Philadelphia local news, sports, jobs, cars, homes

Category: Travel

  • Holiday shopping, coastal trails, and craft beer in Lewes & the Delaware Beaches | Field Trip

    Holiday shopping, coastal trails, and craft beer in Lewes & the Delaware Beaches | Field Trip

    They don’t go “down the Shore” on the other side of the Delaware Bay. First Staters go to the beach — or, more geographically correct, to the Delaware Beaches: the neighboring Atlantic towns of Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany, and Fenwick Island, familiar to most Philadelphians even if they’ve never been.

    The Delaware Beaches and Lewes, their historic bayside gateway, are charming and festive during the holidays. Come for the tax-free shopping and craft-beer icons, stay for the smart indie restaurants and pristine nature. It’s a quick trip across the bay on the ferry. Margate, Ocean City, and Wildwood will still be there when you get back.

    Ride: Cape May–Lewes Ferry

    Getting to Coastal Delaware is half the fun when you take the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. It takes about the same amount of time to drive directly from Philly to Lewes as it does to drive to Cape May and board the boat for the 85-minute crossing, but only one option gives you cinematic views of the Delaware Bay — historically the most important waterway in the region. (No bay for Billy Penn to sail up, no founding of Philadelphia.) It’s also a key environment for marine life, from oysters and mussels to dolphins and seals. You might even catch a migrating humpback whale on the 17-mile crossing.

    📍 1200 Lincoln Blvd., North Cape May, N.J. 08204

    Stay: Dogfish Inn

    One of the original craft-beer brands, Dogfish Head is maybe the most famous Delaware resident who wasn’t also POTUS. Sam Calagione founded the Milton brewery — more on that in a minute — in 1995, and it became such a tourist magnet that a hotel was a natural expansion.

    The friendly, 16-room Dogfish Inn opened in 2014 and sits along the Lewes–Rehoboth Canal, walking distance to both the ferry and downtown. Rooms are simply furnished and stylish, with branded swag and pops of olive and teal. Outside, beer pilgrims, holiday shoppers, and their dogs (the inn is pet-friendly) gather around the Cowboy Cauldron, the nickname for the communal firepit.

    📍 105 Savannah Rd., Lewes, Del. 19958

    Snack: The Station on Kings

    Fig-tahini danish, pumpkin-cheesecake conchas, and sugared doughnuts plumped with chai-spiced cream gleam in the pastry case at the Station on Kings, a charming café with arboreal décor and a greenhouse dining room that feels sunny even when winter clouds cover the coast. Grab a table and settle in for a leisurely brunch of those excellent baked goods, a creamy French omelet, maybe the calendar-correct Mistletoe Matcha, Station’s matcha latte sweetened with white chocolate-peppermint syrup. After, browse the selection of candles, soaps, ornaments, and other local and artisan gifts.

    📍 720 Kings Hwy., Lewes, Del. 19958

    Shop: Tanger Outlets

    Continue making your list and checking it twice at the Tanger Outlets in Rehoboth. Bargain hunters come year-round, but the holiday sales are especially enticing. The complex is divided into three clusters (Surfside, Seaside, Bayside) along Route 1, with more than 100 brands, including Nike, North Face, and Le Creuset.

    📍 Route 1 Coastal Hwy., Rehoboth Beach, Del. 19971

    Walk: Cape Henlopen State Park

    There’s a windswept solitude to the beach in December that, for anyone raised on towel-to-towel summer crowds, is narcotically surreal. Encompassing more than 5,000 acres of sandy shores, reedy wetlands, and maritime forest, Cape Henlopen State Park is the place to get centered in nature at the Delaware Beaches. Walking trails lace the preserve, winding through historical sites like Fort Miles, which played a critical coastal defense role in WWII, and around Gordon’s Pond. Head to the Point, near the hooked tip of Cape Henlopen, for views of the 140-year-old Delaware Breakwater Lighthouse.

    📍 15099 Cape Henlopen Dr., Lewes, Del. 19958

    Sip: Dogfish Head Brewery

    Despite being bought by the Boston Beer Company in 2019, Dogfish remains a Delaware darling. The brand offers multiple touchpoints throughout the beaches, but it’s worth the 15-minute drive west of Lewes to the Milton brewery. Tours run three times daily, seven days a week, and include a pour of 60 Minute IPA. For an extra $8, enjoy a tasting flight in the on-site taproom.

    📍 6 Cannery Village Center, Milton, Del. 19968

    Eat: the Blue Hen

    Located a block and a half from the beach, on the ground floor of the Avenue Inn & Spa, the Blue Hen gives cozy coastal tavern vibes with pewter-blue paint, carved woodwork, and a gallery wall of framed photographs. The cooking, from chef Julia Robinson, elevates the genre: gingered lobster toast with dashi aioli, mezze rigatoni with pistachio pesto and confit chicken, Iberico pork Milanese.

    Robinson bought the Blue Hen with her wife, sommelier and GM Heather Sharp, in 2022 after moving from Philly in 2017. Walking the Rehoboth boardwalk after dinner, it’s easy to see the appeal.

    📍 33 Wilmington Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Del. 19971

  • Flight schedules will return to normal at PHL ahead of Thanksgiving and holiday travel season

    Flight schedules will return to normal at PHL ahead of Thanksgiving and holiday travel season

    Flight schedules should soon return to normal across major U.S. airports, including Philadelphia, after the FAA lifted government shutdown-related flight restrictions for airlines.

    The Federal Aviation Administration retracted its order at more than 40 airports on Sunday night. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy initially told airlines to eliminate 10% of their scheduled flights starting on Nov. 7 in response to “concerning data” that showed pressure on the national aviation system and on air traffic controllers who were experiencing staffing shortages amid the federal government shutdown.

    Now that the federal government has passed a bill to fund the government until at least Jan. 30, federal agencies and workers, including those across the aviation system, are heading back to work.

    “Today’s decision to rescind the order reflects the steady decline in staffing concerns across the National Airspace System and allows us to return to normal operations,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement. “I am grateful for the hard work of the FAA safety and operations teams and for their focus on the safety of the traveling public.”

    Air traffic at the Philadelphia International Airport on Nov. 6.

    American Airlines, which operates 75% of the flights in and out of Philadelphia International Airport, is ready to bounce back swiftly after flight restrictions are lifted, a spokesperson said.

    “American is ready for business, and we are serving customers with a full schedule in advance of the Thanksgiving and year-end holidays,” said Bri Harper, American Airlines’ spokesperson for the Northeast region.

    Recovering from the FAA-ordered flight reductions won’t be a huge task, said Mike Taylor, J.D. Power’s practice lead for travel, and will likely be resolved in a matter of days.

    “A matter of two or three days is generally all it takes,” Taylor said. “So I think they want to get that ball rolling well in advance of holiday travel so that there’s less hassle when holiday travel picks up in a week and a half from now.”

    PHL’s major airlines, including American, United, and Delta, don’t expect any major hiccups associated with restoring flights after the FAA-ordered flight reductions.

    United CEO Scott Kirby lauded employees during the chaotic period of cancellations in a LinkedIn post. While Nov. 8 and 9 set records in staffing shortage-driven cancellations and delays at the FAA, he wrote, Kirby said United customers gave the airline their fourth- and fifth-highest satisfaction scores of the year on those days.

    Delta CEO Ed Bastian told CBS, “The system should return to normal by the weekend.”

  • Lakeside glamping, a presidential home, and international eats in Lancaster | Field Trip

    Lakeside glamping, a presidential home, and international eats in Lancaster | Field Trip

    Lancaster, Pa., is technically a city, but it’s packed with the charm of a Hallmark movie town: strollable streets lined with boutiques, Instagram-worthy late-fall foliage, and — yes — even the occasional Amish couple riding in a horse and buggy just beyond the city limits.

    Located about 70 miles west of Philadelphia, Lancaster is where centuries of Amish and Mennonite farm traditions meet (and often support) an up-and-coming restaurant scene with some of the best farm-to-table food and cocktails in the United States. It’s a place where tourists can learn how to churn butter the old-fashioned way and then end the night at a Brooklyn-cool listening bar. That’s exactly what an Inquirer reporter did when she took a last-minute trip to Lancaster.

    To get your weekend started, take a 90-minute drive past picturesque farms on I-76 and U.S. Route 222, or hop on Amtrak’s Keystone line, which drops you at the edge of downtown.

    @pennsylvaniajunkie 📍Lancaster, PA is so much more than horse and buggies. Downtown Lancaster is so one of my favorite cities to walk, wine and dine, especially during the holidays. 🎄✨🥂 @Discover Lancaster COMMENT your favorite place to visit in Downtown Lancaster and TAG who you’re bringing along on your next LancLanc getaway. 🥰 📍Places featured in video ✨ C’est La Vie ✨ Ream Jewelers ✨ Shot and Bottle ✨ The Belvedere Inn ✨ Lancaster Central Market ✨ Details ✨ Plough Don’t forget to follow me for all things Pennsylvania travel, adventure and lifestyle. 💙 #lancasterpa #lancasterpennsylvania #lancasterpagetaway #downtownlancaster #downtownlancasterpa #pennsylvania #pennsylvanialife #pennsylvaniacheck ♬ original sound – Pennsylvania Junkie

    Stay: Red Run Resort or Lancaster Arts Hotel

    Hear us out: This upscale campground is 30 minutes outside of Lancaster by car, but it has the vibe of an all-year summer camp for adults. Red Run Resort’s 21 lakeside A-frame studios and cabins are homey yet luxurious, with spa-style bathrooms with soaking tubs, plush king-size beds, and private firepits. The campground also has an on-site pumpkin patch and occasional line dancing and bingo pop-ups, so guests don’t have to go far for a bit of countryside flair.

    The living room of one of the A-Frame cabins at the Red Run Resort in New Holland, Pa., which overlooks a lake. The upscale camp ground is roughly 30 minutes outside of Lancaster by car.

    If you’re looking to stay in the city, the boutique Lancaster Arts Hotel transformed an 1800s tobacco warehouse into a living art gallery, displaying $300,000 worth of art from local artists across its 63 guest rooms. It’s walking distance from downtown and earns bonus points for free parking and complimentary bikes to explore the city.

    📍 877 Martin Church Rd., New Holland, Pa. 17557 (Red Run Resort) ; 300 Harrisburg Ave., Lancaster, Pa. 17603 (Lancaster Arts Hotel)

    Caffeinate: Square One Coffee

    After checking in, fuel up at Square One Coffee, a local micro-roastery whose Ethiopian blend beat out more than 2,000 entries to win a Good Food Award for best coffee. Their flagship Duke Street cafe is a solid pick for both coffee snobs and “little treat” connoisseurs, specializing in single-origin espressos and aromatic lattes in flavors like orange blossom honey or Blue Zen, a sky-colored concoction of butterfly pea powder, jasmine syrup, and chamomile tea.

    Home baristas can detour to Square One’s Elizabeth Avenue warehouse for public tastings or an Espresso 101 class.

    📍145 N. Duke St., Lancaster, Pa. 17602

    Thrift: Basura, Space, BUiLDiNG CHARACTER

    Take your coffee to go and spend the afternoon exploring a trio of downtown Lancaster’s curated thrift and vintage boutiques. This reporter’s advice is to pack light, because it’s easy to bring an outfit (or two) and a suitcase full of tchotchkes home.

    Start at Basura for racks of salvaged denim and leather, colorful sweaters, and quirky tees before heading over to Space, which specializes in mid-century modern wares that feel like they were ripped from a Mad Men set. Then, close out your shopping spree by heading to BUiLDiNG CHARACTER, a vintage and artisan marketplace with 80-plus vendors selling everything from butterflies preserved in glass and the occasional fossil to old school suits and antique jewelry.

    📍106 E. King St., Lancaster, Pa. 17602 (Basura); 24 W. Walnut St., Lancaster, Pa. 17603 (Space); 342 N. Queen St., Lancaster, Pa. 17603 (BUiLDiNG CHARACTER)

    Just a portion of the pick-n-mix candy selection from Sweetish Candy at 301 N. Queen Street Lancaster, Pa., which has been importing Scandinavian candies since 2019.

    Pick-and-mix: Sweetish Candy

    Lancaster’s Sweetish Candy was importing Scandinavian sweets long before pick-and-mix bags were all the rage. Sweetish Candy owner Tyler Graybeal started selling Swedish treats in 2019 and now stocks more than 70 colorful candies for shoppers to dump into customizable bags and buckets. Graybeal’s selection includes still hard-to-find BUBS gummies, plus varieties of licorice tubes, pastel marshmallows, and chocolate eggs. This sugar rush doesn’t come cheap, though: Two pounds of candy cost $47.

    For snacks that don’t cause a toothache, Lancaster Pickle Company is across the street with barrels of assorted pickle chips, dill pretzels, and — yes — even half-sour lip balm.

    📍301 N. Queen St., Lancaster, Pa. 17603

    Stroll: Conestoga Greenway Trail

    This 2.6 mile out-and-back trail wraps a horseshoe around the scenic Conestoga River and has three access points with parking lots at Duke Street, Broad Street, and Conestoga Drive. The greenway winds its away around the water and through the trees, so it’s perfect for late-fall leaf peeping and serene nature walks. The river is a favorite of duck flocks, turtles, and deers stopping for a drink.

    Learn: James Buchanan’s Wheatland

    Built in 1828 as a prominent lawyer’s mansion, Wheatland changed hands several times before landing in 1848 with James Buchanan — then secretary of state and later, by many historians’ accounts, one of America’s worst presidents. Buchanan lived there until his death in 1868.

    Preserved by the nonprofit LancasterHistory, the home offers guided tours of Buchanan’s original furnishings and 19th-century décor. From Nov. 16 through Dec. 20, the tours take on a festive twist for Yuletide at Wheatland, exploring the family’s holiday traditions.

    📍 230 N. President Ave., Lancaster, Pa. 17603

    Imbibe: Hi-Fi Izakaya

    Tucked in the back of noodle bar Issei is Hi-Fi Izakaya, a speakeasy-esque listening lounge where DJs spin vinyl jazz, soul, and pop records until last call. The space is sleek and sexy, with a cocktail menu that adds Asian flair to standard drinks, like a gimlet mixed with matcha syrup, a Thai iced tea-infused espresso martini, and an old fashioned made with aged Japanese whiskey.

    📍 40 W. Orange St., Lancaster, Pa. 17603

    Dine: Quips Pub

    Tourists dine at Passerine, the French-inspired farm-to-table brasserie that landed on the New York Times’ best restaurant lists in 2024. Locals head to Quips Pub.

    The cozy British watering hole has been serving oversize platters of crispy fish and chips and traditional bangers and mash since 1984. Regulars come by often, bartenders said, for hefty burgers and sarnies (British slang for sandwich), plus an extensive list of imported German, Irish, and English beers.

    📍 457 New Holland Ave., Lancaster, Pa. 17602

    Rows of seasonal ice cream flavors from Fox Meadow Creamery in Leola, Pa.

    Indulge: Fox Meadow Creamery

    Fox Meadow Creamery’s Leola location is exactly halfway between Quip’s Pub and your cabin at Red Run, making it the perfect place to cap off a day of gallivanting in the city. Fox Meadow churns its ice cream on-site with milk from cows raised on the creamery’s dairy farm in nearby Ephrata, resulting in ultra-thick and and rich scoops.

    Fox Meadow’s flavors change with the seasons, so the late fall comes with vats of apple cream pie, pumpkin patch cheesecake, and venetian tiramisu ice creams, among others. And — before you ask — yes, they carry pints for you to take on the road.

    📍 193 E. Main St., Leola, Pa. 17540

  • Leaf peeping, murder mysteries, and mountain charm in Jim Thorpe | Field Trip

    Leaf peeping, murder mysteries, and mountain charm in Jim Thorpe | Field Trip

    When you think of fall in the mountains, the quintessential image that probably comes to mind is of Jim Thorpe. Even if you’ve never set foot in this petite Pennsylvania town — wrapped like an amphitheater in a vertical forest that changes color by the day — photos of it have become the calling card of the Poconos, luring day-trippers and weekenders long before ski season begins.

    Named for the multi-sport athlete and the first Native American to win Olympic gold, the town flares out on either side of the Lehigh River in checkerboards of boutiques, breweries and Victorian manors. There’s plenty to do within its small footprint, and the rest of the Poconos waits right at its doorstep.

    The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway is known for its Autumn Leaf train excursion.

    Ride: Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway

    Imagine gliding through a kaleidoscope of gold, russet and amber leaves. That’s why the ticket booth for the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway opens early — 7 a.m. on weekends, 9 a.m. on weekdays — for its wildly popular Autumn Leaf train excursion. Tickets are sold only in person, the day of, so plan ahead. The 45-minute round trip offers stunning views best seen (and photographed) from the open-air carriages.

    📍1 Susquehanna St., Jim Thorpe, Pa. 18229

    Stay: Harry Packer Mansion

    A five-minute walk from the station, the Harry Packer Mansion counts quirky arched dormers, a copper-topped bell tower, and a grand sandstone veranda among its many eccentricities. Built in 1874 by railroad tycoon Asa Packer as a wedding gift for his son, Harry, the mansion (and adjacent carriage house) features eight rooms with ornate woodwork and vintage décor. Check in on the second or fourth weekend of each month for an immersive murder mystery, where costumed characters bring the mansion to life.

    📍19 Packer Hill Ave., Jim Thorpe, Pa. 18229

    Race: Pocono Raceway

    About 20 minutes east of Jim Thorpe sits Pocono Raceway, the legendary 2.5-mile track that’s hosted NASCAR races since 1971. For an adrenaline rush, hop into a Dodge Charger Hellcat for a ride-along with a professional driver around the “Tricky Triangle,” hitting 60 mph in just over three seconds.

    📍1234 Long Pond Rd., Long Pond, Pa. 18334

    Eat: Pocono Organics Café

    A raceway and organic farm might seem like unlikely neighbors, but the Poconos are full of surprises. One of the largest regenerative agricultural projects in North America, Pocono Organics has a can’t-miss café with an epic grass-fed cheeseburger, a beet salad dressed with tahini, harissa and pistachios, and house-baked pastries worth saving for the morning drive home.

    📍1015 Long Pond Rd., Blakeslee, Pa. 18610

    Shop: Downtown Jim Thorpe

    Back in town, stroll down Broadway, the main drag lined with boutiques that feel far more cosmopolitan than you’d expect in a mountain village. Browse plus-size consignment at BawdyPlus, bespoke stationery at Somersault, indie paperbacks at Sellers Books & Art, and 18th-century curiosities at Antiques on Broadway.

    📍77 Broadway, Jim Thorpe, Pa. 18229 (BawdyPlus);📍65 Broadway, Jim Thorpe, Pa. 18229 (Sellers Books & Art);📍52 Broadway, Jim Thorpe, PA 18229 (Antiques on Broadway)

    Drink: Bright Path Brewing

    Cross the bridge over the Lehigh River to the east side of town for pre-dinner drinks at Bright Path Brewing, a relaxed taproom with forest-green walls and pipe-legged tables. Bright Path has been brewing German-accented beers since 2022; the smoked Maibock may be meant for spring (“Mai” = May), but its subtle smokiness pairs perfectly with crisp autumn air.

    📍1215 North St., Jim Thorpe, Pa. 18229

    Dine: Café Arielle at the Stabin Museum

    End the evening with art and ambiance. Step into The Stabin Museum, where artist Victor Stabin’s genre-bending naturalist paintings line the walls, before dining at the adjacent Café Arielle. Red-curried salmon and roasted duck with blueberry gastrique fill the tables of this stone-and-wood hideaway, glowing like a lantern in the mountain night.

    📍268 W. Broadway, Jim Thorpe, Pa. 18229

  • How to spend a spooky weekend in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. | Field Trip

    How to spend a spooky weekend in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. | Field Trip

    The advent of spooky season brings endless options for driving-distance getaways packed with U-pick orchards, twisting corn mazes, and high-tech haunts. But only Sleepy Hollow, at the gateway to New York’s Hudson Valley, has a reputation so perfectly tied to the macabre.

    As the setting for Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the town and its neighboring villages blend American history, small-town autumn charm, and an enduring flair for the supernatural. It’s about a two and a half hour drive from Philly — or take Amtrak to Penn Station, get to Grand Central, and hop on Metro-North’s Hudson Line.

    Once you’ve arrived, the mix of colonial history, Halloween pageantry, and riverfront beauty makes it easy to fall under Sleepy Hollow’s spell.

    Stay: Tarrytown House Estate

    If you’re making a weekend of it, check into Tarrytown House Estate, a historic retreat on a hill above Sunnyside. The estate is home to Goosefeather, chef Dale Talde’s acclaimed Cantonese-inspired restaurant, and combines classic mansions with modern touches — think terraces, firepits, and lounges. It’s one of the few local hotels that’s both stylish and (relatively) affordable. During fall, the property leans into the season with festive touches like pumpkin displays and glowing jack-o’-lanterns scattered across the grounds. It’s an ideal base for exploring Sleepy Hollow’s haunted happenings — close to the action, but tucked away once the lanterns dim.

    📍 49 E. Sunnyside Lane, Tarrytown, N.Y. 10591

    Snack: Irvington Station

    However you choose to travel, make a morning pit stop at Irvington Station. Grab a matcha latte or flat white from the Australian-accented Ludy Café, and a sage-scented apple-cheddar scone from Red Barn Bakery, walking distance from one another right along the train tracks.

    📍 Ludy Café, 7 N. Astor St., Irvington, N.Y. 10533

    📍 Red Barn Bakery, 4 S. Astor St., Irvington, N.Y. 10533

    Learn: Blue Hill at Stone Barns

    Continuing north, head into the woods of Tarrytown to chef Dan Barber’s famous Blue Hill at Stone Barns for a guided Explore Tour of their elysian farm and agricultural center. Take a spin through the market, admiring the hand-thrown ceramics and exquisite preserves, and stay for lunch at the cafeteria. Reservations required.

    📍 630 Bedford Rd., Tarrytown, N.Y. 10591

    Stroll: Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

    After arriving in Sleepy Hollow proper, ease into the spookiness at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where the one-hour guided tour (in full daylight) leans more history than horror. Not only is the cemetery beautiful, it’s also a great context-setter for the region, providing all the background on its most famous storyteller, Washington Irving, who rests here among other notable figures.

    📍 540 N. Broadway, Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. 10591

    Solve: The Headless Horseman Files

    At the Headless Horseman Files, collect clues from costumed townspeople to unravel what really happened to Ichabod Crane. This live theater-meets-interactive whodunit at Philipsburg Manor is part mystery, part museum experience — and yes, you can exit through the gift shop for a Horseman snow globe.

    📍 381 N. Broadway, Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. 10591

    Vibe: Lyndhurst After Dark

    Bask in the flickering glow of candles and Gothic drama at the Lyndhurst After Dark, the spooky (but not scary) experience at the Lyndhurst Mansion. Guests walk through the riverfront estate, decked in its Halloween best, and encounter live actors in period dress, who share unnerving tales of the mansion’s history.

    📅 Oct. 16-26 (recommended for kids 10+)

    📍 635 S. Broadway, Tarrytown, N.Y. 10591

    Dine: Goosefeather

    Pot stickers plumped with dry-aged beef, char siu Berkshire pork belly, and blueberry cheesecake mochi waffles grace the menu at Goosefeather. The free-spirited Cantonese-ish joint comes from Dale Talde, known for his appearances on Top Chef.

    📍 49 E. Sunnyside Lane, Tarrytown, N.Y. 10591