New Cumberland

New Cumberland offers several distinct reasons to stay: Borough Park focuses on exercise and activities on the water, while a historic walking tour, a theater, and a local archive provide further insights into the town. If you’re looking for a vacation rental, you can start by considering whether your trip will be shaped more by nature and time outdoors, by history and culture, or by a visit to the annual Apple Festival.

Open space, walking trails, and activities on the water

New Cumberland Borough Park is a 38-acre community park with five baseball fields. A marked one-mile fitness trail offers a dedicated way to explore the park on foot or while exercising.

Fishing and boating are possible at the take-out with a boat launch on the Yellow Breeches Water Trail in the park. Important to know when planning time on the water: the access point to the trail in New Cumberland is exclusively a take-out. If you’re planning a trip, keep this distinction in mind and don’t plan to start your Water Trail journey here. An ADA parking space is located at the boat launch. The Peiffer Memorial Nature Preserve Inc. is an arboretum and wildlife sanctuary. The Evelyn Sharp Mountain Bike Trail is a separate feature: it runs as a one-mile loop through the arboretum along I-83N in New Cumberland. This makes it possible to explore different interests on active days—from the fitness trail in Borough Park and activities on the water to the mountain bike loop.

History and culture in town

The historic downtown walking tour includes 48 sites within the original 1831 borough boundaries. It is laid out as a loop that takes about 90 minutes. The number of stops and the approximate duration provide a clear guide for planning this historic walk. Another historical detail is the William Black Spring House: it was reconstructed in 2013 and originally built by William Black in 1776.

For a deeper look at local history, the New Cumberland Community Archives offers photographs, records, maps, newspapers, and other materials on the history of New Cumberland and the surrounding area. Access is by appointment or upon request. The West Shore Theatre adds another cultural option, with 200 seats. The intimate theater presents films, live entertainment, educational programs, and special events. A visit to the theater and the historic walking tour appeal to different interests and can each shape the cultural character of your stay.

Combine the Apple Festival with your travel interests

The New Cumberland Apple Festival is held annually on the last Saturday in September at Borough Park. It features more than 70 food vendors and 200 arts and crafts vendors. A trolley takes visitors to the festival from several stops along Bridge Street. For a trip centered on this event, both the specific festival date and the trolley stops along Bridge Street are important points to keep in mind. The festival brings together food and arts and crafts, while Borough Park also offers its own attractions, such as baseball fields and a fitness trail.

When choosing a vacation rental, you can focus on the experiences that matter most to your travel group. If you’re planning to spend time outdoors, you can consider the park and nature offerings; if you’re interested in local history, there’s the loop tour and the archive. The theater and festival offer different highlights. These distinctions can help you decide what kind of stay you’re looking for, without limiting your trip to just one offering.

Explore more places

If you’d like to explore more destinations, here are some other places: Boiling Springs, Shippensburg, Mechanicsburg, Wormleysburg, Enola, Carlisle, and Camp Hill.

For the broader travel guide: Cumberland.