Embrace Foliage, Food, and Festivals with a Long Fall Weekend Just Two Hours from Philly

Courtesy of Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau

Sometimes we need a break from our usual surroundings. It can be refreshing to explore new scenery and take a breather. Luckily, Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania offers the perfect escape just a two-hour drive away. With its impressive craft beverage scene, countless hiking trails, charming local shops, and breathtaking scenery, it’s the ideal destination for a long weekend. To help you make the most of your trip, we’ve compiled some suggestions for experiencing the best of what Cumberland Valley has to offer. Your weekend is calling.

Courtesy Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau

Drink Up

If you’re trying to see a lot of Cumberland Valley in a short amount of time, you can’t go wrong with traversing 30-plus locations along the Cumberland Valley Beer Trail. Take in the fresh fall air and taste the weekend with drinks from breweries like Molly Pitcher Brewing Co.  in Carlisle or imbibe some local spirits from Hook & Flask Still Works, which is run by two volunteer firefighters. Just a few blocks away, Grand Illusion Hard Cider features 15 Pennsylvania ciders, five beers, seven meads, and seven wines, as well as four non-alcoholic craft sodas. There’s also a food menu with gluten-free options, so you can embrace fall with some grub to go along with it. After a day of exploring, satisfy your appetite at more than 30 local restaurants in downtown Carlisle, spanning a variety of flavorful cuisines.  

The locations along the Cumberland Valley Beer Trail always impress with their year-round seasonal releases, but for many, fall is the best time to enjoy some fantastic pours. Plan to sample these enticing flavors as you pair breweries with some of the best spots to visit in Cumberland Valley.

Courtesy Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau

Shop for Your Next Obsession

There is so much to explore within the charming downtowns that encompass Cumberland Valley. In Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, and Carlisle, you can shop for souvenirs, a new statement piece for your home, or take away a classic antique. 

Carlisle Antique Mall is housed in a historic building with plenty of room for browsing restored items along with clothing, jewelry and more. Plus, local breweries and distilleries often partner with the mall for special events, so you can sip and shop at the same time. Bedford Street Antiques offers items from more than 100 different vendors in a building that once served as a place of worship for Civil War soldiers. Carlisle also has plenty of trendy shops — vintage-leaning Miss Ruth’s Time Bomb and indie store Whistlestop Bookshop are great options to take in some local flavor. 

In Camp Hill, boutiques like Little Black Dress and Meeka Fine Jewelry adorn the streets of the downtown. A coffee from cafe-shop hybrid One Good Woman while browsing in and out of stores is the perfect Camp Hill 1-2 punch.

And if you’re in Mechanicsburg, there’s Market and Main streets, where you’ll find vinyl records, out-there artwork, items tied to the Civil War and tons more.

Courtesy Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau

Explore the Great Outdoors

One of the many great perks of a long weekend in Cumberland Valley: Some of the best trails and views are just a short drive from the center of Cumberland Valley’s towns. You could be noshing on a pastry one minute and at the top of an overlook a few hours later. Even better: fall in Cumberland Valley is highlighted by vibrant colors everywhere you look. 

The Kings Gap Environmental Education Center, is about a 25-minute drive from downtown Carlisle. It’s an expansive location spanning more than 2,500 acres, with 25 miles of hiking trails for all skill levels and numerous overlooks for travelers looking to reconnect with nature. Pack a picnic and visit the Kings Gap Mansion located on the top of the mountain at the end of a scenic four-mile winding drive.

Hikers looking for a challenge, head to Flat Rock Trail in Colonel Denning State Park. While you might feel the burn walking up this steep and rocky trail, you’ll be rewarded with 180-degree views of Cumberland Valley that reflect the dazzling colors of fall.

Embrace the Season

When you think of fall, there’s probably a few things that come to mind — pumpkins, changing leaves, hay rides, and apple picking, to name a few. In Cumberland Valley, fall festivals like the Shippensburg Pumpkin Festival feature favorite fall activities like pumpkin carving, hay rides, live music, pie eating contests and more. Don’t miss the Fall Furnace Fest in Pine Grove Fall Furnace State Park, which features all the fall fixings including pumpkin carving, scarecrow making, and free hayrides! There’ll be entertainment and food vendors on hand, as well as historical demonstrations detailing blacksmithing and charcoal making.   

New for 2023, the Cumberland Valley Farm Fresh Trail is self-guided passport highlighting farmers’ markets, orchards and more along the Valley’s scenic backroads. Sample local produce, taste delicious baked goods, pick pumpkins or apples and find other diverse offerings that make Cumberland Valley truly special. Be sure to check-in at participating locations to earn points towards prizes.

What’s more, you can head out to one of the many farmers’ markets in Cumberland Valley for a number of fun activities including u-pick apples and pumpkins, hayrides, and corn mazes. Paulus Farm Market, just minutes from downtown Mechanicsburg, or Oak Grove Farms, on the outskirts of Mechanicsburg, are two great choices

Courtesy Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau

Snap a Pic for the Gram

Of course, during your trip to Cumberland Valley, you’ll want to scrapbook all the fun you’re getting up to for the gram. And since there’ll be no shortage of beautiful pictures to be taken throughout your getaway, you can be sure your friends will have major FOMO. Pole Steeple Trail offers stunning views outside of Pine Grove Furnace State Park, and is only a 3/4 mile hike. Or, visit Waggoner’s Gap, where those with a keen eye might just spot a golden eagle or raptor — Waggoner’s Gap has one of the highest concentrations of raptors in the U.S. —  amongst the vibrant fall foliage. 

For a more guided approach, check out the Instagram-Worthy Fall Foliage Locations. The ten-stop route creates a loop around the county that covers 102 miles of scenic roads brimming with the beautiful colors of Cumberland Valley’s fall foliage. When you post your photos, tag #FoundItinCV to share the gems you find along the way. 

For more information about planning your Weekend Easy getaway to Cumberland Valley, click here.