America's Coolest Small Town 2013

It's official!  The votes are in!  Budget Travel Magazine has named Lititz, PA, the Coolest Small Town for 2013!

It's cold and blustery today and my husband and I coincidentally drove up to Lititz this morning to pick up my favorite Rooibus Chocolate Mint Tea from the Chocolate Cafe on Main Street.  The winter sun was throwing beautiful shadows over the red brick townhouses as we made our way into town.

There was a lot of excitement in the air!  Not only is Lititz celebrating their Fire and Ice Festival this weekend, but Budget Travel Magazine announced Lititz has beaten out fourteen other small towns in their contest to find the coolest small town in America.

250-yr old Lititz is just a few miles north of Lancaster and draws a lot of tourists from Philadelphia and New York.  As well as my friends and I.  It's one of our favorite local destinations when we want to feel like we are somewhere different, a respite from the same old chain retail stores and restaurants.

The town was founded by the Moravians in the  1750's and until 1855 only Moravians were permitted to live there.  Today friendly merchants, unique shops, cafes, teahouses and inns make you feel like you've stepped back in time.    Along tree-lined streets you can enjoy the colonial architecture, the Sturgis Pretzel Bakery, Wilbur Chocolate Store and Museum, enjoy a beer tasting at the Bull's Head Pub, visit the Moravian Church, Linden School, the oldest girls' boarding and day school in the U.S., and much more.

The coolest small town in America was pretty cold today, so while there, we enjoyed some of Celine's (the charming owner of Chocolate Cafe) wonderful hot chocolate.  With fresh whipped cream.  More about Celine and her unique cafe in a later post!