Hershey, PA

Hershey, PA and Harrisburg, PA

Looking for a great road trip next year?  I would highly recommend spending a long weekend in the Harrisburg area.  Our first stop was the National Civil War Museum.  Both Matt and I would recommend going here to spend a couple of hours or more.  It is both entertaining and educational.  One aspect that I enjoyed is the personal stories.  One small complaint, the exhibits were showing age and could use maintenance.  However, the museum is 17 years old, so one can expect that.  It was nice to walk around downtown Harrisburg area; one could tell it has been revived.  It was cool to see the PA state capitol building.  Maybe we would go back sometime for a tour.  For a romantic anniversary dinner, we went out to nice piano bar and restaurant named Carley’s Ristorante & Piano bar.  The food was delicious and music was beautiful.  Hershey is definitely more popular tourist destination, and there is not a lot to do in downtown Harrisburg.

Hershey, PA is both exciting and stimulating.  Even though I do not think Hershey needs any more marketing.  Both Matt and I were entertained for about 7-8 hours at Chocolate World on a rainy day.  The food was delicious too.  We learned about chocolate and story of Hershey.  One of the most fun adventures was making your own candy bar! Two minor downfalls are that Chocolate World was crowded and it is expensive.  The downfalls could not have been helped, but something to think about.  A family definitely needs to save up.  Another must see is the Hershey story museum.  Two of my favorite parts were the timeline and the video, it was great to see how Hershey changed and evolved.  The interactive “hiring” exhibit was very innovative and I enjoyed that.  One negative is that it was noisy and hard to concentrate.  It is still a fun couple of hours well-spent learning.  To walk around downtown Hershey is also an exhilarating experience.

       

            As if our anniversary trip was not sweet enough, Matt and I went to the Turkey Hill experience and learned about their story, and making ice cream, and tasted delicious ice cream and iced tea.  The exhibit was pleasurable and interactive.  To imagine a new ice cream flavor had been a blast.  It was a little disappointing and would like to go back and actually make and taste our own ice cream.  It was sold out when we got there, so it must be very popular.  Overall, it was time well spent for a couple of hours.  Personally, I would like to go back and spend more time in Columbia, PA.

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National African American museum

One Saturday my friend Sylvia and I spent some time exploring African American history.  I would highly recommend getting some free tickets and spending a day or two with one or two friends.  Remember to bring your patience because there are long lines.  One tip is to visit the gift shop first before lines start.  Honestly, the amount of knowledge and information is overwhelming.  My friend Sylvia was a big help in showing me the important items and being a guide, since she has been before. Thank you Sylvia! My favorite part was learning about how slaves overcame the oppressive system of the South in 1800 & 1900’s. A breathtaking artifact that I enjoyed seeing is Harriet Tubman’s shawl. An awesome aspect has to be going down in the elevator through time and walking through the main exhibit and, and work one’s way up from 17^th century to modern day (400 years).  One minor critique, the main exhibit going through 400 years was a bit much.  After about two plus hours going through it in the crowds, I was tired and drained, but wanted to give my time and respect to the exhibit.

The fountain is a great resting and calming area.  The smell of chlorine reminded me of a spa or pool.  It is a great spot to sit and reflect, and discuss with a friend.  Another minor critique, the way the museum designed the fountain, there was a lot noise with rushing water.  Besides the rushing water, it was relaxing.

 Sweet home café food is delicious.  The money is well worth it.  Please be prepared for a family of four, you could easily spend around $80. I enjoyed a pulled BBQ sandwich! There are a variety of foods to choose from to enjoy and eat.

Overall, it was very worthwhile.  I knew African Americans suffered, persevered, and overcome for freedom, but now I have concrete and firsthand accounts of the African American story. I definitely have a greater knowledge & appreciation for what they went through. Thank you to the museum for a great day.

Please before going spend about 15 minutes and explore the website, it will be worth it and time well spent.

National African American museum

Prince William County

Looking for a great spot to spend an hour or less? My husband and I had the pleasure of visiting two sites, Brentsville Jail & Courthouse and Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park. They are right here in Prince William County.

If you have a free weekend, I would highly recommend visiting and learning about these sites.  Both places would be perfect for a peaceful & romantic picnic.  Old Brentsville jail was excitedly & beautifully restored.  Just imagine it is 1855 and a runaway slave was on trial. The courthouse was the day’s entertainment, watching the community argue the case. The set up of a courtroom is different today from back then. We were lucky and received a tour from a joyful and knowledgeable guide for a reasonable $10.  I found out that Prince William Co. Preservation has big plans to create a museum if they can get the funds unfortunately.  There are historic markers, trail, courthouse, jail, farmstead, school, and church here to explore.

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The second historic site Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park is a nature park with a walking trail and historic markers.  If you go on second & fourth weekends May-Oct, a guide is there for a fantastic 45-minute talk about the battles.  The battles may be small but had a big impact especially battle of Bristoe Station.

In Oct 1863 during battle of Bristoe Station even though Confederates had more men, it was a devastating and embarrassing loss.  Just imagine General Warren fighting General Hill North Carolina Brigades at Bristow Station while drinking cool soda. If Civil War history does not interest you, you could borrow a local nature from public library, and identify plants and animals. I want to challenge everyone to go out and explore local history.