A Taste of Gettysburg: 3 Ways to Savor the Flavor of Adams County, PA

One of the reasons I love Gettysburg has absolutely nothing to do with the Civil War.

I appreciate the rich history of the area, but I’m perfectly happy to stay off the battlefields and savor the flavor of Adams County through a wide array of amazing food, agritourism and distinctly local experiences.

Here are three fabulous ways to get a taste of Gettysburg non-battlefield-style.

A Taste of Gettysburg – Three Ways to Savor the Flavor of Adams County, PA

My experiences were part of an Adams County press trip, but my opinions are my own. 

1. Get Poured on the Adams County Pour Tour (Self-guided)

Grab a Pour Tour passport and pick and choose which of the 14 craft wine, beer, cider and spirits stops on the Adams County Pour Trail you’d like to visit. There’s something for everyone’s sipping preferences, and traveling through the gorgeous rolling countryside between trail stops makes it even more of a treat. Pick up your free passport and map at the Destination Gettysburg Visitors Center or at any of the tour stops and collect the stamps for tiered Adams County Pour Tour prizes!

I visited a few of the trail locations (for research, of course) including Hauser Estate Winery where they’re making wine and cider – Jack’s Hard Cider, to be exact. If you like light, crisp and dry hard cider, you will love Jack’s. Excellent!

And the view from the outdoor terrace is killer.

Time your visit to Adam’s County Winery with dinner. Nab a table at the outdoor Terrace Bistro, order a wood-fired pizza and enjoy a free wine tasting (three samples).

Be sure to try their signature and award-winning Tears of Gettysburg. What a great name, right?

If you’re in the mood for a brew, try out Thirsty Farmer Brew Works. It was under construction when I visited, so I just got a sneak peek of an empty glass. Fill yours up and fill me in!

2. Take A Local Food Tour (Guided)

I recently wrote a post (go read it!) about the amazing Field to Fork Tour you can take through Savor Gettysburg Food Tours, and I highly recommend it. It was a culinary experience I’ll never forget. The company also offers several other food tours worth exploring: comfort food, historic downtown and holiday tastings.

3. Explore on Your Own

Red barns are a dime a dozen, but round barns are very rare, so you won’t want to miss stopping at the Historic Round Barn, a restored 1914 round (not polygonal) barn. Originally built to house and feed animals through a center silo, it has since been turned into a fabulous event space, and the lower level has been transformed into a farmer’s market with a bounty of fresh produce and locally made goodies.

Stop at the popular Hollabaugh Bros. Farm Market where there’s always something fun going on! There are festivals, cooking classes, scavenger hunts, u-pick hours, farm tours and more. You can even cut your own fresh flowers here.

Good luck leaving empty-handed! Their famous apple bread, apple dumplings and apple cider donuts are irresistible.

If you’re a hard cider enthusiast, the craft ciders Ben Wenk and family are making at Ploughman Cider will knock your socks off. Using specifically cultivated apples harvested at their multi-generational Three Springs Fruit Farm in Adams County, the ciders have wildly unique and complex flavor profiles.

They were unlike anything I’ve ever tasted –instant fan– and I went home with a bottle of all four of the ciders he had available at the time.

Located about 15 minutes outside of Gettysburg, and well worth the drive, you’ll find the Hickory Bridge Farm Restaurant inside a 165-year old restored historic barn.

Good old-fashioned home cooking is the name of the game at this restaurant where everything’s made from scratch and served family-style. They’re known for their crab imperial so that’s always served as one of the entrees.

Food is sourced locally (including from their own garden) as much as possible, and it’s absolutely delicious, so wear your stretchy pants. Keep in mind it’s only open on weekends.

Also on the property is a Bed & Breakfast and an old country store filled with vintage and vintage-inspired goodies. Step back in time, explore and do a little shopping.

If you love handcrafted pottery (and even if you don’t), you’ll still enjoy a visit to the studio of The Lion Potter. David and his wife not only create beautifully designed and functional pottery, they also have a farm stand with an abundance of fresh produce.

David will happily share his story with you, and it’s well worth a listen. He’s a rare gem of a person, and it was food for the soul to meet him. Truly.

For accommodations in Adams County, look no further than the Baladerry Inn Bed & Breakfast in Gettysburg. Owners Judy and Kenny Caudill made staying in a B&B (admittedly, not my favorite thing) a genuine pleasure, and their inventive, mouthwatering breakfasts were the icing on the cake.

Contact Destination Gettysburg for help in planning a trip, and check out my posts on nearby Frederick, MD for more vacation fun.

Which of these three ways to savor the flavor of Adams County, PA would be your first choice approach for getting a taste of Gettysburg?

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