Popcorn Hat Players: Theatre With Salt

If you’re looking for a more irreverent take on the stage, Harrisburg’s Popcorn Hat Players might whet your appetite. This much-loved local children’s theatre troupe has been putting on shows since 1993, using professional actors and directors to bring top-quality performances to children of all social and economic backgrounds. Plays put on by the troupe include adaptations of classic Mother Goose rhymes as well as fairy tales like The Little Mermaid and Rumpelstiltskin. Their performances are very entertaining. Although the stagecraft is serious business, each show has a real sense of humor that will keep kids riveted to the stage. And, of course, the Popcorn Hat Players throw in a few jokes for the grown-ups as well. Ticket prices are incredibly reasonable – just seven dollars – which makes it an excellent entertainment value. The troupe also runs a number of educational and outreach programs and mentors a group of young actors who perform in a yearly show.

Popcorn Hat Players
Third Floor
605 Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 238-4111
www.gamutplays.org/popcorn

Oyster Mill Playhouse: Curtain’s Up

Live theater can add an important facet to a city’s cultural life, and Harrisburg locals are lucky to have the Oyster Mill Playhouse in their town. Nestled in a gorgeous converted oyster mill on the banks of the Conodoguinet Creek, the space was converted in 1988 and has hosted a robust variety of theatrical performances since. A completely volunteer-run non-profit theatre company is the space's exclusive tenant, putting on eight shows a year that run the gamut from comedy to drama. The playhouse is quite small, which means that you’re guaranteed an intimate evening with the actors. On the flip side, that also means that shows sell out quickly, too. In addition to the scheduled performance, the troupe raises funds by conducting entertaining murder mystery parties at your location, with clever improvisation bringing your guests into a hilarious and suspenseful world of deduction. The Playhouse’s lobby features a rotating gallery of work from local visual artists as well.

Oyster Mill Playhouse
1001 Oyster Mill Road
Camp Hill, PA 17011
(717) 737-6768
www.oystermill.com

Midtown Cinema: Enjoy The Show

Most movie theaters left in America are fairly generic corporate-owned affairs, content to program the latest Hollywood blockbusters and leave everything else out. Not so with Harrisburg’s Midtown Cinema. This awesome indie theater was founded in 2001 by a pair of film lovers who wanted to bring the most cutting-edge cinema to the area, and they’ve programmed a regular slate of challenging, intriguing films for over a decade. Midtown Cinema has a fun, funky DIY feel, with comfortable couches in the waiting room and perfectly serviceable seating with good sightlines. They even have board games to play while you’re waiting for your screening to start. A semi-regular movie trivia night draws local cinephiles out of the woodwork as well to challenge themselves with increasingly difficult questions in exchange for prizes. This is a great example of what a community movie theater should be, and it’s well worth paying a visit.

Midtown Cinema
250 Reily Street
Harrisburg, PA 17102
(717) 909-6566
www.midtowncinema.com

John Harris-Simon Cameron Museum

If you’re interested in the rich history of the Dauphin County area, there’s no better place to learn about it than the John Harris-Simon Cameron Museum. Located in one of the oldest and most majestic buildings in Harrisburg (the Harris-Cameron Mansion) the Museum is an enormous building constructed from locally quarried limestone. Simon Cameron, the house’s second occupant, was best known as Secretary of War under Abraham Lincoln, and his family held onto the house until donating it to the Historical Society in 1941. Since then, the mansion has been carefully preserved and decorated to simulate 19th century life in the Harrisburg area, with each of the rooms arranged and decorated to provide insight into the lives of the families that lived there. The Museum also serves as the headquarters of the Dauphin County Historical Society, which presents a wide variety of educational programs, re-enactments and more. A visit here's sure to expand your mind.

John Harris-Simon Cameron Museum
219 South Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17104
(717) 233-3462
www.dauphincountyhistory.org

Five Senses Gardens

All this city life can make a soul pine for the natural world! Luckily the Five Senses Gardens are right here for Harrisburg residents and visitors alike to enjoy. Situated on the Capital Area Greenbelt, this lovely and distinctive park has endured some seriously adverse conditions in recent years, but thanks to the efforts of a very dedicated group of volunteers has rebounded and continues to serve the community. As you might guess from the name, the park is divided into five individual “gardens,” each one of which is designed to stimulate a specific sense! The sight garden offers flowering plants and beautiful botanicals that tantalize the eyes with color. The sound garden plays host to a wide variety of songbirds. The smell garden boasts a number of different plants that emit distinctive and pleasurable odors. The taste garden offers mint, blueberries and other examples of nature’s bounty. And, finally, the Labyrinth uses the sense of touch to navigate a maze. This is an experience not to be missed.

Five Senses Gardens
www.caga.org/five_senses_gardens

Atomic Warehouse: It’s A Blast

If your interests lie in the art and design of the 20th century, Harrisburg’s Atomic Warehouse is going to feel like a paradise on Earth. Specializing in art deco, Mission, and mid-century modern design, the two gigantic floors are packed to the rafters with incredible merchandise plucked from the vault of history. Atomic Warehouse's owner is obsessed with his finds and will gladly regale you with the details of their provenance. Even if you’re not going to buy anything, Atomic Warehouse is still an incredible place to spend an afternoon digging through treasures. Of course, the staff would really prefer it if you bought something! From amazing furniture to vintage magazines, Atomic Warehouse has something for every interest. Some complain that prices are a little high, but it’s not like a factory can just make more of this stuff. There is literally no other store like this in the country, so visitors should be thankful that it even exists.

Atomic Warehouse
1021 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717) 236-1900
www.atomicwarehouse.com

Get Your Sport On at Twin Ponds East

Twin Ponds is a sprawling family recreation facility with numerous sports resources and events for activity-fiends of all ages. The premiere dual facilities accommodate lovers of hockey, soccer, ice-skating, baseball, lacrosse, and field hockey, so there's something for everyone. Whether you want to join a league, take a lesson, or just rent some equipment to play around with friends or friendly strangers, there's no limit to the possibilities for competitive fun. And if you're thinking about a place for a party, Twin Ponds will rent out a rink or field. and set you up with a party room, food package, and plenty of games to keep everyone entertained.

Twin Ponds East
3904 Corey Road
Harrisburg, PA 17109
(717) 558-POND
www.twinponds.com

Capital Area Greenbelt: A Hiker’s Paradise

Capital Area Greenbelt is a dedicated millennium trail for residents and visitors in need of a natural getaway. The recreational pathway runs in a ring around Harrisburg, offering a scenic track for hikers, bikers, skaters, and runners alike. If you're simply in the mood to take in the flourishing animals and plants, this is also a wonderful place to stroll with friends or walk your dog. A labyrinth of pathways and gardens makes it easy to get happily lost, but a series of well-marked signs and maps will help you find your way back home. In other words, you can get lost in the natural splendor without having to venture far from the bustle of the city.

Capital Area Greenbelt
1690 S. Cameron St.
Harrisburg, PA 17104
(717) 921-GREEN
www.caga.org

Ride the Trails of Civil War Generals

Here’s a new way to take in the Gettysburg scenery: go horseback. Confederate Trails of Gettysburg premiered its first season in 2010.   Small groups of six guests are led along scenic equestrian trails behind the Virginia Monument to Spangler Farm where they can glimpse Peach Orchard and Little Round Top in the distance. A two-hour option continues along through Pitzer’s Woods to Longstreet Tower.  Perhaps from there you can catch sight of the Eisenhower Farm.

The pace is comfortable for novice riders (only age 8 and above). The operators have accommodated individuals with a range of disabilities and they assure nervous prospects that, upon request, they’ll send a person to walk alongside the horse to ease their anxiety. This is not a historic tour, so riders seeking informative narratives might wish to get that background before setting out on this venture. However, when children are in the group, consider requesting in advance a living history re-enactor at no additional charge. Helmets (provided) are required for guests under age 18, and adults who decline must sign a waiver.  Reservations go rain or shine. Military families receive a 10 percent discount. Check the website for additional details.

Confederate Trails of Gettysburg
www.confederatetrailsofgettysburg.com

Animal Kingdom Rules: ZooAmerica

ZooAmerica is just the right place for a short, sweet wildlife excursion. Accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, ZooAmerica’s origins date back to first decade of 1900, and is now part of Hershey Park—though it can be visited separately. Animals are organized according to their habitat—for instance, you’ll find alligators and crocodiles in the Southern Swamps and vampire bats, Gambel’s quail and Gila monsters as some of the representatives of the Great Southwest.

ZooAmerica has a number of conservation and breeding programs. The organization works with students and volunteers to create appropriate nesting boxes for American kestrels and peregrine falcons. These are then placed strategically in the wild where their natural nesting spots have been compromised or have disappeared. The zoo sponsors a variety of camp and educational outreach programs as well. After-hours events are exciting and informative. For more information, call (717) 534-3900, or visit: www.zooamerica.com.

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