This Weekend: Dori’s Guide for “Staycationers”

The first time I heard the term "staycation" in place of vacation, I grimaced and prayed that Merriam-Webster would not be declaring it an official English word anytime soon. However, it seems to be sticking, with astronomical gas prices and the sad lack of truly fuel-efficient vehicles. So let's go with it. If you are postponing faraway travels to stay close to home, good for you.

I decided to give Justin a little break from his normal weekend post, so here are some ideas—listed in random assorted genres—to help you find something that whets your whistle without draining your gas tank.

For Oenophiles (the wine crowd)...
Hunters Valley Winery—wine with bold, beautiful taste at a price that anyone can afford
Mount Hope Estate & Winery—home of the PA Renaissance Festival; since 1980, Mount Hope has produced award-winning wines for all occasions, even a line of berry wines, all from Pennsylvania-grown fruit
West Hanover Winery—more than 14 years in business and 45 years of experience makes for some very fine wine

For Animal Fans...
Lake Tobias Wildlife Park—a reptile room, a petting zoo and a safari tour all in one convenient place with a super reasonable price tag
Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum—surround yourself with more than 6000 elephants from all over the world, made from just about every substance known to man
Boyd’s Bear Country—food, fun and stuff to buy, like adopting a baby bear cub at the Teddy Bear Nursery, making your own Boyds Critter from start to finish or sitting for a fun portrait or bear-style snapshot

For Nature Nuts...
Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art—a tranquil outdoor experience, with a hardwood forest, stream, more than 12 miles of trails and stunning views of the Susquehanna River from the mountaintop. The land provides habitat for the wildlife Ned Smith immortalized—deer, bear, wild turkey, grouse, fox and many species of smaller animals
Colonel Denning State Park—hike, picnic, swim, boat or just take in all the peace and quiet of this 273-acre preserve
Benjamin Olewine III Nature Center—a great place for kids and adults alike to learn about nature and conservation

For Chocolate Cravers...
Hershey’s Chocolate World—of course, there’s the free tour-like ride, a new 3-D Show and choco-shopping galore
Matangos Candies—hidden gem, best known for its venetian mints, chocolate-covered pretzels and pecan & cashew patties
Wolfgang Candy—offers a free factory tour; known for milk-chocolate-covered animal crackers and dark-chocolate-dipped berries
Wilbur Chocolate—provides free admission to their Candy Americana Museum; known far and wide for their beloved Wilbur Buds

For Hopeless Romancers...
Berry Patch Bed & Breakfast—a quaint, private place to relax with your significant other; ask for a room with a two-person Jacuzzi tub
Union Canal House—this charmer stays true to its historic roots without choking you with period design; don’t miss its highly regarded restaurant and noteworthy wine list
Milestone Inn—enjoy an impeccably appointed room with a view of the River, close enough to downtown Harrisburg to make it perfect for a night out on the town and a short cab ride or long riverside walk
Allenberry Playhouse & Resort—a lovely, relaxing setting with amenities aplenty, you can’t go wrong spending an overnight or two with your love at this classic retreat
Hotel Hershey—ultimate pampering from the spa to the service to the views to decadent dining; if money is no object, this is the place to hang out and enjoy some chocolate indulgences

For Shop-Til-You-Droppers...
Crossroads Antique Mall—filled to the rafters with rustic furniture, primitives, pottery, glass, dolls and toys, including an impressive collection of china porcelain and local collectibles
Outlets at Hershey—manageable size with expected outlets plus big names including Coach, Gymboree, J. Crew, Pfaltzgraff, Disney Store, Ralph Lauren and White House/Black Market
Philadelphia Premium Outlets (bit of a hike, but great stores)—my favorites are Cole Haan, Kate Spade, Le Creuset, Lucky Brand Jeans, Neiman Marcus Last Call and Timberland
Rockvale Outlets (Lancaster)—impressive collection of stores including 10 for shoes, 20 for the home (Pottery Barn & Restoration Hardware) and 8 just for kids (European Pampolina is new); also notable, a Philadelphia Eagles gear outlet
Shoppes at Susquehanna Marketplace—Plum Bottom shoe boutique rocks (Joe knows shoes); Ann Taylor Loft, Banana Republic, Coldwater Creek, Eddie Bauer, J. Jill & Talbots are notable; Children’s Place, Clark’s and Williams Sonoma round out the other favorites; take a break at Romano’s Macaroni Grill for a bite or a glass of wine
VF Outlet Village (Reading)—you may get lost in more than 450,000 square feet of retail space, including VF brand names Vanity Fair, Lee, Wrangler, Nautica, JanSport and Lily of France

For Sports Fanatics...
Williams Grove Speedway—rev your engines at Williams Grove’s weekly sprint car racing (now through October), with appearances by the World of Outlaws; it’s a family atmosphere where prices are more than reasonable
Skyline Sports Complex—if you haven’t been to City Island, it’s a perfect family spot, with batting cages, mini golf, an arcade, riverboat rides and, of course, professional sports events
Adventure Sports in Hershey—great for families with go-carts, an arcade, ice cream and batting cages; miniature golf also makes for a fun (albeit competitive) date

For History Buffs...
Antique Auto Club of America Museum—now featuring period-correct motorcycles intermingled with over 100 historic automobiles in a timeline exhibit spanning eight decades
The National Civil War Museum—now through August 30th, see “Escape from the Peculiar Institution: Slavery, Abolitionism & the Underground Railroad”
State Museum of Pennsylvania—current Art of the State exhibition features 166 works by 160 artists from 28 counties across Pennsylvania, selected from a record 2,442 entries