Last Updated on March 3, 2026 by Fadra Nally
If you’ve been here before, you know I love discovering small towns and areas like Lebanon Valley, Pennsylvania. But I also like to deliver my thoughts with a healthy dose of honesty. So here goes.
The good folks at Visit Lebanon Valley invited me for an overnight stay in this region of Pennsylvania – just east of Harrisburg, northwest of Philadelphia, and due north of Baltimore. It’s easily a long day trip or perfect for a weekend getaway if you live nearby.
When I told nearby friends I was headed to Lebanon Valley, the response was, “To do what?” Turns out, there’s a lot more here than most people realize.
This region includes areas like downtown Lebanon but also nearby areas like Palmyra, Myerstown, Cornwall, and Stevens – each offering something unique to see.
If you’re local, you might not always see what’s right in your own backyard. And with a little planning, we had an amazing two day trip exploring the region, focused on what it’s historically known for and the new things that are popping up.
Here are the 9 surprising things to discover in Lebanon Valley, PA (in the order that we did them because it was such a great itinerary!).
1. Enjoy the Seltzer’s Smokehouse Lebanon Bologna
Even my friends way down in North Carolina know about Lebanon Bologna. What they didn’t know is how to say it.
It’s Leh-bah-nun Bah-lone-ya, NOT Le-bah-NON baloney.
And it’s not the pink stuff that you know from the deli counter. Seltzer’s Smokehouse is located in Palmyra, PA and offers a tour of the smokehouse with advanced reservations. Founded by one family in 1902, it now operates under the fourth generation of the family.
You’ll see where the meats are prepared and smoked – namely, 12 plywood smokehouses that hold 15,000 pounds at a time. Watching the staff expertly toss and hang the bologna for smoking was a sight in itself!
The facility produces 100,000 pounds of meat a week and once you taste what they produce, you’ll see why it’s an east coast fave.
By the way, it was my first time trying Lebanon bologna and the sweet was my fave!
🥩 Seltzer’s Smokehouse Meats
📍 209 N. Railroad St., Palmyra, PA
👉 Advance reservations required for tours
💡 Try the sweet bologna—it’s a regional favorite!
2. Forge some steel at Drunken Smithy
What better activity to follow smoking some meats than to go forge some steel, argh! It’s not a pirate shop but the name does refer to the fact that it’s a brewpub AND a place to forge things AND a place to throw axes.
Admittedly, I had my doubts when we pulled up to what looked like the mall that time forgot. We all know that shopping malls are definitely endangered but I absolutely loved the way Drunken Smithy has forged a space in this ailing mall.
We worked directly with a blacksmith who patiently taught my little girl arms how to heat a railroad spike, pound the crap out of it, and eventually forge it into whatever my heart could conjure up in our allotted time.
I’m not exactly sure what I made but I wouldn’t want to meet it in a dark alley. I would, however, want to bring my family back to make some cool knives. And it is a family affair. Ages 13 and up can participate and younger blacksmiths are welcome to explore a private session.
⚔️ Drunken Smithy
📍2236 Lebanon Valley Mall, Lebanon, PA 17042
👉 Check their calendar for available workshops
💡 Non-participants can spend time axe throwing!
3. Learn the history of Lebanon Valley
I’m not necessarily a history gal, unless it’s morbid or funny or interesting. I got a little bit of each at the Lebanon County Historical Society Tour.
This is a surprisingly huge museum for a little county history. I call it the TARDIS of museums – bigger on the inside than the outside (that’s a Doctor Who reference). The tiny little entrance doesn’t give up the floors and rooms full of local lore and history. (It was here that I learned about the infamous Blue Eyed Six!)
The only downside is that it’s currently by appointment only. But I guarantee, the young museum director who gave us a tour knows his stuff. It comes alive when you find someone passionate about the history.
🏢 Lebanon County Historical Society Tour
📍924 Cumberland St, Lebanon, PA 17042
👉 By appointment only
💡 Check out my favorite artifact – the iron cradle!
4. Explore the downtown shops
After learning about some of the local history, we got to experience some of it by walking through downtown Lebanon.
The Lebanon Farmer’s Market offers a variety of produce, candies, food, and goods when it’s open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Speaking of candies, you’ll definitely want to check out Wertz Candies, a homemade candy shop that’s been in business since 1931. I’m not a huge candy fan but I did get some gummy fruit slices and my favorite – caramel covered marshmallow!
5. Discover the secrets of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church of Lebanon
A local church isn’t normally where you think of for some local history but St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in downtown Lebanon is steeped in it! We had an after hours tour that included not just the architecture but some of the local historical gossip.
The original church was built onsite in 1863 (and still stands!) but the main church, built in Gothic Revival style, was started in 1879 and completed in 1880. Right around this time, Robert Habersham Coleman (whose great-grandfather had already established an iron dynasty in nearby Cornwall) married his wife Lillie. Shortly after their marriage, they embarked a six month European tour where Lillie fell ill and died of malaria.
She would never furnish their home or see the completed construction of the church. To honor her and serve as a memorial, Robert had Lillie’s body placed in the crypt under the church sanctuary. (He did eventually remarry and his new wife had Lillie moved somewhere else. Guess she didn’t want to be reminded every time she set foot in church!).
The church welcomes visitors and is always looking for donations to help maintain and preserve the history of this beautiful building.
⛪️ St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
📍22 South 6th Street, Lebanon, PA 17042
👉 Open during their Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday services
💡 Listen for the bells to chime every hour!
6. Enjoy some local brews at Snitz Creek Brewery Lebanon
It seems wrong to go to church and then drink beer but that’s exactly what we did. Within walking distance of St. Luke’s is one of three locations for the Snitz Creek Brewery.
Not only do they have great locally brewed beers but surprisingly great food! In fact, the chef even created a little beer and food tasting menu (Think beer doesn’t go with dessert? Think again!).
While we got some special treatment sitting out on the patio, ask the servers for some recommendations on both the beer and the food!
🍺 Snitz Creek Brewery
📍 7 North 9th Street, Lebanon, PA 17046
👉 Visit Lebanon, Annville, or Campbelltown locations
💡 Indulge in the Brisket Mac & Cheese
7. Go back in time with an Isaac Meier Homestead Class
Since this was a two day trip for me, the next morning started with a trip back in time to the Isaac Meier Homestead.
This is the kind of place that might have bored you to tears when you were a kid on a field trip back in elementary school. But the classes they offer actually bring history to life!
For our class, we learned how to spin wool into yarn on a Top Whorl Yarn Spinner. All that’s required is two hands and some gravity. I know I sound like I’m bragging here but it just clicked for me and I made the finest yarn out of anyone in the class (with me, of course, as the sole judge).
When we finished spinning the wool, we were able to dye our yarn with traditional dyes made from things like flowers and even beetle shells.
Because they are an all-volunteer nonprofit, check their Facebook page for when their next classes are offered.
🧶 Isaac Meier Homestead
📍 524 S College St, Myerstown, PA
👉 Available classes are listed on their Facebook page
💡 Classes available for kids in the summer too!
8. Pump some iron with the Cornwall Iron Furnace Tour
Remember when I mentioned Robert Habersham Coleman and his beautiful church? He was born a very wealthy man as the great-grandson of Robert Coleman, a local legend in ironmaking.
In the 1700s, the older Coleman learned the business of ironmaking and the timing was perfect. With the start of the Revolutionary War, he not only helped make a local furnace extremely profitable, but he purchased his own land and started the Cornwall Iron Furnace.
I’ve never been a big history buff but the iron furnace is the perfect intersection of history, science, and technology. A guided tour gives you everything you need to know to appreciate “the most intact and complete charcoal-fueled ironmaking complex found in America” and to see how far we’ve come.
You’ll never look at iron the same way!
🔥 Cornwall Iron Furnace
📍 94 Rexmont Rd, Cornwall, PA 17016
👉 Open Friday through Sunday, call ahead for tour reservation
💡 Check out the massive wheel in the center!
9. Watch the epic Snow Goose migration at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area
And finally, the real reason I was excited about this trip – the annual snow goose migration! I’m a complete bird nerd but I’d never witnessed a migration event. I was uncertain we’d even have a chance to see anything!
As I was driving from the Isaac Meier Homestead to the Cornwall Iron Furnace, I suddenly saw a large white flock off to the right of the road in a large field. It took everything in me not to immediate pull off the road and watch!
But good things come to those who wait and Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area was the perfect spot to observe this majestic event, which usually occurs from mid-February to late March.
Normally, you’d be able to wander all over the area and get close to the Middle Creek Reservoir where the snow geese flock. But because of an avian flu outbreak, visitors were required to keep distance from the flocks. With powerful binoculars, though, you won’t miss any of the action. It’s truly a sight to behold! (These Vortex HD binoculars are my favorite for birdwatching).
🪿 Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area
📍 100 Museum Rd, Stevens, PA 17578
👉 The area is generally open anytime but the visitor center has limited hours
💡 Be sure to bring your binoculars!
Are you surprised by any of the above activities? My friends that were originally wondering what I would do in Lebanon Valley found themselves taking notes on things they CAN do in Lebanon Valley.
Whether you’re a foodie, a history buff, or just love discovering quirky corners of America, Lebanon Valley is packed with surprises. What would you want to explore first? Let me know in the comments!
