Sipping in all that the Pennsylvania wine trails have to uncork
Guest Post, by Kayla Matthews
Did you know the state of Pennsylvania has more than 300 wineries? It ranks 5th nationally in the amount of grapes grown and 7th in the production of wine. Pennsylvania’s moderate growing climate and ideal terrain means that it has some of the best growing conditions on the East Coast. As a result, Pennsylvania is also home to some amazing wine trails and tours.
Check out one of the Pennsylvania wine trails to sip in all that this state has to offer.
Susquehanna Heartland Wine Trail
Containing 13 wineries, the Susquehanna Heartland Wine Trail is an excellent way to see the beauty of central Pennsylvania while enjoying some of the region’s best wines.
Wineries included in this Pennsylvania wine trail include:
- Armstrong Valley Winery – Halifax
- Benigna’s Creek Winery – Klingerstown
- Brookmere Winery and Vineyard Inn – Belleville
- Buddy Boy Winery – Duncannon
- Fero Vineyards and Winery – Lewisburg
- Happy Valley Vineyard and Winery – State College
- Hunter’s Valley Winery – Liverpool
- Juniata Valley Winery and The Wilson House B&B – South Mifflin
- Mount Nittany Vineyard and Winery – Centre Hall
- Red Shale Ridge Vineyards – Hegins
- Seven Mountains Wine Cellars – Spring Mills
- Shade Mountain Winery – Middleburg
- Spyglass Ridge Winery – Sunbury
While visitors are able to visit the vineyards at any time, there are two major events that that the trail celebrates each year.
The first is the signature event, the March trail. For just $20 a person, visitors can spend weekends touring the wineries on the trail and enjoying tastings, entertainment and food. Once each winery has been visited – validated by a stamp – participants are entered into a drawing for multiple prizes. Tickets for the March trail can be purchased at any participating winery.
The second event hosted by the Susquehanna Heartland Wine Trail is A Heartland Christmas. The event is new this year with limited details released so far, but tickets will be $20 each and it will take place from the end of November through the end of the year.
Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country
Featuring 15 award-winning wineries in the heart of Central Pennsylvania, Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country offers signature events and an easy escape without leaving the city-limits of many towns in the region.
The wineries featured on this Pennsylvania wine trail include:
- Adams Vinters – Annville
- Armstrong Valley Vineyard and Winery – Halifax
- Broad Mountain Vineyard – Eilzabethville
- Buddy Boy Winery – Duncannon
- Cassel Vineyards of Hershey – Hershey
- Cullari Vineyards and Winery – Hershey
- Hummingbird Ridge Winery – York Haven
- Hunter’s Valley Winery – Liverpool
- Moon Dancer Vineyard and Winery – Wrightsville
- Mount Hope Estate and Winery – Manheim
- Nissley Vineyards and Winery Estate – Bainbridge
- Spring Gate Vineyard – Harrisburg
- Tamanend Winery – Lancaster
- The Vineyard at Grandview – Mount Joy
- The Vineyard at Hershey – Middletown
- West Hanover Winery – Harrisburg
Events hosted by the trail take place throughout the year and include: Valenwine’s Day Celebration – a two-weekend winery celebration, Sweet Sensations of Spring – Saturdays and Sundays in May, Music and Wine Festival, Jazz and Wine Festival and the Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country’s Fall Festival-two weekends in October and November. More information is available by downloading the trail’s brochure.
Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country by Train
Why not take a scenic route the old-fashioned way, by train? That’s exactly what the Hershey Harrisburg Wine Tour offers. The package includes:
- 2 bagged lunches from Panera Bread.
- Tasting fees for 3 wineries.
- Luxury transportation to the train station, to each winery, to dinner and to the hotel for a night away.
- A special dinner at Fenicci’s of Hershey.
- A hotel room and breakfast at Sleep Inn & Suites of Hershey
- A bottle of wine, corkscrew, two glasses and two wine cooler bags.
Regardless of how you choose to tour Pennsylvania’s wineries, you won’t be disappointed.
Have you sipped in any Pennsylvania wineries?
About the Contributing Writer
Kayla Matthews is a travel writer and blogger. She is a regular contributor to WriterZone and Carpe Travel.
Elaine Schoch is an award-winning travel writer, wine judge, American Wine Specialist and certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET II). At Carpe Travel she shares wine travel destination guides for ALL WINE LOVERS – from novices to experienced pros – to help them plan their wine adventures, arming them with insider tips, must-visit spots, and things to see and do beyond the vines.
Be sure to stop by ADAMS Vintners while in the Hershey/Harrisburg area!. Nationally competitive selection of sweet AND DRY wines! A casual-elegant sample room with a tapas menu. Open till midnight on the weekends, all year round.
Thanks for the tip!
We did the Susquehanna Heartland trail this year. We had a great time and got to see some beautiful countryside. I enjoyed talking to the people and learning the history of the wineries. While the entertainment was good at the various wineries I enjoyed the ones we visited more in the less crowded off times when we got more personal attention. Next year I think we might do the Central PA Tasting Trail.