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🗺️ Farm Day Trips guide
Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of Mars & New Castle, Pennsylvania
U-pick lavender from late June near New Castle, plus the McConnells Mill gorge, Lake Arthur at Moraine and the old German towns of Harmony and Saxonburg.
4 places · updated October 17, 2026
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Updated October 17
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The rolling country between Mars and New Castle, north of Pittsburgh, mixes Butler and Lawrence County farmland with some of western Pennsylvania's best outdoor stops. Blooming Springs Farm, a family farm with about nine acres of lavender fields six miles off Interstate 79, opens for pick-your-own in early summer. Closer to Mars, Provincial Pennsylvania Lavender Farm hand-harvests its fields for bundles, oils and culinary lavender sold mainly through its online shop.
Glaciers shaped this landscape. McConnells Mill State Park follows the boulder-strewn Slippery Rock Creek Gorge, and next door Moraine State Park circles 3,225-acre Lake Arthur. German settlers left their mark too: the Harmony Society founded Harmony in 1804 and later built Old Economy Village in Ambridge, and the Roebling brothers laid out Saxonburg in 1832. Come in late June or July for lavender, or in October when the gorge and lake are framed by fall color.
The lavender farms
- Blooming Springs FarmLavender farm · New Castle
June to mid-July, usually peaking in mid-June
Open only during bloom on limited hours for u-pick, which reopens in late June. Scissors and bands are provided, and all visitors sign a waiver. Tours are not offered.
- Provincial Pennsylvania Lavender FarmLavender farm · Mars
Not open to the public at this time; the farm plans to open its fields in the future. Shop online or by phone and email.
Best time to visit
Blooming Springs Farm opens its fields for U-pick in late June, with weekend hours posted on its website each season; the farm is closed for the rest of 2026, so plan for summer 2027. The state parks are open sunrise to sunset all year, and the Davis Hollow Marina office at Moraine runs April 15 to October 30. Old Economy Village is open April 10 to December 20, 2026, Friday through Sunday. The Harmony Museum closes in January and February and hosts a German Christmas Market on November 14 and 15. In October, Butler County fills its weekends with fall festivals and Halloween events.
Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks
- McConnells Mill State Park🌳 State park · Portersville · about 13 mi, 25 min drive
A 2,546-acre park in the Slippery Rock Creek Gorge, a National Natural Landmark, with an 1800s gristmill and covered bridge at its heart. The creek is swift whitewater and swimming is not advised; stay on the trails, as the rocks are often wet.
Open daily, sunrise to sunset; gristmill opens on a limited schedule
- Moraine State Park🌳 State park · Portersville · about 18 mi, 30 min drive
16,725 acres around Lake Arthur, a 3,225-acre lake with 42 miles of shoreline, with swimming at Pleasant Valley Beach and the Lakeview Beach area.
Open daily, sunrise to sunset; Davis Hollow Marina office April 15 to October 30
- Jennings Environmental Education Center🌲 Preserve · Slippery Rock · about 17 mi, 25 min drive
Home to a 20-acre prairie, the only public and protected prairie in Pennsylvania, known for its blazing star wildflowers and the endangered massasauga rattlesnake. Stay on the trails.
Open daily, sunrise to sunset; office weekdays 8 am to 4 pm
- Old Economy Village🏛️ Historic site · Ambridge · about 18 mi, 30 min drive
Seventeen historic buildings and gardens left by the Harmony Society, the communal German group led by George Rapp, along the Ohio River in Ambridge.
April 10 to December 20, 2026: Friday and Saturday 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday noon to 4 pm
- Harmony Museum🏛️ Museum · Harmony · about 12 mi, 20 min drive
Guided tours of the town the Harmonists founded in 1804, covering the Lenape settlement, George Washington's visit and the Mennonites who came later.
Tuesday to Saturday, 1 to 4 pm, tours at 1:00 and 2:30; closed January and February
Adults $7, 60 and over $6, ages 6 to 17 $3, 5 and under free (listed on the museum website, checked October 2026)
- Saxonburg🏘️ Town · Saxonburg · about 12 mi, 25 min drive
Founded in 1832 by the Roebling brothers; John Roebling later designed the Brooklyn Bridge. About 32 old buildings line Main Street, each with a keystone plaque, and his late-1830s workshop stands in Roebling Park.
- Cascade Park🏞️ Park · New Castle · about 3 mi, 10 min drive
A city park around the waterfall once called Big Run Falls, opened as an amusement park in 1897 and now home to hiking trails, picnic pavilions, a dance hall and an off-leash dog park.
- Volant🏘️ Town · Volant · about 12 mi, 20 min drive
A small village built around Volant Mills, established in 1812, with antique, craft and gift shops and restaurants along Main Street at the edge of Lawrence County's Amish countryside.
Where to stop: farms, food and stays
- Loafers Bread Co.Bakery · Wexford
A scratch bakery that stone-mills its own wheat each morning, with deli sandwiches, at Wexford Plaza and Cranberry Commons.
- Springfield GrilleRestaurant · Mars
Springfield Grille on Crider Road in Mars, a classic American restaurant from a group that has run restaurants since 1979.
- Buttercup Woodlands CampgroundFarm stay or campground · Renfrew
A Renfrew campground with cabins, full-hookup RV sites and tent sites, a pool and pickleball courts, about 9 miles from Mars.
A one-day plan
- 10:00 AMSaxonburg
Walk Main Street, read the historic plaques and see Roebling's workshop in Roebling Park; about 45 minutes.
- 11:15 AMLoafers Bread, Cranberry Commons · about 30 min drive
About 30 minutes west. Pick up deli sandwiches and fresh bread for a picnic lunch.
- 12:15 PMMoraine State Park · about 25 min drive
About 25 minutes north on I-79. Picnic by Lake Arthur near Pleasant Valley Beach; about an hour.
- 1:30 PMMcConnells Mill State Park · about 15 min drive
About 15 minutes away. See the gristmill and covered bridge and walk a stretch of the gorge; about an hour, in sturdy shoes.
- 3:00 PMBlooming Springs Farm · about 25 min drive
About 25 minutes northwest. Pick your own lavender and stop at the photo benches; about an hour. U-pick runs from late June, and hours change, so check their website the week you go.
- 4:30 PMCascade Park · about 10 min drive
About 10 minutes into New Castle. Stretch your legs by the waterfall; 30 to 45 minutes.
- 6:00 PMSpringfield Grille · about 45 min drive
About 45 minutes back south for dinner in Mars.
Tips
- Blooming Springs Farm posts its U-pick days and hours on its website each summer; times have varied from weekday evenings to short Saturday windows, so check before driving out.
- Provincial Pennsylvania Lavender Farm doesn't list visiting hours; order from its online shop or contact the farm before stopping by.
- Slippery Rock Creek at McConnells Mill is fast and dangerous; don't swim or climb on the wet rocks, and keep children close.
- The Harmony Museum is seen by guided tour only, at 1:00 and 2:30 pm, Tuesday through Saturday.
- Old Economy Village opens only Friday through Sunday, so save it for a weekend.
Checked in October 2026 against official park, tourism and business websites. How we check listings
Questions
When can I pick lavender near New Castle?
Blooming Springs Farm opens for U-pick in late June. It is closed for the rest of the 2026 season.
Can you swim at McConnells Mill?
The park advises against it because Slippery Rock Creek is swift whitewater. Swim at Moraine State Park's beaches on Lake Arthur instead.
How big is Lake Arthur?
Lake Arthur at Moraine State Park covers 3,225 acres with 42 miles of shoreline.
What does the Harmony Museum cost?
Adults pay $7, seniors 60 and over $6, ages 6 to 17 $3, and children 5 and under get in free.
🪪 Collect a stamp at every stop
The free Lavender Passport keeps a stamp for each farm and stop you visit, in real life and in the Lavender Farm Simulator. At the farm, play Field Quest to collect plant varieties as you walk, climb the leaderboards and unlock sponsor rewards.
Open the Passport🏡 Own a farm, café or inn here?
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