Ronks, Pennsylvania
August 2023
My boyfriend, Avery, and I recently took a ride on Strasburg Rail Road which is America's oldest continuously operating railroad. The Strasburg Rail Road began serving the community with both freight and passenger service in 1832. In 1958, a local group of investors purchased the railroads to develop it for bigger and better operations. Today, the railroad has an active freight department and world-renowned restoration shops while still dedicated to its mission to provide an early 20th-century steam railroading experience in a clean, friendly, and safe environment. It ranks as one of the region's most frequented attractions and is the most visited tourist railroad in the continental United States with annual ridership averaging 300,000 passengers.
We had tickets for The 2023 Show — The Show Must Go On: A Murder Mystery Live Performance. The tickets were $72 per person and the train ride was 45 minutes long through Lancaster's Amish Country. This is an interactive and intimate performance. The cast has seven professional actors who have performed around the world with companies including Broadway Asia, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America, Live Nation Concerts, and Royal Caribbean Cruises as well as locally including Lancaster's American Music Theatre, Sight & Sound Theatres, and The Fulton Theatre. The performance runs through December 2023. Along with a stellar performance, your ticket includes first class accommodations, one alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink, and snacks (a strawberry and a fudgy brownie cube). I ordered the mango margarita (mango and lime juices, mango syrup, tequila, served on the rocks with lime wedge) and Avery ordered the spiked lemonade (lemonade, citrus vodka, and a splash of mint syrup, served on the rocks with a lemon wedge). Our drinks were on the smaller side but still good. They were complimentary but the normal price of my drink is $10, and Avery's is $12. The performance was fun and entertaining, although I did not get to enjoy the views of the Amish Country as much due to my attention being on the performance. I recommend sitting in the middle of the train car as that was where most of the acting was performed. I also recommend bringing a jacket as the train car was cold. I am glad that we were able to partake in this unique experience and we had a lovely time, despite feeling that it was overpriced.
After our ride, we went to Bespoke Brewery which is walking distance down the road. However, we drove to the brewery because it was dark. This is a very tiny brewery, but well worth the visit! I ordered the slow-smoked BBQ sandwich platter with pulled pork and two sides of mac and cheese for $16. I also tried the Rock Red (red blend) wine for $9. Avery had the chicken tacos for $14. We enjoyed everything, the atmosphere, drink, food, and service.
Overall, we had a wonderful visit filled with new experiences that I am very grateful for. I hope that you get the chance to check out this unique and historical location just like us!
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