This month we're taking a tour of three suggested destinations. So, find a comfortable spot, and let's go.
We'll begin by heading up 83 to Route 30 to Lancaster. Our first stop is the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, my first time there, located at 510 Centerville Rd, just off 30. I saw a very good production of Legally Blonde, which is incidentally currently playing at Toby's Dinner Theatre Columbia.
The theatre seats about 380 people and the shows are performed on an actual raised stage, as opposed to being on the same level as the audience, which I have seen many times at dinner theatres. Adult tickets for all shows are $51 on weekday evenings, $54 Saturday night and $48 for matinees. Keep in mind these prices include an unlimited buffet. The cost is $28 if you only want to see the show and not eat.
The buffet includes a salad bar, vegetable lasagna, sweet and sour pork, tilapia, chicken breast, dessert and an ice cream bar. You'll find plenty of free parking, a gift shop, a comfortable lobby and a competent staff. The current show is the beginning of a national tour for Fiddler on the Roof. (dutchapple.com)
After the show I went to the North Museum of Natural History and Science, 400 College Avenue, next to Franklin and Marshall College. The museum, which opened in 1953, has over 300,000 objects, some dating back to the 19th century. It's open Tuesday through Sunday. Adult admission is $7.50 and $10 if you include the planetarium. On display you'll find insects, stuffed birds, fossils, minerals, dinosaurs and more. (northmuseum.org)
Next stop is Annapolis, a town well worth your time if you haven't been there recently. There is so much to do, as you're about to see. I suggest you begin your day with a trolley tour. They begin at the Visitors Center, 26 West Street, in the heart of town. I took the one hour narrated tour where you'll learn things I'm sure you never knew about our capital. For example, it's named after Princess Anne. Be honest, did you know that? When the ride is over you can revisit places you want to see again. (discoverannapolis.com)
From that tour it was off to the United States Naval Academy. All tours begin at the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center, 52 King Street. Here you can get your tickets ($9.50 for adults), see a film or visit the gift shop. Be aware you need a photo ID to enter the grounds. Tour guides take visitors through the campus to visit many of the buildings, like Bancroft Hall, one of the largest dorms in the world, housing over 4,000 midshipman, and the beautiful Main Chapel. You'll also visit the crypt of John Paul Jones, naval hero of the American Revolution. (navyonline.com)
I ended the day with a 40 minute Watermark boat ride on the Harbor Queen. This is but one of many cruises offered by Watermark. All begin from the city dock. Other destinations include a close-up of the bay bridges, one to Spa Creek, another to St. Michaels, to bay lighthouses and even to Baltimore Harbor. My cruise took us out to the Severn River, around the Naval Academy and almost to the mouth of the bay. (cruisesonthebay.com)
Don't fall asleep just yet, one more place to go. Up 95, across the Delaware Memorial Bridge to the New Jersey Turnpike and eventually into Atlantic City to take a look at the new hotel/casino, The Revel. It's located at the northern end of the boardwalk and rises 47 stories and has 1,898 rooms. It was built for the tidy sum of $2.4 billion.
Early reviews have been favorable. First of all, it's a beautiful building to look at. The sun shimmers off of it so it makes for a nice addition to the city skyline. Secondly, the staff seem to go out of their way to assist visitors.
The casino is 130,000 square feet with 2,439 slots from penny to the one hundred dollar machine. I played for 30 minutes and walked away with a ten dollar profit. For me, that was good. Revel also has 14 restaurants, 31,000 square feet of retail space, two nightclubs, 10 pools, a spa and a huge theatre with seating for more than 5,000. It opened with Beyonce and has many top flight entertainers on the schedule, like Barry Manilow.
