If variety appeals to you, head north to Pennsylvania. The Keystone State, from its bustling cities to its rural farmland, is rich with enough American history, celebrated art, family festivities, award-winning dining, and nature excursions to suit any visitor’s tastes. In our September issue, we tell you where to go and what to do in some of our favorite PA destinations. We’re sharing those stories online over the course of the month.
Southern Pennsylvania has long been known for revolutionary ideas, from the drafting of the Articles of Confederation during the Second Continental Congress in York to the inventing of “The York,” the first practical coal-burning railroad locomotive.
Now, that region is known as the snack factory capital thanks to its concentration of snack makers. Factory outlet shops sell discounted snacks made right inside these factories.
At the Snyder’s of Hanover Factory Store you’ll find savory and sweet treats, from chocolate-covered pretzels to Nashville Hot Pretzel Pieces. Hanover Factory Outlet features a variety of snack brands, including Bickel’s Snack Foods Cheese Balls and Golden Gourmet Party Mix. Stock up on Animal Cookies and Animal Crackers at Stauffer’s Cookie Outlet.
Three factories around York offer tours. You can watch how potato chips are made during the Utz Chip Trip Tour at Utz Snacks in Hanover. In a glass-enclosed observation gallery high above the production floor, you’ll see a mountain of potatoes unloaded from trucks to a conveyor belt, then cut, cooked, salted, and funneled into bags. The narrated audio program explains the process, and the self-guided tour concludes in the Utz Factory Outlet Store.
Turkey Hill Experience in Columbia is a tour with a delicious ending. The factory has an exhibit explaining how ice cream is made, and visitors can play interactive games like milking a mechanical cow and creating virtual ice cream flavors. Afterward, Turkey Hill’s Taste Lab offers unlimited free samples of ice cream, tea, and lemonade. For an additional charge, Turkey Hill Taste Lab offers an immersive experience where people blend a custom flavor to take home. Guests start with vanilla ice cream and add mix-ins like butterscotch syrup and gummy candy.
In the town of Lititz, you can tour the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery to learn how soft pretzels are shaped and baked. The factory opened in 1861 and uses the original recipe created by the Sturgis family. Guests twist dough into knots and then watch as expert bakers fire the soft pretzels in a brick oven.
Where to Eat
York’s Central Market House opened 136 years ago in an impressive Romanesque building and debuted its $2 million makeover in 2013. Inside are more than 50 vendors selling baked goods, produce, and meats. Among the 18 dining options are Mudhook Brewing Company and Henry’s Ham. One block away, you can imagine a group of America’s Founding Fathers gathered at a place like The Fig & Barrel Pub. The upscale saloon provides an ideal setting for elevated comfort food, including pizza, steak, and York City pretzels. Wyndridge Farm’s restaurant menu features ingredients sourced from local farms. Wyndridge produces its own craft beer, sparkling wine, and cider and serves it in the restaurant and bar.
Where to Stay
The Yorktowne Hotel opened in 1925 and has a proud history. Located in the heart of York near restaurants, shops, and breweries, the 14-story hotel has welcomed celebrity guests such as singers Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. A top-to-bottom restoration of the Renaissance Revival building debuted in 2023, adding the chic new Graham Rooftop Lounge and Davidson Lobby Bar & Restaurant. (Rooms from $137 per night.) For a distinct experience in the countryside, rent the Haines Shoe House. (Rates average $484 per night.)
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Feature image courtesy Explore York
This story originally ran in our September issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
