Things to Do in York

Set within a welcoming, stately Victorian house, Hop On Over Bead Shop bustles with walls of technicolor prisms and hand-selected beads, ready to be woven into sparkling, personalized jewelry. A host of skill-inducing classes introduces crafters to myriad techniques such as lampwork beading, wire bending and Russian spiral stitch. Kids explore their artistic side in private parties for six or more children as they choose brightly colored baubles to craft their own project. Knowledgeable in all things sparkly, the storeowner displays natural, cut beads, as well as Swarovski crystals for special occasions or for hording as currency after wizard invasions.

For a company that has pushed more than 1.5 million people out of planes during the course of 38 years, Skydive Baltimore enjoys a top-notch reputation among adrenaline-seeking sky travelers. Tandem skydivers pair off with their trusty instructor before ascending to 11,000 feet, taking in views of Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay as they discover what gravity feels like 2 miles above the ground. Divers can commemorate their jumps with video and photographic evidence captured by their instructor, a third jumper, or a borrowed spy satellite.

At North East Adventure Paintball, adventure is a family affair. Charles Narvel, his son Austin, and his nephew Shawn opened the 6.5-acre facility in May 2008 with the goal of providing a safe venue for exhilarating rounds of paintball. Before the grand opening, the trio parceled the acres into six themed fields and dotted each landscape with matching obstacles: Old Castle field has a stone fortress with multiple levels and a tower; Civil War field features simulated headquarters and trenches.

Today, players 10 or older sprint across the six fields in games of elimination, respawn, Alamo, sharpshooter, and capture the flag. Eco-friendly, oil-free paint splatters against protective gear as players duck behind shelters or leap over barriers. Lower-speed paintball guns are available for younger players whose reflexes have not evolved into cats just yet. After an adrenaline-fueled battle, players can eat boxed lunches at shaded, sheltered picnic tables or order in meals from local restaurants. Party packages include a referee. Players can earn rank and points and compete at national events in organized military-simulated games.

The old warehouse didn't seem ideal to house much of anything, but the rent was cheap once George Bennett offered to make all his own renovations. Drawing from a background as a builder, he created his own architectural plans, and he and a friend set to work on construction. For months, George arrived early in the morning to demolish old partitions and install lighting and windows. As the transformation neared its finish, the pair mounted new walls, spread mulch floor covering, and set up targets and quivers in the 8,000-square-foot archery range. George invited the National Shooting Sports Foundation to examine his facilities and received a four-star rating.

Now, more than a decade later, arrows sing through the air, slipping percussively into three types of targets. The targets sprout up from a tree-dotted floor under rustic wooden rafters along the indoor, climate-controlled range. Traditional targets stand 45 yards from the shooting area, and computer-controlled moving targets in the form of three-dimensional deer, beavers, and wolves trot across the range, challenging archers to pin them with warning notes addressed to loudmouthed owls. Additional animal targets positioned closer to the shooter's area allow traditional longbow and recurve bow users to test their marksmanship. To prepare for successful shooting sessions, visitors peruse the pro shop’s racks of compound bows from the Mathews series as well as Mission gear and Matthews Officially Licensed Products. Quivers brim with Carbon Tech arrows, and George and his staff make other arrows by hand, which George sometimes inscribes with Deer Creek's logo with the care of a painter autographing his children.

All big things start small, but few major farms start as small as family-owned Kreider Farms did, with 103 acres of land and only 12 cows. Today, the farm spans more than 2,500 acres and includes approximately 5 million egg-laying chickens, 2,000 cows, and 225 employees. The farm distributes its eggs, milk, and premium ice cream throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, and reports that it has become one of the largest egg producers in the state of Pennsylvania. Kreider Farms’ wares have been endorsed by multiple chefs, a more meaningful accolade than the cardboard crowns of excellence distributed by fast-food eateries. The farm takes its environmental mission seriously, treating the land with respect and adopting ethical and environmentally responsible practices. Workers happily share their knowledge and story with others during 90-minute farm tours or virtual tours on the website.

A lighted 240’x85’ sand arena forms the centerpiece for Cold Spring Farm’s more than 100 hilly acres, affording riders plenty of room to brush upon horsemanship technique. Experienced trainers Cindy Gallagher and Sarah Purinton are on hand to aid in that process. They share insights drawn from 35 combined years of industry experience during private and small group lessons, which teach students atop the farm’s reliable horses and ponies. Lessons are conducted in hunter, jumper, and equitation divisions, as well as fox hunting, and pupils move from private to group sessions as their skills advance and their horses’ wings come in.