Top 15 Things To Do During During a Small Town Getaway
Small towns are kinda my thing. And I mean beyond the fact that I live in one, because I’m slightly obsessed. Ok, maybe really obsessed. If I were to choose between some big excursion in another country or a weekend getaway in a small town, I’d definitely pick the small town. Just ask my friends! The majority of the trips I take are local, within a few hours of me. I’ve become somewhat of a small town aficionado, scouting out the cutest places to go within just a few hours. I also live in Pennsylvania and if we are abundant in one thing, it’s small towns. One of the complaints I’ve heard is how there’s never anything to do in a small town, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m so excited to tell you about the top 15 things you’ll love to do during a small town getaway.
What I love about small towns is they kind of have “themes” to them, or things that you’ll see in almost every one. What’s great is that you’ll be able to do most of these activities in almost any charming small town in America.
Visit a winery (and have a charcuterie board!)
There’s a reason this one is at the top of my list. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania doesn’t have the amazing climate or soil for wine like California does, but for local, inexpensive wine, it’s usually pretty good. But let’s be real here for a second. If you’re going to a winery, it’s not simply to drink wine. It’s for the experience. What better way is there to spend a weekend getaway in a small town with you girl friends than to sit in a rustic barn or on a shaded patio and sip some vino while you regale each other with the latest news in your lives while you listen to live music? Not to mention, how could you NOT sink the extra $30 into the beautifully plated charcuterie board?
Check out some local eateries
One of my favorite things about small towns is the restaurants. You typically don’t see a ton of chain restaurants (which I love) and instead get to choose from a plethora of locally-owned eateries. While Italian, pizza shops, steakhouses, diners, and pubs are plentiful, you can also find unique places like fine dining establishments, themed restaurants, and historic places. Nonetheless, you may have a hard time picking, so plan ahead! While TripAdvisor can be a great resource, a better suggestion is to talk to the locals (Hotel receptionists and concierges are great resources to ask about the best places to eat, and they will usually even give you suggestions based on what you’re specifically looking for).
Grab a coffee
You’ll probably hear me say this so many times, but I’m a total coffee fanatic. One of the reasons I visit small towns is to check out the best local coffee shops. I’m by no means a coffee snob, but I do like a good cup o’ joe or an iced latte in the summer. Even with the advent of overly priced, super sickeningly sweet “coffee” drinks that maybe only contain two drops of coffee on a good day, locally owned coffee shops are here to stay. It’s so fun to walk in and smell all the smells while watching the patrons go about their business and enjoying themselves. Bonus points if the shop is in an old building with wooden beams or exposed brick. In my town, we have an adorable coffee shop called Folklore Coffee, featuring locally brewed coffee as well as menu items named after different folktales and myths! You’ve gotta check out their fun menu.
Inhale some tasty sweet treats
If coffee doesn’t get you excited, I hope sweets do, because you can usually find your fair share of bakeries around. Whether you love pastries, cupcakes, cookies, pies, macarons, or even chocolate, you can absolutely satisfy your sweet tooth. Don’t even get me started on the aromas! I love when bakeries have an open kitchen so you can see what they’re whipping up. Even better if the employees let you try a sample for free.
Walk the streets and enjoy historical architecture
Something that makes small towns so charming is their history. Many are hundreds of years old and come with a lot of history. It’s hard not to notice the beautiful houses and buildings as you drive around. Some towns have done an absolutely incredible job of preserving them, continuing to add to the charm. It’s so much fun to walk around small towns and pay attention to the different types of architecture and carpentry (my grandfather was a carpenter his entire career so I swear it’s in my genes!). I like to also imagine what it looked like when the buildings were first built as well as what sorts of stories they might hold.
Have a picnic
Another feature you’ll find in many small towns is at least one park or green space. Small towns are notoriously kept clean and you can usually find greenery all around you. Even if you’re from out of town, you can still make this happen. Check out the local deli and have some sandwiches made up, then stop at the wine and liquor store for some libations before grabbing a cheapo towel or banket from the nearest Dollar Genera (Trust me, they’re there…We have two…). You’ll likely find a bench or picnic table to sit at while you watch families play in hopes of getting their little ones to tire out before going home. Don’t be surprised if at least one person walking by says hello.
Enjoy a murder mystery
This is not an event you’ll find in every small town, but my town hosts one every July. Complete with a full meal (homemade, of course), it’s a nice way to spend an evening while also supporting a local charity organization. The proceeds from the event go to a ministry that helps couples who are in crisis by doing marriage intensive retreats to help them heal. It’s also a fun time to get to know other people in the community. A local theater company from a few towns over writes the shows entirely themselves and there are always plenty of laughs since they rely heavily on audience participation.
Check out a farmer’s market
I’m so blessed to live where I do because I’m surrounded by farmland. Lancaster County, which is the county where I live, has some of the best and richest soil in the entire COUNTRY. The people who live around here rely a good bit on local agriculture, farming, and raising of livestock. Between April until the end of October, fresh produce is within a few minutes’ drive and there are countless farmers’ markets and roadside stands close by. Aside from produce, you can also find flowers, baked goods, homemade tea and root beer, and even dog treats. Not only is it fun to shop, it’s also fun to meet the vendors and hear about their stories. Supporting local businesses is such an amazing thing to do when you’re in a small town.
Enjoy the yearly Town Fair
This one truly lights my fire and I’m actually going to be writing a whole post on my town’s fair in a few weeks. This year, we are celebrating our 50th anniversary of the Fair! It’s actually known as one of the nicest fairs in the state of Pennsylvania. You’ll never be short on adorable animals, local entertainment, carnival rides and games, unhealthy but delicious food, and a heck of a lot of people who love their community. If you’ve never gone to a local town or county fair, it’s so worth it, if just to see how many people come out to support the place where they live. It’s a true testament to how much people in small towns enjoy the simple things in life.
Partake in a festival
Oh yes, we have plenty of festivals. I talked about them in my post where I shared 10 reasons to love living in a small town. My town loves a good festival and it seems like they now happen on a monthly basis. Along with enjoying the simple pleasures of life, we tend to create our own fun, like having a downtown May the Fourth be with You celebration or a Hocus Pocus themed 2nd Friday. We can’t forget the Strawberry Social that occurs in June during our local strawberry season. My favorite of all though, is PirateFest! Each year it’s seems to grow a little bit more and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if some year the entire town just looked like one big pirate ship.
Soak in the scenery (and fall foliage)
Small towns tend to be located away from cities and bigger suburbs and are typically surrounded by farmland or forests. This lends itself to gorgeous landscapes, especially during the springtime and fall when the colors are so vibrant. The northeast is known for having some of the most beautiful fall foliage in the country and with the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon only a few hours away from where I live, we are not short on beautiful scenery. Even the towns themselves, which are usually plentiful with maple and oak trees, display an array of colors that you will not want to miss!
Celebrate agriculture
Around here, we have a lot of hardworking people who appreciate what they have. It’s mainly blue collar, middle class people, and as I mentioned previously, one of our main sources of income in this area is through agriculture, farming, and raising livestock. Not only do we like to celebrate, but we like to celebrate our agricultural achievements. While it’s technically not in a small town, we boast the Pennsylvania Farm Show, just 25 minutes away in Harrisburg, our state capitol. It’s like our Fair on steroids but without the rides and as much entertainment. Be sure to check out the cute little bunnies and baby chickens, as well as the butter sculpture! Yep, you guessed it- it’s made entirely out of butter.
Get your bowl on
Calling all 90s kids! This was totally tubular back then and the thing you’d be doing on at least one weekend day. So. Many. Birthday. Parties. So. Much. Bad. Pizza. So. Much. Cigarette. Smoke. But oh, we had fun. Even today, bowling alleys thrive in small towns, I think mainly because we don’t get too rowdy otherwise. Honestly, the closest Walmart is 30 minutes away, so what else are you gonna do?? Bonus points if the bowling alley looks like it was ripped right out of The Big Lebowski. Hint, hint: This bowling alley in Bellefonte, PA takes the cake for 90s déjà vu. That’s actually the place that’s featured in the pictures below.
Appreciate nature with a hike
To go along with our incredible scenery, we’ve also got stunning mountaints! The northeast is known for its lush, green mountains, including the Appalachian Mountains, Catskill Mountains, and Adirondack Mountains. There are trails for every skill and interest level from flat, paved trails to some rather difficult hikes that will definitely make you sore the next day. There are lakes and waterfalls as well as animals you might not find in other places of the country.
Watch fireworks
While this may be a staple summertime activity for many Americans, there’s just something even more American and patriotic about it when you watch fireworks in a small town. There’s something so beautiful about watching a community come together and watch a display of what is arguably one of the most American activities. We are proud of our heritage and community and displaying fireworks is just one more way to show that off. In the words of Jason Aldean’s “Try that in a Small Town,” “Around here, we take care of our own…”
If you’re heading out for the weekend for a getaway, specifically to a small town, I hope you’ll use these top 15 things to do as inspiration for your activities. Did you ever imagine there were such fun things to do in such a small place? Hopefully, now you do! I’d love to know, what are some of your favorite things to do when traveling, especially to small towns? Drop a comment below and be sure to share this post so others can be inspired as well!
