‘PA’ Articles at Sweetnicks

Visit: Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine {Ashland, PA}

August 28, 2020 · Narrative

A fun place to visit that is also educational is right up my alley. Let’s visit the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine in Ashland, Pennsylvania!

On a recent visit to Wellsboro, Pennsylvania (more on that coming soon), I was looking for fun things to do along the way home. I checked my favorite travel app, Roadside America, because it’s is a treasure trove of quirky things to do and see based on your current location, and that’s how I discovered the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine. Although we have visited coal mines for tours before (see Exhibit A), this one was a little different because you could take a ride through the coal mine in one of their coal buckets on a track. There is also a separate ticket you can buy for a ride on a steam locomotive train (we didn’t do that one because we got there too late to catch the last ride of the day).

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Visit: Grove’s Candies {Hershey, PA}

January 5, 2018 · Narrative

How can you visit Hershey, PA and not visit ALL THE CANDY STORES? That was exactly our thought as we walked into Grove’s Candies recently.

We spent two days in Hershey during Christmas break, and although I have been going to Hershey since I was a kid, during this trip, we did things that I (and my kids) have never done before, which made it exponentially more awesome. I just momentarily fell down the blogging rabbit hole … we used to go to Hershey semi-annually, but it seems we actually haven’t been since 2011! I promised Madeline we would go back this year when the weather warms up a bit. Although the theme park was open last week when we were there, the wind was making the cold weather almost unbearable.

Focusing on enjoying other attractions in Hershey is exactly how we found ourselves walking into Grove’s one afternoon last week. My friend had spied the brochure at the hotel we were staying at, and it was around the corner from another stop we made in the area, so, of course, we had to go.

It was easy to find, and is the bottom level of a small house right on East Chocolate Avenue (on street parking). As soon as we opened the door, we were greeted by a very friendly and talkative elderly woman who welcomed us right in. She was definitely up for visitors and was excited to explain every single candy item they make in the store. She has been making candy for over sixty years, and everything is made by her family and another family.

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Review: Fenicci’s Restaurant and Tavern, Hershey, PA

December 3, 2009 · Narrative

When we went to Hershey for the weekend back in October, our first stop after checking into the hotel was the Hershey Museum. Once we were done there, it was mid-afternoon, and we were beyond ready for lunch. The cafe in the museum was crazybusy, so we decided to make our escape and go elsewhere. And why not when there was a small pizza joint, Fenicci’s, just across the street? It was the perfect time for our tastebuds to bite into a slice of what PA pizza has to offer.

Although it doesn’t help on our quest to find the best pizza in New Jersey, it was a welcome respite from the rain and hunger pangs, and hey, what kid doesn’t perk up at the word “pizza?” The first thing that caught my eye on the menu was the mention of their “world famous” Upside Down Pizza. This particular pizza was the first pizza introduce to Hershey back in 1947, and at just under $11, it’s a reasonably priced choice.

When it arrived on the table, I have to say, we were all surprised. Surprised at what it looked like. When you hear “upside down pizza,” we were thinking the crust would be on the top. You know, upside down from what it normally is, right? Instead, what they mean is that the tomato sauce and the cheese are reversed. Maybe Topsy Turvy Pizza, but not so much on the upside down, you know? That being said, I loved the bite and tang it gave to have your mouth meet the tomato sauce first. This wouldn’t work if their tomato sauce was not up to par, but no worries here, it was. Full, deep, rich, and just plain good. The crust was ok, but not the slightly crispy kind that I like, and with the tomato sauce on top, this pizza doesn’t have big bubbles. But that’s ok. Just a different way to go, and sometimes different is welcome.

Along with the pizza, we also took the opportunity to try some of their appetizers, going with Crab Dip and Loaded French Fries for the table. The french fries, well, let’s just say we did all but lick the plate clean. That would have been wrong. Right? Loaded with two kinds of melted cheese, sweet peppers, red onions, and crispy bacon, it was then drizzled with Ranch dressing. Love that. A very generous serving for $5.95.

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