2024 South Mountain Partnership Gift Guide
We’re bringing back our gift guide for all your holiday shopping needs!
Once again, we’re excited to share a holiday season gift guide that highlights local businesses and artisans dedicated to preserving South Mountain’s natural beauty. We always advocate for shopping small and local, supporting our economy and small business community. Remember, this list is just a starting point—we hope it encourages you to venture out and discover all that South Mountain has to offer this season!
Support Your Local Park or Forest
Does your friend or family member love to hike, fish, camp or explore local state parks and forests? Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF) and local “Friends of” groups help ensure that these outdoor spaces are protected and flourishing. You can support your local park and forest when you donate, become a member, volunteer, or gift a membership to a loved one. By supporting these groups, you give the gift of outdoor adventure year-round! Head to their pages to learn more.
- Friends of Michaux State Forest
- Friends of Pine Grove Furnace State Park
- Friends of Caledonia State Park
- Friends of Kings Gap
Sample the Local Spirits
Want to meet up with friends for a holiday get together? Our region is ripe with flavors from the Fruit Belt, where a growing industry of wineries, cideries, and breweries offers the perfect way to celebrate the season. Enjoy the fruits of our local harvest with friends and family at these spots—grab a bottle (or two!) to bring some local spirit to your holiday celebrations. Here’s a list to get you started:
- Big Hill Ciderworks
- Ploughman Cider
- Adams County Winery
- Check out the Cumberland Valley Beer Trail, Franklin Fresh Food and Dining Guide, and Adams’s County Pour Tour to help you enjoy the region.
- And MANY more… go discover!
Shop Small. Shop Downtown!
South Mountain is home to charming, historic downtowns filled with small businesses where you can find unique gifts for everyone on your list! This season, venture into a new downtown and support the small businesses that give our region its distinct character.
- Downtown Carlisle Shopping
- Downtown Gettysburg Shopping
- Downtown Chambersburg Shopping
- Downtown York Shopping
Farm Fresh Feast
And don’t forget to shop locally for your holiday feast—farmers’ markets or neighborhood grocers have an abundance of fresh and local flavors.
- Farmers on the Square in Carlisle
- Jims Farmers Market in Chambersburg
- Dillsburg Farmers Market in Dillsburg
- Adams County Farmers Market in Gettysburg
- Purchase your holiday dinner at a local meat store such as Wenger Meats in Carlisle or Warrington Farm Meats Butcher Shop in Dillsburg.
Adventure together. Gift an experience!
Looking for a unique gift? Give them an unforgettable moment! Explore our region with family and friends by opting for outdoor adventures, like a group hike, or surprising loved ones with a gift card to a unique local experience. Ready to create memories together? Here are some ideas to get you started
- Golf at Penn National Golf Club in Fayetteville.
- Ski at one of our local resorts.
- Learn archery through a virtual reality experience at Kecks Store and Archery in Newville or Alpha Archery & Trade Store in Arendtsville.
- Buy a bike at Merv’s Bike Shop in Shippensburg and then hit the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail on your new wheels.
- And MANY more!
We believe that supporting local businesses and organizations enhances our region and contributes to our culture! We hope you find this gift guide helpful as you seek out meaningful experiences and gifts for loved ones in your life.
This holiday season, if you want to join us in promoting and protecting all that South Mountain has to offer, consider supporting the Friends of the South Mountain Partnership.
By contributing, you’ll help fund essential conservation efforts through grants like Mini-Grants, Flex Grants, and Research Corps Grants—all aimed at preserving and enriching South Mountain’s natural beauty and community. Your support empowers us to continue this vital work.
Ready to join in the movement? Learn more and donate here: Friends of the South Mountain Partnership, and see the difference we’re making: Our Work.