Taste the World Walking Tour-Downtown Lancaster
As warmer weather is upon us, I was reminded of a fun activity that allows you to walk and eat your way through downtown Lancaster. Perfect for a date with your spouse (or kid!) or for the whole family to enjoy, Taste the World is a pre-arranged grouping of 7 restaurants offering delicious samples of some type of food that is representative of their restaurant. Many restaurants have unique ethnic offerings and/or are social enterprises. Walking tours occur approximately two times a month and have some type of theme such as “Meat Dishes” or “Coffee Shops.” Traditionally they were always Friday evenings but now it has expanded to include some Saturday mornings with more breakfast-type foods.
A few years ago my husband and I went on a Friday evening tour. It really is a great event for a relaxed time away from kids. I remember the weather was beautiful and we loved taking our time walking slowly and taking in the sights as we went. Plan to allow 75-90 minutes to make all the stops. You could either stay at the restaurant and sit down and eat if there is room, or just grab and go, eating as you walk to your next destination. We were exposed to new restaurants and have gone back multiple times to one of the restaurants that struck our fancy. I will say though, each stop offers just a sample of food, basically a few bites, so don’t expect to fill up. In fact, maybe you burn more calories walking than you gain eating on this tour! Hey, actually I love that idea because restaurant food often upsets my digestive system and I’d rather do something active than just sit and eat. My husband on the other hand was very disappointed…”This is not a man’s meal,” he claimed. I’m pretty sure we stopped somewhere to pick something up for him after the tour. On that note, you are free to purchase food and drinks at the restaurants, so that is the solution, I guess. The next time I went with a group of girlfriends and ate a light supper ahead of time which was helpful. Still, it is kind of annoying that you pay $20 and still don’t have your whole meal.
Nevertheless I am planning on catching a tour this summer with one of my kids as a special one-on-one time with them. Downtown Lancaster has a lot to be proud of and I love an opportunity to expose them to tastes that are outside of our everyday meals, different ethnicities, the chance to see varied historical architecture and interesting little shops as we walk. The nature of the event gives you ample time to talk and just be together, something that seems all but lost at the American dinner table. Maybe that is why the walking tours are so appealing? But don’t wait, tours fill up quickly, and if you pre-order your tickets, you can save a few bucks.
Admission: $20 at the door/one price for ages 4 and up, FREE/3 and under (but does not receive their own samples), $19/if purchased in advance, $17/if purchased a month or more in advance
Hours: Friday evenings 5-8PM, Saturday mornings 8:30-11AM
Tour dates: Sat. April 22, Fri. May 12, Sat. May 27, Fri. June 9, Fri. July 14, Sat. July 22, Fri. Aug. 11, Fri. Sept. 8, Sat. Sept. 23, Fri. Oct. 13, Sat. Oct. 28, Fri. Nov. 10
Taste the World, Timm Wenger, 717-723-8787
Check out their website www.tastetheworldlancaster.com for complete details including themes, restaurants, and food offering lists for each date! There is also a helpful FAQ page that answers many questions you may have.
