America's Coolest Small Town: Lititz, Pennsylvania

Wow! So recently my hometown of Lititz, Pennsylvania was named America's coolest small town. Something most our residents already knew, but it's nice to have an official honor to go with it.

So what makes Lititz so cool? For starters Lititz is home to a lot of firsts. The first all girls boarding school was started in 1746 and still rests on Main street. Also on Main street is the first hard pretzel factory in America. Other local local sweet spots dot the small town including Candyology, Cafe Chocolate, and of course the famous Wilbur chocolate factory.

Many other specialty shops that line the streets include a few thrift shops, a fair trade store, a market specializing in exotic meats, as well as a British pub. Also nearby is a wolf sanctuary, as well as the picturesque Lititz spring park. There's plenty to keep you busy in this tiny town, but it's not necessarily our unique shops that make us so cool.

Most will tell you what makes this town so cool is it's community. The folks in this town support their town and their local business owners. Lititz holds 2nd Friday celebrations every month where the shops stay open longer and musicians line the alleys and parking lots. Lititz certainly isn't the first town to do this, but the community really gathers around and shows their support no matter what the weather conditions.

Several annual festivities are quite popular around town and gather rather large crowds. The Chocolate Walk, Independence Day celebration, and the recent Fire & Ice festival, are just a few of the popular events you can find around town.

I'm sure there will be much debate about who's the coolest small town in America. Even I will admit I felt I've visited cooler small towns, and I will certainly be searching out the other contestants in the contest. But without the community's support and continued dedication to helping make Lititz so cool, we wouldn't even have this little title to boast. Now the next time I'm Outta the Way and someone asks where I'm from I can tell them Lititz, you know the coolest small town in America!

"Hometown Glory" Lititz, Pennsylvania

Most often the gratification of traveling Outta the Way is the discovery of a new town. Through our adventures we have traveled through small charming villages, sprawling metropolitan cities, as well as rural impoverished towns. All too often we forget about the small treasures buried in our own backyard!

My family and myself recently moved to the small town of Lititz, Pennsylvania. A town I've come to embrace as my own in less than a years time. Much more quaint than the industrious hub city of York where I grew up, and a little more peaceful and care free than Lancaster where I resided the previous 8 years. This serene hamlet is bursting with history and Rockwell'esque charm.

From the first girls preparatory school in the country, to the notable Moravian church who founded the town, the history is still alive and kept. Many of the homes on Main street are original to the town and are recognized for their historical significance. Lititz is much more than just history though. The small community is often bustling with tourists, visiting the small independent businesses that line the quiet streets. Often indulging their tastebuds with sweet Wilbur chocolates or salty Sturgis pretzels. Both staples of the Lititz community.

Another staple of the community I've witnessed is ...the ducks! Families of ducks and ducklings make their home in the nearby Lititz Springs Park, and they seem to really run this town. I've witnessed ducks walking right down Main street, as well as hold up traffic on Route 501 while a mother duck leads the younger ones through the busy intersection.

With all of it's history and unique small town charm it's not difficult to see why Lititz was named one of the best time warp towns in America.