Saturday, 14 August 2021

0830  35,919 miles  

Leave Barren Ridge   74°

Mist filled valleys in the Blue Ridge Mountains as we pulled out of Barren Ridge Vineyard and headed northeast.

1227-1313 Harrisburg, PA – State Capitol 80°

Shortly after noon we found a parking spot in downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Touring state capitol buildings is something we enjoy. It gives us an appreciation for each state and often leads to ideas for places to explore.

We should have called ahead, because the Pennsylvania capitol was closed to visitors during the pandemic. We had paid for parking, so prepared and enjoyed lunch while watching folks come and go in light rain showers.

1350  36,141 miles 

 The Brewery at Hershey 84°

Less than an hour later we were parked in the RV area at another Harvest Host,* The Brewery & Vineyard at Hershey.

While near Hershey, the Chocolate Capitol of the US, the site is actually in Middleton, Pennsylvania.

The complex is quite large with a gift shop, winery, brewery, cider mill, market, and event venue. An upper deck that provided an overview of the scenic property was where we perched.

A band was setting up downstairs. We were parked with five other RV’s in the upper left of the photo at the end of the dirt road.

After dinner we headed back up to the Event Venue to see what was happening.

A bonfire was blazing behind the event venue where visitors shared stories from the road.

On the other side of the event center, the band was in full swing. Returning to our spot on the deck, we had a great view and no trouble hearing the band. With the pandemic ruling out indoor concerts, it was a real treat to be able to enjoy music outdoors.

Here’s the view of the Event Center Barn from our camping spot. Live music and local beer in scenic surroundings put this Harvest Host Brewery near Hershey on our list of recommended places. 

If you arrive and have a craving for sweets, Hershey’s Chocolate World is less than ten miles north.

 

Our route from Virginia to Pennsylvania stayed west to avoid the traffic around Washington and Baltimore.