Local Beer: Tour The Appalachian Brewing Company

One of the favorite attractions of visitors to the Gettysburg Pennsylvania area is the Appalachian Brewing Company. Located on Buford Avenue in Gettysburg, the restaurant and bar are an extension of the original brewing company located in Harrisburg. Still, the beer is great and the food is awesome.

The Gettysburg microbrewery doesn’t schedule tours, but you can stop in and take a “guided visit.” There is also an ABC in Camp Hill Pennsylvania just a short stretch up the road between Gettysburg and Harrisburg. However, if you really want to see a site then show up at the Harrisburg plant at 1 p.m. on Saturday for a schedule tour. Be early because many times they have more tourists than they can handle and you’ll have to wait a week.

The Harrisburg Appalachian Brewing Company is located at 50 N. Cameron St. in Harrisburg. For more information on touring the facility call 717-221-1080.

Latin America In Lancaster Pa.

If you’re a connoisseur of culture, and particularly Latin American culture, then you might have an interest in El Serrano, a Lancaster Pennsylvania restaurant. Located on Columbia Avenue in Lancaster, the restaurant features Peruvian architecture with elegance and style. And the menu isn’t bad either.

Besides the usual appetizers and salads, El Serrano also featurs a vegetarian menu. But if you don’t like eating sans meat then you’ll still love the entree menu items. This is traditional Latin American cuisine – fajitas, enchiladas, etc. – and is every bit of genuine Latin tasteful. And the atmosphere is simply glorious.

Designed by the owner, Manuel Torres, El Serrano features material imported from his home country, Peru. Hand-carved mahogany furniture create an exotic decor that should satisfy world travelers as well as domestic homebodies (but I’m guessing if you’re visiting Gettysburg and the surrounding area that you at least enjoy a vacation once in a while). Why not spend one meal of it in Latin America, right in the heart of Amish country?

Calling All Midstate Foodies!

Do you pair your peppercorn encrusted lamb chop with a nice, full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon? I myself prefer a frosty, carmel Yeungling to wash down my secret recipe grilled flank steak — but there is room for both of us at the 2008 Pennsylvania Food and Beverage Show! Hosted by the the Toyota Arena York Expo Center on November 22 and 23, the Show boasts hundreds of different specialty food and beverage exhibitors.

Not only will you be able to sample the best treats the midstate has to offer, but you can even enter to win a slew of fabulous prizes from dining gift certificates to baskets filled with your favorite goodies. You might even rub elbows with some of Pennsylvania’s finest chefs and restauranteers. Also available are live cooking demonstrations; drool over the presentation of The Yorktowne Hotel’s signature Panko-Crusted Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes or sample some festive holiday cookies from Chef Lisa Ridenour’s new cookbook release, “A Cookie in Each Hand.” If adult beverages are more up your alley, listen in on the health benefits of wine or get tips from a beer tasting expert.

Free parking is available at the York Expo Center, but if you plan to enjoy the samples at the Beer and Wine Garden (part of premium admission at $15), you may want to spend the evening in one of York’s swankiest hotels, the Yorktowne.

For ticket information you can contact the York Expo Center office at 717-637-3831.

Gettysburg Ghost Hunter’s Unite!

Are you struggling to find plans for the weekend? If you’re in to the strange and often times disturbing world of the underground, then you may want to join some fellow horror hopefuls on November 14 and 15 at a ghastly event sponsored by the Chestnut Hall Bed and Breakfast in New Oxford, PA: A Ghost Hunter’s Weekend Pursuit.

After you check in to the hotel of your choice on Friday evening, you may never leave…I mean, you’ll head over to the Beechmont Bed and Breakfast in Hanover to get a personal look at some genuine ghost hunter’s equipment. After examining the tools of the trade, you travel to the haunted Bechtel Victorian Mansion in East Berlin where you and your associate spirit seekers will unite with Allen Gross, renowned Spirit Photographer, and you’ll listen in as he explains how photography is used in exploring the paranormal.

Saturday morning is up to you: explore the battlefields, visit the outlets, take a walking tour of downtown Gettysburg, or do some ghost hunting of your own. After your personal adventure, reconvene with the group for a nice dinner at the Atland House in Abbotstown. Following your meal of Crab cakes, Chicken Chesapeake, or New York strip steak, you will head to Chestnut Hall for a lecture by psychic mediums Allyson and Adele. The twins will discuss all things psychic in paranormal investigations.

After the lecture, Steve McNaughton, Allen Gross, and the Psy-dentical twins Allyson and Adele will lead you through the haunted streets of New Oxford. As you wander through town your guides will recount the tails that few are brave enough to tell, and perhaps an authentic ghost hunt will arise.

The Ghost Hunter’s Weekend Pursuit is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the amenities of a cozy inn while at the same time exploring the world of the unknown. Advanced registration is required so hurry up and find more information by contacting the Inn Keepers, Tina and Steve McNaughton at 717-624-8988 or toll free 1-888-886-5660.

The Travel Channel Seek To Haunt Gettysburg Ghosts

For years, Gettysburg Pennsylvania has been haunted by ghosts, ghouls, and groovy ooey-gooeys. At least, that’s the word on the street.

And, no, I’m not just talking about some tourist trap souvenir shops that provide back street alley tours so you can inspect Gettysburg’s creeks and stone bridges in the dark. I’m talking about real live dead people scaring the living daylights out of your children. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

Actually, Friday the 13th horror stories aside, tonight is Friday the 10th and it’s still haunted. I’m scared even as I’m writing this.

The reason I’m scared is not because of some poltergeist activity reported by the local newspapers, which I seldom read. If there was a goblin on the loose I wouldn’t know about it. I’m scared because there will be TV people in Gettysburg tonight. Yes, those eerie fearie and nasty crassty TV people!

In unison now: Oooooooooooohhh!

Whatchu Talking About, Gettysburg Tramp?
Here’s the deal. The Travel Channel is paying a little visit to Gettysburg tonight around 8 p.m. to film the strange goings on as they’re going on. They’ll be filming for seven straight hours!

How they’re going to get the ghosts and haunted crevices in America’s most touristy town to cooperate for that long is beyond me, but I heard they’re doing this event without paid actors. If you’re hungry for some real live ghost stories and you’d like to see a staged, though unofficially unstaged haunting, then sneak in on the TV crew at the Dobbin House, Farnsworth House, Shriver House, or Jennie Wade House. Just don’t come to my house because I’ll be hiding under the covers.

And if you’re feeling really risky, then dress up in a cute little private eye disguise and pretend to be tailing the Gettysburg mayor while you keep a left eye on The Travel Channel’s TV crew as they go to – gasp! – an undisclosed location. I don’t know where that is, but I’m quite sure it’s very scary.

At any rate, if you’re looking to be a star and want to show up on TV, I know two ways you can attempt to make that happen. Pretend to be one of the ghosts tonight around midnight or walk toward the camera crew – no, run toward the camera crew – at four minutes past midnight with your “Oh, I’m scared witless” look on your face.

According to the Gettysburg Times, the source of this news story, over 100 members of The Travel Channel’s camera crew have already shown up in town with their “ghost detection equipment”. I’m betting Caspar won’t be friendly tonight.

Good Southern Food In Gettysburg?

What would General Pickett have eaten? Well, I’m sure I don’t know but a visitor to Gettysburg recently ate at General Pickett’s restaurant – can dead generals have restaurants? – and decided that it was a rather surreal experience. So the young fellow asks a rather interesting question, What would General Pickett consider good southern food?

Being from the south myself, I can’t speak for General Pickett, I’d say good southern food is anything you can swallow.

I’m glad people from the south still have a hankering to make their way up to Gettysburg from time to time. They can eat at all the restaurants they want – and Gettysburg has plenty – or just walk the battlefield until they bump into Jennie Wade’s ghost. Whatever they do, I’m sure they’ll have a blast.
And one recent blast was had by a woman from France. Imagine that.

7 Things To Do In Baltimore, Maryland

Travel – Eat – Sleep had a great blog post recently on things to do in Baltimore, Maryland. Of course, Baltimore is just a couple of hour drive from Gettysburg and so it makes a great day trip. I’ve talked about day trips to Baltimore before. But I like these suggestions:

• Lexington Market – Truly a site to see, this is the country’s longest running market. Historic and cultural. Don’t miss it.
• St. Mary’s Park – One of nature’s many blessings.
• Washington Monument – Didn’t know Baltimore had a Washington Monument? Well, now you do. Check it out.
• Mount Vernon Park – Home of the Washington Monument.
• Walters Art Gallery – Statues, paintings, displays of knights’ armor … there is no gallery like it.
• Maryland Science Center – Worth a trip just to see the giant dinosaur out front.
• The Light Rail – Of course, Baltimore has one of the best public transportation systems in the world. And why you want to drive?

Dobbin House: Oldest Building In Gettysburg

The Dobbin House Tavern is the oldest building in Gettysburg. Built in 1776, it sits right in front of where Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous speech known as “The Gettysburg Address.” Another significant detail of this house is that it was a stop along the Underground Railroad for slaves attempting to runaway and find their freedom. Slaves had to move further north because of the close proximity of Gettysburg to the South. Maryland in those days was a slave holding state. The house is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Is there any wonder why?

The Dobbin House was built by a preacher, Reverend Alexander Dobbin. Today his homestead is an elegant family restaurant – and a mighty good place to eat, I might add.

Gettysburg has a lot to offer visitors and it’s more than just a battlefield. There is culture, friendly people, beautiful scenery, a long rich history, and year-round festivities that you won’t want to miss. But if you’re planning to visit Gettysburg anytime this summer, stop by the Dobbin House.