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 Day – May 18, 2024
Another great spring event to note is Union Canal Day on Saturday, May 18, 2024 from 9am – 7pm Take a narrated boat tour through the oldest transportation tunnel left in the United States during the 34th Annual Union Canal Day. 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 Day.
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
As agriculture is a booming 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 their baby goats and other animals and get your very own ‘cow-to-cone experience’ while you’re there. Check out our Family Fun Itinerary with additional ideas for how to enjoy your time in the Lebanon Valley, together.
***Don’t forget to mark your calendar for Lebanon Lilly’s Birthday Party, taking place on May 16th, 2024, at Patches Family Creamery from 3-5pm. Get your photo taken with Lebanon Lilly, plant sunflowers, meet the animals, and enjoy a free scoop of ice cream made right on the farm!
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 8, 2024. This metric century 62-mile route encompasses some of the very best views of the Lebanon Valley. There are also two mid-distance routes, 28 miles and 35 miles, that take you past rolling hills, beautiful wooded areas, and historic sites.
The day of the ride, take the kids and participate in the Tour de Lebanon Valley 6-mile Family Ride that runs down the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail. This great event supports several important non-profits including the Lebanon Valley Health Council, Lebanon Valley Conservancy, Lebanon Valley Mountain Bike Team, Lebanon Bicycle Recycle, and the Lebanon Valley Bike Coalition.
Go Bird Watching
The Lebanon Valley makes the perfect backdrop when it comes to birding! Between Middle Creek Wildlife Managment Area, Swatara State Park and other beautiful outdoor areas in the Valley, bird enthusiasts are guaranteed to find a location for some really great viewing! In Mount Gretna, the Mount Gretna Bird Club meets every Friday for a two-hour bird walk, where on any single walk you could see up to 26 bird species. Learn more about this bird walk in our new Birding Blog.
Celebrate the Arts
2024 is the Year of the Arts in the Lebanon Valley and this spring, you and your family can experience the Arts in the Valley for yourself. The Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery at Lebanon Valley College has a rotating exhibit that is open to the public. The current display, American Modernism: Works from the Kruszewski-Tobiasz Collection, is a wonderful, curated selection of art works from the collection of forensic psychiatrist Dr. Stefan Kruszewski and his partner, David Tobiasz, on display thru April 7th, 2024.
If you prefer song and dance, The St. James Players will be performing James and the Giant Peach at their new theatre in the Lebanon Valley Mall. This classic tale comes to life with colorful music and costumes, for a show the whole family is sure to enjoy. Shakespeare’s classic story Hamlet is coming to the Lebanon Community Theatre stage April 4-14th and if you’re looking for something a bit more light hearted, take the family to see High School Musical Jr. May 16-26th, 2024 for a fun coming of age story with a cast made up of all kids! Learn more about the Arts in the Lebanon Valley on our Arts & Entertainment page.
Spring Libations Trail: April 4th – June 15, 2024
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, Rotunda Brewery and Restaurant, Isaac’s Craft Kitchen & Brewery, Schaylor Brewing Company, and 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.
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
