With Thanksgiving approaching and everyone googling turkey recipes I sit here reminiscing about our recent Turkey Hill Experience and want to share my recipe. It’s an easy recipe – open lid, get spoon, scoop, and eat.  Because people – without a doubt, my favorite type of turkey is Turkey Hill ice cream.

Do you agree?

If so I highly, highly recommend visiting the Turkey Hill Experience + Lab on your next visit to Lancaster, PA. A place where it’s always time to “talk turkey” (sorry).

Turkey HIll Is A Great Family Destination!

My family and I recently visited the fun, interactive (and delicious) Turkey Hill Experience and I must say – I am so glad we did. It was one of the clear highlights of our trip because – you know – ice cream! Not only was there plentiful samples, but there was fun stuff for the kids to play with and on, great family picture opportunities (you know I loves me a good stick-your-face-in-it thing), and my favorite – an opportunity to create my own flavor in their scientific, white lab coat wearing Taste Lab.

With three kids – ages six, three, and an infant, our one and only family vacation needed stroller friendly stops that could accommodate for multiple audiences. The Turkey Hill Experience with its nine interactive exhibit areas including the story of the Turkey Hill Dairy and how the company’s top-selling ice cream and iced tea flavors are selected and created kept my kids interested for hours.

Fun For Kids of All Ages

While my daughter could read and learn, my son could milk a mechanical cow, go in ball pits, swirl down slides, and sit in a milk truck. The baby – well – he was just excited to sample the flavors later on from his own personal dairy cow.  Moo.

Besides the above, this colorful and eye pleasing space offered a digital “create your own ice cream flavor” which walked you through several exhibits allowing you to create your own ice cream package and even film a commercial!

Turkey Hill Taste Lab

But my favorite activity of all was the Taste Lab. For a few dollars more you could go behind locked doors into the dream-come-true land of create your own ice cream flavor using all kinds of tastes and toppings (or as they say – flavoring, inclusions, and variegates). Well worth it, you not only get to play scientist but you learn more fun facts about the Dairy and brand and get to tour the facility eating your creation.

Turkey Hill Loves The Environment

More than just a delicious Dairy, as a proud tree hugger, you can imagine my excitement when I learned about Turkey Hill’s sustainability and environmental impact-reduction projects including the adaptive reuse and rehabilitation of the building that houses the Turkey Hill Experience. As strong advocates for preserving the history, culture, and open spaces of Lancaster County, they decided to convert the 25 year old vacant Ashley & Bailey Silk Mill into their new ice cream oasis instead of new construction. Along the same lines, once inside you can find many creative little ways they used recycled material.

Have only a short time to visit but think it sounds fun!? Stop by and check out the fully stocked tongue in cheek gift shop or one of the few exhibits open to the public at no charge. I promise the next time, you’ll stay to play.

Seasonal Events

Looking for a fun holiday activity? Check out the Turkey Hill Experience Ice Cream with Santa offered from 6pm – 8pm on Saturday December 10^th and 17^th, 2016. A perfect time to visit and enjoy the beautifully decorated space – including several themed Christmas trees. Kids under twelve can create a holiday card that will be mailed to their special someone, listen to Santa read Christmas stories, make a Christmas craft, and enjoy a special Christmas ice cream treat and one of Mrs. Claus’ freshly baked cookies. Turkey Hill drinks will be provided during the event.

Designed by the same firm as The Hershey Story and the Connecticut Science Center, the Turkey Hill Experience, located at 301 Linden St., Columbia, PA 17512, directly off Route 30 at the Columbia exit, opened on June 4, 2011. For hours of operation please visit their schedule. I also HIGHLY recommended ordering tickets (in advance) online as all tours were sold out by the time we arrived.

Don’t forget to check out all the family friendly vacation spots we’ve researched!

What’s that saying?

Save a turkey, eat some ice cream!?

Happy Thanksgiving!

***Giveaway***

The Turkey Hill Experience would like to give away a family 4 pack of tickets to one lucky Mint Chip Mama reader!

To enter, please comment below with your favorite Turkey Hill ice cream flavor!

Winner will be chosen on Turkey Day, (November 24th, 2016) of course!

 

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