If you’re anything like me, we have reached our favorite time of the year. I love looking at holiday lights, drinking hot chocolate, taking fun photos with friends, and doing some fun shopping. Going to school at Millersville, I have a ton of options within a reasonable driving distance of fun holiday activities to do, and I am going to count down my top five here! This list is in no particular order, but includes some of my favorite places.
- Hershey, PA
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I have a season pass to Hersheypark, so I spend a lot of time there year round. However, I love going to their holiday Christmas Candylane event. I used to go here with my family when I was little, and I have a lot of happy and nostalgic memories from those experiences. Now, as I am older, I love getting some night rides and cold thrills on the few coasters they have open for the event, watching the light show they do in the park, seeing the reindeer, drinking hot chocolate, and driving through their Sweet Lights Exhibit, a two mile long light display. I can’t wait to make it to “The Sweetest Place on Earth” this holiday season.
- Bethlehem, PA
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Ironically, Bethlehem is my hometown, but it is also known as “The Christmas City”. It kind of looks like a setting of a Hallmark movie (and, is actually one of the Hallmark Christmas Cams, streaming live from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. here: https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/christmas/christmas-cams). Bethlehem itself is full of holiday cheer, and has small huts along their Main Street selling gifts, as well as a large shopping market known as Christkindlmarkt down by Bethlehem Steel’s iconic Steelstacks. There is also a beautiful tree by the library, and candles around the city, lit for each day of Advent. The city itself is also decorated, especially on Main Street. In the area surrounding Bethlehem, there are many other holiday traditions, including Allentown’s Lights on the Parkway (a similar set-up to Sweet Lights), the Christmas tree light display that adorns Allentown’s PPL Tower, and the large candle in center city Easton. The Lehigh Valley Zoo also puts on a light display.
- Kitchen Kettle Village, Intercourse, PA
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This one is the closest to Lancaster, and while the Village is opened year round, it is extra special around the holidays. The Village is only around a half hour’s drive from Millersville, and is full of cute little stores that are perfect for holiday shopping, or perfect for just looking around! The decorations for the holidays are so cute. There are a lot of good snacks and goodies to try while there as well, so I definitely recommend checking it out!
- Koziar’s Christmas Village, Bernville, PA
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I have not personally been to this one yet, but have heard wonderful things from several different people. About an hour away from campus, this is another cute village perfect for their beautiful light displays. If you can’t tell by this point in the list, I love looking at lights. This location looks absolutely beautiful and a perfect place to go with friends or family to spend some quality time with each other. I would love to make it there this holiday season, so fingers crossed!
- Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, PA
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This one is also about an hour away from Millersville, and is home to another wonderful light display. I also have not been to Longwood before either, but it is another place I would love to hit this month! Longwood is gorgeous year-round, but their Christmas showcase is even more stunning, and another great place to hit with friends or family!
So, there we have it! All five of these locations are within around two hours driving distance from Millersville, and are all located in Pennsylvania. I hope everyone has a wonderful end to their year, and has a fun and safe time checking out some of these locations!
HCXO,
Katie