Christmas Shopping and a Show... the Perfect Combination!

Although outlet malls can be found throughout the United States, the outlets in Lancaster County continue to draw a very loyal crowd every year.  The 10 million annual visitors to Lancaster County come for a host of reasons... the fascinating Amish community, the best quilt shops in America, antiques, crafts, fantastic live theaters, wonderful restaurants and local delicacies, and so much more.  But December is definitely shopping month!  The outlet malls at Tanger and Rockvale Square seem to open earlier every year, and this season was no exception, with shops opening as early as 6 PM on Thanksgiving Day!  Holiday shopping is now in full swing, and the bargains and excitement will continue well past Christmas... because who doesn't love an after-holiday sale! 

There's still time to get all of your holiday gifts, and enjoy the many other reasons to visit beautiful Lancaster County before winter weather sets in.  Come enjoy the warm hospitality of the Apple Bin Inn bed & breakfast, and plan an exhilarating holiday show at Sight & Sound, American Music Theatre, Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, or the Fulton Theatre.  Each of these shopping and theater locations is within 10-15 minutes of our B&B, so you'll be just minutes from all the fun!  We'll have a cozy room ready for you, with a fluffy down comforter and family heirloom quilt for you to snuggle under!  See you soon!

Sight & Sound Theatre

Great Ethnic Restaurants Abound in Lancaster County!

Sure, Lancaster County is famous for wonderful "comfort food" restaurants like Good 'n Plenty, Plain & Fancy, and Shady Maple.  But many visitors aren't aware of the assortment of great ethnic restaurants in our beautiful corner of Pennsylvania. 

One of our favorites, and less than a mile from the Apple Bin Inn, is Wasabi Japanese Restaurant.  It's not a tepanyaki style (where they cook at your table and throw shrimp into their hats).  Rather it's a truly authentic Japanese eatery, with some of the best food this side of Tokyo (where I traveled about 30 times during my previous corporate life).  Their sushi bar is not large, but the selection and quality are excellent, and it's fun to watch the sushi chefs create their masterpieces.  Plus they've recently added some scrumptious Thai dishes to their menu.  So come give Wasabi a try.  You'll be very glad you did! 

And speaking of Thai food, another great place is Lemon Grass Thai Restaurant, right across the street from Rockvale Square outlets on Rt. 30.  Their delicious Thai cuisine, including many delightful vegetarian dishes, will keep you smiling all through dinner.

If Mexican food is your passion, then you should definitely plan a dinner at El Serrano.  Not only will you feel like you're in the heart of Mexico, but they also offer an array of Peruvian dishes that are quite unique.  There's also a fantastic tapas restaurant, called Culturas, on the property.  If you've never tried tapas (meaning "small plate"), then your taste buds are in for a real treat, as you and your friends sample a variety of mouth-watering Latin American foods!

If you have a taste for Indian cuisine, there's no better place than Taj Mahal.  Their authentic Indian fare, with unmistakable aromas and flavors, will awaken your senses and take you to the other side of the world.  And don't worry... even if you don't like your food too spicy, they will season each order to your individual taste.  We have frequent guests at the Apple Bin Inn who consider Taj Mahal a required stop during every visit to Lancaster County.

We'll introduce you to more of Lancaster's amazing variety of fine restaurants in upcoming blog posts, but for now... Let's eat!

Ready for the Holidays!

As those of you who have visited Lancaster County in November and December already know, this is a great place to be for the holidays!  Shopping at the outlet malls, Tanger and Rockvale Square, is always fun, but "Black Friday" weekend is totally over the top.  Tanger's festivities start at midnight on Thanksgiving night and continue all weekend ~ with extra sales, deals, coupons, and more.  Rockvale has similar events, and together they make for a really cool overnight of holiday shopping.

Just a couple of miles from the Apple Bin Inn is a great candy and chocolate maker, Evans Candy, who is only open from October until Easter.  Since holidays are their prime time, they really do it up right.  Their chocolates are some of the best we've had, and they make hundreds of specialty candy items in every conceivable shape and size.  Our favorites include "mojeskas", which are homemade marshmallow and caramel dipped in chocolate... heavenly!

Of course the holidays aren't just about shopping.  So if you'd like to get in the Christmas mood in the most memory-evoking way, you definitely should visit the National Christmas Center.  This amazing museum's curator and historian, Jim Morrison, looks strikingly like that jolly old soul with the big white beard and the red suit.  And his museum is such an uplifting collection of Christmas history, nostalgia, storybook lands, international displays, toy railroad mountains, and just plain fun, that you'll leave with a renewed spirit, and a better understanding of how Christmas has touched the lives of families across the generations.  We won't spoil all the surprises by telling you everything... you'll just have to see this place for yourself.  And the best part is, they're open all year 'round! 

Well that's it for today.  We'll be adding much more about Lancaster County in the coming weeks and months, so please become a "follower" of our blog, and we'll talk again soon :-)