central pa


Exploring Williamsport PA

thomas t taber museum williamsport pa

Pictured above: Thomas T Taber museum. Example of what a parlour room would have looked like during the Victorian era in Williamsport, PA.

Williamsport is a small city in central Pennsylvania known as the birthplace of Little League, the “Lumber Capitol of the World” at one time, and also the city with most millionaires during the Victorian Era. There is a long “Millionaire’s Row” in downtown Williamsport which features mansion after mansion from the Victorian era. It’s quite amazing.

Once a thriving lumber town filled with the lumber industry, Williamsport has many treasures. You can view the history and learn more about the city at the Thomas T. Taber Museum which features the history of the area dating back to the ancient Native Americans. The museum includes the history of the lumber industry, life from the Victorian era, military history, art treasures and also an incredible train museum. We really enjoyed learning about the area and seeing works of art from artists such as Severin Roesen on display. One painting on display is pictured at the bottom of this post.

In addition to the once-thriving lumber industry, Williamsport is the birth of Little League Baseball! So, if you are a baseball fan, be sure to check it out!

Now, you might be wondering why there is a photo of macaroni and cheese below. Well, let me fill you in.

sheetz vs wawa which is better

People in Pennsylvania love to argue about which convenience store is better, Sheetz or Wawa. Yes, you heard that right, convenience store. Sheetz and Wawa are both really nice convenience stores often attached to gas stations in Pennsylvania. Here in California, we have similar stores in places like on highway 5 where trucks and drivers need to stop, but in Pennsylvania, these are right there in town. My daughter hears arguments all the time at school about which is better, Sheetz or Wawa? So, we decided it would be fun to taste both places and make our own, unbiased decisions. After all, a lot of times there is geographical bias over whether Sheetz or Wawa is better.

Oftentimes, an area will only have Sheetz or Wawa since Sheetz is usually located on the Pittsburgh side of the state while Wawa is located on the Philadelphia side of the state. But, we found a place where they are one block from each other! Williamsport, PA.

We decided to order from both Sheetz and Wawa so we could compare and contrast the food. This helped us determine which one we liked better. Unfortunately, the Williamsport Wawa location didn’t have hot dogs, so we compared the Macaroni and Cheese and also the chicken sandwiches.

When it came to the chicken sandwiches, we both agreed the Sheetz sandwich had more flavor. But, when it came to the macaroni and cheese, we were split. I preferred the Wawa Mac and Cheese because the pasta was cooked properly, and the cheese was tasty. My daughter preferred the Sheetz Mac and Cheese because it much creamier. So, while we were split on the Mac and Cheese, we both agreed they were both good, but we preferred Sheetz.

So, there you have it. The opinion of two California girls. Both places are good, and I would be happy eating at either one, but overall, we chose Sheetz as the winner.

What I wore to Williamsport:

Next time you visit Pennsylvania, be sure to check one out and see which one you prefer!

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO

Cathy

severin roesen painting williamsport pa

Harrisburg and Hershey PA

wearing: pink earrings / spring sweater / mocha scarf / east/west bag / wide leg jeans / spring nail polish / sneakers /

Harrisburg is the capitol of Pennsylvania, so we had to check it out! We explored the government buildings and historical architecture, as well as the beautiful waterfront. What a pretty city! We need to go back and check out the museums too.

After Harrisburg, we drove over to Hershey PA for dinner. I mean, who doesn’t want to eat dinner in a chocolate themed restaurant? I know I do! Love!

Before dinner, we went to the Hershey Museum and learned all about how Hershey started his chocolate empire and also the history of the company and chocolate itself. What an amazing museum! If you ever visit Pennsylvania, be sure to head over to the Hershey Museum. It is an amazing experience!

After the museum, we went to the Hershey company store to shop for, you guessed it, chocolate! Check out this “snack sized” Kit Kat!

We ended up purchasing a few different types of Hershey Kisses as well as some small samples of flavors we don’t normally see in stores. Then, we headed over to the restaurant for dinner, The Chocolatier.

I enjoyed a cotton candy soda, mushroom risotto, and we shared a chocolate dessert at the end of the night. It was really fun, and the food was yummy. I would definitely go back. Loved it!

So, next time you visit Pennsylvania, definitely check out Hershey, Hersheypark, The Chocolatier, and the museum! Love!

Thanks for stopping by,

XOXO

Cathy


Exploring Bellefonte PA

wearing: pink earrings / long sleeve top / winter coat / wide leg jeans / spring nail polish / east/west bag / sneakers /

So, I heard about this amazing Italian Cafe named Bonfatto’s located in Bellefonte. Since we had never visited the Centre County, county seat, we decided to explore Bellefonte for a day.

Bonfatto’s did not disappoint. We enjoyed perfectly made coffees and a delicious lunch. Mine was a latte and my daughter enjoyed a cappuccino. Next, we ordered lunch. We both enjoyed their Bolognese which came with a salad. The cheese in the salad was amazing! The whole food experience was 10/10. We also brought a few pastries from their shop back to the hotel to enjoy later that evening. This place was so good! We plan to go back for more yummy food! Love!

In addition to food, we decided to explore Bellefonte. We left our car by the cafe and walked into town. There was a beautiful monument commemorating all of the governors who came from Bellefonte, including one from California! We were excited to see our state represented on their monument! There are more governors on the other side of the monument, my photo only shows one side.

We continued into town only to discover everything was closed since it was Sunday. I always forget about this when I am traveling. Nevertheless, we gave ourselves a walking tour of the monuments, historical buildings and landmarks, as well as the natural views. What a beautiful place! We definitely plan to go back when everything is open, not on a Sunday!

So, if you love history, historical architecture, and would love to enjoy an Italian Cafe, go visit Bellefonte!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy