Fast Lane Auto Wash in Harrisburg Pennsylvania

We have lived in Harrisburg Pennsylvania since the late 1980's. Over the years we have visited and used various car washes throughout the central Pennsylvania area. Some of them have been okay, but most have been terrible. On top of that, they are usually very expensive and at times a rip off.

Recently we found Fast Lane Auto Wash which sits right off of Union Deposit Road in Harrisburg. It is in a nice and convenient location near the McDonald's and Member's First Credit Union. Besides the auto wash being in a great location, we love that it is a "green" or "earth-friendly" place to take your car and get it cleaned.

It is a nice large car wash with several bays...it is rarely crowded and usually no lines. They have a vending machine area where you can grab a snack & a drink or to get change for the car wash machines. Looking for a unique gift? Well, they sell gift cards there too!

You can wash your car, vacuum it out and they even have a big dumpster on the premises for you to throw out all of that nasty trash you have been driving around with. From start to finish...it takes us about 20 to 30 minutes and we are done.

One of the best reasons that we love Fast Lane Auto Wash is that they are "green-friendly" and we all need to be going green! Most car washes in this area are not earth-friendly, so it is nice to finally have one here in the Harrisburg area.

You can find the Fast Lane Auto Wash at 1024 Peiffers Lane in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. If you are on Union Deposit Road, you will want to turn at the McDonald's onto Briarsdale Road and then onto Peiffers Lane. You can't miss it and it can be seen from the main road. We highly recommend them!

Beaver Stadium in State College Pennsylvania

A few months ago we were up in State College, Pennsylvania and I got a pretty decent photo of the popular Beaver Stadium where Penn State plays their football. If you have never attended a game there, well...you are really missing out!

It's a large stadium that is always sold-out and jam-packed for the Penn State football games. I love going up there to see the games but I do dread the parking situation. The last time we were up there, we had to pay $40.00 and park a mile away from the stadium. That is a terrible distance to walk right after a total hip replacement but I did it!

Beaver Stadium is the second largest stadium in the nation and is really modernized! The stadium will hold over 106,000 screaming fans! "WE ARE PENN STATE" and "GO PENN STATE" is often heard throughout the football games. Here is Pennsylvania, we are PENN STATE and PENN STATE proud!

The drive up to State College from Harrisburg, PA is a beautiful drive...especially if you make the drive during the Fall season when the leaves are changing and at their fullest peak. You really don't hit a traffic jam until you get right outside of State College which then it's bumper to bumper for at least 2 hours right before and right after a game.

You can click on the photo in this post to enlarge it to see it in better detail. As you can see...we visited in early November and the leaves & trees were just beautiful!!! If you are staying the night, there are a lot of great hotels nearby (driving distance) such as The Sleep Inn, The Comfort Inn, The Marriott, etc.

We are looking forward to going back up there again in Fall of 2014 to catch another Penn State game and perhaps this time around we will stay a few days so we can tour around State College to see what all they have to offer in the form of fun & exciting things to see and do.

The Perfect Light-Weight Travel Bag from Island Girl Bags

We do a lot of traveling and at times we will travel for several weeks or for several days. When we travel I like to use a light-weight cross-body travel bag so that I am hands-free. I avoid using leather bags as they are just too heavy and if I spill something onto them...well, you can't clean them unless you take them into the dry cleaner.

A friend of mine is a wonderful fabric artist who makes & designs some beautiful handbags, clutches, cross-body bags, cosmetic cases and handbag accessories. She owns and operates the online store called Island Girl Bags. Meet my good friend, Marybeth, one talented seamstress!

A few weeks ago I decided that I needed a new travel bag and went searching for one. I couldn't find any that I liked that were light-weight, stylish and was big enough to hold my digital camera, palm camcorder, wallet, sunglasses and other small items that I like to take out with me when we are sight-seeing and acting like tourists.

I decided to check out Island Girl Bags and I found the perfect cross-body bag for me! I love the black, yellow, lime green and pink striped print used in the construction of this bag. It has a zipper entry on the top and is lightly padded. It has a really long black corded shoulder strap so you can knot it up for the perfect length for your body. I keep mine long, so that I can remain hands-free.

It is the perfect size to hold all of the items that I need for a day of sightseeing! I love that it is light-weight and doesn't weight me down. If I get it dirty, I can toss it into the washer to clean it. It has a "slim" profile, which is figure flattering when wearing it across your body.

To go along with my new bag Marybeth made me a matching pocket mirror and tissue cozy in the same matching fabric print. Now I have a coordinated look! Yay! I just love this fabric and it is the PERFECT bag for my travel needs. Definitely much more stylish than an old-fashioned fanny pack!

If you love handcrafted handbags or looking for a light-weight stylish travel bag like mine, head on over to Island Girl Bags and take a look around! I think you will love what you see!

Disclaimer: I personally purchased the products mentioned above from Island Girl Bags. I was not compensated for this post. I am just sharing my personal experience with the readers of the Pennsylvania and Beyond Travel Blog.

Taking a Trip to Pennsylvania? Grab Free PA Visitor's Travel Guides

Gettysburg in Pennsylvania

Are you planning a vacation trip to the great state of Pennsylvania? Considering traveling to PA? If so, you will want to request some free Pennsylvania visitor guides before you make your travel plans. Below you will find a list of some of the PA. Travel Guides that are currently available. Just visit the respective web site, fill out the form and request them to be mailed to your home.

If you plan on visiting the sweetest place on earth, Hershey you can request these free travel brochure to help you plan your trip.

Planning a trip to both Harrisburg & Hershey? You can request a free Harrisburg and Hershey Travel Guide that will give you ideas on where to stay, where to eat and things that you can do while visiting the area.

Downtown Hershey in Pennsylvania

State College is a popular destination in the northern part of the state, especially if you are a Penn State sport's fan. You can request a free State College Visitors Guide to help you plan your trip.

If you plan on visiting Lancaster County and Amish Country you will want to request your free 2014 Lancaster County Visitors Guide by filling out a short form on their site. It will arrive within a week or two to give you ideas on lodging, attractions, dining and things you can see & do while visiting. It includes a FREE map and money-saving coupons.

Planning a trip to historic Philadelphia and the surrounding area? If so, you can request a free official visitor's guides by filling out the request form online.

Amish Farm in Lancaster County Pennsylvania

The official visitors guide to historic Pittsburgh is available in an online digital format or you can request a free print version to be sent to your home.

Erie in Pennsylvania is a beautiful place to visit year-round. They have a ton of wintertime and summertime activities for you to enjoy. You can request a free Erie Visitors Guide by filling out the form on their web site. You will receive it within 3-4 weeks.

Discover all of the fun things to see and do in the Lehigh Valley. This area includes Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton and the surrounding areas. This part of the state has a lot to offer, especially family-friendly activities or romantic getaways for couples.

One of the most historic and most famous places to visit in Pennsylvania happens to be Gettysburg. Civil war buffs from all across the world visit Gettysburg every year. What is really nice about this destination is that they have hundreds of family-friendly, educational and fun activities to do. You definitely won't get bored here!

Catch a Movie - Movie Theaters in Harrisburg Pennsylvania

If you are traveling to the Harrisburg Pennsylvania area and looking for something to do, we have several nice movie theaters located in our area that show current and up-to-date new movie releases. Some of these theaters are quite large with multiple screens/shows going on at one time and a few others are smaller in size.

Here is a list of the local movie theaters located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. You can visit their web sites to get a list of current movie showings, times and driving directions.

The Regal Harrisburg Stadium 14 Movie Theater is located on 1500 Caughey Drive in Harrisburg, PA. Located nearby is the Susquehanna Place shopping center and nearby eateries to grab something to eat. For locals, this is one of our favorite theaters to visit.

The Midtown Cinema is located on 250 Reily Street in Harrisburg, PA. This particular theater is located within the downtown city limits. The theater often hosts seasonal events so check out their web site for a current list.

The Whitaker Center Imax Theatre is located on 222 Market Street in Harrisburg, PA. This theater offers a really nice selection of movies and is very clean. It is located downtown in the Harrisburg city limits. When visiting this theater, expect to pay more and sometimes parking can be a real nightmare in the downtown district.

The Regal Great Escape Harrisburg Mall Stadium 14 is located at 3501 Paxton Street in Harrisburg, PA. It is located at the Harrisburg Mall and is a great choice if you want to do some shopping before or after the movie. Parking is plentiful and there are a ton of nearby restaurants to grab something to eat before/after the movie.

The Colonial Park 4 Theater is located within the Colonial Park Mall in Harrisburg, PA. This theater is right off colonial road/route 22 in Harrisburg. Another great choice if you are looking to do a little shopping before or after the movie or to grab a bite to eat.  Movies here are usually a lot cheaper to see as compared to the other local "big" theaters here in the area.

If you are looking for other things to see and do in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania just visit my PA. category here on my travel blog. You can find ideas on where to play golf, mini golf, dining reviews, lodging reviews, shopping centers, etc. A lot of great ideas here on the blog for the traveler or someone new to this area.

Chili's Restaurant and Bar - Great Casual Dining Experience for Travelers

A few weeks ago we were out on a road trip and stopped in to a Chili’s to enjoy some lunch. We had three adults and one child in our dining party. What is really nice about this chain of restaurants is that they are great for casual dining and have a child’s menu too!

For our lunch that day, I selected the Big Mouth Bites Meal which came with four mini burgers topped with applewood smoked bacon, American cheese and sauteed onions. It came with crispy onion strings and ranch dressing.

My husband selected the Big Mouth Classic Bacon Burger topped with applewood smoked bacon, Cheddar cheese, red onion and mayonnaise along with some crispy french fries.

My daughter went for Chili's delicious ribs and my 4 year old grand daughter had their yummy baked macaroni and cheese, one of her favorite dishes!

We didn't have to wait long...about 20 minutes after ordering, our lunch arrived hot and ready for us to enjoy. The hostess paid special attention to our little grand daughter and made her laugh which was a lot of fun to see since not all restaurants are kid-friendly...but I can attest that Chili's welcomes our little ones with open arms!

My entire family enjoyed our lunch at Chili's and we look forward to going again soon! Our food was perfectly cooked, beautifully presented and more importantly...delicious!

You can visit Chili’s web site and use their locator function to find a restaurant near you or if you are traveling, you can use it to find locations that are along your travel route. You can also take a peek at their menu to see all of their great dining options. We love dining at Chili’s and think you will too!

Disclaimer: Shelly Hill was given a gift card to try out several of the menu items offered at Chili’s. Shelly Hill has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Shelly’s thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.

The Beautiful Philadelphia City Skyline

Our travel photo of the week for this week is one I took back in early September of the Philadelphia Skyline when hubby and I were visiting the city. I took the photo while we were driving on the expressway because it was the best view of the skyline we had all day.

I am not a huge fan of the city and frankly, I freak out every time we are on the expressway because everyone drives like nuts! Seriously, even in bumper to bumper traffic, drivers want to go 65+ mph, cross over four lanes in a matter of three seconds and well, it never fails, we always see at least one accident every time we hit the Philly expressway. Seriously, EVERY TIME!!!

I love looking at the skyline though and at all of those tall modern and historic buildings. It's a really pretty skyline and if you enjoy looking at skylines, this is definitely one on the east coast that you need to check out. The next time we are down to Philly, I am going to try to get a photo of the skyline from the west side as I think it may be even prettier than the east side.

You can click on the photo in this post to enlarge it to see the details better. If you are heading to Philly or traveling through Philadelphia via the expressway...this is one view you will definitely see along the way. Various television shows and movies show shots of the Philly skyline in their openers so perhaps you already recognize some of these buildings.

While I do enjoy the suburban areas in Philly, I really don't enjoy going downtown unless I absolutely have to. Thankfully, it's rare if I do! However, if you want to get to most of the tourist attractions, you will have to use the expressway to get in and out of the city.

Hope you enjoy our Pennsylvania travel photo for this week!

Pennsylvania Farm Show 1,000 Pound Butter Sculpture

Last weekend we went to the 2014 Pennsylvania Farm Show and had a great time. We took the entire family and the kids just loved this family-friendly activity and we try to visit the Farm Show every year.

One of the highlights at the PA Farm Show this year was the 1,000 lb. butter sculpture that was on display for everyone to see. It is in a protected refrigerated capsule so that it doesn't melt and doesn't get damaged by visitors.

This lovely sculpture took the artists 11 full days to complete! It depicts a young man selling milkshakes with two dancing cows in the scene. It celebrates the 60th anniversary of the milkshake being sold which is a POPULAR item to purchase while attending. Matter of fact, we get one every year and they are delicious!

Every year the butter sculpture design changes and if you do a search online you can find many articles and photos of past year's sculptures. They are really amazing to see in person!

When visiting the Pennsylvania Farm Show you can find the butter sculpture near the food court so once you pick up a freshly made milkshake and perhaps a baked potato, head on over to the exhibit and take a look at it. It is definitely a MUST SEE if you are attending the show!

a Suri Farm - Alpaca Farming at its Best!

We had the pleasure of attending the Pennsylvania Farm Show a few days ago and met the owners of the a Suri Farm, ltd. located in Myerstown Pennsylvania. The owners are Monica Kline and Dennis Blabac, and they own some of the prettiest Alpacas that I have ever seen!

You can find the a Suri Alpaca Farm located at:

1864 Mount Zion Road

Myerstown, PA. 17067-3307
Phone: 717-514-0022

If you are interested in Alpaca farming, breeding or purchasing Alpacas...you need to talk to Monica and Dennis! 

They are teaching a Alpacas 101 Workshop on January 25th, 2014. The workshop is being held at Kimmerlings Grange at 990 Mount Zion Road in Lebanon, PA. 17046. The inclement weather date will be on February 15th, 2014. The workshop will run from 9 AM to 3 PM (EST time) on that date.

Join one of Central Pennsylvania's premier alpaca farms as they share their knowledge and experience in the industry and provide a hands-on meeting with alpacas! The workshop includes:

* History of the Alpacas: You've seen them or heard of them, but do you really know them? They will give you all kinds of facts and information about alpacas and raising them on a farm.

* A Day in the Life on an Alpaca Farm: Dennis Balbac, of a Suri Farm, ltd. will share practical information about how simple it is to raise alpacas.

* Care & Maintenance of the Alpacas: Health & Beauty Day is what they call their monthly herd check. Monica Kline of a Suri Farm will walk you through it.

* Lunch - Provided by the workshop hosts.

* Visit a Suri Farm, lds. which is only 5 minutes away...a very short drive away from the workshop location.

They will have many opportunities for you to ask your questions and get those questions answered by the experts in alpaca farming.

The cost for this fabulous workshop is as follows:

Pre-registered Participants: $30.00 per person or $50.00 per couple.

The class size is limited, register early and the registration closes on January 20th, 2014. You can visit the a Suri Farm, ltd. web site to obtain additional information about the farm, their services and the workshop that is being offered. 

Win a Golden Globe Gift Bag from DELSEY USA

For those you who love the Golden Globe Awards and luggage from DELSEY, we have a great Sweepstakes to tell you about today that is sponsored by the great folks over at DELSEY USA.

With the awards season just around the corner, the company is gearing up for a presence at the Golden Globe Awards! This year DELSEY luggage will be THE featured gift bag that all Golden Globe nominees and presenters will receive, but celebs aren’t the only ones who can get one! The great folks over at DELSEY is giving away a Golden Globe Gift Bag to one lucky Facebook Fan too!

The grand prize winner will receive one of DELSEY’s best pieces of luggage, filled with $400 worth of luxe travel goodies. Fans can enter the sweepstakes through DELSEY USA’s Facebook page. Once you have liked them on Facebook, look for the “Win a Gift Bag” tab. The contest is going on now through January 14th, 2014.

I love the "awards" season and I am pretty excited to see that the company is sponsoring some of the swag that will be presented at the Golden Globe Awards. Frankly, I am jealous but that is okay because I will be heading over to their Facebook page and entering the sweepstakes myself.

Head on over there today, like their page, find the sweepstakes and enter the giveaway. You never know, you could end up a big winner! Good Luck!

Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received for this post. We are not responsible for this sweepstakes, the rules, guidelines, prize selection or winners. This is an information "only" post.

Pennsylvania Farm Show 2014 - Great Family Fun!

The Pennsylvania Farm Show is an annual event that we look forward to every January. This year it was the 98th PA Farm Show that runs from January 4th through January 11th, 2014. Every year it is held at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg PA.

The show is the largest indoor agricultural exposition in the United States and draws millions of visitors from around the country, especially around the north east states. There are nearly 6,000 animals on display, almost 10,000 competitive exhibits and 300 commercial exhibits for you to visit and see.

Steer at the PA Farm Show

Parking can be a real "bear" when visiting the Farm Show Complex and luckily for us...we used my handicap placard (yes, I am handicap) and parked right near the front door. With that said, getting a parking spot near the complex is really hard to accomplish so your best bet is to park offsite at the Elmerton Parking Lot and take the shuttle bus over to the complex.

Goat at the PA Farm Show

We went on a Sunday and wow...it was packed! We usually go during a weekday and get there pretty early. It is always crowded but in the future, we are going to avoid a weekend as yesterday was just way too crazy and busy for our liking! It was so crowded Sunday afternoon that we couldn't see & enjoy all of the things that we wanted too.

Alpaca at the PA Farm Show

We took the family with us and the Princess really enjoyed it. She got to see and pet some of the cows, pigs, rabbits, goats, sheep, alpaca (my personal favorite), llama, peacocks and she watched the chickens (which were pretty noisy). It was hard to get close to any of the "petting" exhibits because it was so crowded and people would stand in front of them and not let the children through. Sigh!

Farm Show Butter Sculpture

One of the big draws every year happens to be the butter sculpture and every year it is a new design. It is quite large and it sits in a large refrigerated capsule to keep the public out. There are glass windows all around it so you can walk around the refrigerated capsule and see it from all angles and views. This butter sculpture always draws a large crowd.

Must Have - Milkshakes!

About halfway through our experience we headed over to get a famous Pennsylvania Farm Show milkshake and baked potato. These milkshakes are made fresh at the Farm Show are are absolutely delicious! We get one every year! I enjoyed a chocolate one, hubby got a half & half and the Princess went for vanilla. After we stood in line for about 20 minutes, we finally had our milkshakes which this year cost $4.00 each and were well worth that price! Delicious!

There are plenty of food and beverage vendors in the food court. You can find hot dogs, sausage sandwiches, pulled pork sandwiches, baked potatoes, french fries, lamb stew, hamburgers, fried vegetables, beef jerky, beef sticks, cotton candy, homemade fudge, maple syrup, pancake mixes, muffin mixes, freshly made milkshakes, soft pretzels and homemade dog treats for your best pooch! All kinds of great things to enjoy!

Sheep at PA Farm Show

Throughout the week you will find various competitions going on like the Sheep to Shawl Contest, Draft Horse Hitch, Farm Show Fashions, Cooking Demonstrations, Vegetable Contests (the best and biggest veggies), a Rodeo complete with Clowns and so much more! There is a complete schedule of competitions, exhibitions and demonstrations on their web site.

Petting a Bunny at the Farm Show

If you ask the Princess, some of her favorite activities of the day were petting the rabbits, petting the alpaca, having a vanilla milkshake and she really loved eating her bag of maple flavored cotton candy! I would have to agree with her on the milkshake and cotton candy for sure! Both were fabulously delicious and we highly recommend them both!

White Peacock at PA Farm Show

I have two personal favorites that I saw that day. The first one being the peacocks, especially that white and blue colored one which was absolutely beautiful! I had never seen a white peacock before and wow...I am so glad that I got to see one now! You can buy peacock feathers at their booth for only $1.00 each so we picked up two of those for the Princess.

Pig at PA Farm Show

My second favorite was visiting and petting the Alpaca! I absolutely love Alpaca and always seek them out at the PA Farm Show and at various zoos across the country. My husband really enjoyed taking the Princess to see the pigs and getting up close & personal with those. I am not a huge fan of pigs but this one was absolutely adorable to see.

The family had a great time visiting the 98th Pennsylvania Farm Show and we are looking forward to the show coming back to town next year! Our only piece of advice to all of you...try to visit the show during a weekday when others are at work and at school. While it still will be crowded, it won't be as bad as if you visited during the weekend. Have fun & enjoy the PA Farm Show!

The Dam Bridge and Overlook at Memorial Lake State Park

Memorial Lake State Park is located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. If you are visiting the Harrisburg or Hershey area it will take you 25 to 30 minutes to drive to the state park. Officially, the park is located in Fort Indiantown Gap which is a military post for the Pennsylvania National Guard.

Originally the state park was set up as a memorial to soldiers who fought in World War I and World War II. It was for military members and their families to use for recreational use. Over the years it has become a popular state park for service members, their families and for civilians. 

It is quite a large park consisting of 230 acres including an 85 acre lake. There are two boating ramps and you can bring your own boat (electrical motors only) or rent a canoe, kayak or paddle boat once there. You must abide by all boating commission rules, licenses and guidelines when boating on Memorial Lake.

One of my favorite areas at Memorial Lake State Park is the dam bridge and the overlook. You can walk to that and up onto it via one of the various trails that go around the lake. Once standing on the dam bridge you can get a nice view of the park. We love standing up there looking at the fish down below or the birds flying by.

While at the park you can plan a picnic lunch and enjoy it at on one of the picnic tables or in one of the covered picnic pavilions. There are public restrooms, a playground for the kids and all of the hiking trails are stone covered which makes them easy to walk on. There are various trails you can choose depending on your walking ability.

In my opinion, the best time to visit Memorial Lake State Park is during the spring season or during the fall when the leaves start changing but its still warm enough to be outdoors. The park is open year round and they have various activities that they hold throughout the year. Parking is plentiful and admission into the park is free.

New Year's Eve Celebrations in Harrisburg - Strawberry Drop, Fireworks and Hollywood Casino

Just like most major cities around the country Harrisburg celebrates New Year's Eve in a big way every year. If you are looking for something fun to do on New Year's Eve you will want to head downtown to the Harrisburg Hilton for the annual New Year's Eve strawberry drop!

The Harrisburg Parks & Recreation Department along with the Harrisburg Hilton host this annual New Year's Eve event every year. I am not sure why Harrisburg drops a strawberry because we don't have large strawberry farms in our area. I am guessing that it may have something to do with the downtown shopping mall called Strawberry Square.

People from all over our area gather at the Harrisburg Hilton and await the strawberry drop which happens promptly at midnight on New Year's Eve. The crowd size varies each year depending on the weather. Although cold this year, there was a great turnout for the festivities and party goer's were in an excited and festive mood!

Once the strawberry has dropped you will see some beautiful fireworks over head and this fireworks show lasted for about 15 minutes this year. Personally, while it is fun to see the strawberry drop, I look forward to the fireworks show! My only complaint, I wish the fireworks had lasted for a few minutes longer!

After the show was over we all piled into our cars and headed out of the city and over to the Hollywood Casino in Grantville for some additional New Year's Eve festivities. The casino was packed with a whole lot of people who were partying and having a great time. The atmosphere was electric, the drinks were delicious and we all had a great time! No, we didn't win a big pile of money!

Overall, we had a great time celebrating New Year's Eve 2014 in Harrisburg and we look forward to doing it all again next year! Happy New Year!