Your Passport to Lancaster County

In this month’s blog, we’re highlighting a few of our passport partners, who offer guests a special discount when they stay at one of our inns. From candy shops to train museums, quilts and crafts, our list is sure to have something for everyone. For a complete list of participants, visit http://www.authenticbandb.com/passports.php or ask your innkeeper for more details during your next stay with us.

If you’re a train enthusiast, be sure to visit The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Home to over 100 real locomotives and train cars from the 19^th and 20^th century, the museum takes guests on a tour of the history of trains across the country. The Railroad Museum is located in Strasburg, home to many other train attractions, like the National Toy Train Museum, which houses dozens of interactive toy train displays and the Choo Choo Barn, which is home to 1,700 square feet of model trains.

If you’re visiting Lancaster to check out handmade quilts, are a sewer, crafter, or quilter looking for new projects, visitDutchland Quilt Patch at one of their three locations: Intercourse, Ronks and Lititz. They have a wide selection of fabrics, décor, lighting fixtures and braided rugs. Riehl’s Quilts and Crafts, located in Leola on an Amish Farm, offers over 200 styles of handmade quilts, wall hangings, pillows, quillows, dolls, bird feeders and more. Farmhouse Memories is located in Paradise and offers an array of scrapbooking items, fabrics, quilts and more (you can find them on Facebook). In Grandma’s Attic is a unique shop located in Kinzers, with seasonal décor, quilts, and other knick-knacks that are made by local crafters (for more information, call the store at 717-442-4337).

Another favorite attraction in Lancaster County is locally made confections and snacks. For homemade chocolate, check out Miesse Candies at Central Market, Downtown (who also boasts an ice cream parlor) or on Fruitville Pike; Spence Candies artisan-style chocolates located in Elizabethtown; Wilbur Chocolate and their rich Wilbur Buds in Lititz and E&A Candies and its selection of homemade treats in Intercourse. If you’re craving a homemade soft pretzel, swing by  Dutch Country Soft Pretzels in New Holland or Immergut Hand-rolled Soft Pretzels in Intercourse beside Kitchen Kettle Village. And for baked goods, stop by Mr. Sticky’s at the Visitor’s Center on Greenfield Road or Scratch Bakes in Ephrata, both worth a visit to satisfy your sweet tooth. 

For a true Lancaster experience, find an inn that best suits your needs and check out all our participating passport partners for an authentic tour of Lancaster County. You can also get your “passport” stamped for discounts on room rates. Join us this autumn as harvesting begins, leaves change colors, the streets are alive with local arts and culture and the restaurants and pubs are awaiting your visit. 

Take an Appetizing Stroll Down Memory Lane in Lancaster

What better way to explore a new city than having a knowledgeable and personable local guide pointing out all the best historical sites, telling stories AND sampling foods along the way? Well there’s a new tour in downtown Lancaster that just does that.
Red Rose Walking Food Tour marries Lancaster’s rich history with the taste of the finest local and authentic foods, making for a memorable and intimate stroll through downtown Lancaster.

Downtown Lancaster

Aura Espresso Room

The tours take place on Market Days – Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays – and guests meet at 10:30 a.m. at the Visitor’s Center at Penn Square. Deborah Spagnolo, owner and tour guide, pays special attention to detail, telling stories of historical prominent figures, ghosts that haunt Fulton Theatre, and a heart-wrenching love story featuring President James Buchanan, just to mention a few.

Silantra Asian Street Kitchen 

The Red Rose Walking Food Tour also peppers in stops at Central Market, a stop for a cup of coffee or tea at Aurora Espresso Room, a taste of bologna and cheese from S. Clyde Weaver, a whoopie pie from Shady Maple and samples galore at Seasons Olive Oil and Vinegar Taproom, which offers tastings of hundreds of premium vinegar and oils. Participating restaurants include
Old San Juan, where you’ll enjoy a flavorful empanada and plantano madaro tostones, Silantra Asian Street Kitchen for a “bing” (similar to a crepe but used as a wrap and stuffed with fresh Asian ingredients) Rolled Cold Creamery’s unique ice cream and Foltz’s homemade pretzels and fresh lemonade.

Seasons Olive Oil and Vinegar Taproom

Rolled Cold Creamery

Deb’s not only knowledgeable about Lancaster’s history, she also shares intriguing and lesser-known stories, bringing people and historic landmarks of our past back to life. The tour weaves through downtown, equaling approximately two miles of entertainment and dining experience of Lancaster, with good company, plenty of great stories and flavors that'll impress your taste buds.

Price of the tour is $48 per person (children 12 and under are free) and includes all food and drinks (vegetarian options are also available).

Lancaster Courthouse

For more information and to book a tour, visit  www.redrosewalkingtour.com, call 717-945-5576 or email rrwalkingfoodtour@yahoo.com. What better way to complete your authentic visit to Lancaster after a Red Rose Walking Food Tour than a stay at one of our inns? We focus on making sure your stay in Lancaster is a memorable one. Find an inn that fits all your needs at www.authenticbandb.com.