Since the John Wright Restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, I took advantage of a…read morebeautiful, non-rainy day to explore the property, sit on a picnic table to enjoy the cool breeze from the Susquehanna River, and observe the long span of the Veterans Memorial Bridge, formerly known as the Columbia Wrightsville Bridge.

On my way to my next destination I was able to cross the Veterans Memorial Bridge. Spanning the…read moreSusquehanna River this bridge is quite exquisite. The attention to detail put into the bridge is amazing. I can imagine that when this was the only crossing for the river that it was constantly busy and backed up with traffic. It is a two laned bridge, a lane going in each direction. Walking across this bridge I am sure would give you a different viewpoint of it. There are lantern type toppers that would light the way. It gives off vintage with the way it looks and feels like it should be a setting for movies. Beautiful bridge that feels like a fabric that connects two towns on either side of the river.

My last stop on my weekend trip to Lancaster County this past weekend was at the National Watch and…read moreClock Museum in Columbia. I love a quirky, specific museum, and this museum was no exception. The museum is operated by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors and was founded in 1977. Its collection includes over 12,000 clocks and watches, with about 3,000 of them on display in the museum. The museum is large enough that they hand you a map when you walk in! To be honest, I don't know the first thing about the mechanics or history of watches and clocks - although I know much more after my visit to the museum - but I really enjoyed my stop at the museum! The museum might be a little dated (especially the "Learning Center," but there were signs saying they were working to upgrade that area soon), but they had some interesting and beautiful pieces, but whether you're a collector of watches and clocks or don't know the first them about them, the museum is worth a stop! I'd be happy to return for another visit with friends or family!

Rock Out with Your Clock Out…read more The National Watch and Clock Museum houses the largest collection of timepieces in the country, with over 12,000 individual pieces. The Good: * Large, plentiful, free parking lot * Fairly inexpensive to visit at $15/adult and $10/child, plus there are additional discounts for families, vets, and senior citizens. * Research library available. * If you're into clocks, watches, and other types of timepieces, then boy howdy, is this the place for you. Lots to see and do. * Live demonstration (check schedule) The Meh: * If you're really not into timepieces then this probably isn't the place for you, but it's still an interesting place to learn history. The Ugly: * I wouldn't recommend bringing younger kids, as it's not within their attention span to enjoy these kinds of things, but I suppose it depends on the kid. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Conclusion: Fun place to check out if you're visiting Lancaster County, and especially if the weather outside isn't great.

There's not much at the Visitor Center (although their clean bathrooms were much appreciated), but…read moreif you're in or passing through Columbia, stopping by the Columbia Crossing Rivers Trails Center is worth it for the views. There is a walking path along the river, with plenty of benches for sitting as well. The views of the Susquehanna and the bridge are very beautiful. When I visited this past Saturday, I walked over from town (an easy walk), but there was plenty of parking at the Trails Center, too. I just spent a few minutes here, enjoying the views, but I have been happy to read my book on a bench with those views if I hadn't had such a packed itinerary for my time in Columbia!

What a surprise when we parked the car. The setting is all around delightful. The stilted…read morearchitecture is current and elegant, surrounded by vast green lawn that faces the Susquehanna River.  It is also a perfect vantage point for viewing the Veterans Memorial Bridge.  The center provides an excellent source of information for accesses to the river as well as bike trails in Lancaster County.  It also offers facilities for events such as exhibitions and weddings.  The parking lot, though a substantial size, could be overrun especially in the summer during popular boating and biking season. There is one boat launcher and 2 docked paddle boat access points, including one which is wheelchair accessible.  And I should count also the one undocked access point right under the bridge. The center marks the southern end of the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail, currently my favorite trail.  The one negative I should point out is that it can be confusing to get to the trailhead.  There is an overflow parking area and restricted access road that can potentially mislead. The key is to go across the traffic light to where the murals are and head left until the Y intersection where you'd have to cross twice in order to get to the trail.  Aside from that, this place is perfectly situated and planned out.

Every once in a while you drive past a place so many times that it almost becomes part of the…read morescenery. That was the Turkey Hill Experience for me. I'd driven past it countless times over the last few years but either didn't have enough time to stop or couldn't convince anyone else to stop with me. During my Lancaster Adventure Day, though, all of that changed. I purchased a Single Scoop ticket online ahead of time for $16.75 and reserved the very first time slot of the day at 10am. I figured a late-summer Thursday morning would be the sweet spot, and it turned out to be a great decision. It was busy enough that the place felt lively but not so crowded that I had to wait for every exhibit. Parking was plentiful, and I somehow managed to snag a spot right in front of the GIANT cow out front. Honestly, my day was already off to a fantastic start! The only hiccup of the visit came during check-in. Even though I'd already purchased my ticket online, I still had to wait in the same line as everyone buying gift shop items, purchasing admission and asking questions. Since there were only a two employees working both the registers and admissions, the line moved a little slower than I expected. If I could change one thing, it would be creating a separate express check-in line for folks who already have tickets. Once I finally made it inside, though, everything became easy peasy! The exhibits are completely self-guided, so you can wander at your own pace learning how Turkey Hill makes its ice cream and iced tea while playing with interactive displays along the way. One of my favorite parts was creating my own virtual ice cream flavor, complete with custom packaging. I also wanted to film my own Turkey Hill commercial, but those stations stayed busy the entire time I was there, so that'll have to wait until another visit. Naturally, I made a beeline for the tea sampling station. As someone who appreciates sugar-free options, I was thrilled to find both Zero Sugar Sweet Tea and Zero Sugar Fruit Punch available to sample. Both were fantastic! Then it was time for the part we'd all been waiting for...unlimited ice cream samples. One thing I really appreciated is that they weren't tiny little "blink and it's gone" samples. You picked two flavors, and they served actual scoops in a bowl. For an attraction centered around ice cream, that felt exactly right. My only tiny complaint? Wooden popsicle sticks instead of spoons. They definitely got the job done, but they made eating melting ice cream a little more awkward than it needed to be. Still...free and unlimited ice cream? I'm not about to complain too loudly! I spent about an hour wandering through the exhibits, playing with the interactive displays and enjoying the air conditioning on a hot August morning before making one final stop in the gift shop. Prices there were about what you'd expect for a tourist attraction, but there were plenty of fun souvenirs if you're looking to bring a little Turkey Hill home with you. Overall, I'd absolutely recommend visiting the Turkey Hill Experience at least once. I don't know that it's somewhere I'd return over and over again, but it was a fun, interactive way to spend an hour learning something new, eating entirely acceptable quantities of free ice cream and escaping the August heat. That sounds like a pretty successful adventure day to me!

Turkey Hill Experience was a fun stop for our family! We visited with three kids, and everyone…read morefound something to enjoy. The interactive exhibits were engaging, and the kids loved learning how ice cream is made and creating their own virtual flavors. The highlight was definitely sampling the different ice cream flavors and making our own ice cream creations.

I visited the First National Bank Museum this past Saturday and had a great visit. The building is…read morelarge and historic - and it served as other things before the two front corner rooms became the First National Bank of Columbia in 1864. The bank rooms have been preserved, and you can see the walnut paying and receiving teller cages, the walk-in vault, and many tools used by employees of the bank. It was really cool to see and explore the bank. I learned about the history of the building, the bank, and Columbia through my guided tour of the museum. But what made my time at First National Bank Museum extra special was Nora. If you want to take a tour, you go to their website and send them an email requesting a tour. Nora is who will email you back to arrange a time for your tour. And she's great. Nora's parents bought the building when it was for sale back in the 1950s. Her parents knew that it was very likely the building would be torn down and the building lost to history, and so they took it on themselves to protect it. Nora grew up in the house (only the front two rooms served as the bank, but the rest of the building was a house or hotel at various times), and now she and her husband operate the museum and are continually taking care of restoring different parts of the building (right now, they're working on restoring the front doors). This personal story of a family's dedication to preserving history and sharing it with visitors to and residents of Columbia really moved me. Not only is Nora a very personable and knowledgeable guide around the small museum, the museum is her family's history and that makes it an incredibly personal tour. If you're in Columbia, I recommend trying to include a visit to the First National Bank Museum. It's a great way to learn about and explore Columbia and its history. And you'll get to spend some time with the lovely Nora!

From the owner: Come visit one of the most fascinating and "undiscovered" historical treasures in Lancaster County,…read morePA,... the First National Bank Museum, in the heart of downtown Columbia. Enjoy a private guided tour of an original bank from the 1850's and learn about this bank's role in the extensive development of the industries and transportation systems throughout this area along the lower shores of the mighty Susquehanna River. The First National Bank of Columbia was created in the front two corner rooms of a stately Federal-style townhouse, built in 1814 for James Wright, Jr. It survives in tact today because of the extraordinary guts and vision of the late Lloyd and Jean Motter. Their legacy continues through the ongoing restoration, maintenance, and loving care provided by their daughter, Nora Motter Stark, and her husband, Michael.

Nothing beats a brew-and-history tour! Glenn was incredibly knowledgeable and made for an…read moreexceptional tour guide. Each brewer had a unique story -- and, of course, the beer was fantastic!

Had a fantastic time on the Hanover Ale Trail this weekend with Brewery Tours! Glenn showed us…read moresome stops we've never been to, dropped some interesting beer history knowledge - even for this non-beer drinker! Plus, the brewmasters at the sites gave us tours of the brewing area. Huge shout-out to Sign of the Horse Brewery - Hanover, Something Wicked Brewing Company, and Public House At The Markets. If you like craft beer, good food, and a touch of history - both beer & local - this is the tour for you! What a great way to support local, enjoy a day with friends, and, most importantly, do so safely! An awesome idea for out-of-town guests too!