Explore Harrisburg PA This Summer

Are you making plans to visit the Pennsylvania state capital of Harrisburg this summer?

I grew up in central PA, home to the state capital city of Harrisburg. Harrisburg and its surrounding communities offer a variety of summer activities that will make your trip exciting, fun, and educational, but not expensive. There is something for everyone to enjoy.

Historical and Educational Activities

Take a tour of a National Historic Landmark, the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Built in 1906, the "Capitol's centerpiece is a spectacular 272-foot, 52 million-pound dome inspired by Michelangelo’s design for St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome".

Not far from the Capitol is the State Museum of Pennsylvania. The State Museum offers "four floors of exhibits that represent Pennsylvania's story, from Earth's beginning to the present", a Planetarium and the 'hands on' play area, Curiosity Connection, for children 5 and under. Admission is $4-$5.

Also located downtown is the Whitaker Center , that offers an IMAX theater, Science Center, and a performance theater. The science center is 3 floors of exhibits, experiments and programs. It also offers a play/imagination area just for kids under 5. Prices for the IMAX theater range from $8 - $13.75, depending on your age and the movie. Prices for the science center range from $12.50 - $16, depending on age as well. If you are local, consider buying a year long membership for unlimited access to the Science Center and other benefits. The performance theater is an intimate venue that hosts everything from national acts to local performers. Prices vary depending on the act.

The National Civil War Museum, as stated on the website, is "the only museum in The United States that portrays the entire story of the American Civil War. Equally balanced presentations are humanistic in nature without bias to Union or Confederate Causes." Admission prices range from $8-$10, depending on age. There is a $35 family pass available for 2 adults and up to 3 students(immediate family members).

For more Civil War history, the historic town of Gettysburg, PA is about 38 miles south of Harrisburg.

For more military history, visit the Army Heritage and Educational Center located west of Harrisburg, in Carlisle.

The Oakes Museum of Natural History is located at Messiah College, just outside of Harrisburg. It houses a collection of Smithsonian-quality African and North American mammals, bird eggs, fish, seashells, minerals, insects and fossils. An anchor of the museum is the 200-specimen collection of African mammals, the largest of its kind in Pennsylvania, which features 75 full mounts, including an elephant, hippopotamus, zebra, giraffe and forest nyala. It is only open on Saturdays from 1 - 5pm. The admission is $6 for adults, $3.50 for ages 4-12, and children 3 and under are free.

Visit The Pennsylvania National Fire Museum in Harrisburg to view a collection of artifacts from the hand-drawn equipment of yesterday to the modern tools of today. The museum is housed in an 1899 Victoria fire house.

Outdoor Festivals

2013 Patriot-News Artsfest - This juried arts festival runs May 25-27 over the Memorial Day weekend along the Susquehanna River in downtown Harrisburg. Walk along the river and peruse the artists' booths, choose from a wide variety of food vendors and enjoy live music throughout the three days. There is no admission charge, but you might have to pay to park at a nearby parking garage.

85th Annual Jubilee Day - the largest, longest running one day street fair on the East coast. Date: June 20, 2013 from 10 am to 9 pm. Location: downtown Mechanicsburg. Admission: FREE. The event features wares from local artists and craftsmen, as well as great food, fun games, and  amusement rides.

The Kipona Celebration runs over Labor Day weekend and is right along the Susquehanna River. Admission: FREE. Activities include Artfest featuring 150 different artists and craftspersons, live music and entertainment, Chili Cookoff, Classic Canoe race, a traditional Indian Pow Wow, and SO much more.

Amusement Parks and Zoos

Hershey Park -Located about 14 miles east of Harrisburg. From roller coasters and water rides to kiddie rides and music shows, there really is something for every one at Hershey Park. Other attractions at the Park are ZooAmerica and Chocolate World. Tickets are pricey, but discounted ones can usually be found at Giant Food Stores. Or head there later in the day and purchase a Sunset Admission ticket. You'll save money, yet still have 4 hours to enjoy the park. Picnic lunches and food are not permitted inside the park.

Dutch Wonderland is located about 40 miles east of Harrisburg, the heart of Amish Country/ Lancaster County. It is a great park geared more towards children ages 12 and under. Food is not permitted inside the park, but there is a Family Picnic Pavilion right outside the park. Old Mill Stream campground is also right outside the park, within walking distance. We had our first camping experience at Old Stream a few years ago. The Amish visit on Saturday mornings with a horse drawn carriage filled with delicious baked goods for sale.

If you're in the mood for some shopping, 2 large outlets, Tanger Outlets and Rockvale Outlets are just down the street from the Dutch Wonderland.

Twenty five miles north of Harrisburg resides Lake Tobias Wildlife Park , a home to herds of wild and exotic animals from all over the world. From a Safari tour to a petting zoo and reptile exhibit, this park is a fun destination for the whole family.

Another park north of the city is Knoebels Amusement Resort. It is the largest free-admission park in America; you pay by the ride and the rides range from .75 - $2.25. Along with over 50 rides, the resort also offers a campground, a 900,000 galloon pool with water slides and diving boards, and a golf course.  Personally, we have never been there, we have heard nothing but good things about the park, the campground and the whole experience.

The Great Outdoors

If you are looking for a place to walk, run, bike, or bird watch, visit Wildwood Park on the outskirts of downtown Harrisburg. The park features 6 miles of trails and a nature center.

Are you a sports fan? Visit Harrisburg's City Island, right in the middle of the Susquehanna River, and catch a Harrisburg Sentators game, the city's AA pro baseball team. Or check out a professional soccer game with the Harrisburg City Islanders, a member of the United Soccer League. The island also offers other activities, such as an arcade, batting cages, miniature golf, a train, and The Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat cruises.

The Hershey Gardens is spread over 23 acres and includes the Butterfly House, Children's Garden, and many other themed gardens. Tickets range from $7 to $10, depending on age, but children under 3 are free.

Gifford Pinchot State Park is located south of Harrisburg. It offers hiking trails, swimming, boating, picnicking, camping and so much more.

Have you visited Central Pennsylvania? What are your plans this summer? Will you be traveling or staying close to home? Let us know in the comments.

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May 18 & 19 | FREE or Low Cost Events for Families

Click the below links for more information about each event.

Bass Pro Shops

• May 18 & 19, 25 & 26 | Go Outdoors Event & Sale - FREE Summer Fun Seminars, Kids' Seminars, Kids' Activities, Kids' Crafts, and More! 

Michael's

• Saturday, May 18, 10am - Noon, on the half hour | Kids Club: Celebrate Your Hero - Let your kids explore their creativity while you shop! Only $2 per child reserves 30 minutes for your creative kid. Sessions starting every half hour from 10:30am - 11:30am. See a store associate to join the fun!

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From Bravo to Books

It has been 2.5 months since we canceled cable TV and the transition has gone quite smoothly. In fact, I'm watching less TV altogether and I'm reading more.

The girl who knew all of the names of every Real Housewife of the OC, New York City, New Jersey, Atlanta, and Beverly Hills, now can't be bothered by such toxic mean girl reality drama and is currently engrossed in the best seller, Gone Girl. 

The girl who only read one novel a year while on her summer vacation is in the middle of her third novel since March 1.

The girl who used to leave a 24 hour news channel on all day when working from home is now content with my nightly shot of the news at 6:30 pm on a network channel. And she tends to get more work done during the day!

The only time in these two and half months that I wished we had cable was on the Friday after the Boston Marathon bombing. I used the internet and I survived.

As a family, we did miss a full season of Duck Dynasty, but we were able to watch a full episode online after a show aired. After a few days, the episode is then locked and you have to enter your cable provider. Oh well.

I still watch a little TV, but mostly I've been reading at night and I'm here to tell you that life without cable is just fine.

Have you given up cable TV? How are you handling it? Let us know in the comments.

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8 Tips to Help You Save Money While On Vacation

The school year is winding down and I find myself day dreaming of sand, surf and our upcoming summer vacation. I'm usually jolted back to reality by the sound of the bus brakes as they squeak to a stop. Less than five more weeks of the mad morning dash to make it to the bus stop on time and then we'll start counting down the days until our summer vacation.

Our summer destination of choice is the beach. Every year, we split the rent on a beach condo with other family members to make a week away affordable for everyone involved. The good news is that we are usually still on speaking terms at the end of the week.

We look forward all year to our summer vacation, so the last thing that we want to do is stress about the money spent while on our trip.

A little up front planning will help you save money while on your trip, so that you can have the relaxed vacation that you've been waiting for.

8 Tips to Help You Save Money While On Vacation

1. Use Cash

Using only cash while on vacation will force you to question each purchase, especially when it comes to spending money on unnecessary souvenirs--you won't want to waste your cash. Do you really need another coffee mug or t-shirt? We also don’t want to come home to a credit card bill. I want to remember my vacation through our photos, not our receipts.

It's not too late to raise some spending money if you haven't been setting it aside. We plan on participating in our neighborhood's yard sale next month to raise our vacation funds. Also, have your kids save their own money for their souvenirs. We told our daughters that they could set up a lemonade stand at the yard sale to earn their spending money.

2. Make a list of expenditures.

Your planning starts with your destination. How long will your travel time be? Does your rental have a kitchen? Will you have laundry facilities? How much can you pack in your vehicle? Are there reliable grocery stores at your destination? Are their excursions and activities that you want to do, but will cost additional money?

Brainstorm all of the expenditures that you will have and make a list.

3. Create A Budget.

Everyone’s vacation destination and expectations will be different. Maybe you don’t want to cook at all during your vacation or maybe eating out for every meal is beyond what your budget can handle. What activities will be available where you are going?

Sit down with your family and brainstorm what everyone's expectations will be while on vacation.

4. Create a Meal Plan.

Food is usually our the biggest expenditure during our vacation and thankfully our beach condo will have a kitchen. We travel with my extended family, so my mom and I will sit down before the trip and talk about a meal plan.

Before your trip, calculate the number of meals during your trip and decide how many will be eaten in and how often you will dine out. Include breakfasts, lunches, dinners and even snacks in your planning. We will be gone for 7 days. We'll eat breakfast in our rental on 5 of those days and take turns the other two days picking up some freshly baked cinnamon rolls at a nearby bakery. Oh my, I can smell and taste them now!

For lunch, we usually pack a cooler with food each day that we are at the beach and eat out somewhere for lunch on the one day when we need a sun-break.

For dinner, we'll plan to eat in on 5 nights and eat out 2 nights. Everyone will have at least one night to cook for the entire crowd and the other nights, we'll collaborate on a meal. Usually there is enough leftovers for the last night to be a ‘clean out the fridge’ night.

We'll plan the menu weeks before we leave, so I can do most of my grocery shopping at home instead of our vacation spot where prices are more expensive. Also, by planning ahead I can take advantage of sales. Our beach condo has a grill so I usually grill chicken or burgers for my dinner night. In the past, I've made tacos, lasagna, or enchiladas. I just pack everything in coolers and the food holds up during our drive. For my side dishes, I have stopped at road side farms stands en route to the beach for corn on the cob, salad fixings and watermelon.

If you are traveling with other families, splitting the menu planning will help alleviate some of the meal planning on your part and save you money, but be sure to discuss each family’s food challenges.

5. What Are Your Non-Food Needs?

Being prepared ahead of time will save you money and time. Some things to consider:

• Will you need to supply your own: toilet paper, bath towels, bed linens.
• Will there be laundry facilities? Detergent is much cheaper when bought at home on sale.
• Drinking water – where we stay, it is recommended to not drink the water out of the faucet, so we take a lot of water. We'll take our own reusable bottles and buy gallon jugs of spring water. Thank goodness our rental has recycling containers.
• What will you need in the kitchen? dishwasher detergent, dish soap, paper towels, napkins
• Will you need sunscreen, bug spray? – It is so much cheaper to buy at home than on vacation.
• Extra batteries for the cameras and video equipment.

6. Plan your travel.

• Plan Your Food: We have driven as far as 7 hours for a beach vacation (fortunately, it will only be 4 hours this year) and I make sure to pack a lot of snack foods and drinks to save money and avoid fast food binges.
• Plan for Traffic, Gas, & Tolls: Use an app to help you navigate through traffic, such as Google Maps, Beat the Traffic, Trip Talk or Waze. Map out your trip before you leave so you can budget for any highway tolls.
• Plan Your Fuel Costs: Find an online fuel cost calculator or app to help you plan your gas costs. http://fuelcostcalculator.aaa.com/
• Plan for Parking: Will there be a fee for parking at your destination? Make sure you include it in your budget.

If you have a long drive ahead of you, it might a good idea to get your vehicle serviced. Is your vehicle due for an oil change? Are you tires in good condition? Do you have enough windshield wiper fluid?

7. Tourism Centers

Once you reach your destination and you're settled in, find the local tourism center to scout out any coupon books. Many local businesses have these books as well. The books usually include coupons for local restaurants, stores and activities.

8. Choose Your Indulgences Wisely.

It is our yearly vacation, so I believe a little indulgence is needed and deserved. Since we are heading to the beach, our preferred indulgence is seafood. I spend a lot of my time at home in the kitchen, so when I am on vacation, I want to eat some really good food, but have someone else prepare it for me. I don’t mind cooking easy meals and eating in a few nights so that we have some extra cash for a really good, quality meal.

We love crab legs and shrimp. In the past, we've found the best prices for seafood from a little road side seafood shack. There's always a long line, so we figured it had to be good.It was cheaper to buy in bulk at this shop than for all of us to order the food individually at a restaurant.

Only 4.5 weeks until summer--I am drooling now just thinking about those crab legs!

Are you headed on vacation this summer? Where are you going to? How do you save money while on vacation? Indulge us with your summer plans in the comments.


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