It’s an exciting time of year for visiting Gettysburg, PA with a refreshed feeling and new things to come!

You’re familiar with our dramatic past that makes Gettysburg one of our nation’s premier historic travel destinations. The awe-inspiring landscapes of Adams County set the scene for a wide range of activities, including a tour of our rich history.

April brings the opening of Gettysburg’s newest museum, “Beyond the Battle”. This unique project comes from the Adams County Historical Society and seeks to highlight the history of the local citizens of Gettysburg–before, during and after the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. The museum is a great addition to attractions like the Shriver House Museum, Jennie Wade House, the variety of town and nighttime candlelight walking tours and other experiences that share with visitors the tragic and heroic stories of Gettysburg’s civilians.

Make that history come alive with the many dining destinations available for you to enjoy. When taking a break from visiting our fantastic sights, enjoy seasonal farm-to-table menus and period-specific food that will connect you to your experience. We have contemporary meals prepared by award-winning chefs, or you can grab a quick bite atone of several restaurants. Be sure to keep tabs on us as you plan your visit, as even more dining options are being added this year. Looking for local tastes to take home with you? Take a tour of the region’s many farms and orchards with our Adams County Crop Hop.

Adams County produces many fine craft beers, wines, ciders, mead and spirits to pair perfectly with your meal. If you’re looking for suggestions, be sure to visit our Adams County Pour Tour, which will show you highlights of our refreshing tastes.

Enjoy that fresh springtime air in Adams County with a hike in our beautiful state parks and vast Civil War battlegrounds. If you have a furry companion, the winding trails are dog-friendly and perfect for an afternoon stroll.

The town of Gettysburg has a historically preserved downtown area encircling Lincoln Square. Take a stroll and gain insight into our nation’s gripping backstory at interactive museums and education centers. Let one of our many guides show you the way through town, with bits of history you never imagined. If the spirit is willing, snuggle close together when darkness falls for an eerie evening ghost tour of famous haunts.

When it’s time to lay down your head at night, we have cozy bed and breakfasts, rustic cabins, luxurious inns, or your go-to hotel with all the amenities. Bringing the whole family for a relaxing getaway without big city itineraries? We have special guest houses for that very reason. You’ll find accommodations of every type in Gettysburg, whether you want to stay in walking distance to everything or escape to a quiet retreat.

No trip to Gettysburg is complete without experiencing its rich history. Witness the hallowed battlefield and feel the full weight of its solemn significance. Among the monuments and memorials, the enormous impact of our past truly resonates. Experience it as the soldiers did, with a horseback tour led by a Licensed Battlefield Guide, or grab a scooter and hear the story of the famous three-day battle with the wind in your hair. Pause for a moment of inspiration in the Soldiers’ National Cemetery where President Abraham Lincoln delivered his stirring “GettysburgAddress.”

The past has brought us here, but the present waits for you in Gettysburg.

The post Make History Come Alive in Gettysburg, PA appeared first on Food and Travel Magazine.

With a vineyard, winery, restaurants, distillery, and luxurious, AAA-rated Four Diamond accommodations, Gervasi Vineyard Resort & Spa is a worthy destination all on its own. Spend a few extra days and venture out to explore more throughout the Canton, Ohio region; wineries and breweries, food tours, festivals, museums, and more.

The newest additions to the 55-acre Gervasi estate are The Spa and The Wine Cave. Receive restorative body treatments, massages, facials, and full glam services in the tranquil spa. Enjoy wine-tasting experiences and tours, discovering more about the wine-making process inside the impressive, underground wine barrel cave and tasting room. Spend evenings listening to live music at The Still House. It’s not only the distillery of Gervasi Spirits, it’s also a coffeehouse offering GV Caffe, a unique Italian roast coffee that is USDA-certified organic, fair trade certified, locally roasted, and delivered fresh each week. Outside on the heated lounge, partake of an incredible selection of cigars. Get fresh air on a walk around the grounds and spring-fed lake, or head onto Middle Branch Trail, the connected Stark Parks walking and bicycling path.

Venture around Stark County and discover more local Ohio wines. In the historic district of downtown Canal Fulton nestled along the Tuscarawas River and Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, Dragonfly offers both a winery and tearoom. Visit for high tea or for the signature collection of 11 wines and a full menu of appetizers, flatbread pizzas, and desserts. In Hartville, Maize Valley Winery & Craft Brewery offers the peaceful surround of its family farm. Seasonal events include classic car cruise-ins, hot air balloon lift off, sunflower fields, and fall festival. Head south into Ohio’s Amish Country to continue visiting a selection of 32 wineries on the Ohio Canal Country Wine Trail.

Head to downtown Canton for dinner and entertainment. Catch a movie or live show in the historic, atmospheric Canton Palace Theatre. Tour exhibitions on view at the Canton Museum of Art. Visit local galleries and studios in the arts district. Take in public art, historic sites, and points of interest on a walking tour through the city. Canton Food Tours include a guided tour with stops along the way to sample chef-select small plates and iconic downtown dishes, like turtle soup at Bender’s Tavern. Operating since 1902, the oldest restaurant in Canton is known for its fresh seafood from Foley Fish in Boston and an extensive wine list. The location was frequented by none other than Jim Thorpe, the first president of the NFL, founded in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association in Canton, Ohio. Across the street from the restaurant the “Birth of the NFL” sculpture marks the location where the meeting was held.

Two miles away sits the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Each year a class of pro football’s greats is inducted during the annual Enshrinement Festival, the largest gathering of football legends. Their impressive collection of bronze busts is on display inside the Pro Football Hall of Fame museum year-round. Other exhibits include Super Bowl Theater, the Lombardi Trophy on view inside the Lamar Hunt Super Bowl Gallery, and an inspiring, holographic locker room experience “Game For Life”. Canton is also home to the William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, located beside the President’s monument and final resting place. The Canton Museum Pass provides admission to the Hall, McKinley Museum, Canton Museum of Art, and other area museums, like MAPS Air Museum, with one convenient digital pass.

https://www.visitcanton.com/

https://www.visitcanton.com/plan-a-trip/trip-ideas/wine-country/

https://www.visitcanton.com/deals/museum-pass/

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Rolling into Amana, you’ll notice right away there’s a different feel to this midwestern village. It’s reflected in the windows of simple buildings highlighting the beauty of surrounding hills and water ways. It’s in the grace of a warm meal prepared by many hands. It’s the echo of a simpler life in service to all.

Originally settled in 1855, the seven Amana Colonies are a collection of small German heritage villages in the heart of Iowa. They were established to work the land, and provide for hundreds of religious immigrants. But time changes all things. So, when change is at your doorstep, what do you choose to save and what do you let go? The forefathers of Amana faced that question in 1932 after over 100 years of communal living. What they saved was a quality of life, food, and culture that was uniquely theirs, and they found a way to share it with the new world they were embracing. Now a National Historic Landmark, today’s descendants of the original colonists honor their past by welcoming visitors from allover the world.

The Colonies relied on many different industries to provide for their residents and many of them are still evident to visitors. The original Woolen Mill is still in operation but now surrounded by sophisticated boutique accommodations called the Hotel Millwright. Furniture shops still craft onsite the original German-influenced Amana designs for your home.

And, while one usually associates beer with a German community (and yes, they host an impressive beer laden Oktoberfest,) wine is the historic beverage of choice in Amana. Many of the residents still propagate grapevines on trellises adorning the sandstone and brick buildings. In communal times, various households would brew their own wines from these grapes in their cellars and compare batches among their neighbors. Always ingenuitive, these Germans made wine from all sorts of resources including rhubarb and dandelions. The unique recipes are still in production and available at Village Winery or Ackerman Winery, the oldest winery still in operation in Iowa.

Locally owned businesses passed down through the generations, such as the Ox Yoke Inn, offer traditional German cuisine with schnitzels, pretzels, and wursts galore! But, to truly immerse yourself in the culture of Amana, a traditional communal meal, complete with dumplings, served in the only surviving communal kitchen, is a must. The Communal Kitchen in Middle Amana is now a preserved heritage site trimmed out with all the implements the cook and her helpers would have used.

If grab and go is more your style, stop by the Amana Meat Shop and Smokehouse to stock up for your next awe-inspiring charcuterie board. The meats are from cattle raised on the surrounding lands and processed right in the Amanas. Top off your culinary tour with a sweet apple strudel from the Amana Bakery or handmade truffle from the Chocolate Haus.

Even though the community sees seasonal tourism fluctuations, it’s hard to pick a best time to visit the Amana Colonies. The villages are still a living, breathing community. There are natural wonders in the trails and waterways to enjoy in the summer, and spirited decorations to brighten the winter holidays. The locals love to throw a great party. Several festivals and themed weekends are hosted throughout the year. Each one highlights a different aspect of food, drink or culture; whether that’s bratwursts, wine, or artistry. No matter what time of year the warm and Wilkommen feel of the Amanas will surprise and delight you, leaving you with a new appreciation for Iowa.

The post A Different Iowa in Amana – by Stacey Colledge appeared first on Food and Travel Magazine.

While much of the country is battling snowstorms, Sierra Vista, Arizona, is enjoying mild winter weather with picture-perfect, snow-topped peaks as a reminder that winter is in full swing. But with valley temperatures in the low 60s, tire chains and wooly under things are as mysterious as Chupacabra*.

While “going south” is usually associated with rising temperatures, Sierra Vista, at 4,633 feet, enjoys a comfortable climate all year long. In winter months, visitors can still explore without bundling up. Spring starts in late February with mercury rising to the low 70s. Blazing summer heat is unusual; June’s high 90s are broken with seasonal rainstorms.

The Huachucas (say “Waa-CHOO-kuhs” to sound like a local) are the southern most range of the Sky Islands, fast-rising peaks surrounded by radically different low lands, that create an ecosystem that is among the most diverse in the world, with narrow valleys, steep canyons, and soaring peaks that invite biodiversity seen nowhere else in the United States. In fact, the area attracts myriad avian life, more than any other place in the United States, giving Sierra Vista the nickname of “Hummingbird Capital of the United States. ”Here, you can find up to 15 species of hummingbirds—one found nowhere else north of Mexico—and more than 300 different bird species during the year.

Whether you road cycle or mountain bike, Sierra Vista is surrounded by miles of rolling, two-lane roads, bike lanes, and single-track mountain trails. The Huachucas reach a soaring 9,465 feet with some pretty steep trails for hearty hikers, although plenty of gentler trails still rate high with mountain bikers and hikers alike. One of the easiest routes (and perhaps most peaceful trail) is the path along the San Pedro River. This 54-mile trail is relatively flat (just 100 feet of elevation change) and offers multiple access points along the river.

Sierra Vista is big enough for the best amenities, but small enough for a charming getaway. The city has earned a reputation for culinary diversity, thanks to the international restaurants tucked in plazas throughout the city. Offerings include flavors from around the world, attributed to nearby Fort Huachuca, whose soldiers returned from overseas with a hunger for world flavors. Drop into any of the eateries in jeans and hiking boots for a flavor-packed meal. Don’t let the unassuming (and sometimes kitschy) décor fool you into low expectations. The chefs won’t compromise when showcasing their homeland favorites. And luckily, reservations aren’t needed unless you have a big group.

Southeast Arizona grows about 80 percent of Arizona’s wine grapes at more than two dozen vineyards. Exploring nearby wine country and sampling the gold medal-winning wines produced there is a must. Along the way, the scenery will knock your socks off, especially if you are traveling at sunset: blasts of orange, pink, and purple light up the sky. Have your camera ready, the light changes quickly.

Find out more and start planning your getaway at SierraVistaAZ.com or download the interactive guide on your smart phone at your favorite app store. Just search“Sierra Vista Guide.”

*What is a Chupacabra you ask? An urban legend, a mythological question mark that roams the Southwest and Latin America attacking livestock under the cloak of darkness. Don’t worry, Chupacabraare as elusive as Big foot and you’re more likely to spot a coatimundi than this “goat sucker.

The post Outdoor Adventures and Flavors to Savor: Sierra Vista, Arizona appeared first on Food and Travel Magazine.