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MATPRA is a cohesive unit of regional tourism partners encompassing Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington D.C. and West Virginia.

Archives for October 2021

Your Guide to Arts & Culture in Staunton, VA

From Shakespeare performances to giant metal sculptures to delicate glass art, Staunton offers its residents and visitors a wealth of artistic experiences.  Make sure you help keep the arts and culture scene alive and thriving in Staunton. You’ll also enrich your life!

American Shakespeare Center

Staunton’s most famous contributor to the arts and culture scene is American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse. Not only does the playhouse perform Shakespeare’s masterpieces (and more), it also lets you get a sense of how the plays were actually performed in the space. Visitors to the Blackfriars can attend performances that include scholarly lectures or talk sessions with the actors. They can take behind-the-scenes tours of the space and sign their kids up for camps. During the pandemic, the Blackfriars shifted gears and offered performances in alternative spaces, including outdoors on the lawn at the Blackburn Inn. The Blackfriars also filmed seven productions to air digitally on BLKFRSTV. Camps still educated young people, but they were virtual. The ASC SafeStart program will bring “safe, live theatre to audiences online, outdoors, and inside in our beloved Blackfriars Playhouse.”

Staunton Augusta Art Center

Located in the R.R. Smith Center for History and Art, the two galleries at the Staunton Augusta Art Center host regular shows of work by regional artists. With the beautiful, historic hotel building designed by T.J. Collins in 1893 as a background, the curated exhibits will inspire you. Original work is available for sale in the gift shop as well as the annual Art for Gifts sale each winter holiday season. The SAArtC also hosts the annual, juried Art in the Park Festival. Enjoy a day in Gypsy Hill Park exploring the vendor’s open-air displays while live music happens on the bandstand, and kids take advantage of a number of free activities. The art center runs workshops and summer camps for children. There’s a community arts calendar on their webpage that gives you a centralized schedule of all the upcoming arts happenings in the area.

CoArt Gallery & Beverley Street Studio School

After you contemplate paintings, photographs, and more by local artists at the CoArt Gallery, you should buy your favorites to take home and display on your own walls. Serious art students can sign up for a class with the Beverley Street Studio School. Lectures, workshops, and classes for teens and adults are held in a variety of forms including in-person, Zoom, and outdoors. Love nature? Sign up for plein air painting this June or a course devoted to drawing trees.

Staunton Music Festival

The Staunton Music Festival presents nearly 40 concerts each year, featuring more than 80 acclaimed professionals from around the world. The highlight of each season is the annual Summer Festival in August, a time when each day offers visitors multiple concerts of chamber, vocal, and symphonic music. During the Spring and Fall, SMF presents more intimate concerts often focusing on specific repertoire, from Baroque to Modern.

Heifetz International Music Institute

The Heifetz International Music Institute educates young musicians in their artistic growth and treats the community to a variety of world-class listening opportunities. After a year of online programming and virtual concerts during Covid, Heifetz will perform live music again as part of its Ensemble in Residence concert series.

Sunspots Studio & Glassblowing

You don’t have a Sunspots glass ornament hanging in your window or on your Christmas tree yet? Don’t worry. Not only can you purchase glass art, glassware, vases, and jewelry at Sunspots Studios & Glassblowing, you can make yourself comfortable in the onsite studio and watch the artists making the art. The live demonstrations happen every day, and the artists will explain what they’re doing in each step of the blowing, coloring, and shaping process. Once the glass cools, you can come back and take it home with you!

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Artmobile

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Artmobile travels around Virginia carrying selections from the VMFA collection to share with visitors. As visitors view the art, they’ll actually be connected with museum educators via Wi-Fi, so they can get a real-time lesson!  If you miss your chance to see the artmobile in Staunton, you can catch it at Waynesboro’s Fall Foliage Art Show.

Murals

Make time to walk down West Beverley to the corner of North Central Avenue to visit the “You Belong Here” mural. Painted in 2019, by Charlottesville artist Christy Baker, this colorful painting covers the entire side of a building with its welcoming message and Shenandoah Valley imagery of cardinals and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Nearby Waynesboro also boasts murals along its Street Arts Trail. More than a dozen interesting and beautiful works have been created during the annual Street Arts Festival.

Giant Metal Sculptures

You can’t miss the giant watering can as you turn under the railroad tracks and head into Staunton’s downtown, but did you know you can find more giant metal sculptures if you know where to look? Ferguson Metal Fabrication created carbon steel flower pots, nuts, books, eyeglasses, crutches, and shoes for the city and area businesses, and they bring a surprising touch of whimsy to the urban landscape.

Oak Grove Theatre and ShenanArts

Staunton is home to two community theaters that, in normal years, offer robust schedules and a chance to enjoy lots of local talent. Oak Grove continues to offer virtual programming and hopes to resume some of its outdoor productions this summer for its 68th season. Each year ShenanArts produces an ambitious schedule of plays and musicals by and for participants of all ages, always striving for material that appeals to the broad tastes of the community, to promote a culture of excellence and inclusion.

Shops Offering Handmade and Fair Trade Crafts

The Potter’s Daughter Studio is home to both a pottery and painting studio and Concepts Creative constructs custom furniture out of reclaimed wood and other materials.

If you’re looking for handmade and fair trade crafts, clothing, art, and jewelry by both domestic and foreign artists, make sure to visit Harmony Moon, Latitudes, Blair Made, and Made; By the People, For the People. The Sparrow’s Nest and Medieval Fantasies both carry cool, handmade products.

Check Off These Bucket List Items in Staunton, VA

We’ve rounded up Staunton-area bucket list ideas to brighten up your year. Read on to live your best life.

Walk Under a Mountain

The 2.25-mile Claudius Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel trail has just opened for foot and bike traffic. At just under a mile, the tunnel was the longest railroad tunnel in North America when it was completed in 1858. Part spooky, part history lesson, part invigorating and just plain dark, the tunnel stays a temperate 50 degrees, so it’s a good way to get outside even on the hottest and coldest days. Make sure you bring your strongest flashlight and look for subterranean creatures like crawfish and salamanders.

Complete Your Beerwerks Passport

Need some motivation to get more beer in your life? Grab a Shenandoah Valley Beerwerks passport and taste your way through the best craft beer the Shenandoah Valley has to offer. Many breweries are located in Rockingham, Augusta, and Lexington/Rockbridge Counties, making Staunton an enviable jumping off point. You’ll enjoy taproom vibes that range from homey, to cool industrial, to alfresco with bucolic views. Get your passport stamped at 8 breweries and earn yourself a free t-shirt!

Enjoy a Spa Day

Feeling stressed and ready for some major relaxation? This is the time to book a spa day at the new spa at the Blackburn Inn. Choose from massage, skincare treatments, nail treatments, or go crazy and indulge in all of the above! Want to pamper yourself even more? Buy yourself a cute new outfit at Design@9 or the Fashion Gallery, where you can browse 25,000 square feet of high quality clothes, shoes, and accessories.

Better Yourself by Learning Something New

Beverley Street Studio School offers “year-round, non-degree, college-level art classes to the serious art student.” The public can register for classes, lectures, and workshops that are being delivered via Zoom as well as in person. Spring offerings include watercolor, art as exploration, and more. If you’re not ready to take a class just yet, get inspired by their gallery, which shares space with Co-Art Gallery at 22 W. Beverley Street. If you’d rather learn a skill that keeps you outside and active. Sign up for some private golf lessons or instructional clinics with the golf pro at Gypsy Hill Golf Club.

Kayak Through a Whitewater Gorge

Does racing whitewater make your heart thrill? Rack your kayak and head to Goshen Pass for six miles of powerful class II, class III, and class IV rapids. The gorge was created as the Maury River cut through Little North Mountain and the water that courses through is considered some of the best whitewater for intermediate paddlers in Virginia.

Take that Hot Air Balloon Ride You’ve Always Promised Her

Picture gliding smoothly through the air, gazing down as the Valley spreads out like a map below you. Enjoy the sunrise or sunset with up to three of your favorite people. Bridgewater’s Star Ballooning takes photos, provides champagne toasts, and can even arrange a special proposal flight, should the mood strike you.

Spend the Night in Lodgings with a History

Much of Staunton’s downtown dates from the Victorian Era, and there are several places to rest your head that date back 100 years or more. Travelers can choose between Hotel 24 South, which was where society ladies went to drink their tea in the early 1900s, or historic homes that have been re-envisioned as B&Bs. Travelers will also enjoy the luxurious Blackburn Inn, which has an institutional past, but is now an updated inn and spa, or Gibson’s Warehouse, which started its life as a warehouse that stored goods as they came off the train, but is now modern suites.

Go on a Wildlife Safari

You don’t have to travel to Africa to take your kids on safari. Virginia’s only drive-thru safari, Virginia Safari Park, is just a short drive down the highway in Natural Bridge. The 180-acre property includes three miles of gravel road through animal habitat. You can drive with your windows down and the animals will stick their heads into your car for feed. There’s also a walk-through section where you can see giraffes, tigers, penguins, birds, and farm animals. If you’re looking for an even rarer experience, sign up to spend a Saturday with a pair of cheetahs, penguins, or sloths and their handlers. You’ll learn how the animal-care specialists feed and interact with them.

Eat an Entire Cake…or Quiche…or Pie all by Yourself

You know you’ve always wanted to do it. Take that first delicious bite and keep on eating until it’s gone. Well, maybe you are capable of restraint, but you won’t want to after you taste a cake from Giancarlo Fine European Pastry. This tiny shop is tucked away, but once you discover it, you’ll return again and again for cakes, chocolates and tarts. Check Facebook for a taste of what’s available. Réunion Bakery & Espresso serves pastries, breads, and if you’re lucky, quiche. You can check out what they’re baking on Facebook and order at the window. And if pie is your weakness, Firkin Pie Company has something in the oven right now that will make you swoon.

Pretend to Be in a Movie

Parts of several major motion pictures were shot in Staunton! Step one is to watch the movie and try to spot Staunton. Watch the Civil War come to life in Gods and Generals or Wicked Spring. Get spooked on Sears Hill after watching Hearts in Atlantis or giggle along with Evan Almighty. Step two is to head to the location and snap your selfie there.  Explore the area while you’re there!

Mill Creek | More than just a creek…

LET’S TALK ABOUT NARROWS…

A little, rural town of a less than 2,000 residents, Narrows, Virginia is quite possibly the epi-center of easy-to-access, family friendly outdoor adventures. We’ll walk you through some prime examples of how to spend some time basking in the great outdoors…

 

We start at Mill Creek Nature Park. Truthfully you could spend all day at Mill Creek Nature Park and be quite content. The options available to you are extensive. Mill Creek Nature Park is owned and managed by the Town. It’s free to access, but it never hurts to put a few dollars in the donation box to help offset the costs and maintenance of the park.

 

Photo credit: Aspires Marketing

Getting to Mill Creek is straight forward, but a little tricky. Coming via Route 460, at the Narrows stoplight, turn off 460 and head towards downtown. Coming this way, you’ll find options if you want to stop to pick up supplies or snacks. Once in Narrows you’ll turn left onto Main Street. In approximately one and a half miles turn right onto Northview Street. It’s important to note this is residential area and the road can be narrow, so be careful but you’ll find the entrance to Mill Creek at the end of Northview. The asphalt gives way to a gravel road that passes between a garage and house, go on through and follow the gravel road to the ample parking (and donation box) at the end.

 

Seriously you could spend all day enjoying the picnic shelters and easy creek access within minutes of the parking lot. A favorite of mine is just below the first shelter at the creek, you’ll find two spots where you can get right down to the water. The water is cold, beware! There are benches along this section of trail and you’ll see signs for other trails throughout the property. I could spend a good chunk of the day enjoying the sounds of water, reading a book, with my toes in the water.

 

 

Trout fishing is excellent in this little stream. Native species abound for fly or bank fishing. Don’t forget your license that can be purchased online or a local shop that sells gear. Other wildlife I’ve seen in these lower fields include deer and wild turkeys. I’ve also seen brown snakes and water snakes near the water, but not to worry, this is their home and they’re just hanging out.

Starting up the waterfall trail you’ll follow an old road, but still hear the sounds of the rolling mountain creek. Then you’ll come to a very unique spot that also could make a perfect picnic location. They’ve built a sleeping shelter, because you’re on a spur trail off of the Appalachian Trail. Narrows is an AT Community and sees many hikers every year, either hiking the AT or the GET, Great Eastern Trail, of which both parallel near Narrows. You’ll also notice here that the water pools up behind a stone wall. In the olden days, this creek along with this reservoir provided all the water to town residents. The structure holding back the water is thought to be the oldest surviving engineered structure in Giles County. Again, the water is very cold, but some people have been know to take a dip in these mountain waters. You’re welcome to do so, but burrrrr.

From here you have a lot of options to traverse the mountain. If you’re a family of mountain bikers, then you’ve found a great spot! Trails with single track crisscross the landscape providing fairly challenging treks and switchbacks.

 

 

If you’d rather go on foot, I highly recommend the waterfall trail, because as the name suggests there’s a waterfall to enjoy! It’s only a 1.3 mile hike (overall about 3 miles parking lot out and back). From the reservoir follow trail markers to the Waterfall Trail. It’s considered a moderate trail, because you do have to navigate over rock outcrops and the trail becomes very narrow in spots as you go up the gorge. At one point, before the falls, you’ll also have to cross a branch that meanders down to the creek on a wooden single bridge. It’s beautiful and a work of art if you ask us…

 

man walking on bridge in woods

The waterfalls at Mill Creek are just that, multiple opportunities to take in the spectacular scenery. Some have even been known to take a picnic up to the falls. Between the upper and lower falls there is a nice flat rock you can sit between and enjoy a break or snack. The falls are in a gorge and from the trail you’ll have a few yards down a steep slope to get to this in between area, but completely doable, and worth it!

 

Going beyond the falls you can hike all the way up to Sentinel Point. On a clear day this viewpoint of the Town of Narrows is amazing. The last quarter mile is steep and challenging, but overall the hike is gentle sloping through hardwood forests.

 

scenic view with river and mountains

Finding native wild flowers or fungi is as easy as looking down and around you. There’s a Shortcut Trail that I like to take on the way back, take the long way going up…

One of my other favorite spots is crossing over Mill Creek just before the Shortcut Trail. The rhododendron thicket provides unusual lighting and the illusion of a secret spot along the trail. It’s pretty flat here and when it’s been rainy this could be muddy and difficult to cross, but when it’s not, it’s a really neat spot tucked away up in the hills.

Well, we said we’d talk about Narrows, but I’ve only talked about Mill Creek. We’ll have to save the rest of the fun stuff for another day. You can learn more about Mill Creek on the Town’s website http://townofnarrows.org/. Check out the other waterfall hikes in Giles on our website, including Dismal and Cascades,  https://virginiasmtnplayground.com/dismal-falls/.

If you and your family take advantage of Mill Creek or other trails throughout Giles be sure to check in on Facebook or Instagram. Use #GilesCoVA for us to share your adventures. Stay safe and have fun in Virginia’s Mountain Playground!

 

 

Laurel Highlands Fall Checklist

The trees are turning colors and the leaves are slowly falling. Fall is here! That means it is now perfectly acceptable to wear sweaters and eat and drink everything pumpkin flavored, right? We know that fall brings a ton of festivals, events, activities, and views, and we don’t want you to miss a thing. Start your fall checklist today!

Complete the Limited Time Laurel Highlands Pour Tour Passport: Boos & Brews!

Boos & Brews

If you’re a fan of fall-themed beverages, the Laurel Highlands Pour Tour launched an exclusive fall tour right up your alley: Boos & Brews! The tour runs until Nov. 30, so get sippin’! Download the free Laurel Highlands Pour Tour app and check-in at 18 of our 40+ locations, and we’ll mail you an exclusive Boos & Brews t-shirt!

Visit Frightening Haunted Attractions

Haunted Hills Estate 2021 Schedule

The Laurel Highlands is a prime spot for hair-raising Halloween horror. At Haunted Hollow, take a haunted hayride to the Toxic Wasteland, make your way through the Milford Asylum and try to find your way out of the escape room. Try and survive a trip to Crawford School of Terror, where the only lesson on the curriculum is FEAR. Cap off your haunted experience with a spooky night’s stay at the Grand Midway Hotel, whose roof is one giant Ouija Board.

Or Celebrate a Family-Friendly Halloween

Hallowboo - Trick or Treat

Do not fret, there are family-friendly alternatives to the scary Halloween activities! Plan a day at Maple Bottom Farm and navigate through the corn maze, go on a hayride, and watch a movie on the barn. Put on your Halloween costume and spend a Night at the Zoo at Living Treasures Wild Animal Park, where you’ll see more than 50 active nocturnal animals along torchlit paths. And don’t forget to stop at Idlewild‘s Hallowboo! for trick-or-treating through Storybook Forest!

Visit Frank Lloyd Wright‘s Masterpieces

fall fallingwater

Four of Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs stand in the Laurel Highlands, and the fall is the perfect season to see them thanks to the beautiful foliage! Check something off of your bucket list and reserve a tour of Fallingwater. Less than ten miles away, you can visit the mountain home, Kentuck Knob, which features an art collection and sculpture garden. Planning on staying in the Laurel Highlands? There are two Frank Lloyd Wright houses open for overnight stays in the region: Duncan House and Mäntylä, both onsite at Polymath Park.

Discover the Wonders of the Laurel Highlands

Hiking

If you’re about that outdoors life, the Laurel Highlands is the place for you. There are more than 700 miles of hiking and biking trails in the Laurel Highlands. From the Great Allegheny Passage to the Meadow Run Trail in Ohiopyle State Park, you’re guaranteed to find a trail that is your pace.

Stay at Buffalo Bill’s House from The Silence of the Lambs

Buffalo Bill's House

If you’re a horror movie fan, you’ve seen “The Silence of the Lambs.” But did you know that there’s a filming location from the movie right in your backyard? For the first time ever, Buffalo Bill’s House in Perryopolis is open to the public as a boutique accommodation and cinematic destination. Perfect for spooky season!

Be sure to use #LaurelHighlands when you post photos from your fall adventures to be featured on social media, on our website, and more!

Get in the “Spirit” in the Mid-Atlantic: Ghostly Brews

Lexington VA Ghost Tours


(Mid-Atlantic Region, October 1, 2021) — Destinations across Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia feature some of the best craft beverage businesses in the country. What better way to celebrate local haunts than with a pint in your hand? We’ve rounded up places around the Mid-Atlantic region that are getting into the “spirit” of Halloween with a micro-itinerary that includes both a local brewery or distillery and haunted place that is sure to be high on your spooky road trip bucket list.

For more information on any of the following, contact the destination marketing organization listed below. For general information on the Mid-Atlantic, visit MATPRA.org.

Delaware

Wilmington, Delaware and the Brandywine Valley
Featured on “Ghost Hunters,” the 1800s-era Rockwood Mansion gives off gothic vibes. Remnants of an old playhouse on the property once belonged to a young boy who continues to haunt his childhood home. If you dare, grab a ticket to Rockwood’s Paranormal Investigation. Afterward, head to Bellefonte Brewing Company nearby for a Halloween appropriate pint of Claymonster. Greater Wilmington Convention and Visitors Bureau, Jen Boes, VisitWilmingtonDE.com, [email protected]

Maryland

State of Maryland
The C&O Canal Experience offers some of the best brews (and boos) in the region. Travel along the C&O Canal Libations Trail for brews dedicated to the C&O Canal and then check out a few of the region’s ghost tours for a spooky good time. State of Maryland, Matthew Scales, VisitMaryland.org, [email protected]

Allegany County
Grab your flashlight and hike or bike through the Paw Paw Tunnel, an architectural marvel located along the historic C&O Canal towpath. Reward your bravery with a gulp of Douglas’ Ditch beer, which honors the canal and is available at Dig Deep Brewing, located close to the trail. Allegany County, The Mountain Side of Maryland, Mindy Bianca, MDMountainside.com, [email protected]

Annapolis & Anne Arundel County
Grab a cold brew from Forward Brewing Company, Crooked Crab Brewing Company, Pherm Brewing, and more before exploring dark alleys, spooky side streets, and haunted sites of historic Annapolis on a Historic Hauntings or Annapolis Ghost Tour. If you dare, follow a spirited guide on a haunted pub crawl. Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County, Susan Seifried, VisitAnnapolis.org, [email protected]

Calvert County
Maryland’s smallest county plays a big role when it comes to the fine art of fermentation. Roam the Calvert County Wine & Ale Trail and sample superb wines and brews in a restored tobacco barn, on the slopes of a rolling vineyard or along the banks of a pristine creek. Calvert County Department of Economic Development, Hilary Dailey, ChooseCalvert.com, [email protected]

Charles County
Get into the Halloween spirit with a visit to Charles County and Blue Dyer Distilling Co. Stop in for a Smoked Old Fashion made with Blue Dyer Whiskey and take a tour of this newly renovated industrial space and learn how it’s all made. Sit back with friends and sip your libations while you snack on smoked chicken nachos from the Chuckwagon Food Truck in the Scratch Bar. Charles County Government, Department of Recreation, Parks, & Tourism, Maggie Boyden, ExploreCharlesCounty.com, [email protected]

Hagerstown, Washington County
Get spooky with a ghost tour of the Hager House, then go grab an adult beverage at one of the breweries or distilleries, found in our online Grapes & Grains Guide. All are locally crafted, with excellence. Visit Hagerstown, Betsy DeVore, VisitHagerstown.com, [email protected]

Howard County
Visit Historic Ellicott City & Historic Savage Mill, some of the country’s most haunted places. Tour the historic mill town’s paranormal activity and unlock the spirit at Ellicott Distillery. Enjoy rounds of hops and storytelling. Howard County, Maryland is filled with stories that will sure knock your boots off. Visit Howard County, Crystal Abrom, VisitHowardCounty.com, [email protected]

Montgomery County
Did you know that portions of the 1999 film “The Blair Witch Project” were filmed in Montgomery County, Maryland? Spend the afternoon exploring Seneca Creek State Park (aka Blair Witch Woods) and then enjoy a pint from a local farm brewery in the Agricultural Reserve along the Tastemakers Trail. Visit Montgomery, MD, Cory Van Horn, VisitMontgomery.com, [email protected]

Talbot County
Talbot County celebrates the bounty of fall with OysterFest on Oct. 30 at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels. Savor Chesapeake Bay wild and aquaculture oysters served steamed, raw, fried, and grilled. Lyon Rum Distilling Company will serve a specialty rum cocktail, plus oyster shooters and Chesapeake-style Bloody Marys. Talbot County Office of Economic Development and Tourism, Krista Boothby, TourTalbot.org, [email protected]

Pennsylvania

Bradford County
Learn the tales of ghoulish hangings that took place in the very prison courtyard where you begin your tour of the Bradford County Historical Society Museum before visiting some of the county’s popular tasting spots like Grovedale Winery, Antler Ridge Winery and Pickering Winery to sample the area’s seasonal favorites. Bradford County Tourism Promotion Agency, Morgan Christopher, VisitBradfordCounty.com, [email protected]

Columbia-Montour
Spooky tales abound about Katy’s Church in Washingtonville, Pennsylvania. According to legend, the ghost of Katy Vandine is sometimes seen near the church, crying for the married man who betrayed her. Afterward, visit Old Forge and Rock God Brewing Companies to enjoy seasonal fall brews and settle those ghostly jitters. Columbia-Montour Visitors Bureau, Linda Sones, ITourColumbiaMontour.com, [email protected]

Erie
Join us in October for Haunted History Tours of Union Station at The Brewerie-Erie PA. What lies beneath the halls of Union Station? There have been dozens of tragic and untimely deaths in and around the station throughout its long history. Strange and unexplainable things happen regularly at Union Station. Sign up for this 60-minute tour and sample an Apparition Amber Ale. VisitErie, Christine Temple, Brewerie.com, [email protected]

Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau
There’s a trick to visiting the Endless Mountains this October. Tantalize your taste buds with a spook-tacular treat from Deep Roots Hard Cider to sample beverages crafted with locally grown apples from Millers Orchard, then head to Chocolates by Leopold for ghoulishly delicious Halloween treats from this award-winning confectioner. Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau, Morgan Christopher, EndlessMountains.org, [email protected]

Lancaster County
Get your October brew and fright all in one place in Lancaster County at Bube’s Brewery in Mount Joy, which offers regular ghost tours, murder mystery dinner theater, and paranormal investigations. It is the only 1800s brewery complex still intact in the U.S. Discover Lancaster, Joel Cliff, DiscoverLancaster.com, [email protected]

Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, has many “spook-tacular” attractions. Taste the nation’s original spirit, Applejack, at Eight Oaks Farm Distillery and see historic hauntings from the 18th century up close on a thrilling ghost tour in Bethlehem. Finally, spend the night at Historic Hotel Bethlehem that claims ghosts as guests. Discover Lehigh Valley, Alicia Quinn, DiscoverLehighValley.com/Fall, [email protected]

Pocono Mountains
Here & Now Brewing Company on Main Street in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, has amazing craft beers and local, seasonal, whimsical pizzas and other delicious items. It’s just down the street from Ghost Tours planned for Oct. 9 and 10, which leave from Central Park and take a candlelight walking tour of the historic and spooky past. Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau, James Hamill, PoconoMountains.com, [email protected]

Potter County – Tioga County
Flying saucers, UFOs, and extraterrestrial beings have long captured the imagination of sci-fi movie fans. After a craft brew at the Hotel Crittenden in Coudersport, let your imagination run wild by viewing the dark skies from one of the best spots in North America to see them — Cherry Springs State Park. Visit Potter-Tioga, Morgan Christopher, VisitPotterTioga.com, [email protected]

Virginia

Harrisonburg
Experience Haunted Harrisonburg this October, from the haunted 18th century manor house at By the Side of the Road Getaway Lodging to the Virginia Quilt Museum’s reported ghost of Joseph Latimer. End the evening at Sage Bird Cider’s spooky movie night. Harrisonburg Tourism & Visitor Services, Jennifer Bell, VisitHarrisonburgVA.com, [email protected]

Lexington & Rockbridge
Cauldrons of small-batch brews swirl at Heliotrope Brewery, a stop on the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail. After some liquid courage, join the Haunting Tales Ghost Tours on an eerie candlelight walk of the dark alleyways of downtown Lexington. Witness something unexplainable at the Oak Grove Cemetery, the final resting place of General Jackson. Lexington & Rockbridge Area Tourism, Patty Williams, LexingtonVirginia.com, [email protected]

Norfolk
Experience an October like no other in Norfolk. Sip your way through Town Point Virginia Wine Festival as you take in the waterside views or bring the family to enjoy the Annual Children’s Festival. Art lovers will not want to miss the NEON Festival or the Museum of the Moon. VisitNorfolk, Sarah Hughes, VisitNorfolk.com, [email protected]

Prince William County
There are tales of the parlor piano playing on its own as well as sightings of Benoni, who guided the home’s restoration in the 1800s. A glass of wine sits out in the Tasting Room for his ghost each day to ensure no mysterious phenomena occurs while open to the public. Visit Prince William, Virginia, Nicole Warner, WineryAtLaGrange.com/about/history/, [email protected]

Staunton
Join us for Dark Tales & Haunts of the Queen City. Visit Blackburn Inn to walk the grounds of what once was known as Western State Asylum and then hear the spirits at Thornrose Cemetery. Grab a fall brew like Moriarty or Sweet Potato Pie Porter at Redbeard Brewing Company. Staunton, VA, Jessica Williams, VisitStaunton.com, [email protected]

Virginia’s Blue Ridge
Set against the vibrant backdrop of Virginia’s Blue Ridge mountains, Downtown Salem is the perfect place to uncover spirits of all sorts. Tour centuries-old cemeteries with the Salem Museum, sip craft spirits in a historically renovated taproom at Olde Salem Brewing Company, or browse endless antiques along Main Street shops. Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge, Taylor Spellman, VisitVBR.com, [email protected]

West Virginia

Hampshire County
Located in one of West Virginia’s oldest counties within one of the state’s largest organic farms is veteran-owned Flying Buck Distillery. During this Halloween season, you can enjoy tasting their spirits before seeing ghosts and goblins at House of the Setting Sun and the Haunted Barn. Hampshire County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Tina Ladd, ComeToHampshire.com, [email protected]

Take a look at images from across the Mid-Atlantic. Please be sure to provide photo credit to the appropriate DMO.

 

About the Mid-Atlantic Tourism Public Relations Alliance
The Mid-Atlantic Tourism Public Relations Alliance (MATPRA) is a cohesive unit of regional tourism partners encompassing Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The group serves travel journalists by creating a regional resource that ignores geographical boundaries to better promote common threads, offering story ideas about the Mid-Atlantic region as a whole. For more information, visit MATPRA.org.