Fall is almost here, and you know what that means—time for apple picking! The area around our Harrisburg homes for sale has plenty of pick-your-own apple farms for your family's next weekend outing. Here are a few of the orchards we are returning to year after year.
You'd be forgiven for thinking every day should be International Chocolate Day, but the good news is that we have the perfect place for you to celebrate on September 13 when the real day arrives! Hershey, PA, is a dream destination for chocolate lovers of all ages on International Chocolate Day this September or any time throughout the year. Experience all the chocolate you can handle at Hershey's Chocolate World and Hersheypark, then be sure to leave some room to sample sweet treats from local small businesses as well. Our real estate agents have all the delicious details on five destinations for International Chocolate Day in Hershey this year.
Who doesn't smile when they see a sunflower? Tall, bright yellow, and always cheery, these blossoms are a classic sign that summer is coming to a close. These sunflower fields near our Harrisburg homes for sale offer you the chance to spend an afternoon among the blooms and even take some home for a personal display. Many of these locations also offer extra activities to complete your fun family outing.
Looking for your new favorite meal? It might just be parked around the block. Food trucks provide a quick and easy way to try something new. Since many great restaurants start as food trucks, they're also a good way to discover a new up-and-coming local eatery.
Our real estate agents are big supporters of the Harrisburg food scene, and we know how to spot a good food truck when we see one. Whether you're in the mood for a sandwich, some great BBQ, or even some dessert, here is a quick list of the best food trucks you'll find around town.
Spending an afternoon fishing is one of our real estate agents' favorite ways to unwind. If you're a fishing enthusiast, too, you'll be happy to hear that there are plenty of great fishing spots near our Lancaster homes for sale. Visit one of these five locations this weekend for a little quiet time angling in the summer sun.
June 15th is a special day for anyone who enjoys nature, photography and spending time outdoors. It's Nature Photography Day, a holiday dedicated to professionals and amateurs who appreciate the beauty of the natural world. If you're looking at Harrisburg homes for sale, there are some lovely places to stop and take nature photos nearby. Here are a few top suggestions.
There is no better way to enjoy spring than spending some quality time with the family outdoors, and Dutch Country is filled with great places to explore. A family bike ride is an excellent way to see the sights, with a wide variety of quiet country roads, beautiful parks, and scenic trails. Ready to ride? Our real estate agents have the details on five of the best places for a family bike ride in Dutch Country.
Just about everyone loves hamburgers in one form or another, and that's why the popular food gets the entire month of May designated as National Hamburger Month. They're amazingly versatile, ranging from traditional ground beef, chuck, or other meat to black bean vegetarian options. Toppings are also nearly endless, so you can customize your burger the way you like.
Our real estate agents suggest trying the following National Hamburger Month destinations in Harrisburg, PA.
Lancaster is famous for quilts, often stitched by Mennonite and Amish women with great attention to detail. Whether you'd like to buy a fully finished quilt or need some help completing the project you've started, the area has many shops you'll want to visit. This is especially true on or around National Quilting Day, held on March 19.
Our real estate agents recommend stopping by the following five quilting shops around Lancaster.
Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to encouraging consumers to shop small and bring more holiday shopping to local small businesses. Small Business Saturday is sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday and lands on Nov. 27 this year. Our real estate agents encourage you to extend your purchasing power to stores in Harrisburg, PA, many of which are convenient to Harrisburg homes for sale.
Calling all chocolate lovers! This one is for you. National Chocolate Day is quickly approaching on October 28th. If you don't already have plans to celebrate, we highly recommend making some. There are so many places to stop and enjoy some chocolate while looking at Harrisburg homes for sale.
October 9 is National Motorcycle Ride Day, and we can't think of a better way to explore Pennsylvania Dutch Country than on a motorcycle. In honor of the occasion, our real estate agents are excited to share some of our favorite scenic drives in the Harrisburg and Lancaster areas!
September 26 is World Rivers Day, and it's a beautiful time of year for a kayaking trip in Pennsylvania. We decided to mark the occasion by singing the praises of some of our favorite local streams in Dutch Country.
If you're ready for an adventure, there are some truly amazing rivers and creeks in our neck of the woods. These are our real estate agents' favorite places to paddle in Harrisburg and the surrounding areas.
Are you a history buff, culture maven, fitness fanatic, or all of the above? Whatever you're looking for, you'll find it in the Cumberland Valley. Our real estate agents share five of their favorite activities that are just minutes from Harrisburg homes for sale.
There are a lot of great ways to explore Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Our real estate agents love going for scenic drives along the Susquehanna River, or refreshing hikes along the ridges and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains. But if you want to know the truth, the best way to experience it is on horseback.
From secluded equestrian trails to farms that specialize in showing new riders the ropes, Pennsylvania offers a lot of great horseback riding options. If you happen to be in the area looking at Harrisburg homes for sale, we highly recommend checking out these great destinations for horseback riding in Dutch Country.
Monday, June 21st, is International Yoga Day! This is the perfect opportunity to try yoga for the first time, get back into yoga after a pause, or take a class at a new studio you've been meaning to visit. Luckily, the Harrisburg areas offer some amazing yoga studios. Here are a few that our real estate agents recommend.
Ready to point your compass toward adventure? Our real estate agents have some great ideas for places to explore in the Harrisburg area!
Reading a map is something everyone who owns a bike or a pair of feet should be able to do. And since the final week in May is officially Map Reading Week, we thought we'd take the opportunity to share some parks and trails in Pennsylvania Dutch Country where you can put your skills to good use.
Whether you're buying your first home or selling, you don't need our real estate agents to tell you the impact stunning landscaping makes. When you tour Harrisburg homes for sale, you'll see that for yourself. To help you maintain impressive curb appeal, several garden centers are located nearby. Beyond carrying the supplies you need to work in the yard, you'll find gorgeous plants appropriate to the local environment and experts willing to advise you. Here are a few places you may find interesting to investigate:
As the weather starts to warm up, we're all excited to get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of springtime. If you happen to be in the area exploring some of the great Harrisburg homes for sale, we recommend taking a break to visit a few of the nearby arboretums and gardens. You might be surprised to learn just how many options you have to choose from. Here are a few of our favorites.
March is Craft Month, so why not celebrate – or find – your favorite craft by heading out to a shop for supplies or inspiration? Crafting is relaxing yet productive since the result is a beautifully handcrafted piece to keep or give as a gift.
Our real estate agents suggest stopping by the following craft shops:
There's something special about Pennsylvania Dutch Country in wintertime. Our real estate agents love getting out to explore the snowy landscape this time of year, and we're excited to share some of our favorite winter hiking destinations near Harrisburg homes for sale!
It's impossible to overestimate the impact that farmers have on our lives every single day. It's also easy to forget about all that farmers do, which is a problem National Farm-City Week hopes to rectify. The event is coming up November 20-26, and there's never been a better opportunity to appreciate our local farmers.
With that in mind, our real estate agents are delighted to share some of our favorite farms in and around Pennsylvania's Dutch Country. Whether you're looking for a place to pick apples, cut down a Christmas tree, or simply enjoy the fresh bounty of the season, these are some of the best places to go:
One of the benefits of living in Dover PA is the many family-friendly things to do in and around town. When summer hits and you are searching for a place the entire family can enjoy, consider Dover's Cedar Lake Family Campground. The 76-acre campground is centered around a fully stocked lake, providing relaxation and fun as you seek to get away from the hustle and bustle or regular day-to-day life.
Cedar Lake Family Campground is designed with family fun in mind. The seven-acre stocked lake provides hours of fishing fun. You don't even need a fishing license if you are staying at the park. You can keep up to three fish you catch per day, and boating on the lake is allowed, so you can fish in the middle of the lake if you wish. The campground also has a large in-ground outdoor pool for summer fun.
The family-owned and operated facility regularly hosts live bands, drive-in movies and family or kids' activities. No day at the park is ever boring. Should your stay span a Sunday, you can even attend church on the grounds, so you don't have to leave. A petting zoo, game room and train layout provide even more to do. If the kids just want to run and play, three different playgrounds give them plenty of space to do so.
For older kids and adults, a basketball court and horseshoe pits provide outdoor entertainment. The facility host bingo events each week and recently opened a fitness center. Adults will appreciate the WiFi service that is available should they need it.
Whether you wish to camp in a cabin, have a tent or want to drive your trailer in, Cedar Lake Family campground has you covered. The primitive cabin rental gives you a roof over your head but few conveniences, so you can "rough it" without fear of the elements. If you really want to go rustic, book a tenting primitive woods site, where you have nothing but a tent between you and the elements. You can even tent right on the lake. RV sites with full hookups are available to rent on a daily, weekly, monthly or seasonal basis.
If you know someone who is camping at Cedar Lake, you can visit and enjoy the amenities of the campground as well. For a small fee, Dover PA residents can visit their friends or family as they camp at the facility.
The Dover PA real estate experts at Prudential Homesale Services Group understand the need for families to spend time together. Finding a home in Dover PA offers current home owners and families interested in relocating to a quieter lifestyle the opportunity to do just that. Contact Prudential Homesale Services Group for more information about Dover or for help searching for a Dover PA home.
Dover PA is a growing community that maintains a small-town atmosphere in spite of its proximity to larger neighbors like York and Harrisburg. One reason why Dover PA is able to keep its hometown character is the love and support the community has for the local small businesses that often have been passed down for generations. One of the town's favorites, Smittie's Soft Pretzels, has been a staple of the community since 1934.
In 1934, Lester Smith was struggling to get his own hard pretzel bakery off the ground after spending years working for a bakery that eventually failed. Along with many men of the time, when WWII broke out, Lester left his family and his bakery and enlisted in the military. When he returned, he refocused his efforts on creating unique pretzel creations that were a combination of the Pennsylvania Dutch style of the area and the German techniques he learned during the war.
Lester and his family took his products door-to-door and it wasn't long before Smittie's gained a reputation around town and customers wanted more. Over the years, the business expanded along with the Smith family, and the bakery has been passed down the family tree. Today, Todd Smith, Lester's grandson, is running the business and Todd's daughter handles many of the operations.
The people of Dover PA have been enjoying Smittie's Soft Pretzels for more than 80 years and Smittie's is committed to remaining a part of the community and culture of York County.
Whether they were on their way to a Saturday afternoon out with the family, or on their way home from Sunday services, the people of Dover PA all remember stopping at Smittie's Roadside Stand for a salty pretzel as part of their family traditions. When kids grow up and move away, the Roadside Stand is always one of their first stops when they return home to visit.
The original shack, as locals liked to call it, carried salted soft pretzels and pretzel sticks. Today, the Roadside Stand has added a few items to keep things interesting.
The Roadside Stand is located at 6065 Carlisle Road in Dover PA. It is open on Friday from noon to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Smittie's is also sold locally in Rutter's stores, Isaac's Deli, Rita's Ice Store, and Jeff's Subs. If you're not in the area, they can ship your pretzel products to you. For more information on where to find Smittie's Soft Pretzels or to place an order, call (800)353-1600.
If living in a quaint community filled with long-time residents sounds like an ideal lifestyle, calling Dover PA home may be the ideal choice to relocate. Contact Homesale Realty for help finding houses in Dover.