GET OUTSIDE & PLAY THIS SPRING
When the weather warms up, locals like to get outside and we recommend the same to our visitors! Read this blog for a short list of the perfect spring activities you and your family can experience during your visit to the valley.
Explore Our Outdoors
Can’t get enough of the outdoors? Check out our ‘Explore the Outdoor’ Guide. This pocket-sized guide has some of the top trails for biking, hiking, kayaking, and viewing wildlife for the entire county. The Lebanon Valley is a wonderful area filled with so many natural wonders and lots of opportunities for outdoor recreation. We recommend one of our favorite trails, the Bear Hole Trail in Swatara State Park. Follow this trail to discover the Bordner Cabin and view Aycrigg’s Waterfall. It’s worth the hike, and it’s just the beginning! Visit our Outdoor page to discover more.
Union Canal Days
Another great spring event to note is Union Canal Days on Saturday, May 20 from 10am-6pm and Sunday, May 21 from 11am-5pm. Take a narrated boat tour through the oldest transportation tunnel left in the United States during the 33nd Annual Union Canal Days. Check out the exhibitors and vendors, listen to some live music, or purchase your spring garden plants at the flower booth. Take a chance on a basket at the raffle table or enjoy a delicious meal at one of the many picnic tables throughout the park. Learn more about Union Canal Days.
About Union Canal Tunnel: From 1827 to 1855 the Union Canal linked the commercial centers of Harrisburg, Reading, and by extension, the port of Philadelphia. The park serves the tunnel and the only remaining 5/8 mile section of the original canal through Lebanon. The main entrance is located at 25th St and Union Canal Drive, Lebanon. The Union Canal Tunnel Park is now comprised of more than 100 acres of recreational and historic lands, open to the public and maintained by the volunteers of the Friends of the Union Canal Tunnel Park.
Agritourism
New life comes in all forms this spring! If you can’t get enough of the baby goats at Patches, check out Batz Farm. Whether it’s picnics in the pasture, baby goat snuggles, goat yoga, ladies’ night out, or even an overnight on the farm with a stay at the Goat Hollow Cabin, the Batz Farm has you covered. Check out our Family Fun Itinerary with additional ideas for how to enjoy your time in the Lebanon Valley, together.
As Agriculture is the #1 industry in the Lebanon Valley, we are very particular about our produce, meat and dairy products. Spring marks the beginning of the pick- your-own season for strawberries, or at the very least purchase your fresh berries and so much more at many of the great orchards and roadside stands we host here in the Lebanon Valley, like Risser Marvel Farm Market, Howard’s Produce, Frey’s Farm Market, the Lebanon Farmers Market and more. And while you are at it, don’t forget one of our favorite dairy farms that turns milk and cream into ice cream right on the property at Patches Family Creamery. Visit the baby goats and other animals in their petting zoo and get your very own ‘cow-to-cone experience’ while you’re there.
Tour de Lebanon Valley
When it comes to scenic views and local brews, consider riding in the Tour de Lebanon Valley Bike Ride on Saturday, June 10, 2023. This metric century 62-mile route encompasses some of the very best views of the Lebanon Valley. There is also a 25-mile route and a 10-mile Family Ride on the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail. This great event supports several important non-profits like Lebanon Valley Health Council, Lebanon Valley Conservancy, and the Lebanon Valley Bike Coalition.
Spring Libations Trail: April 19 – June 14, 2023
The Libations Trail is a great opportunity to taste the best of Lebanon County and create an experience for all to enjoy. Our local brewers use fresh ingredients and ingenuity to create clever combinations that will keep you coming back for more. Try the latest craft beverages at Snitz Creek Brewery and Restaurant, Under the Bridge Hard Cider, Rotunda Brewery and Restaurant, Isaac’s Craft Kitchen & Brewery, and the new Lebanon Valley Craft Brewery. Whatever your taste, the Lebanon Valley Libations Trail has got something for everyone. Join the trail by downloading the digital pass for free and win brewery merch when you support our favorite local restaurants and breweries or try the breweries at your own pace and visit to discover your favorite local craft beverage.
Fishing in the Lebanon Valley
Need a place to fish in the Lebanon Valley? Start here! We’ve got the short list of great locations to fish around the county. Post up on the bank of a creek or get out on the water in a kayak and cast from there. However you like to fish, there is a place to do it in the Lebanon Valley. Local freelance outdoors writer Tyler Frantz shares his favorite waters to fish nearby in our newest blog: Top Waters to Fish in the Lebanon Valley – Visit Lebanon Valley, Pennsylvania
