Lititz: Pretzels, Chocolate And History Draw Hip Tourists

Editor’s note:  Awesome write up from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette about Lititz!

LITITZ, Lancaster County — “Why did we come here? To eat pretzels, of course!” said Sue Jones of Churchill, who, along with other members of a Pittsburgh bowling team, rolled into the 152-year-old Sturgis Pretzel Bakery and museum during Pretzel Fest 2013.

“I love pretzels — I’m addicted to them,” she laughed.

“But you’ve got to put yellow mustard on them,” added Doris Libell of East Pittsburgh, wearing a Penguins T-shirt.

This community of 9,000 people in northern Lancaster County — recently named Budget Travel’s 2013 Coolest Small Town in America — has a seven-block downtown area crammed with stone and woodbeam houses built in the late 1700s, a pre-Revolutionary War hotel built by Gen. Johann Sutter, a Moravian Protestant church built in 1749, plus several restaurants, taverns and quaint shops selling antiques, books, furniture and much more.

But Lititz is becoming popular with tourists mainly for two things — pretzels and chocolate candy.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/life/travel/lititz-pretzels-chocolate-and-history-draw-hip-tourists-686327/#ixzz2SWP99hOq

‘Coolest Small Town’ Label Bringing More Visitors To Lititz

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So, are new faces showing up in Lititz these days, checking out the “Coolest Small Town in America?”

“I voted — that’s why you won,” laughed Rose Anne Manfredi of Long Island, N.Y., Sunday afternoon as she and her husband, Ron, both 62, strolled through Lititz Springs Park.

The couple was staying in Ephrata 25 years ago. Needing a place to eat, they thumbed through a phone book and thought the General Sutter Inn sounded interesting.

They fell in love with Lititz and have been making annual pilgrimages ever since.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/838088_-Coolest-Small-Town–label-bringing-more-visitors-to-Lititz-.html#ixzz2QYUFaizs

Lititz Wins Coolest Small Town In America Contest

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Free Moravian Sugar Cake and Wilbur Buds for Everyone???”  Sandy Hendricks Morris proposed on the Downtown Lititz Facebook page.

Lititz and those who love it were in a celebratory mood Saturday after learning it really is “America’s Coolest Small Town.”

The borough north of Lancaster, known for its chocolate, pretzels and Moravian heritage, won Budget Travel‘s online contest after nearly 100,000 votes were cast for 924 towns.

Self-described Lititz “cheerleader” Gaylord Poling said he learned of the honor Friday evening on the Budget Travel website.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/815782_Lititz-is-coolest.html#ixzz2L5GHlMVA

Lititz Leads In ‘Coolness’ In Online Contest Run By Budget Travel

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  We totally agree!!!

Brian Volpone walks a half-mile to work each day through the streets of Lititz.

He loves inhaling the warm chocolate smell emanating from Wilbur Chocolate.  He also enjoys looking at the town’s historic buildings and soaking in its family-friendly vibe.

Volpone, 46, thinks Lititz is “America’s Coolest Small Town.”  And so do a bunch of other folks, who are voting online in a national contest being hosted by Budget Travel on its website, budgettravel.com.

“It’s such a neat little place,” said the father of four, who works at Luthercare as a network administrator and is married to a Lititz native, Bev.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/806306_Lititz-leads-in–coolness–in-online-contest-run-by-Budget-Travel.html#ixzz2IkY0VcsM