Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is a historic pretzel bakery that opened in Lititz, Pennsylvania in…read more1861. It was founded by baker Julius Sturgis. During the 1850s, Sturgis worked as an apprentice bread baker. There are a number of variations of the origin story, but the most popular one seems to be that Sturgis was preparing a batch of soft sourdough pretzels and accidentally double baked them due to the summer heat. This "happy accident" resulted in dried-out pretzels. The head baker felt that no one would want them, but it gave Sturgis an idea to exclusively produce and sell crispy pretzels. By 1861, Sturgis had purchased a historic stone house and added a pretzel bakery in the back. Sturgis' brand of crispy pretzels soon became a big hit. He would continue to operate the business alongside his family for several years. The Sturgis Family is still in the pretzel business to this day. His grandson Marriott "Tom" Sturgis founded Tom Sturgis Pretzels in Reading in 1946. Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is the oldest commercial pretzel bakery in the United States. The current president and majority owner is Tim Snyder, uncle of current Tom Sturgis Pretzels owner Bruce Sturgis. My family and I recently visited Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery while we were traveling through Pennsylvania's Lancaster County. The area may be known for its rich Pennsylvania Dutch culture, but it's also known for its rich pretzel history and production. It just so happens that pretzels are my favorite snack! We arrived at the bakery just minutes after it opened for the day and signed up to take a tour. Participants have the opportunity to roll their hands in dough and make their own hand-made pretzels, just like workers did in the late 19th century. Our guide showed us all of the various tools of the trade from that period, but the highlight was seeing the original brick ovens. At the conclusion of the tour, participants were all given a complimentary bag of Tom Sturgis "Little Ones" pretzels. Afterwards, we headed into the retail shop which was stocked with various Julius Sturgis and Tom Sturgis pretzel products. Some of the varieties that we purchased for the road included "Little Cheesers" and "Honey Mustard". We also bought some freshly baked soft pretzels, which tasted out of this world! If you love pretzels then we highly recommend a visit to the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery!

Cute little storytelling tour that lasts just under 30 minutes. You learn some history and get…read moredough to shape your own pretzel, but you don't get to cook it or take it home. At the end, they give you a small bag of hard pretzels. The storytelling was good and the workers were friendly, but I wasn't too impressed. It's a small, cramped space, and I'd recommend the tour for kids 8 and up. Our group had several kids ages 2-5, with lots of crying and screaming, making it hard to hear and very difficult for the storyteller. You can reserve your tour online, and they start on time, so keep that in mind. There is street parking and a few spots in the back, and we had no trouble finding a spot. There's a gift shop available and fjeu also sell soft pretzels and other snacks. Overall, it's a cute and cheap activity if you have an extra 20-30 minutes.

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.

Visiting many small towns across the country, I'm always impressed with a committed group of people…read morewho proudly preserve and tell their town's history. The people behind the Lititz Historical Foundation do both masterfully. They maintain a free museum about the history of Lititz. Like many museums, it comes with signs, but the artifacts outnumber the plaques. There are some real gems like a fancy fan once owned by First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. You can even look down through a plastic panel on the ground into an old cistern. It really is a great museum. They also have a well-stocked gift shop.

This is a wonderful museum that introduces visitors to the rich history of the town. The museum…read moreshould be your first stop before exploring all that Lititz has to offer.

Awesome experience with Becka our very knowledgeable and fun guide! I learned so much and I'm a…read morenative of Lancaster!!!

I was fortunate enough to find Kendra's tour company. I cannot recommend Kendra's tours highly…read moreenough! (If I used all the superlatives in my mind, my review would sound unreal.) I have never had a better city tour experience, or a more attentive, sensitive, personable, professional guide. I felt like I was visiting a friend, and getting to share her day as she visited with her friends. If you're looking for an amazing experience with absolutely scrumptious food, history told with heart, and a chance to meet some of the most welcoming people in one city, Kendra's tours are for you.

Ok, ok. I'll be the first to review. I love this place. I love the people. And I LOVE those love…read morefeast buns. Lititz Moravian looks like a museum from the road, in fact - most people think that it is a museum. But if you venture inside, you'll find a bustling, mission working, community loving family. Moravian is similar to lutheran, believe Jesus to be God's son, died for our sins and saves us all. They love unconditionally, and have traditions that define them but do not break them. They're also Easter people, at 2am on Easter morning, the trombone choir walks around town playing loudly to announce that Christ has risen! I no longer live down the block from Lititz Moravian, but they will always be in my heart. Look them up, and if you happen to be in lititz, certainly stop by. In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; and in all things love.

From the owner: Join Us at Lititz Moravian Congregation!…read more Lititz Moravian Church has been a place of worship since its consecration on August 13, 1787, serving Christ and the community for over two centuries. Steeped in history, Church Square is home to several buildings that tell the rich story of the Moravian faith. We invite you to join us for worship on Sundays at 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM. All are welcome to experience the warmth and fellowship of our congregation. Additionally, we offer self-guided tours of the church and cemetery grounds. For a more in-depth experience, you may also call the church office to schedule a tour with one of our knowledgeable guides where you can explore the history of the sanctuary, the Single Brothers' House, and other historical landmarks within Moravian Church Square. Come visit us and learn about the enduring legacy of the Moravian faith!

We did the market and beyond food tour and it is definitely worth the money! $50 each and you stop…read moreat 7-8 locations. Food is included in the ticket price and you definitely get more than $50 worth of food. Jennifer was our tour guide and she was so awesome, excited, knowledgeable, and overall just an amazing person to lead the tour. We're excited to go back and try the other tours they offer

Just took the food tour of Lititz last Saturday. I live in Lititz and learned some new and…read moreinteresting facts about my town. We enjoyed some yummy treats and visited some of our favorite shops. The tour guides were well informed and were very accommodating and each had their own style. I think this is a great date day for couples or a group of friends. Well done!

I was in Lancaster PA for Labor Day weekend and looking for something to do when I came across…read morehelicopter rides at DCH. it was Saturday, but we're lucky enough to book a 30 minute ride around noon. We went up with pilot Adam. He was great, and made mine and my friends first helicopter ride an awesome experience. he explained everything to us, showed us around the helicopter, and made sure we understood his instruction. once in the air he pointed out the various sights in and around Lancaster PA. the ride was so smooth! at some points I forgot I was in a helicopter!! afterwards he showed us around the hangar and the old Vietnam war plane the pilots are restoring. all in all it was a great experience and I cannot wait for my next helicopter ride. Thanks DCH!!!!!

From the owner: Dutch Country Helicopters offers flight training, photo flights, and tours in the Lancaster County…read morearea.

We had the privilege of joining Bill and Bonnie on one of their horse-drawn carriage rides around…read morethe farm. Their hospitality leading up to the ride was fantastic, the weather was a bit 'iffy' so we ended up pushing back to later in the afternoon. It was still a bit cold and overcast when we arrived and we ended up being the only couple to join them. Blankets were in the carriage waiting for us and we were greeted as soon as we pulled up, the ride was enjoyable and informative... we learned about the farm and a bit about the battle, both Bill and Bonnie were super friendly and it was a pleasure to meet them! After the ride was over we had the opportunity to go back to the barn and meet all the horses. We learned more about each of them and got to feed them carrots, absolutely worth the price and a ride we would definitely do again, hopefully under better weather next time!

From the owner: Come enjoy a one-hour horse-drawn carriage tour at Silvershire Farm just a 15 minute drive north of…read moredowntown Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Ride with us through the picturesque countryside landscapes and orchards of Adams County. In the spring witness the beauty of the orchards as the trees begin to blossom. In the fall view the majestic colors of the mountains and surrounding hills as the trees change to yellows, ambers, and scarlets of the fall. The rest of the year enjoy the beauty of the rolling hills, countryside fields, and orchards as they begin to fill up with various fruits and crops in preparation for harvest. Enjoy the leisurely and relaxing pace of your carriage as it is pulled by two gentle giants, our Shire draft horses. Along the way you will also see an Elk herd as well as a variety of other animals. We will narrate your journey with a history of the area during the Civil War Battle at Gettysburg, as well as that of the orchards and the history of the Shire horse. At the end of your one-hour ride, you can meet and take pictures with your team and feed them treats. *Kids and adults like this part of the tour.* Click the “Book Now” button on our website to view available tour dates. Costs for one hour rides are as follows: Adults $32 (13 y/o and older) Children $16 (6-12 y/o) Youngsters 5 and under free. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Rides can be booked 24 hours a day on our website.