Once the beach blankets, folding chairs, and coolers are stored after a sweltering summer, fall is the perfect time to enjoy a quick getaway. Just 90 minutes from Philadelphia, Lebanon Valley offers plenty of activities for all ages to enjoy. Plus, the drive from Philadelphia provides striking autumn views, with hills and valleys covered in orange, red, and gold leaves.

For Jennifer Kuzo, president of Visit Lebanon Valley, the region’s rich agricultural heritage headlines autumn’s appeal.

“Lebanon Valley is a major agricultural center,” Kuzo exclaims with a hint of pride. “Picking up farm fresh fruit and produce at one of our roadside stands along the way is an essential part of any visit to our area.”

In autumn, chances are that fruit will be apples and pumpkins. With cooler days and nights, the allure becomes apples in the press, (think cider), and pumpkins in the pie, as well as brilliant foliage against a mint blue sky.

Apples, pumpkins, and pies, oh my!

One place sure to please a hankering for crisp apples is Seyfert Orchards. During the summer months, the orchards are known for their sweet and sour cherries, plums, peaches, and pears, but come fall, apples — such as their signature Winesap Gala, and the newer Sun Crisp and Honey Crisp varieties — are a lure for locals and visitors alike.

Seyfert’s enjoys a colorful history. Begun in the 1920s by Dutch immigrant Andrew Seyfert, the orchards have survived and thrived under multiple generations of family members who continue the legacy of their ancestor. If you’re planning a trip this fall, the weekend of Oct. 3 and 4 brings the farm’s two-day autumn baked goods sale of apple crisp, apple dumplings, pies, and other homemade treats.

You might need something to wash down all that pie, so a stop at Gray’s Apple Ridge Orchard, offering eight different varieties of apples, and a cider press used to make their own delicious apple cider, is in order. Part of the fun at Gray’s is picking your own apples and a pumpkin or two.

If the family needs a little more activity, Risser-Marvel Farm Market not only has a pumpkin patch but also a virtual cornucopia of fun fall activities including a corn and a hay maze, tractor-pulled hayrides, and a trike track. And you won’t go home empty-handed. Its market features an array of seasonal, fresh produce, locally baked goods, jarred items, and a fridge full of local meat and dairy products.

Not to be missed when autumn leaves came tumbling down was the Alexander Schaeffer Farm’s Harvest Fair and Early American Craft Show, which ran September 13 and 14. Here,
history came to life with period artisans, crafts, cooking, farm life demonstrations, and yes, more cider pressing. A self-guided tour of the Historic Schaeffer House and Heirloom Garden prepared visitors to experience the rich history of the area.

Indigenous and Civil War history

Prior to European settlement, the Lebanon Valley was inhabited by Indigenous nations including the Shawnee, Susquehannock, Gawanese, Nanticoke, and Lenni-Lenape, or Delaware, peoples.  Disgracefully, the Lenape lost all claim to the terrain they inhabited for centuries in the fraudulent “Walking Purchase” deed of 1737. After purchase agreements with William Penn, the Lenape moved outward, but soon these lands were claimed by growing numbers of European settlers in the countryside around William Penn’s Philadelphia.

Lebanon Valley’s European settlement began around 1720, with German immigrants establishing the farms and communities that remain hallmarks of the area. Many immigrants, especially the Pennsylvania Dutch (who were not actually Dutch, but got their name due to an Anglo misunderstanding of “Deutsch,” meaning “German”), were attracted by the region’s fertile limestone soil which was similar to that found in Germany. 

Time-travel tours

For a unique glimpse of the area’s American history, imagine a tall, dashing figure dismounting from a glorious steed to examine the workings of Lebanon Valley’s legendary Cornwall Iron Furnace. Well before the Industrial Revolution of the 1800s, Gen. George Washington, hero of the Revolutionary War and our nation’s first president, would have observed a massive operation that contributed greatly to the Continental Army prevailing over the British. It is widely held that Washington visited Cornwall Iron Furnace to survey this clever community where forest, stream, and entrepreneurial spirit combined to produce the iron used in weapons, tools, horseshoes, and even camp equipment.

Lebanon Valley denizens demonstrated early colonial defiance. Cornwall, along with other Pennsylvania furnaces, were true and early patriots, defying Britain’s infamous Iron Act that was designed to restrict iron production in the colonies. Cornwall served as a lifeline for the colonists in their fight for freedom.

The autumn Burd Coleman Village Walking Tour on Saturday, Oct. 4, could be just the thing for a more in-depth exploration of this local history. Historians Sue Wentzel and Mike Trump will lead participants on a walk among the village’s quaint stone structures, sharing its history, relationship to the Cornwall mines, and information about the architecture of some of its unique homes and businesses. The one-hour tours are a bargain at $5 a ticket, (children under two free). But spots are limited, so it is advised to preregister by calling the Furnace. All proceeds benefit the Friends of Cornwall Iron Furnace.

Fall flower frenzy

Perhaps you’re looking for something a bit more laid back during your Lebanon Valley visit. Elizabeth Ziegler, proprietor of Royal Oaks flower farm, has the answer. “Our gardens are open for picking and exploring now through the first frost, which typically happens around mid-October,” she explains.

Ziegler recommends planning to spend one or two hours strolling through the garden rows, enjoying the flowers, and maybe even packing a picnic. “We have a playset for children and picnic tables for relaxing, so it’s a great stop for families or anyone looking to slow down and enjoy nature.”

In her youth, Ziegler contributed to her mother’s roadside flower stand and spent many summers cultivating the garden. These early experiences profoundly influenced her perspective. As a parent, she aimed to create an enterprise with a strong community orientation — a space not only dedicated to flower picking but also to facilitating meaningful interactions with nature, educational opportunities about plant life, and providing a tranquil, inspiring setting. Royal Oaks has no admission fee, and everything is self-serve and easy to navigate. “We just kindly ask that each group purchase flowers during their visit,” Ziegler said. “We provide jars, buckets, water, snippers, and clear instructions in the potting shed, which is located beside the large stone parking area.” Photography is always welcome and encouraged. U-Pick Garden hours are Monday through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

No fall visit to the valley is complete without checking out Oktoberfest events at Lebanon Valley Craft Brewery, Snitz Creek Brewery (which offers an endlessly creative mix of new, unusual flavors and old favorites), or at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. The Elmer C. Ebling Memorial Charity, Inc. also hosts an Oktoberfest at Myerstown Community Park from October 11 to 13.

If you’re still standing after hoisting your beer steins, you can hoist your bikes off the rack or dust off your sneakers to explore the Lebanon Valley Rail Trail that travels for 19.6 miles in three distinct segments. But beware of bumps; a majority of the route is unpaved, mostly gravel-surfaced, except for a four-mile paved section.

Visit Lebanon Valley president Kuzo says her ideal day includes a bike ride on the Rail Trail, breakfast to try the seasonal menu at Mt. Gretna’s Porch & Pantry, and a concert or theater production in Mt. Gretna (the Mount Gretna Playhouse season has ended; Gretna Music’s season ends Sept. 13).

Lebanon Valley’s website, visitlebanonvalley.com, features many resources to assist in planning a weekend or day trip. Happy trails to you.