Links to some of the many local attractions and activities

Touring Hanover, Gettysburg, York, or Lancaster County makes a wonderful weekend vacation. If you make Shining Dawn Bed and Breakfast your "home base" for a longer stay, you can experience an amazing diversity of attractions and events, from quaint villages like Mt. Gretna to dynamic cities like Washington. North, south, east or west — any direction you choose to explore, you are sure to find something that interests you!

There are hundreds of diverse attractions in Hanover, nearby, or within range for an easy day trip from Shining Dawn Bed and Breakfast.
Below are just a select few of our favorites.   Please note that each hyperlink below will open a new browser window to an external website.

Hanover Pennsylvania

• Hanover/York Calendar of Events  —  Calendar of Events for York, Hanover and the surrounding areas.
• Hanover Area Entertainment Guide   —  Entertainment Guide for Hanover, York and the surrounding areas.
• Battle of Hanover Self-Guided Tour   —  The tour route passes in front of Shining Dawn Bed and Breakfast
• Codorus State Park & Lake Marburg  —  A prime attraction of the park is the 1,275-acre Lake Marburg, which has 26 miles of shoreline, good winds for sailing, and scenic trails for hiking
• Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus  —  Stained Glass restorations in the oldest stone Catholic church in the United States
• Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus  —  Daily Mass schedules
• Eichelberger Performing Arts Center  —  Live theater and music
• Hanover Farmer's Market  —  Open every Saturday morning and located right behind the Shining Dawn Bed and Breakfast
• Hanover Fire Museum  —  Fire fighting memorabilia dating back to a 1770 circa Nushem grinder hand engine
• Hanover Shoe Farms  —  Largest standard bred horse nursery in the world. No guided tours but visitors are welcome to walk through the barns and visit with the horses in the paddocks
• The Marburg Estate Winery  —  Named after the Rhine City of Marburg, Germany
• St. Matthew Lutheran Church  —  Home of the seventh largest pipe organ in the world with 14,341 pipes.
• Snyder's of Hanover Factory Tour  —  America's Pretzel Bakery since 1909
• Utz Potato Chip Factory Tour  —  Features a 75-year-old receipe
• Yesteryear Antique Center of Hanover  —   A 26,000 sq ft state-of-the-art carpeted, climate controlled facility.

Gettysburg (14.6 miles; 29 minutes)

• Famous as the site of the pivotal Civil War Battle, Gettysburg is a charming historic town, ideal for remembrance, discovery, shopping and strolling. The National Military Park and Cemetary is a "must see" to appreciate.
  • NPS: Gettysburg  —  The U.S. National Park Service website on Gettysburg
  • Virtual Gettysburg  —  An excellent synopsis of the Battle with photos of all monuments and markers
  • Gettysburg.com  —  An excellent commercial guide for the battlefield and surrounding areas
  • Licensed Battlefield Guides  —  Expert guides take you in your own car for private tours
  • Gettysbike Tours and Rentals   —  Guided Bicycle Tours of the battlefields of Gettysburg
  • Gettysburg Motorcycle Tours  —  offers both history-oriented motorcycle tours of the battlefield and scenic-oriented tours of the surrounding areas
  • Artillery Ridge   —  Horseback Tours of the Battlefield
• Gettysburg area Calendar of Events   —  Calendar of Events for Gettysburg and the surrounding areas.
• Historic Churches Walking Tour  —  Wednesday evenings during summer only
• Sleepy Hollow of Gettysburg  —  Ghost Tours of Gettysburg
• Eisenhower National Historic Site   —  Site of the home and farm of President Dwight D. Eisenhower

New Oxford (6.7 miles; 14 minutes)

• About New Oxford  —  "The little Town with the Beautiful Circle"
• Love Antiques?  —  New Oxford, "The antique capital of Central Pennsylvania," is a place you'll want to visit

York (22 miles; 40 minutes)

York is a wonderful, culturally rich city with so much to see and do. On November 15, 1777 Our nation's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, were adopted in York Town by the Continental Congress.

• York PA  —  "Factory Tour Capital of the World"
• Virtual York  —  Virtual tours, architectural styles tutorial, history, area information, visitor information and more...
• York County Heritage Trust  —  Offers a window into the past
• Murals of York Tour  —  Walking Tour of York's History as depicted in murals
• Uncork York Winery Tour  —  Site has links to 10 area wineries
• Harley Davidson Factory Tour  —  The largest Harley-Davidson manufacturing facility. More than 230 acres with over 1.5 million square feet under roof
• York Barbell Hall of Fame and Museum Tour  —  The Weightlifting Hall of Fame covers 8,000 square feet of space
• Wolfgang Chocolate Factory Tour  —  One of the oldest family-owned and managed candy companies in the United States

Pine Grove Furnace State Park (22.5 miles; 40 minutes)

• Colonial Iron Furnace  —  In 1764, George Stevenson, Robert Thornburgh, and John Arthur built the first iron furnace at Pine Grove. Area is now a state park with year round outdoor activities

Carlisle (31 miles; 56 minutes)

• Self-guided Tours   —  Try one of several wonderful self-guided walking or driving tours of this historic town and surrounding villages
• Carlisle Events  —  Unsurpassed collector car, truck and motorcycle events, such as Corvettes at Carlisle. From April through October

Caledonia State Park and Mont Alto State Park (33.4 miles; 58 minutes)

Scenic Drives, Industrial History, Year-round activities and Live Theater

• Caledonia State Park   —  Named after abolitionist Thaddeus Stevens' charcoal iron furnace "Caledonia"
• Mont Alto State Park  —  Adjacent to the park is the site of the Mont Alto Iron Furnace built in 1807
• Totem Pole Playhouse  —  Live theater productions during the summer in Caledonia State Park

Harrisburg (39 miles; 1 hr)

Pennsylvania's State Capital has an abundance of things to see and enjoy.

• Hershey/Harrisburg Regional Visitors Bureau
• Susquehanna Riverboat Cruises  —  Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat

Frederick MD (39 miles; 1 hr, 3 minutes)

• Frederick Tourism  —  Historic small city with lots of fun downtown shopping and events throughout the year

Hershey (51 miles; 1hr, 13 minutes)

• Hershey Park and Hershey's Chocolate World  —  "The Sweetest Place on Earth"
• Hershey Gardens  —  Hershey Gardens began with Mr. Hershey's request to "create a nice garden of roses."

Lancaster County (48 miles; 1 hr, 15 minutes)

• Pennsylvania Dutch Country Welcome Center  —  Pennsylvania Dutch & Amish Farms, Villages and living history
• Cherry Crest Farm  —  Home of The Amazing Maize Maze
• Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania  —  collects, preserves and interprets objects relating to the history of railroading in Pennsylvania
• The Strasburg Railroad  —  Enjoy food, drinks and entertainment while riding aboard
• Covered Bridge Self-Guided Driving Tours  —  A great way to see the Lancaster County's Dutch and Amish Farms while driving on scenic roads and beautiful covered bridges

Mt. Gretna (68 miles; 1 hr, 23 minutes)

This truly unique, picturesque village, built around a Chautauqua (What is a Chautauqua?), has bountiful cultural and recreational events all summer long.

• The Mt. Gretna Theater  —  Has been producing quality live theatre since 1927!
• Mt. Gretna Music  —  Concerts of Classical & Jazz music from summer to winter
• Mt. Gretna Summer Events Calendar  —   Courtesy of the Mt. Gretna Arts Council

Baltimore MD (56 miles; 1 hr, 21 minutes)

• Official Visitors' Webpage  —  A long list of links to premier area attractions can be found here

Harpers Ferry, WV (60 miles; 1hr, 27 minutes)

• Harpers Ferry National Historical Park   —  Tours and living history presentations allow visitors to go beyond imagination and step into the past for a memorable experience

Washington DC (89 miles; 2 hours)

• Washington DC Convention and Tourism  —  Packed with famous sights, free attractions, and an endless calendar of special events

Brandywine Valley (85 miles; 2 hours)

• Online Guide to the Brandywine Valley  —  Museums, historical sites, Longwood Gardens Nemours Mansion and Gardens

Philadelphia (123 miles; 2 hrs, 25 minutes)

• Official Visitor site for Greater Philadelphia  —  Four centuries of history and architecture