Do you call it snack food or junk food? York County, Pa., opted to put on a kinder twist by calling it snack food and refers to itself as the Snack Food Capital of the World.
Proudly, it would seem, as it has created the New Sweet Treats and Salty Eats trail to trumpet the snacks made in the region.
It's the kind you drive, not hike.
The trail will have you meandering behind the scenes at York area snack food factories. You can watch as various treats are baked, popped, fried and seasoned right in front of you.
Wouldn't you like to try warm potato chips fresh off the line at Martin's Potato Chips?
And that's just a taste of what awaits you. There's also Stauffer's Peanut Butter Goodies (founded in 1871) that produces over 250 tonnes of cookies and crackers each day. That includes the 13 signature shapes that make up their famous animal crackers. And you can watch as Revonah's pretzels are hand-twisted, salted and baked in the same rotating oven that has been used for over 40 years.
When you are completely bloated from too much salt, you can explore the Pennsylvania's Dutch Country Roads Region's UnCork York Wine Trail or other popular destinations like The Hershey's Chocolate World. Barbara toured there years ago and is drooling to return.
Have a look at www.sweetandsalty.org for details on each of the factories and for accommodation packages.
