Voting Is OPEN: 2026 Macaroni KID Family Favorites – Harrisburg & West Shore
Parents of Harrisburg & the West Shore (Camp Hill, Dauphin, Duncannon, Enola, Grantham, Harrisburg, Lemoyne, Mechanicsburg, Marysville, New Cumberland, Summerdale)… this is your moment.
Thousands of nominations are in. The ballots are set. And now it’s time to crown the places, people, and programs that make family life in our area actually work.
How voting works:
• One ballot per email address for this region
• You do NOT have to vote in every category
• Vote for your favorites and move on with your day feeling accomplished
Vote Now – Harrisburg & West Shore
Attractions & Events
Amusement & Water Parks
- Dutch Wonderland
- Great Wolf Lodge
- Hersheypark
- Kalahari
- Knoebels Amusement Resort
Aquariums, Zoos & Animal Experiences
- Aldinger Farms
- Humane Society of the Harrisburg Area
- Lake Tobias Wildlife Park
- Maple Valley Acres
- Paulus Farm
Family Memberships
- Get Air
- Paulus Farm
- Urban Air
- Whitaker Center
- YMCA
Free Family Fun
- Adventure Park / Vibrant Church Play Place
- Fisher Park / Fisher Park Splash Pad
- Fredricksen Library
- Laurel Lake Beach
- Wildwood Park / Olwine Nature Center
Editor note: If “free fun” is your love language, this category had some of the strongest loyalty voting we’ve seen.
Indoor Play Places
- Get Air Harrisburg
- Jubilee Cake Studio
- Monkey Joe’s
- Sky Zone
- Urban Air Adventure Park
Farmers Markets
- Broad Street Market (Harrisburg)
- Market on Market
- Oak Grove Farms / Oak Grove Market
- Paulus Farm Market
- West Shore Farmers Market
Pick Your Own
- Oak Grove Farms
- Paulus Farm Market
- Royer’s Flower Farm
- Strites Orchard
Theatres & Arenas
- Gamut Theatre
- Midtown Cinema
- Sunoco Performance @ Whitaker Center
- Theatre Harrisburg
- West Shore Theatre
Museums & Educational Attractions
- Jubilee Cake Studio (Mini Mansions)
- Oakes Museum of Natural History (Messiah University)
- PA State Museum
- Susquehanna Art Museum
- Whitaker Center / Science Center
Nature & Environmental
- Boyd Big Tree Preserve
- Paulus Farm
- Rooted in Nature
- Trails and Trees Environmental Center
- Wildwood Park / Olwine Nature Center
Arcades & Other Indoor Fun
- Dave & Buster’s
- Sky Zone
- The Coliseum
- Urban Air
- Valhallan Esports Training
Editor note: If your child has ever said “just five more minutes,” this category is for you.
Parks & Playgrounds
- Adams Ricci Park
- Adventure Park (Mechanicsburg)
- Fisher Park
- Friendship Park
- Winding Hill Park
Pools & Splash Pads
- Friendship Park
- Hampden Township Pool
- Mechanicsburg Pool
- Siebert Park Pool
- West Shore YMCA
Sports, Recreation & Adventure
- Climbnasium
- Net Ninjas Tennis
- Rich Valley Gymnastics
- Transcend Climbing
- Urban Playground
Food & Drink
Best Family-Friendly Restaurant
- El Rodeo
- Ever Grain Brewing
- Jigsy’s Brewpub & Restaurant
- Midst8 Taco
- Red Robin
Bakery
- Anna Rose
- Bella Sicilia
- Pennsylvania Bakery
- Raising the Bar
- Sweetreats
Mom or Dad Needs a Coffee
- 7 Brew
- Cornerstone
- Crema
- Dayton’s
- Nour
Editor note: This category alone could power the entire ballot.
Ice Cream or Sweet Treat
- Alsies Ice Cream
- Macris Chocolate
- Rakestraw’s
- Sweet Frog
- Urban Churn
Pizza
- Amici
- Caseros
- Jigsy’s Brewpub & Restaurant
- Jojo’s
- Pizza Boy
Catering
- Jojo’s
- Little Mexico Tacos
- Midst8 Taco
- Momo’s BBQ
- Strock Enterprises
Food Truck
- Chef Tony
- Grappling Crab Shack
- J&D Cheese Steaks
- Lucky Penny Burger
- Quinn’s Coffee Bar – Wormleysburg
Health & Wellness
Dental
- Advanced Pediatric Dentistry – Mechanicsburg
- Fields Family Dentistry
- Kearns and Ashby
- Smiles by Shannon
- Valley Pediatric / Cumberland Valley Pediatric Dentistry
General Medical
- Fisher Road Family Practice
- JDC Pediatrics
- Kline Children and Teen
- Tan & Garcia
- UPMC Children’s Urgent Care – West Shore
Mental & Behavioral Health
- BTI – Behavior Therapy International
- Center for Hope and Healing
- Known Counseling and Consulting, LLC
- Neurofeedback and Counseling Center of PA
- Valley Counseling Center
Specialists
- Dr. Cimy Jacob – Pediatric Neurology
- Medical Arts Allergy
- PIWH
- Shady Grove Fertility – Mechanicsburg
- Thomas Chu, DO – UPMC
Early Intervention & Therapies
- Capital Area Intermediate Unit
- Clear Path Pediatric
- Growing in Motion
- TherAblities
- Therapy & Counseling Services (TCS)
Vision
- Babineau Opticians
- Hampden Optical
- Morrisons
- Premiere Eye Care
- West Eye Associates
Best OB/GYN
- Partners in Women’s Health
- UPMC Divine Mercy
- Women First
- Woodward
Best Doula or Midwife
- Beth Montgomery, Death Doula
- Dauphin County Doulas
- Harrisburg Midwife + Wellness
- Sacred Midwifery – Zania Keeley
- UPMC Divine Mercy
Best Family or Pediatric Chiropractor / Massage
- Baker Chiropractic Sport and Spine Clinic – Mechanicsburg
- Becker’s Chiropractic – Lemoyne
- Dr. Heck / Warner Chiropractic
- Dr. Lenny @ ChiroFITT
- Life Adjusted Chiropractic
Services & Retail
Consignment Store or Event
- 4The Kids Consignment Sale
- Just Like New Kids
- Once Upon a Child
- Wears Like New
- Weeusables
For the Home (Handymen, Plumbers, Electricians, etc.)
- Bob Means Plumbing
- Brougher Construction
- Down East Granite
- HL Bowman
- KWH Home Improvements
- The HVAC Shark
Haircuts for Kids
- Kings Cuts
- Legion Hair Studio
- Raechal’s Beauty Co
- Sharkey’s
- Sports Clips
Toy, Game, or Book Store
- 2nd & Charles
- Adventurer’s Guild
- Barnes & Noble
- Cupboard Maker
- Katsu’s Dojo 3D
Professional Services – Cleaning & Organization
- Cleaning Fairy
- Fancy Glancy
- Queen Cleaning
- Smells Like Heaven
- Tracy Lynn Cleaning LLC
Professional Services – Finance
- Accounting Associates
- Edward Jones – Brian Kump
- Hamilton & Musser CPAs – Mechanicsburg
- In Tandem Financial
- Zizzi Investments
Professional Services – Legal
- Doug Miller
- Keystone Elder Law
- Patrick Cawley
- Salzmann Hughes
- Winter Law Firm (Special Needs Law)
Professional Services – Real Estate
- Corinne Hankins – Berkshire Hathaway
- Doraezah Scott, Realtor
- Jenny Robeson – Dave Hooke Team
- John P. Henry – Keller Williams
- Justin Stryker – Real Estate Agent
- Sneidman Henry Team – Keller Williams
Child Care, Education & Activities
Child Care / Daycare
- Amazing Kids Care
- Art of Play Early Learning Center – Kris LeBeau
- Graceway Children’s Academy – Camp Hill
- Goddard School
- Kidz Quarterz
Charter School
- CASA – Capital Area School for the Arts
- Commonwealth Charter Academy (CCA)
- Infinity Charter School
- Pennsylvania STEAM Academy
- Reach Cyber Charter School
Private School
- Harrisburg Academy
- Londonderry School
- St. Stephen’s Episcopal School – Harrisburg
- The Circle School
- West Shore Christian Academy
Homeschool Program
- Commonwealth Charter Academy (As Nominated)
- Harrisburg Area Homeschool Association (HAHA)
- Kingdom Classical Academy
- Messiah / Oakes Museum
- Thrive Space
Preschool
- Camp Hill Presbyterian Church Preschool (CHPC)
- CHUM
- Playful Beginnings – Mechanicsburg Presbyterian
- St. Stephen’s Episcopal School
- The Art of Play – Kris LeBeau
Tutoring & Academic Resources
- Best Brains
- Educational Breakthroughs LLC
- Huntington
- Kumon
- Mathnasium
- Sylvan
Extracurricular Activities
Affinity Groups & Clubs
- Acton Children’s Business Fair
- Girls on the Run
- Healthy Kids Running Series
- Kidpreneurs Fair PA
- Young Engineers
Baby, Toddler & Preschool Activities
- Clear Path Pediatric
- Little Learners – Whitaker Center
- Music Together of Susquehanna Valley
- My Gym
- Rooted in Nature
Creative, Visual & Performing Arts – Fine Art
- ArTINA Art Classes
- Deitch Creative Space
- Horizons Creative Studio
- Maureen Marks Art
- Mercantile
Creative, Visual & Performing Arts – Music
- Empowered Music
- Harrisburg Youth Symphony Orchestra
- Music Together
- The Perfect 5th
- The Studio in Enola
Creative, Visual & Performing Arts – Theatre
- All-In Theatre
- Gamut Theatre Academy
- Musical Theater @ The Studio
- West Shore Theatre – Youth Classes
Educational & STEAM
- Challenge Island
- Code Ninjas
- Snapology of Camp Hill
- Valhallan Esports Training
- Whitaker Center Programming
Recreation & Adventure
- Artz N Motion
- Net Ninjas Tennis
- Rooted in Nature
- Susquehanna Outfitters
- Transcend U
Dance
- Richie Dance
- Susquehanna Dance Academy
- Tap N Arts Dance Studio
- The Studio
- Wevodau Dance Studio
Gymnastics
- ASAP
- CPAG
- Flipping Out Tumbling
- My Gym
- Rich Valley Gymnastics
Martial Arts, Ninja & Parkour
- CMA West
- Dexterity Depot
- Mechanicsburg Kung Fu Center
- Tiger Rock
- USA Ninja Challenge – Camp Hill
Swim Lessons (All Regions)
- British Swim School
- Coach Chris Confidence
- Floats to Strokes
- It’s Time to Swim – Alexa Gotthard
- YMCA
Team Sports
- Cumberland Valley Youth Cheerleading Association
- Net Ninjas Tennis
- Soccer Shots
- Upper Allen Mechanicsburg Baseball Association
- Valhallan Esports Training
Therapeutic & Accessible Recreation
- British Swim School – Adaptive Aquatics
- CATRA Harrisburg
- Challenger Baseball
- Neurodiverse Network
- Special Olympics – Area M
Summer Camps
Adventure Camps
- Dexterity Depot
- Good & Rooted
- Wildwood Park Summer Day Camps
Faith-Based Camps
- Aroma
- Camp Penn
- Mt. Lou San Bible Camp
- Pendel Kids Camp
General Day Camps
- Amazing Sports & Activities
- Central PA Summer Camp
- Jubilee Cake Studio Summer Camps
- My Gym
- Yellow Breeches Sports Complex
Sports Camps
- Aroma All Sports
- CMA West Wushu Camp
- Rich Valley Gymnastics
- Tiger Rock Summer Camp
- USA Ninja Challenge – Camp Hill
STEAM & Educational Camps
- Code Ninjas
- Oakes Museum
- Snapology
- Valhallan Esports
- Whitaker Center
Visual & Performing Arts Camps
- Gamut Theatre Academy / Popcorn Hat Players
- Mind Steward
- Summer at the Studio
- Susquehanna Art Museum Camp
- Whitaker Center
Inclusive & Therapeutic Camps
- Artz N Motion
- Critter Camp – Humane Society of the Harrisburg Area
- Girls on the Run
- Neurodiverse Network
- Valhallan Esports
Inside the Ballot Box
OK. A few things I noticed while watching the votes roll in:
- Some of you are voting with spreadsheets. I respect that.
- Several categories are already shaping up to be absolute nail-biters.
- There are a few finalists that parents are rallying behind HARD. You know who you are.
- And yes, there are a couple categories where the comment section energy is “we ride at dawn.”
This is exactly what these awards are meant to be. Loud love for the places that show up for families all year long.
Looking for a favorite and not seeing it?
Quick heads up before anyone panics and refreshes the page five times.
For the voting round, most businesses and organizations were placed on the ballot based on their physical location. That means a favorite you nominated might be thriving, just not on this ballot.
Translation: if you don’t see your pick here, go show them some love where they actually live. And yes, this led to a few delightful surprises. Destiny Dairy Bar fans, I see you. You’re probably looking for the Carlisle ballot. And if you’re wondering why HCPAC isn’t here… surprise. That Middletown address puts them squarely on the Hershey ballot.
All the love still counts. It just needs to land in the right neighborhood.
