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Whether you're interested in an educational outing or you're showing out-of-town guests around the area, museums are a great way to spend a few hours or the whole day. And Red Lion, Pa., is within easy driving distance of many excellent options. more 1. The Hershey Story Museum As its name implies, The Hershey Story Museum tells the story of Milton S. Hershey, the entrepreneur behind one of America's best-known chocolate companies. This museum, located at 63 West Chocolate Avenue in Hershey, offers permanent displays and interactive exhibits. Don't miss the Chocolate Lab, where you can try your hand at chocolate pouring and decorating. The Hershey Story Museum is about a one-hour drive from Red Lion. 2. Maryland Science Center Between exhibits, a planetarium, an IMAX theater, and special programs designed for both adults and children, the Maryland Science Center offers something for everyone. Be sure to stop by the Demo Stage, where experiments and demonstrations on a range of topics take place throughout the day. Located in Baltimore's Inner Harbor at 601 Light Street, the Maryland Science Center is a one-hour drive from Red Lion. The Maryland Science Center offers validated parking rates at three different nearby garages. The rear backup camera in your Jeep Grand Cherokee will make parking in the garage a breeze. 3. Winterthur For something a little different, head to northern Delaware and check out Winterthur, which offers both a decorative arts museum and an expansive garden. The garden has nearly 1,000 acres that can be explored on foot or, during certain times of the year, by narrated tram ride. An onsite library features rare books, manuscripts, and original works of art and is open by appointment. Located at 5101 Kennett Pike in the Delaware community of Winterthur, this museum is a 90-minute drive from Red Lion. It's easy to spend a full day at Winterthur. The cafe offers sandwiches, wraps, and salads, and guests are also welcome to bring a picnic to enjoy on the grounds. 4. The Franklin Institute Situated in the heart of Philadelphia, The Franklin Institute offers exhibits on everything from electricity and space exploration to the human brain. There's an on-site Tech Studio where you can test your engineering abilities, and you'll want to be sure to check out the Benjamin Franklin National Memorial in the rotunda. The Franklin Institute also houses a planetarium and an observatory. Located at 222 North 20th St in Philadelphia, The Franklin Institute is a nearly two-hour drive from Red Lion. With so many wonderful facilities within driving distance, you've probably got some day trips in your future. You'll want to have a safe and comfortable set of wheels on hand. Head to Thornton Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram and pick out your next car or truck today!

York County has a variety of interesting venues where you can enjoy live entertainment, from rock music to theater performances. Here are some of the greatest places for live performances in the area. DreamWrights DreamWrights in York offers camps, classes, and full-scale productions of timeless favorites for kids and adults. Future plays for 2020 include “Pippi Longstocking,” “West Side Story: School Edition,” “Shrek: The Musical,” and “Marvin's Room.”  Volunteers are welcome, and kids and adults can learn what plays are like behind the scenes. The Eichelberger Performing Arts Center This place is in Hanover, about half an hour away from York. The building is over 100 years old, and it's on the National Register of Historic Places. You can see popular comedy shows, cover bands, magic shows, ballets, and more at this interesting venue. more The Appell Center for the Performing Arts The Appell Center for the Performing Arts in York has two historic theaters: the 1,262-seat Strand Theatre and the 450-seat Capitol Theatre. They show symphonies, comedy shows, classic movies, jazz music, and more. The box office opens two hours before live performances and one hour before films. You can also get tickets in the mail or print them at home. This place is named for Louis Appell Jr., the philanthropist who started to revive the Strand and Capitol Theatres in the 1970s. The Strand and the Capitol Theatre lobbies both offer concessions, including soda, snacks, water, a full bar, and coffee. However, no outside food or drinks are allowed. The coat check room of The Strand Theatre offers assisted listening devices, and you can get a sign language interpreter with at least two weeks of notice. Coat checking is complimentary, and child booster seats are available. Parking is free at all downtown parking garages after 5 p.m. on weekdays and all day on weekends. The Stage the Page program for kindergarteners, first graders, and second graders donates a different book to local classrooms every year. Then, students are invited to see a live production of the story from the book. Classes for William Penn High School students include acting, playwriting, stage management, dance, and technical theatre. The students produce a fall and a spring musical every year. Note Bistro & Wine Bar This gourmet restaurant often hosts live shows by popular musicians. You should buy tickets early since these shows sell out often. The American Music Theatre The American Music Theatre seats 1,600 people, and it's in Lancaster, about 40 minutes away from York. It hosts more than 300 live performances per year, including shows from celebrities and original productions. The concession stand offers soda, juice, water, coffee, candy bars, tea, popcorn, and soft pretzels. You can also bring your own snacks. AMT members can get 20% off concessions, and there's a gift shop with a variety of interesting items. By enjoying a live show, you can learn more about local culture and have fun with friends or family members. You can also support local artists and find out more about live performances.   Image via Pixabay

As summer approaches, look no further than downtown York, Pennsylvania, for a full roster of cultural and music events. From annual festivals to holiday celebrations, take advantage of the summer weather with these exciting happenings. Gusa World Music Festival The Gusa World Music Festival is an annual event where the program organizers firmly believe in the power of music as a bridge between communities. The festival is a two-day event when families and children can come together to enjoy musical and cultural performances from around the globe alongside their fellow York neighbors. This year's festival will be held at Peoplesbank Park on June 7 and 8 and will feature more than a dozen performances by marching bands, dance groups, soloists, and other world music performers. While the admission prices have not yet been announced, the Gusa World Music Festival will generously donate a portion of the earnings to the York chapter of Girls on the Run, a non-profit organization that motivates and empowers school-age girls. more Yorkfest Fine Arts Festival One of York's most popular events, the Yorkfest Fine Arts Festival is the region's premier fine arts festival. Featuring the works of over 100 fine artists from around the country, the festival will run this year on August 24 and 25, with an opening reception on Friday, August 23. All events at Yorkfest are free and open to the public. Yorkfest is held in downtown York in and around the Colonial Complex and along the York County Heritage Rail Trail between Princess and Philadelphia Streets. In addition to the artists' works on display, Yorkfest is a destination for food and drinks, children's activities, and art and literary competitions for kids and adults. Don't miss the Historic Codorus Creek Boat Parade or the community mural project which invites visitors to participate in the creation of a communal work of art. Loomis Brothers "Circus Traditions Tour" The Loomis Brothers are coming back to York for another exciting run of this premier traveling circus. The circus features such exciting attractions as the Mighty Loomis Brothers Circus Performing Elephants, the Loomis Brothers Performing Ponies, and the thrilling Motorcycle Globe of Death. The Windy City Acrobats will be making their first appearance to this event in 2019, and there will also be many other new and thrilling performances. The Loomis Brothers Circus will take over the York Expo Arena for four performances May 8 and 9. Tickets are $20 for adults, which also includes admission for up to two children between the ages of 2 and 12, and $8 for each additional child ages 2 to 12. Children under the age of 2 are admitted free of charge. York Fair Often called America's First Fair, the York Fair was first held in 1765 and continues to delight visitors to this day. Today's fair is chock full of rides, fun treats, games, and lots of other fun surprises. This year's fair features an amazing entertainment lineup with stars like Brad Paisley and the Charlie Daniels Band. The York Fair runs from September 6 through 15 at the York Fairgrounds. Admission for adults is $8 and children under 5 years old are free. Children and teens ages 6 through 18 and college students with ID are $4, and a pass for the entire fair is $75.