "blink and it's gone" samples. You picked two flavors, and they served actual scoops in a bowl. For an attraction centered around ice cream, that felt exactly right. My only tiny complaint? Wooden popsicle sticks instead of spoons. They definitely got the job done, but they made eating melting ice cream a little more awkward than it needed to be. Still...free and unlimited ice cream? I'm not about to complain too loudly! I spent about an hour wandering through the exhibits, playing with the interactive displays and enjoying the air conditioning on a hot August morning before making one final stop in the gift shop. Prices there were about what you'd expect for a tourist attraction, but there were plenty of fun souvenirs if you're looking to bring a little Turkey Hill home with you. Overall, I'd absolutely recommend visiting the Turkey Hill Experience at least once. I don't know that it's somewhere I'd return over and over again, but it was a fun, interactive way to spend an hour learning something new, eating entirely acceptable quantities of free ice cream and escaping the August heat. That sounds like a pretty successful adventure day to me!

Turkey Hill Experience was a fun stop for our family! We visited with three kids, and everyone…read morefound something to enjoy. The interactive exhibits were engaging, and the kids loved learning how ice cream is made and creating their own virtual flavors. The highlight was definitely sampling the different ice cream flavors and making our own ice cream creations.

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.

Beautiful Blue Mountain! The wine tasting tour was fabulous . Very knowledgeable docent for sure!…read moreShe was very enthusiastic. You could tell she loves her job! It made all the difference in the experience My absolute favorite sweet wine made right from their vineyard, mountain Frost! I had to buy a bottle for sure. Leslie, the Easter flight was simply amazing, naturally I went with all sweet wines

Nice vineyard, great selection. Service great and product quality is very high. Strongly suggest to…read moreadd to your wine tour

Love the converted old farmhouse. You can really feel the history and the character of the…read morebuilding, which enhances the wine tasting experience. It feels like you're visiting the home of an old friend. We particularly enjoy the dry red wines and the sweet wines that Ridgewood offers. For the reds, the Merlot and Cab Franc were noteworthy for their balance and nice finishes. The Merlot was silky, oaky and smooth approach. The Cab Franc is a bit spicier, bolder and robust - wine to pair with a nice, hearty meat dish. On the sweet side of things, the Diamond is a subtle, light choice for those who are prone to be turned-off by heavier, acidic reds. The Peach Splendor is a pleasant surprise with a fresh, light, fruit-forward feel. Pair this with some chocolate squares if you're enjoying it after a meal. The Olde Orchard has a great "fall season" feel, complete with elements of apple pie, a hint of tartness and a blend of sweet. Finally, the Underground is a rising star that everyone seems to be discovering lately. It's a Merlot family member that gains a unique, but delicious flavor thanks to be un-oaked. Elements of blackberry and rose petals, with a semi-sweet finish and a nice, fuller body. This one has a little bit of everything and is probably the most intriguing option on the menu. Very clean. Very smooth. Be sure to give it a shot.

Absolutely beautiful winery! Loved the seasonal watermelon wine this summer. The sangria was so…read moregood, too. I'm more of a sweet wine kind of person and they had a sufficient supply of choices for someone like me.

Sand Castle Winery offers delicious wine, awesome views, and at affordable prices. We can never go…read morewrong with the terrific variety of wines ranging from reds and whites, to your dry wines and sweet-dessert wines. I highly suggest that you take advantage of one of their wine tasting events or their wine and food pairing activities. You won't be disappointed. Yum!

My husband and I reserved a 2pm tasting on a Sunday afternoon. We arrived about 15 minutes early…read moreand were asked to wait for our tasting outside on their covered patio. That was no problem for us, since we were hungry and had brought a pizza with us. We figured we would sit outside, especially since it was a beautiful fall day, and enjoy our pizza with a glass, or plastic cup, of their Cabernet. Before heading out, the gentleman who greeted us invited us to go ahead and check in, so we did. Upon checking in we paid the $20 for each tasting and another $16 for two cups of Cabernet, then went outside to enjoy our pizza, wine and the view. About 15 minutes had passed and the gentleman came out to let us know it would be another few minutes while the group who had been there when we arrived wrapped up. He was kind enough to offer us a tipping off of the wine and some bits of dark chocolate. We waited another 10 minutes or so and decided to go inside to see if we could begin our tasting. We were told it would be another five minutes or so. At that point we were getting tired of waiting, the gentleman was becoming testy (we don't think at us, but more at the guy leading the tasting to the group there before us), and we were not impressed at the Cabernet we had had already, so we decided to leave. We considered trying to get a refund, but the greeter was nowhere in sight and the tour guide had evidently stepped into a break room to have a snack. So much for our guided tasting. We forfeited the $40 and left. We were looking g forward to this experience, but were very disappointed.

Nothing beats a brew-and-history tour! Glenn was incredibly knowledgeable and made for an…read moreexceptional tour guide. Each brewer had a unique story -- and, of course, the beer was fantastic!

Had a fantastic time on the Hanover Ale Trail this weekend with Brewery Tours! Glenn showed us…read moresome stops we've never been to, dropped some interesting beer history knowledge - even for this non-beer drinker! Plus, the brewmasters at the sites gave us tours of the brewing area. Huge shout-out to Sign of the Horse Brewery - Hanover, Something Wicked Brewing Company, and Public House At The Markets. If you like craft beer, good food, and a touch of history - both beer & local - this is the tour for you! What a great way to support local, enjoy a day with friends, and, most importantly, do so safely! An awesome idea for out-of-town guests too!

I visited with family during the holidays. We were there towards the end of the day. We got tickets…read morefor the exhibits and got an apron from the gift shop. The museum was pretty cool, even the gift shop. It was sort of a pit stop on our road trip. It was cool to learn about the chocolate that some people I know (including myself) was obsessed with growing up.

My girlfriend, 11-year-old son and I did a weekend trip to Hershey and Harrisburg, and after…read moredragging my son to several history museums, we decided to appease him by bringing him to a chocolate museum. We came on a Sunday afternoon in November, and he was on cloud 9 the whole afternoon. We did both the main museum and the chocolate lab experience, ($78 for the three of us) and I wanted to do the chocolate tastings of chocolates from around the world, but the lab and museum were already expensive enough. I love museums and thought the museum portion was particularly well done. Very informative, well laid out and easy to follow. Lots of interesting information about Milton Hershey's life and the empire he built. The chocolate lab experience was 45 minutes and a little hokey. "Making chocolate" amounted to a quick arts and crafts project using melted milk and white chocolates, followed by a power point presentation on how chocolate is made. The museum store has a lot of fun things for purchase that I assume you can't find outside of Hershey, such as chocolate colognes. Overall we had a good time and would recommend it as a fun place to spend and afternoon with kids.

Anthony and I have celebrated New Year's Eve with City Cruises Philadelphia several times over the…read moreyears, so this review is based on more than one NYE experience. Our earlier cruises were wonderful! The food was excellent, the atmosphere was festive, and being out on the Delaware River while bringing in the New Year made for a really special evening. We enjoyed ourselves enough that we chose to return for NYE again. Unfortunately, our experiences during the last few New Year's Eve cruises weren't nearly as good. The food, which had previously been one of the highlights for us, became pretty subpar compared with what we'd experienced in earlier years. The bigger disappointment was paying a higher price for the upgraded upstairs experience, only to see guests who had purchased lower-priced tickets being allowed upstairs and eating from the food provided in our area. If guests are paying a premium for a particular level of service and amenities, I think those differences should be maintained. Otherwise, it leaves you wondering what exactly you paid the additional money for. We haven't returned for NYE since and have found other ways to bring in the New Year. I can't take away from the genuinely wonderful experiences we had here in earlier years, because City Cruises gave us some great NYE memories. I would just love to see the quality and attention to the different ticket experiences return to what we remembered. If that happened, I'd certainly consider giving it another try.

I came aboard the Spirit of Philadelphia for our end-of-year fellows formal, and overall it was a…read morereally fun experience. Between the views, the food, and the atmosphere, it made for a memorable evening on the water. The staff were wonderful throughout the night. Everyone was friendly and accommodating, and the bartender was especially personable. One of my favorite moments was awkwardly pulling out my Tupperware container to take home leftovers. Instead of looking at me funny, the staff actually encouraged it and mentioned that there's often extra food that would otherwise go uneaten. As someone who hates wasting food, I appreciated that a lot. The food was surprisingly good. We had jerk chicken, sliced brisket, and salmon, and all three proteins were generously portioned and flavorful. The jerk chicken had a nice balance of savory spices with just a little heat, the brisket was tender and smoky, and the salmon was moist and well prepared. The salads were fresh as well, especially the chickpea and tomato salad, which had a bright, refreshing flavor that paired nicely with the richer entrées. My favorite side dish was definitely the elote. It was creamy, slightly tangy, and packed with sweet corn flavor. Every bite had that combination of richness and freshness that makes you keep going back for more. The views were fantastic. Cruising along the river gives you a unique perspective of both Philadelphia and New Jersey, especially as the sun starts to go down. The top deck was my favorite area. There were lawn games like cornhole and Connect Four set up, which gave people something fun to do between eating, dancing, and taking photos. The only reason I'm giving four stars instead of five is the condition of the restrooms. Several were noticeably dirty, some toilets struggled to flush properly, and a few stall doors wouldn't latch. Since most people aren't spending a huge amount of time in the bathrooms during a dinner cruise, it wasn't a trip-ruining issue, but it was definitely the weakest part of the experience. Other than that, I had a great time. Good food, great staff, beautiful views, and a fun atmosphere. If you're looking for something a little different for a celebration or group event, it's definitely worth trying at least once. The scenery alone makes it feel like more than just dinner.

Shorter guided cavern tour, which was original the Heller town Cave and then became Lost River…read moreCaverns. Our tour guide had informed our group, that the Lost River origin is still yet to be determined.History dates back to quarry workers 1883, public tours since 1930. My favorite parts of the tour were the 300 year old stallagitite, and the water throughout the cave; containing dulehemitite limestone, which contains magnesium, and if one drank the water , the bathroom would be their friend, lol. Overall, fun way to beat the heat and learn something new .

The tour guide was super knowledgeable, the gift shop was pretty cool looking. The caves are small,…read morenarrow and not very high or big rooms. I liked seeing the different formations. It's definitely worth a stop by. You go really deep underground.

WHAT A BLAST. We came here for my birthday kind of ironically because online we saw reels saying it…read morewas the "weirdest museum ever," and thought it would be kind of funny/maybe even creepy. Little did we know it was actually FASCINATING; it was so fun to admire every last piece in the museum. The tram guide was great, the pre-recorded audio is helpful and interesting, and the collection is so varied and extensive that you can't help but love it. The pipe organs - fabulous. The walkable "toy box" collection was great after the tram. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone - it was soooo fun.

What a fun thing to do! We didn't know what to expect and want to say we all really enjoyed the…read moreexperience! Admission was reasonable and enjoyed the self-guided part while waiting for the next tram departure time. There was everything you could imagine - except one thing! A TELEX MACHINE (which I used to operate). When I asked the staff if they had one none of them even knew what I was talking about (early 20's)! We took the tram tour and really enjoyed it. The tram moved at a nice pace so you could really take in everything. So much to see - everywhere. It was a really fun way to spend a few hours on a rainy day! But I urge you to visit rain or shine!