<p>Our tour guide was a guy who seemed to be your typical 20 year old college guy. My daughter's friend who is a soph there said sometimes its not cool, but really it hasn't been an issue in her overall experience.</p>
<p>I grew up a few miles from Etown and if anyone wants info on Lancaster, don't hesitate to contact me through a PM!</p>
<p>Not too many students from Lancaster seem to go to Etown. The high school I graduated from only sends ~5 students a year (even less to F&M it seems).</p>
<p>Lancaster is a great place for college, many college students around due to Etown, F&M, Millersville, and to a lesser extent Lancaster Bible (many non-trad students there). Also, can't beat the proximity to Hershey Park! ;)</p>
<p>We were taking a look at Hershey on net. It looks like it has a lot of sports and entertainment (Police and John Mayer are there over the next weeks.) Plus the amusement park. Its only 10 miles away.</p>
<p>We drove through Lancaster and around F&M. Looked like it had some good restaurants. Anything else? Lancaster is about 15 miles away?</p>
<p>Ophiolite,</p>
<p>We have the same thing up here. I know more kids that go to Millersville and Penn State (an hour and 40 min. away for M'ville, 3 hours for PSU) then to our nearby colleges here in the Lehigh Valley. Not a bad thing though. The students that go to Kutztown (about 30 min.) tend to come home on weekends.</p>
<p>Now the kids that do end up at the private colleges around here (Lehigh, Moravian, Muhlenberg, DeSales, Cedar Crest and Lafayette) tend to stay on campus even on weekends.</p>
<p>I'm from central PA (outside of Carlisle, home to Dickinson) and after you've been to Hersheypark a few too many times, it gets quite boring (I had a season pass when I was 15, now once a summer can be too much).</p>
<p>I usually go to the Giant Center for family-oriented shows thanks to a combination of my mom's ability to get free tickets through work and her luck with winning things on the radio (saw Stars on Ice over spring break, my family and I kind of love Disney on Ice), and the high school state championships used to be in Hershey (they're currently at Penn State). My dad will be seeing Blue Man Group this month, and I've also seen Barenaked Ladies and Hilary Duff (twice).</p>
<p>I don't know much about entertainment in the city of Harrisburg, but there's recently been a push to get more young people to stay in the city, and I recently saw a bunch of my former classmates in pictures the local newspaper ran about Harrisburg's nightlife. I think there's a number of bars, clubs, and restaurants downtown.</p>
<p>I can't comment on Lancaster, as I've only been there a few times, and haven't been there recently.</p>
<p>deloar:</p>
<p>Hershey does bring in a number of great performers. It's especially nice during the summer to go to an outdoor concert there (you get a discount on Hershey tickets with a ticket to the concert). I haven't been to any concerts at the new Giant center (well not so new anymore...). The Hershey Bears (hockey) play there and there is also a new minor league baseball team, the Barnstormers in Lancaster, so more sports options than one would think in the greater Lancaster area. </p>
<p>There are some great restaurants in Lancaster and also some great pubs/microbreweries! One that my family used to frequent often isn't too far from Etown in Mount Joy called Bube's Brewery. Great food and it is the oldest microbrewery in the country (some think Yungling is, but the difference is that Yungling is the oldest continually operating brewery, Bube's stopped for prohibition). Mount Joy is only ~3-4 miles from Etown, so for anyone interested in visiting Etown, it's a very easy drive.</p>
<p>Lancaster City is only about a 20-25 minute drive from Etown, where you can also find great entertainment (the music scene is more indie-style rock).</p>
<p>Another hidden gem is Mount Gretna. Mount Gretna is probably only about a 15 minute drive from Etown and has one of the best ice cream shops (called the Jigger Shop) I've ever been to! It's located in the middle of the woods and has an incredible ambiance. Not many people take advantage of it, probably because only locals really know about it. In the Mount Gretna area, there are also great trails for anyone who loves to hike. From Governor Dick (its an observation tower with an unfortunate name) you can see all the way to Maryland they say...</p>
<p>Also near is the PA Renaissance Fair, it is again probably a 15-20 minute drive away and is supposed to be a great place to visit. I've never personally been, but that's mostly because in grade school they only took the 'gifted' students on trips there. </p>
<p>kathie:</p>
<p>I hear that! There are a lot of Lancaster natives at Millersville, but there are also a lot that choose West Chester or Shippensburg to get out of Lancaster. Some tend to come home on weekends. However, when my sister attended Millersville, she only came home to drop off wash and grab a bite to eat. I hear she only sees my parents once or twice a week now at 23.</p>
<p>Edit:</p>
<p>borgin:</p>
<p>I never bored of Hersheypark and had a season pass at 16. It's great to have a season pass because if you want to just go some summer night to ride a rollercoaster, you have the option to just ride it a few times and get your money's worth. I guess it all comes down to personal interests...</p>
<p>Still can't get enough of the Great Bear!</p>
<p>re Harrisburg:</p>
<p>I personally don't care for Harrisburg much, but I can tell you that there is a 18+ club that I frequented at the end of high school called the Village. It is a dance club above an ice skating rink and it's alright, but again, I frequented it 7 years ago now so don't have current info...</p>
<p>Thanks for all the background on stuff in the area.</p>
<p>Have any of you used the Harrisburg airport? We live near Cleveland, OH and I saw that Continental flies direct and the price wasn't bad. The airport is 11 miles from Etown.</p>
<p>I haven't personally used it (will be going through there in July), but have family and friends who have with no problems expressed. Easy in and out, a little small, but I haven't heard any complaints (except for it's "international" airport status :p).</p>
<p>The closest large airport is Baltimore (BWI) and is an easy drive, but you do need someone to get you there...but the fares are great through BWI!</p>
<p>Is Baltimore closer than Philadelphia? I would have thought that was the closest "big" airport.</p>
<p>Yes, Baltimore is the closer airport. Philly's airport is on the east side and horrible to get to from the west. Baltimore on the other hand is only a quick hour and a half drive on empty freeways!</p>
<p>Anyone applying to Elizabethtown College in PA? My D has it as one of her top options. She plans to major in music ed or performance.</p>
<p>No, Deloar, but someone who comes from my area is a student there. She must of just graduated, or is currently a senior. I saw her last about a year ago. She says that she is very happy at Etown. She is an education major. I don't have any other information. I do know that she originally picked this school according to the bottom line as far as cost. She did not want to have debt so that she could go to graduate school.</p>
<p>On Harrisburg airport to Etown, yes, definitely if you can get a good fare. Small and easy to get in/out of. Recent subsidies to lower its fares and encourage its use.</p>
<p>that's good news about the possible lowering of fares to Harrisburg airport. The airport is only 11 miles away from Etown on a 4 lane controlled access highway. Very convenient.</p>
<p>Do all of these schools require a car, or are shuttle buses are available to get anywhere from any of these: York, Allegheny, Juniata, Etown, Kutztown, and Gettysburg? Thanks. I am trying to figure out which schools to visit, of course this list can change at moment's notice, LOL.</p>
<p>When we visited York, I remember seeing city transit buses on the street in front of the college. And someone told us you can use those to get to almost anyplace in the town. I know a sophmore there but I am pretty sure she took her car.</p>
<p>Thanks cmbmom. I do know that some of these schools are in a pretty rural area, so I am also wondering if any colleges provide tansportation. I guess York does not need that, so that is good to know. My son wants to be able to walk to a few shops, restaurants, and a movie, or to be able to get there via pulic or college transit. He just does not want to be completely "trapped", but he does not require a city atmosphere either.</p>
<p>Elizabethtown is just outside of the downtown area and about a mile from the area with WalMart and fast food restaurants.</p>
<p>deloar, Do you need a car, or is there public or college transit?</p>
<p>My son graduated from Etown 2 1/2 years ago. I don't remember any public transportation, The campus police are very nice about giving rides to and from the train station in Elizabethtown if you just call a little in advance. My son took his car soph year, as he found that other than downtown not much was within walking distance.</p>