October Means Halloween!

The second half of October brings one thing to everyone's mind... Halloween!  And Lancaster County boasts some fantastic activities for this all-American holiday.  Two of the best, and scariest, places to go are Jason's Woods and Field of Screams.  They each have multiple attractions that are sure to be hair-raising experiences for the bravest among you!  But don't worry... for the younger or less brave (like us!) there are many other wonderful Halloween activities in Lancaster County.  These include Dutch Wonderland's "Happy Hauntings", Red Rose Segway Tours "Ghosts and Graveyard Tour", and "Ghost Tours of Lancaster County".  So come stay with us at the Apple Bin Inn during your Halloween season... we promise to be a safe haven from the ghouls and goblins out there!

Landis Valley Harvest Days are Coming!

Landis Valley Museum will host its 52nd Annual Harvest Days Festival over Columbus Day weekend, October 8 & 9. If you don't yet know about Landis Valley, it's the country's largest Pennsylvania Dutch living history farm & village, interpreting PA German heritage from 1740 to 1940, including tours and traditional craft demonstrations. Their Harvest Days Festival celebrates traditional fall harvest events, and includes over 80 demonstrators who make the village come to life with activities to captivate every member of the family! And if you can't make it in October, don't worry... Landis Valley is a wonderful place to visit no matter when your travels bring you to Lancaster!  And to make your visit to Lancaster County complete, why not plan a stay at the Apple Bin Inn. We promise to make your trip to Pennsylvania Dutch Country unforgettable!

"Thomas the Tank Engine" Returns to Strasburg!

Thomas the Tank Engine is a character known to millions of kids around the world, through his syndicated TV series and videos narrated by Ringo Starr, George Carlin, and Alec Baldwin.  Each year he makes 3 appearances at the Strasburg Rail Road in Lancaster County, to the joy of children of all ages.  He and his fellow railroad cars and friends from the Island of Sodor will be here again from September 17th to the 25th.  If you and your children have a fascination with trains (and what kid doesn't!), then "A Day Out With Thomas" is a day not to be missed!  We'd love to have your family as our guests here at the Apple Bin Inn... just 10 minutes from the Strasburg Rail Road.  Give us a call... you'll be glad you did! 

 

Annual "Snitz Fest" at the 1719 Hans Herr House in Willow Street

 

Come celebrate the very beginnings of colonial Lancaster County three centuries ago!  The 1719 Hans Herr House, right here in our little town of Willow Street, is the oldest home in Lancaster County, and one of the oldest Mennonite meeting houses in the western hemisphere.  On Saturday, October 1st they will hold their annual Pennsylvania German festival called "Snitz Fest" (snitz are dried apple slices used in baking pies and tarts).  This fun day features great food, costumed interpreters, hands-on activities and demonstrations of colonial-era arts, crafts and farm life, including threshing, quilting, loom weaving, heckling flax, churning butter, cooking over a fire, and making shingles, shoes, candles and corn husk dolls.  Enjoy a bit of local charm and history by stepping back in time in our little corner of Lancaster County!

  

33rd Annual "Long's Park Art & Craft Festival"

As Labor Day weekend approaches, it's time to make plans to attend the 33rd Annual Art & Craft Festival at Long's Park.  Held September 2 thru 5, rain or shine, this show is ranked among the top 10 in the U.S., and will feature exhibitors from all over the country.  Over 1000 artisans submitted their work for review by a panel of 8 national jurors, who then selected the best 200 for the festival (including about 50 who will make their first appearance at this show).  Exhibitors will display every imaginable type of work, including paintings, photography, woodwork, glass, ceramics, metals, clothing, leather, and many others.  Also included at the festival will be a wonderful assortment of music, bistro dining, and local wine and beer selections.  If you love all things "arts & crafts", it's an event not to be missed!

Long's Park is an beautiful 80-acre city park, with a 2-acre lake and tree-lined picturesque walkways. So come join the 20,000 art lovers expected to attend this 4-day event.  Once you've been to this festival, you'll want to make it an annual tradition for your visit to Lancaster County. 

Rooms here at the Apple Bin Inn are filling up fast for the holiday weekend, so give us a call soon!

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!

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm ~ What a Treat!

We made our annual visit to Cherry Crest Adventure Farm today with some guests from Virginia who were traveling with their 5 year old granddaughter.  Our son, Dylan, has been working at Cherry Crest for 3 summers, and we have been going to their world famous Corn Maze every year since 2003.  This year's maze theme is "Once Upon A Time... A Corny Tale".  As expected, the 5-acre maze kept us challenged and smiling, as we searched for map pieces and fun activities hidden throughout the maze.  We made our way out in about 45 minutes... a little faster than we historically are able to do it.  We then spent time enjoying many of the 50 other fun activities in the park, from the petting zoo area, to the hillside slide, to the bouncing pillows, to the farm tractor tour... with periodic stops for some mouth-watering snacks, like their amazing roasted corn on the cob, and a stop at their newly renovated fudge and candy shop - YUM!  This is the height of low-tech fun... a true agricultural amusement park for kids of all ages.  Why not plan a visit, along with your stay at the Apple Bin Inn.  We'll tell them to keep the tractor warmed up for you!