posted Jan 01, 2024

An Essential Guide to the Turkey Hill Experience

Plan your visit to The Turkey Hill Experience, where family-friendly activities and dairy-centered fun await!

Top Activities

FAQ's

Spanning 17,000 square feet, The Turkey Hill Experience showcases a behind-the-scenes look at this beloved local ice cream and iced tea manufacturer. Turkey Hill Dairy is a Lancaster County-based treasure, featuring a one-of-a-kind attraction in Columbia, Pennsylvania. Tour the Turkey Hill factory and attraction, enjoy endless ice cream samples and experience the chance to make your own flavor. Whether you’re looking for hands-on, family-friendly activities or seeking things to do for ice cream lovers, The Turkey Hill Experience offers sweet fun for everyone!

Location

301 Linden Street, Columbia, PA 17512

Hours of Operation

Monday, Wednesday & Friday: 11:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Saturday: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sunday: 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Tickets

Single Scoop: $14.25 per person
Double Scoop: $23.75 per person
Triple Scoop: $29 per person

Know before you go: The Single Scoop ticket includes unlimited access to samples of ice cream and iced tea, as well as the exhibits and the virtual ice cream flavor station. The Double Scoop ticket adds the Taste Lab experience, while the Triple Scoop includes both the Taste Lab and Tea Discovery activities. Purchase your tickets on the official website of The Turkey Hill Experience.

Top Activities at the Turkey Hill Experience

Customize Your Own Ice Cream Flavor

Curious about how to make your own ice cream? Whether you’re a rocky road aficionado or a mint chocolate chip enthusiast, The Turkey Hill Experience will have you becoming a fan of your own creation with the virtual ice cream exhibit. Delve into the ice cream process, beginning from the basic ingredients of milk and cream to the cooling and developing the containers. Enrich your knowledge about this sweet treat with interactive displays about homogenization and pasteurization. Dive into your project selecting creative ingredients and making an eye-catching product! Complete the exciting experiment by sampling your customized flavor.

Show Off Your Special Ice Cream in a Commercial

After finishing your unique ice cream flavor, keep the creative juices flowing by shooting your own Turkey Hill TV commercial. Utilize a green screen and virtual effects to showcase your ice cream! Don’t forget to share the final product with friends and family online.

Channel Your Inner Chef at the Turkey Hill Taste Lab

The Turkey Hill Taste Lab is a must-try activity for all budding ice cream chefs! Here, certified flavor experts will help you with making the perfect scoop of ice cream, featuring various syrups and toppings. Whether you’re spending the day with the little ones or planning team building activities, the Taste Lab welcomes flavor innovators of all ages.

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Learn about the History of Turkey Hill Dairy

The Turkey Hill Experience weaves together the natural landscapes and history of Lancaster County and Susquehanna River Valley. Uncover a deeper look into the start of Turkey Hill Dairy, as well as the fascinating past behind the surrounding farming region. Participate in educational activities like milking a mechanical cow, or imagine driving through a thrilling adventure in a milk truck!

Explore Tea from Around the Globe

There’s more than one way to cool down at The Turkey Hill Experience. Make your way to the tea room and peruse through the tranquil setting. Stop by the mammoth-sized tea bottle, smell the full-bodied fragrances of iconic teas, and uncover “posi-tea-vely” interesting facts that are steeped in history. Oolong, black tea, and green tea are just a few of the featured flavors! Top it off by discovering the flavor of your personality and unwinding in the “Chill Zone.”

Revel in Seasonal Festivities & Traditions

Explore annual celebrations at The Turkey Hill Experience, from fall occasions to winter traditions. Seasonal events include a Christmas-themed Taste Lab with Santa, kettle corn and ice cream floats for Halloween, leprechaun-inspired treats for St. Patrick’s Day, and more.

Credit: Brian Evans / DiscoverLancaster.com

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to go through the Turkey Hill Experience?

It typically takes 60 to 90 minutes to complete the Turkey Hill Experience. Visits, however, may last longer with extra activities like the Taste Lab and the tea room.

How much does it cost to do the Turkey Hill Experience?

The Turkey Hill Experience offers three types of admission for varying activities, ranging from $14.25 to $29 per person.

Is Turkey Hill a Pennsylvania thing?

Turkey Hill Dairy has always been a Lancaster-based company, operating since 1931. Farmer Armor Frey, founder of Turkey Hill Dairy, sold bottled milk to neighbors from his car during the Great Depression. Although Turkey Hill Dairy initially sold and delivered milk, Frey’s family expanded to ice cream production in 1954.

Is Turkey Hill ice cream Amish?

Turkey Hill Dairy is not an Amish-owned dairy manufacturer, but its headquarters and attraction are located in Lancaster County, which is also home to the Pennsylvania Amish.

Why do they call it “Turkey Hill?”

The original farm was located by a ridge named “Turkey Hill,” which gave inspiration to its namesake. The indigenous Susquehannock group had lived in the region and discovered that the area boasted many turkeys, thus labeling the ridge “Turkey Hill.”

Which flavors are included at The Turkey Hill Experience?

Indulge in an array of ice cream flavors at The Turkey Hill Experience, including salted caramel, strawberry cheesecake, black raspberry, chocolate peanut butter cup, Colombian coffee, frosted party cake, and much more.