Wednesday, December 31, 2014

The Ski's the Limit - Skiing around Carlisle

It has come to our attention that some people think that it is actually FUN to wax, shine, and then attach two pieces of wood to their feet, and then to stand at the top of an icy snowy slope and proceed downwards WITH NO BRAKES! 
 
Courtesy of Ventrilock at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Disregarding the sanity or otherwise of this practice, here in Carlisle we are just 35 minutes from Ski Roundtop, and an hour from Ski Liberty, and we have all these fabulous restaurants within walking distance to sip a drink, to nibble on tapas, or to enjoy a comforting aprés-ski dinner!
 
Remember that apart from skiing, there is also snowboarding (apparently much the same, but with only one piece of wood!), and snow tubing, where at least you are sitting on something soft even if that also does not have any brakes!

Sunday, December 28, 2014

John Denver in Concert New Years Eve

#carlislepa, #carlisletheatre   Well, not exactly but Chris Collins and the Boulder Canyon Band will be the packed-audience headliner for the Carlisle First Night celebration on Wednesday.  YOUTUBE  There is still time to book your room and attend this performance and all the other great events.  Elvis, the jazz of  Phyllis Chapell and Sciroa, Irish memories of the Celtic Martins and so many more!!

The venues are the historic buildings, churches and halls in the Carlisle Historic District so the backdrops are magical.  At a $10 admission fee, you can't beat it! ($15 on Dec 31) We can purchase your admission passes for you and have them waiting upon arrival.  And if you make it a 3 night stay, the 3rd night is absolutely FREE...on us!  See you HERE!


Monday, December 22, 2014

Dickinson College - USA Today's Best 10 Colleges in PA

Congratulations to President Roseman at the Dickinson College and all the staff and faculty!  WE know it is a fabulous institution but to be singled out as one of USA Today's 10 Best in PA is super.  Great Christmas present!
ARTICLE

Monday, October 27, 2014

PAINT NIGHT Fun Benefits the Carlisle YWCA - Nov 13

Location: 301 G Street, Carlisle, PA, 17013
Artist: Jennifer Hull
Date: Nov 13, 2014
Start Time: 6:30 PM
$50 per person
Join one of the latest rages!  PaintNite is coming to the Carlisle YWCA and all for a good cause.

Paint an original work of art while you enjoy wine and hors d'oeuvres, then spend a relaxing night at the Carlisle House.

No experience needed and all supplies provided!  AND - one Christmas present done!




Sunday, October 19, 2014

Dickinson College - Fall Open House on November 8

 Considering colleges?  Visit one of the highest-rated National Liberal Arts Colleges.  Dickinson College proudly rates 37 on the US News & World Reports current standings of hundreds of schools. 

Register for their informational Fall Open House and stay at the Carlisle House, a Select Registry Inn and the favorite lodging choice of college families and alumni - 4 blocks from the campus!  Mingle with other visiting families for interesting conversation and a delicious breakfast.  Over 400 Trip Advisor reviews!

Walk to many eclectic international restaurants and discover why Carlisle is the culinary destination for South Central PA and the Carlisle House is the finest accommodation.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

8 Colorful Reasons to Come to Carlisle in October

 Pennsylvania and our Cumberland Valley are at high color!  Come trek our beautiful parks and forests to experience nature and changing seasons!



1. Little Buffalo State Park
Just off State Route 34, North of New Bloomfield the Little Buffalo State Park surrounds the Little Buffalo Creek and is watched over by Buffalo Ridge. The area was occupied at one time or another by quite a few different tribes of American Indians and nations during the migration away from the European Settlers. Finally the Albany Purchase of 1754 (3 years after Carlisle was founded) acquired the State Park land from the Iroquois League of Six Nations.
2. Colonel Denning State Park
The State Park was named after William Denning, who was a veteran of the American Revolution. He was never actually a colonel, rather he served his country as a sergeant from March 1778 to April 1780 in Nathaniel Irish's Company of Artillery Artificers in Benjamin Flower's Regiment, and is deserving of a place in history for his manufacturing of wrought iron cannons. Denning was stationed just outside of Carlisle, Pa., at Washingtonburg Forge, now Carlisle Barracks. which provided armaments for the Continental Army, including cannons. It is at this forge that William Denning made wrought iron cannons in a process of welding gads (strips) of wrought iron in successive layers to produce a cannon lighter and better able to resist failure during firing than cast iron cannons. Unfortunately none of his cannons are known to still exist. Our picture shows a wrought-iron reinforced cannon from a later date.
 Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Steeped in natural and historical features, the 696-acre Pine Grove Furnace State Park is in the area known as South Mountain at the northern end of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Our guests enjoy all sorts of recreational opportunities, including the two mountain lakes, Laurel Lake and Fuller Lake, hiking the Appalachian  , biking the rail trail, visiting the Appalachian Trail Museum and imagining when the park was a charcoal-fired iron furnace community. The park is surrounded by Michaux State Forest, which provides opportunities for exploring extensive public lands around South Mountain.
4. Gifford Pinchot State Park
Spring and fall are the times of the great bird migrations. Gifford Pinchot State Park is a rest stop for many migrating forest birds due to its location in an area of forest surrounded by many farm fields. Warblers, vireos and thrushes stop to rest and eat before flying on to their breeding or winter homes. Pinchot Lake and its shoreline wetlands are a beacon luring waterfowl by the thousands. Mergansers, geese, mallards, loons, teal and many other ducks can be seen swimming, diving and dabbling for vegetation and small fish.
5. Caledonia State Park
Why would a State Park be named after the old Roman name for Scotland back in the 1st to 3rd centuries AD? Well, one of the most effective and powerful legislators of the Civil War era was one Thaddeus Stevens, an abolitionist, radical republican, who was born in Caledonia County in Vermont. That county in turn was named Caledonia because of the high number of Scots who settled there. Stevens was a lawyer and businessman with significant interests in the iron industry, and also served in the U.S. House of Representatives where he championed the passing of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments to the Constitution.
6. Fowlers Hollow State Park
The 104-acre Fowlers Hollow State Park is in a narrow valley created by Fowler Hollow Run. The park is on the edge of Tuscarora State Forest at the intersection of several multi-use trails. The campground of the park is a good base for adventures into the huge tract of public land.
7.Big Spring State Forest and Tuscarora State Forest
Tucked in the side of Conococheague Mountain, Big Spring State Forest Picnic Area is a quaint picnic and hiking area. A short loop trail leads to a partially completed railroad tunnel with historic interpretation at the trailhead. The park also provides access to the Iron Horse Trail for day and overnight hiking. The park takes its name from nearby Big Spring, whose waters form the scenic Shermans Creek. Big Spring State Forest Picnic Area also serves as a trailhead providing parking, restrooms and access to the extensive snowmobile trail system in the Tuscarora State Forest.
8. Kings Gap Environmental Education Center
Kings Gap is our favorite place to go for a hike, or for one of the many programs held there. With over 20 miles of trails ranging from Easy through to "Rather You Than Me!", and from 0.3 miles to 6 miles this State Park provides something for everyone. The historic Cameron-Masland Mansion looks over the Cumberland Valley and a gorgeous panorama of green turning to gold at this time of year.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Carlisle Hosts Mid-Atlantic Travel Writers and Visitors' Bureau Representatives

October 1st and 2nd, our Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau (CVVB), the designated tourism promotion agency for Cumberland Valley Pennsylvania, is hosting over 100 travel writers and visitor bureau representatives who will be exploring throughout the Valley for the 2014 Mid-Atlantic Public Relations Alliance (MATPRA) Media Marketplace.

Tours will be offered to attendees throughout the conference allowing them to experience Carlisle and the Cumberland Valley and will showcase the collection of outdoor recreation, military history, car shows (Carlisle Events - Fall Carlisle), culinary attractions, unique shopping and charming downtowns. 

 
Carlisle House was asked to host 11 of the special guests to show them our unique Select Registry hospitality and service.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

It’s National #DriveElectric Week

& Carlisle House has a new EV Charger!  FREE for guests til 12/31/14

To promote a cleaner environment, we have become the first Inn in Pennsylvania and the Carlisle area to provide this innovative amenity for our guests.

Leviton EVB40
Celebrating National Drive Electric Week, September 15-21, we are excited to announce that our first guest “charge” occurs today when a visiting Tesla Model S and it’s family arrive for a 2nd visit to Dickinson College

As Dickinson was just rated the #3 greenest US college by the Sierra Club, it ties in nicely with the Drive Electric Week, for which the Sierra Club is one of the three organizers along with Plug in America and the Electric Auto Association.  Events and test drives of electric vehicles will be held across the nation in a celebration aimed at educating drivers about the earth-friendly benefits of electric vehicles.
 
Alan said “Technology greatly helps our guests to enjoy their stay here.  Our 50mb internet, along with conference-capable telephones and now the Charging Station is the technological complement to our practical and comprehensive list of guest amenities, all of which enable guests to complete any business efficiently, and then to relax and enjoy all that Carlisle and the Cumberland Valley have to offer!”

Our guests can plug in their vehicles, then stroll on foot to our amazing downtown shops and restaurants, knowing that they will have a full charge – at no charge! – to take them on their way when they leave. We look forward to all our plugged-in guests!

The Carlisle House EV charger is compatible with all Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) Standards and Recommended Practices, including SAE J1772 NEC 625, UL 2231 and UL 2594.  Compatible vehicles include: Tesla Model S, Chevy Volt, Fiat 500e, Honda Fit EV, Honda Accord Plug-in, Mitsubishi i-MIEV, Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus Electric, Ford C_Max Energi, Ford Fusion Energi, Smart Electric Drive, Toyota Prius Plug-in, Toyota RAV4 EV, and Wheego LiFe.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Sep 20 - 33rd Annual Harvest of the Arts - Carlisle

The Downtown Carlisle Association will host the 33rd Annual M&T Bank Harvest of the Arts fine art and craft show on September 20th, from 10 am – 5 pm on West High Street in that will feature over 100 juried and non-juried artists from across the Mid-Atlantic region.  Bringing over 20,000 people in one day, this event has become one of the best end of year art shows in Pennsylvania. The 

Harvest of the Arts juried artists are all artists who are members of the PA Guild of Craftsmen, members of the Carlisle Arts Learning Center, or have exhibited in Harrisburg’s Artsfest, Lancaster’s Longs Park Art Show, Mt. Gretna’s Arts Festival, or the Central PA Festival of the Arts.  The juried arts area will showcase oil and watercolor paintings, mixed media artwork, and other fine arts and crafts.

Non juried artists have various buy/sell or kit type art products that can be mass produced but the majority is not hand-crafted.  In the non-juried area you will find many holiday decorations, jewelry, and clothing.

Plein Air artists from the Camp Hill area will be on site and around town that day sketching and painting some of the more historical and recognizable sites around Carlisle. 

Local favorite Mad Men will be performing throughout the day along High St. at the Century Link Building.  Performances 11am-12pm, 1pm-2pm & 3pm-4pm

 The Farmer’s on the Square Farmer’s Market will have special hours during the event.  Carlisle’s hometown farmers market will be open from 10 am to 3pm with a wide variety of locally grown produce, fruit, cheeses, meats,  and flowers. 

Come out and enjoy the fun!

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Raptor Rapture in South Central PA


Waggoner's Gap Hawk Watch, just north of Carlisle!  The spot to be in Fall to observe Golden and Bald eagles, Coopers, Northern Harriers, Red-Tailed hawks and Brown and Turkey vultures over the beautifully and colorfully painted Cumberland Valley. 



Autumn is the best time to visit and see the volunteers who diligently count all the birds on their migration path. Two trails lead to the observation spot: the Hawk Trail (marked with an orange bird painted on the
rocks) and the Songbird trail (marked with a yellow bird painted on the rocks). Both trails lead to the expansive view of the Cumberland Valley. 
Click for information at the Cumberland Valley Visitors Bureau.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Corvettes at Carlisle 2014 - Were you here?

Hopefully you were one of the thousands of visitors in town and owned or just liked the over 5000 Corvettes that came to Carlisle!

The parade last evening was great with Carlisle Events owner Bill Miller heading up the line-up.  Crowds lined the streets til the cars parked then wandered around ogling the beautiful and many historic models of Corvettes.  Plan ahead for next year!!  Check out this video!


Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Carlisle House named one of USA Today's 10 Best Harrisburg Hotels

News Bulletin! 

 Our Select Registry inn was just named one of 
USA TODAY's 10 BEST Harrisburg Hotels! #carlislepa #selectregistry http://bit.ly/1zJ2Qdz Are we pleased? Yes, and we are about 20 miles away from Harrisburg. The best thing is that along with another local Select Registry inn we are showing hotels that there really is a Better Way to Stay!  

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Color Vibe Coming to Carlisle - August 30


The newest most colorful world sensation!!!  Just heard from a guest living in Stuttgart that it has hit Europe too!

 Get ready Carlisle for the most colorful fun-filled day of your life!  You’ll have more color on you than your happy levels can handle! So get your friends and family stretched out for this amazing color blast event where you'll get blasted with color while you run the
 Carlisle Color Vibe 5K
You'll be blasted at every color station throughout this awesome 5K run. Sign up fast, because spots are filling quickly and we have a limited number of shirts available. So grab your girlfriends, your bro’s, your friends, and your family cause we’re bringing a color fun experience to your life that you never knew existed! So join us for the Color Vibe 5K run in your city and get ready to be tagged with color!

The Color Vibe 5k run will be held at the 
U.S Army Heritage and Education Center
  950 Soldiers Drive, Carlisle, PA 17013

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Discover Dickinson College and Dickinson Orientation 2014


What do July 23, 30, and August 6, 13, and 20 all have in common? They are ALL Discover Dickinson Days! So if you know a prospective student who is thinking of visiting Dickinson, tell his family about the upcoming Discover days, and mention that the Carlisle House is an awesome place to stay! 
 
The Freshman year at Dickinson starts in earnest with the arrival of freshman students in August, and we still have rooms available from Sunday August 24 through Thursday August 28. Book soon though, because that availability will soon be gone!

Thursday, July 3, 2014

19th Annual Bluegrass on the Grass - July 12 - FREE

Dickinson College will host the 19th annual Bluegrass on the Grass Festival on Saturday, July 12, 2014 from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the John Dickinson campus off West High Street between West and North College streets. The event is free and open to the public. This one-day festival has become a regional event that draws over 3,000 enthusiasts.  Bring a blanket or lawn chairs. 

A wide variety of regional food vendors keep appetites happy
throughout the festival. Bluegrass record companies and Martin Guitars provide gifts to attendees who support the festival.
The festival features high-quality performers and a mix of bands that offer bluegrass aficionados a variety of styles and sub-genres. Many bands return to play year after year, including the Dismembered Tennesseans, who have performed every year since the first and become the festival’s “house band.”

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Carlisle All GM Nationals - June 20-22

Join the fun with everything General Motors...restored classics, muscle cars, performance models, historic vehicles and more.  Carlisle Events is also celebrating 50 years of the Pontiac GTO.  
Stay with us in the Carlisle Downtown just 1 mile from the Fairgrounds/Showfield!
restored classics, original muscle cars and modified high-performance new models - See more at: http://www.carlisleevents.com/carlisle-events/carlisle-gm-nationals/default.aspx#sthash.2EmdctKV.dpuf
special 50th Anniversary spotlight on the Pontiac GTO, - See more at: http://carlisleevents.com/#sthash.qPhLuVND.dpuf
special 50th Anniversary spotlight on the Pontiac GTO, - See more at: http://carlisleevents.com/#sthash.qPhLuVND.dpuf

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Carlisle Ford Nationals - Early

The Ford Show came early as one of our guests this week from Canada arrived in a classic '67 rag-top Ford Mustang.

 Larry and Pat are on their way to northern VA to board the Amtrak auto train for their trip to Longboat Key Florida for the summer. Too bad they will miss the show this year showcasing the Mustang 50th Birthday Celebration!


Monday, May 19, 2014

Dickinson College Commencement 2014

Great day! Beautiful weather!  Perfect speaker for the college that
teaches and exemplifies, 
"Engage theWorld!"
Karen and former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright.
Dickinson President Nancy Roseman in red robes.