Visiting Historic Westminster College in New Wilmington

A few months ago we took a road trip through western Pennsylvania and spent some time in the charming town called New Wilmington. If you've never visited this part of Pennsylvania before, you're in for a real treat! New Wilmington sits about 50 miles north of Pittsburgh and about 80 miles south of Erie. It's a small college town that's nestled in the heart of Amish country.

Located in New Wilmington you'll find the historic Westminster College which is a private liberal arts college that offers 40 degrees to its undergraduate and graduate students. The college was built in 1852 and is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Currently the college offers programs and studies to approximately 1,300 students and is situated on 300 acres of land.

The school offers a 12:1 teacher/student ratio with opportunities to study abroad. If you're into athletics, they sponsor 20 varisty sports and more than 80 clubs for students to join. You can opt to live on campus or off. One of the things that I found fascinating is that the majority of their students are female, about 58%. Wow! That's amazing!

We spent a few days in New Wilmington and stumbled upon Westminster College while we were there. Up until then, I had never heard of the college. Now that we have, we're hoping our granddaughter will give it some consideration when she's thinking about going to college within the next 5-6 years. It seems like a really nice school.

Located near the college you'll find the official Westminster College Historical Marker which reads as follows:

Westminster College Historical Marker

Founded by the Associate, now United Presbyterian, Church. Chartered 1852. One of first two colleges in Pennsylvania to grant degrees to women, and the first to grant them the A. B. degree, in 1857.

By: 1949 by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Location of Historical Marker: at the intersection of Neshannock Avenue (Pennsylvania Route 208) and North Market Street (Pennsylvania Route 158), on the right when traveling west on Neshannock Avenue.

We enjoyed spending a weekend in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania and if you're looking for a place to stay while visiting the area, we recommend The Jaqueline House - Bed and Breakfast which is located nearby.

Official Gettysburg National Military Park Guidebook

The Official Guidebook to Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center is a MUST-HAVE guidebook if you plan on touring the Gettysburg Battlefield. This book will help you understand the history and importance of the Battle for Gettysburg.

Book Synopsis: Inside the pages of this guidebook you'll find the history of the Battle of Gettysburg; maps that illustrate critical events during the battle; rare artifacts and archival images from the Gettysburg Museum Experience; background information for each stop on the battlefield tour; photographs of the battlefield today; historic quotes; and vital information for planning your stay. With this book you'll get a better understanding of the heritage and legacy of the Battle of Gettysburg, as well as the importance of preserving, protecting, and honoring this hallowed ground.

Title: Official Gettysburg National Military Park Guidebook
By: Gettysburg Foundation
Publisher: Beckon Books
ISBN: 978-1-935442-07-3

We personally own and use the Official Gettysburg National Park Guidebook every time we visit the Gettysburg Battlefield. If you've never visited the battlefield before, it's quite vast in size...taking up approximately 6,000 acres. The 24 mile self-guided auto tour starts at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center.

The tour goes all over Gettysburg and you'll come across approximately 1,400 monuments and memorials. This guidebook includes a battlefield map and what I really like is the in-depth history that you get when you read this book. It takes everything that you learn during your trip and it expands that knowledge even more.

The book is broken down into color-coded sections, so that you can easily find what you're looking for. There is a great 2-day suggested itinerary at the beginning of the book to help you get started and to help you schedule in your time. It's jam-packed with information and beautiful photographs to help tell the story.

The Official Gettysburg National Park Guidebook is available for purchase at the museum gift shop and book store or you can purchase it directly from the Gettysburg Foundation website online. We highly recommend this guidebook if you plan on visiting the Gettysburg Battlefield.

Dolce Italia Pizzeria & Family Restaurant

Dolce Italia Pizzeria and Family Restaurant is located in North Wildwood, New Jersey. This casual Italian restaurant is located in a quiet area, off of the Wildwoods boardwalk. You'll find it on 210 New Jersey Avenue and they've been in business since 1996.

Unlike a lot of the other restaurants on the island, this one is open year-round. You can eat-in, order take-out or arrange for delivery of your order. They don't offer alcoholic beverages, but your welcome to bring your own. Hosting an event at the shore? They offer catering too!

Every time we visit the south Jersey Shore we like to take the family to Dolce Italia for lunch or dinner. Italian food is one type of cuisine that everyone in our family enjoys and we find that their food is affordable.

Example of Menu Items:

Pizzas
BBQ Chicken Wings
Baked Ziti
Chicken Parmigiana
Eggplant Parmigiana
Shrimp Parmigiana
Tortellini
Spaghetti & Meatballs (a favorite with our grandchildren)
Cheese Ravioli
Chicken Marsala
Rigatoni
Calzones
Stromboli's
Grilled Chicken Sandwiches
Meatball Sandwiches
Cheese Steaks
Hoagies
Wraps
Burgers
Salads
Various Appetizers
+ Much More!

They have a vast and varied dining menu and everything that we've ever ordered has been good. It's family casual dining at it's best. Every time we've been there, they haven't been overly-crowded and typically our food is ready for us to enjoy within 20-25 minutes. The staff is friendly and their prices are a LOT more affordable than other restaurants in the area. This is important to know...if you're feeding a large family when traveling.

You can visit Dolce Italia Pizzeria & Family Restaurant online to view their full menu, get driving directions and their hours of operation. Right next door to the restaurant you'll find their Dolce Italia Aroma Cafe, Gelato and Bakery which offers up great breakfast items too!

John Harris Jr. - The Founder of the City of Harrisburg

John Harris, Jr. is credited with being the founder of the city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Harrisburg is the capital city of Pennsylvania, located in Dauphin County. His grave and memorial marker are part of the Pennsylvania Historical Markers trail.

If you're following the trail and want to visit the site you'll find his grave and marker located in the Paxton Presbyterian Churchyard Cemetery located at 3500 Sharon Street. You can enter the churchyard cemetery via the entrance gate, open year-round.

The Historical Marker Information:

John Harris, Jr.
Birth 1726
Death 1791

Buried here is the founder of the city of Harrisburg. In 1785, he and five others planned and named the city.

About John Harris Jr. - He was the owner and operator of Harris's Ferry (Riverboat Crossing) across the Susquehanna River. He inherited the business from his father John Harris, Sr. upon his death. According to wikipedia ~ Harris the son of John Harris Sr., who is considered the first settler to establish a trading post along the Susquehanna River at what would later become the state capital of Pennsylvania.

There is a lot of information about the Harris family that is available online, via various books and you can learn more by visiting the Historical Society of Dauphin County located on 219 S. Front Street in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Historical Society offers guided tours of the Harris-Cameron Mansion & Museum and has an on-site research library. Admission prices, hours of operation and driving directions are posted on their website.

The Official Ohio State Facts and Travel Tips

To the west of the Pennsylvania border you'll find the great state of Ohio. We live in south central Pennsylvania and can reach the border in about 4 hours. While we don't take many day trips to Ohio, we do enjoy heading there for weekend getaways.

Here are the Official Ohio State Facts along with some Travel Tips.

Ohio was the 17th state to enter the Union. Official statehood March 1, 1803. The state has a large economy based on agriculture (oats, corn, soybeans and grapes) and is one our country's leaders when it comes to manufacturing (steel, rubber, machine tools, automotive parts, glass and machinery).

Ohio is the 7th most populous state in America and the 34th largest state in regards to size. The word Ohio is an Iroquois word "ohi-yo" meaning large river.

Bordering States: Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky. The country Canada shares a border with Ohio to the north.

Top 5 Major Cities: Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo and Akron.

Nickname: The Buckeye State
Capital: Columbus
Marketing Slogan: Ohio - Birthplace of Aviation
Flower: Red Carnation
Wildflower: White Trillium
Tree: Ohio Buckeye
Fruit: Tomato
Beverage: Tomato Juice
Bird: Cardinal
Insect: Ladybug
Animal: White-Tailed Deer
Reptile: Black Racer Snake
Amphibian: Spotted Salamander
Gemstone: Flint

Top Tourist Attractions and Things to Do in Ohio

Toledo Museum of Art
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Cleveland Museum of Art
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Columbus Zoo
Toledo Zoo
Professional Football Hall of Fame
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Cleveland Botanical Gardens
Kings Island Amusement Park
Kalahari Waterpark
Rocky River Reservation
Headlands Beach State Park
Cedar Point Amusement Park
Buck Creek State Park
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Krohn Conservatory
Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve
Mill Creek Park
Cincinnati Art Museum
Hocking Hills State Park
Mohican State Park

Ohio is one of those states that offers something for everyone, all year long! For myself personally, I love visiting their zoos, state parks and the Amish country. My husband is totally different and enjoys visiting their museums and halls of fame.

Family Fun at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk

A few months ago we spent the weekend down in Virginia Beach enjoying an end-of-summer vacation. We spent 5 days and 4 nights exploring the Virginia Beach area and having some family fun. When our family travels we enjoy visiting zoos, wildlife parks, and aquariums, so we had to take a little trip up to the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk. The drive took us approximately an hour from Virginia Beach, however, if you're driving down from south central Pennsylvania, it will take you approximately 5-6 hours to get there.

The Virginia Zoo was founded in 1901 and is spread out on 52 beautifully landscaped acres with over 500 animals calling it home. During your visit you'll see giraffes, zebras, ostrich, kangaroos, lions, bald eagles, black bears, beavers, cheetahs, bison, emu, wallaby's, prairie dogs, elephants, flamingos, tigers, snakes and more!

If you've never visited before, I highly recommend that you visit the Virginia Zoo's website and print out a copy of the zoo map to take along with you. It will show you where all of the exhibits are, the suggested routes to take, marked places to grab something to eat and of course...where you can find all of the public bathrooms. Not interested in printing out a map? Don't worry, you'll find them located at the entrance gate too! I highly suggest you grab one when entering the park.

Within the zoo you'll find the "ZooFarm" which is their hands-on petting zoo. Children love petting and feeding the animals. Throughout the year you'll find the zoo hosting a variety of different children's educational programs, which allows the kids to get up close & personal with some of their favorite animals. I'm all about "hands on" learning when it comes to kids!

We have two grandchildren (ages 3 years and 9 years) and one of their highlights from our trip was their ride on the popular Zoo Train. You will have to pay a separate fee to ride the ZooTrain, but the kids loved it. The entire ride lasts for approximately 20 minutes as the train takes you around a lot of the areas within the zoo. The train is handicap-accessible and fun for both kids & adults.

When visiting the zoo I recommend that you wear comfortable walking shoes (you'll be doing a lot of walking) and dress seasonably appropriate. Like most places, you'll be spending the majority of your visit outdoors. There are places within the zoo where you can sit down for a rest, grab a bite to eat, etc. If you're looking to pick up some souvenirs & gifts, you'll find those in the gift shop located near the entrance gate to the zoo.

This was our third visit in the past 6 years to the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk and every time we visit, it gets better and better. We enjoy visiting in the spring or early fall months when the zoo isn't quite as busy. In other words, during their "off peak" months. When planning you're visit, I recommend spending a minimum of 3 hours at the zoo. You'll want to experience as much as you can during your visit.

You can learn more about the Virginia Zoo by visiting their official website online. You can purchase tickets on the web or pay your admission price at the zoo. You can connect with them on social media by hooking up with them on Facebook and/or Twitter.

Beautiful Farms and Barns in the Hershey Area

When we're looking for something to do that doesn't cost a lot of money, we like to jump into the car and take a little road trip. My wife and I are big fans of checking out various barns and farms in the south central Pennsylvania area. After all, agriculture is a huge commodity in our great state and once your outside the city limits, you'll find miles upon miles of farmland.

A few weeks ago we spent our Sunday afternoon driving on several of the different back roads that lead in and out of Hershey Pennsylvania. It's a beautiful drive, especially during the late spring and early fall seasons. If you're interested in seeing fall foliage, take the drive in early to mid-October.

One of the things you always want to remember is that these farms and barns are on private property. You can NOT go onto their property to photograph them without permission. You can pull over alongside the road, get out of your vehicle (if it's a safe pullover spot) and take photographs. Please respect their privacy and do NOT photograph house numbers, street names or mailboxes!

We enjoy looking at the older barns, although some of the more modern ones are cool to see too. In addition to the barns, we like looking at the silos, out-buildings and of course...the old farmhouses too! If we're really lucky, we can see cows, horses, goats, pigs. sheep and chickens grazing around. When we head out on these little "road trips" we take a pair of binoculars, so that we can see from a distance. If you plan on photographing them, take your telephoto lens too!

Some of the farms that you see will have signs hanging out front near their driveways that welcomes guests to come onto their property to buy fresh produce, dairy products, eggs, meats and other goodies. We love purchasing these type's of food items from our local farmers who work hard for their money. If you have the opportunity, always try to support your local community and their businesses.

The barn that you see in the third photograph is an old barn that was totally remodeled. It's now a business - Crossroads Antique Mall and sits in Hershey. I absolutely love the shape and size of this barn and I do enjoy visiting the antiques mall a few times every year to shop for products & gifts.

Finally, the farm that's featured in the photograph above is actually located in the suburbs of Harrisburg, about a 15 minute drive from downtown Hershey. It's the farmhouse, barn, silo and surrounding farmlands that make up Strites' Orchards and Farmer's Market in Harrisburg.  Right across the road from the property is a big building that houses their year-round farmer's market where you can buy fresh produce, milk, eggs, cheese, bakery items, honey and more!

Well, there you have it! Something fun that my wife and I enjoy doing when we're looking for something to do on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon that doesn't cost a lot of money. Pennsylvania has some of the oldest, largest and most-beautiful farmlands in the entire country. At least, in my opinion.

Chubby Checker Musical Icons of the Wildwoods Wall Mural

When I think of Doo Wop music, I think of the Wildwoods. Every where you go in Wildwood you'll see Doo Wop architecture, neon signs and you'll hear that famous Doo Wop music playing. Heck, you'll even find a Doo Wop Museum located near the Wildwoods Convention Center that is free to visit.

We try to visit the Wildwood Island at least three times every year. Every time we're down...we seek out some of the beautiful wall murals and street art that you can find all around the city. Almost every block or two has some kind of mural or street art piece that you can see.

Several years ago the Wildwoods started to honor some of the famous Doo Wop musical artists from the 1950's and 60's. The first mural featured Bobby Rydell and can be found up on the Wildwoods Boardwalk, painted on the side of a building. You can read all about it by visiting our original post here on the travel blog.

The second Musical Icons Wall Mural to be added was the mural featuring Bill Haley and his Comets in 2014. According to the information I found online, it was selected to commemorate the 60th anniversary of their hit song, "Rock Around the Clock" which was first performed live in the Wildwoods in 1954. You'll find this mural on the side of a building located at Oak and Pacific Avenues. You can check out our previous post to learn more about it and to see some photos.

A few weeks ago we were down in Wildwood and finally spotted the third Musical Icons Wall Mural and this one features Chubby Checker. I really love this one and it highlights one of his most famous songs...The Twist. The mural actually depicts Chubby Checker doing his famous Twist (dance).

If you would like to view the third wall mural you'll have to head downtown on Pacific Avenue and you'll find it painted on the side of a building. There is a parking lot right in front of the mural that you can pull into, so that you can photograph it. I recommend going early in the morning if you plan on taking photos, before the cars park in the lot for the day.

The wall mural was painted by the artist S. Daly on Labor Day in the year 2015. This is the same artist who did the Bobby Rydell wall mural back in 2014. These murals are absolutely beautiful to look at and I really hope that the artist will consider adding a few more to the Wildwoods Musical Icons series.

Fans of outdoor wall murals and coastal-style street art would love visiting the Wildwoods Island. Over the years we've documented over 30 different murals and outdoor street art designs here on the blog. What's really cool is that every time we visit the area...we spot old ones that we've never seen before and new ones that were recently added. Wildwood is definitely a great place to visit!

Perry County Memorial Wall Honors Fallen Soldiers

The Perry County Memorial Wall is located along routes 11/15 in Marysville, Pennsylvania. If you're unfamiliar with the area, you'll find it located right across the street from Blue Mountain Outfitters and can clearly been seen as you drive along the heavily traveled routes 11/15.

This beautiful war memorial wall honors fallen heroes from Perry County starting with World War I through current times. It's a great way to remind all of us that freedom isn't free and it comes with a heavy price. These men and women sacrificed their lives for our country. What a great way to honor them and their families.

When visiting you'll find free off-street parking nearby and you can walk the Memorial Wall. Its open to the public 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You'll notice that it covers all branches of service and covers World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq Wars. It lists the soldier's rank, name and date of their passing. This is to remember all of those Perry County soldiers that were KIA (killed in action).

There is a beautiful bronze monument (statue) in front of the Memorial Wall of a soldier giving his fallen comrade his final salute. I really recommend that you stand in front of the monument to get the full effect and meaning of this beautiful site. The first time that I visited...it brought tears to my eyes.

You can learn more about the Perry County Memorial Wall and the women behind creating it and how it all got started by visiting their website online or by connecting with them on Facebook. They're currently accepting donations and you can check out their buy-a-brick and buy-a-paver donation programs.

Note: You can double-click on each image to have it open up in a new browsing window and in an enlarged size. We're a mobile reader-friendly website. Thank you!

A Weekend Getaway to Historic Boston

The city of Boston was founded in 1630 by Puritan settlers and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. It's the capital city of the state of Massachusetts and is rich in history and culture. The city holds historical importance and was host to several key events of the American Revolution. It was the site for the famous Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston.

We had the opportunity to visit this historical city for the weekend and jumped on that opportunity. While our trip was mainly for business purposes, we were able to squeeze in a few fun things too! The city is beautiful architecture and is always hustling and bustling with activity. As you wonder through the downtown and back bay areas, you'll be greeted with plenty of things to do!

The Charles River runs between Boston and Cambridge and offers residents and visitors a ton of activities to do. You can enjoy boating, sailing, fishing, etc. Throughout the year (especially on July 4th) you'll find all kinds of festivals, fairs and events going on along the river. The photo above was taken while we were standing on the Cambridge side and looking over towards Boston.

One of the things that really impressed us about Boston was the charming people who call the city HOME. The locals were extremely-friendly and were more than happy to give us some of the local history. You can really tell that the residents take great pride in their city and the historical importance that it played in our country's history.

During the one evening we wondered into Kings Dining & Entertainment which is a combination restaurant, bar, bowling alley, billiards, shuffleboard, skeeball, etc. Kings is located at 50 Dalton Street in the Back Bay district and is open 7 days a week. We were referred to Kings by some of the locals and had made reservations for dinner earlier that day. I highly suggest that you make dinner reservations if you can, they can get really busy, especially during the weekend. Our food was perfectly prepared and delicious! After dinner we enjoyed a game of bowling and a few games of skeeball before heading back to our hotel room.

Waymarking is something that we enjoy doing when we travel, so we were pretty excited to stumble upon the Boston Town & City Clock. We enjoy documenting these clocks and have set up an entire board over on Pinterest to document them during our travels. If this is something that interests you, you can check out our Town & City Clocks Pinterest Board for additional photos and information.

If you enjoy MLB (Major League Baseball) and watching the Boston Red Sox play...you'll want to plan ahead. We enjoy baseball and although the Boston Red Sox are not our favorite team, we took advantage of our opportunity to go see them play at Fenway Park. Thankfully we were there during a middle of the afternoon home game, so the stadium wasn't packed. We really enjoyed it!

The Boston Architectural College is New England's largest private college. It's one of the premiere architectural colleges on the east coast, certainly in the northeast. It opened its doors to students for the first time in December 1889. There are approximately 300 professional educators with over 700+ degree students. You'll find it located in Boston in the Back Bay district. We really enjoyed looking at the exterior of the building, since we enjoy looking at old, historic buildings.

We're located in south central Pennsylvania and if you're located in our area...it will take you approximately 8-10 hours to get there by car. If you're looking to fly to save on time, you can find some direct flights out of Harrisburg International Airport which will get you there in less than 2 hours. There are connecting flights that leave out of HIA too.

We really enjoyed our little weekend getaway to historic Boston and we're really looking forward to visiting again next year for an official vacation. The next time we're there we'll be visiting some of the historical sites, since those are the type's of tourist attractions that we really enjoy visiting.

Kennedy Space Center JFK Wall Water Fountain in Florida

How many of you have ever visited the Kennedy Space Center in Florida? If you have never visited, you really need to add it to your bucket list. The center has been NASA's primary launch center of human spaceflight since 1968. The late 1960's was big time for human space travel and it often dominated the headlines.

They invite visitors to watch rocket launches from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex which offers the closest public viewing areas. If you visit their website and/or follow them on social media, you can find out when the next launch will be and plan your visit around it.

Right out front of the main entrance into the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex you'll find the beautiful granite wall and water fountain that features JFK (President Kennedy) and the wall states the following text:

"For the eyes of the world now look into space, to the moon and to the planets beyond, and we have vowed that we shall not see it governed by a hostile flag of conquest, but by a banner of freedom and peace." Quote by John F. Kennedy

Since we're big fans of street art and outdoor wall murals, I wanted to document the JFK Kennedy Space Center Wall here on our blog for all of our readers to see. It's quite large in size and I really enjoyed standing in front of it and watching the water fountain do its thing. You can double click on our photo to have it open up in an enlarged size to see all of the beautiful details.

Moment of Mercy Monument and Historical Marker

The Civil War was a pivotal point in our country's history and one of the best places to learn more about it is at the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The museum contains 2 floors of Civil War artifacts and exhibits, and is a must-see for anyone who wants to learn more about our country's history.

Reservoir Park is home to the museum and right out front of the museum you'll find this beautiful monument by sculptor Terry Jones. If you would like to learn more about our visit to the National Civil War Museum, you can find that feature right here on our travel blog. The purpose of our post today is to highlight this beautiful monument and the information surrounding it. On the historical marker in front of it you'll find the following information.

By Sculptor Terry Jones

The Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia, in December of 1862, was one of the bloodier engagements of the American Civil War. On December 13th, Federal troops made repeated assaults against Confederate positions behind the stone walls along the Sunken Road at Marye’s Heights. In five hours an estimated 6,300 Union soldiers lay dead or wounded on the battlefield. As darkness approached, a light snow fell and the temperatures dropped to near zero. All through the frigid gloom, injured men cried in agony” “Help,” “Water,” “Somebody, please help.” For one Union Commander that night was forever etched in his memory. “My ears were filled with the cries and groans of the wounded, and the ghastly faces of the dead almost made a wall around me.”

By the afternoon of December 14th, Sergeant Richard R. Kirkland of the 2nd South Carolina Infantry could no longer bear those mournful cries. Shortly after mid-day, Kirkland secured permission from his commander to take water to those in need. Filling as many canteens as he could carry, Kirkland hurtled the stone wall and ran to the aid of wounded Union soldiers. Shots rang out from the Federal lines. Only when the purpose of the Confederate’s errand became readily apparent, did the Union commander shout down the line: “Don’t shoot that man, he’s too brave to die.” Then, for ninety minutes the battlefield was quiet.

Both sides observed a solemn truce as the nineteen-year-old sergeant turned Good Samaritan tenderly ministered to enemy wounded soldiers in what was most assuredly a “moment of mercy.”

Soldiers in blue and soldiers in gray repeated this incident many times throughout the Civil War. This Moment of Mercy sculpture pays homage to them and the uniquely American spirit of aiding those in need.

Sponsored by The John Crain Kunkel Foundation. 2001

By: 2001 by The National Civil War Museum.

You'll find this beautiful monument and historical marker located in front of the National Civil War Museum located in Reservoir Park in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. You can reach the entrance to the museum and the parking lot from Lincoln Circle. Visiting Reservoir Park and the monument is FREE, however, they do charge you an admission fee if you enter the museum.

Mini Golf at Adventure Sports in Hershey

Adventure Sports is an entertainment complex located at 3010 Elizabethtown Road in Hershey Pennsylvania. If your visiting the Harrisburg, Hershey or Lancaster areas, we highly recommend that you plan an afternoon or evening visit to Adventure Sports!

We live in south central Pennsylvania, so Adventure Sports is only a 20 minute car ride away. Since we live within driving distance, we like to load up the kids twice a year and spend an afternoon there having some fun! Worried about parking? Don't be...there is plenty of FREE parking available.

Adventure Sports is a multi-activity complex that offers miniature golf, batting cages, laser tag, go-kart racing and bumper boats. During the in-season, they host various events and other activities too. On-site you'll find a "free" playground for the kids, an in-door arcade and you'll find their cafe which offers sandwiches, beverages and ice cream.

On the day that we visited...we visited their miniature golf course which is one of the best in the area. The mini golf course features 18 challenging holes for you to enjoy. Some of them are semi-easy, but for the most part...we find their course to be pretty challenging with most of us averaging a par 3 or par 4 (the adults).

One of the things we love about this miniature golf course is that it's beautifully landscaped with a ton of water features, challenging holes and most of the course is in the shade. That's perfect for those hot summer afternoons when you're looking for something fun to do with the family. The majority of the course is wheelchair and baby stroller friendly too!

Admission prices range from $6.00 to $7.75 per person, depending on age. They do offer discounts to groups of 20+ players who are all playing and paying for their games at the same time. There is no admission fee to get into Adventure Sports, but you do pay for each individual activity that you enjoy.

As you walk along the course you'll enjoy beautiful foliage, colorful floral displays, relaxing waterfalls and sparkling ponds and the little stream that runs through it. I love visiting the park during the late spring and early summer seasons when everything is in full bloom.

When visiting, I do recommend that you bring along your own insect repellent and sunblock. Every time we visit...we have an issue with insects trying to "bite us up" but that problem is solved when we get the insect repellent out. I think mosquito's and gnats are drawn to those water features, so I highly recommend you bring those two things along.

You'll want to allow about 1 1/2 hours in your schedule if you're just going to enjoy the miniature golf activity. We take our leisurely time through the course and typically have 4-6 players playing and we can get through it in about 90 minutes. If you want to experience other activities that they offer, you'll want to allow more time in your schedule for those.

Adventure Sports in Hershey has the BEST mini golf course in the Harrisburg and Hershey area. If you're a miniature golf fan, this is definitely one course you want to visit. It makes for a great family outing and once your done playing...you can great a treat at the snack bar before heading home.

The Meadows Original Frozen Custard Wall Mural by Artist Marge Leiss

We're big fans of outdoor wall murals and have been documenting all of the ones that we find here on our blog. Recently we stumbled upon The Meadows Original Frozen Custard wall mural while enjoying an afternoon of family fun on their 18-hole miniature golf course.

The Meadows Original Frozen Custard Shop is located on Jonestown Road in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They offer the BEST frozen custard in the area! You'll find that they're also an entertainment venue that offers baseball & softball batting cages, an indoor arcade and an 18-hole mini golf course.

We've enjoyed frozen custard many times at their shop but had never noticed the gorgeous outdoor wall mural painted on the back of their building. We normally park on the side and go in the front door, however...you can view the mural by going around the building and through their drive-thru or by parking your car and playing mini golf.

I couldn't make out the artist's name (located in the bottom right corner), so I contacted The Meadows via Facebook to inquire about it. They responded back and gave me the artist's name of Marge Leiss who is a self-employed artist and according to her LinkedIN profile she's part of the esteemed faculty at York Academy of Arts.

There is something really captivating about this wall mural of the little boy with blue eyes, wearing a The Meadows Original Frozen Custard ball cap. I don't know if it depicts a real child or someone she imagined, but I just loved looking at that mural. It's beautiful.