Crayons, paint, markers, oh my! If you’re up for a little arts and crafts adventure, the Crayola Factory is a great day trip. It’s located about an hour and 15 minutes west of us in Easton, PA. It is part of the Two Rivers Landing building, which not only houses the simulated Crayola factory (a real one is elsewhere in Easton), but also a train museum and canal museum.
The Crayola part gives a history of Crayola crayons from how they are made to how the wrappers used to be put on. There are packages of retired colors (which I like to collect) and a large clear walk-through tunnel where kids are actually allowed, and encouraged, to write on the walls! There is also a whole room full of Model Magic and floor art. During vacation week, there are also special programs for Black History Month, a food drive, and a Mardi Gras celebration. See the Crayola Factory calendar here.
Above the Crayola Factory is the National Canals Museum, where the first floor has an active canal with boats and the second floor is all about trains. Children learn in a fun, hands-on way how people used both water and the railway system to transport materials long before we had UPS and FedEx.
Two Rivers Landing offers a great experience with three floors of hands-on activity and exploring of the waterways, the railways, and the history of Crayola Crayons. On the ground level is a McDonald’s for lunch and next door is the Crayola Factory store, a place where I always spend too much money and have a hard time leaving myself.
Hours: During vacation week, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Costs: $9.75Â for kids and adults; Children under 2 are free. There’s a coupon on page 269 of the KidStuff coupon book that will save you $1 per ticket. The ticket covers both museums. [mappress]
