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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Grantville
Grantville is a one-stop for Hollywood Casino and Penn National horse racing, not a base: half a day or an overnight if you gamble. Skip it for any other reason.
Grantville, in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a small unincorporated community built around the Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course. There is no historic downtown, no walkable main street and no reason to stop unless you want to bet on horses, play slots or watch live turf racing. The casino and racecourse are the only draw; everything else is a highway strip. Most travellers should skip Grantville and spend time in nearby Hershey, Harrisburg or Gettysburg.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Apr–Oct (racing season, mild weather)
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold, no live racing)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $50–80 excl. gambling · Mid $80–150 excl. gambling · High $150+ excl. gambling (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Casino buffet dinner | $25–40 |
| Beer at Thoroughbreds bar | $5–8 |
| Taxi from Harrisburg airport to Grantville | $40–60 |
| Gas (per gallon) | $3.50–4.50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MDT · Harrisburg International Airport
- About 20 min drive; no direct public transport.
Typical fares
- Harrisburg airport → Grantville by taxi
- $40–60, about 20 min
- Grantville → Hershey by car
- about 10 min, no tolls
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. No public transport within Grantville. Rideshare from Harrisburg or Hershey is possible but expensive.
See and do
Known for
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Live horse racing (thoroughbreds)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hershey | Car, about 10 min | 10 min |
| Harrisburg | Car, about 15 min | 15 min |
| Gettysburg | Car, about 45 min | 45 min |
| Lancaster | Car, about 30 min | 30 min |
Sleep
- Near the casino
- MainStay Suites and a few chain hotels; no walkable dining or bars outside the casino.
Language
English everywhere, with strong regional accents; Spanish is the second language in the Southwest, Texas, Florida, California and New York. Some words differ from British English: restroom (toilet), check (bill), gas (petrol), trunk (boot), first floor (ground floor).
- Measurements are imperial: miles, Fahrenheit, gallons, pounds. 100 km ≈ 62 miles; 30 °C ≈ 86 °F.
- Small talk with strangers is normal and friendly; it is not a sales tactic.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- No live racing in winter; check the Penn National schedule.
- Casino is 21+; bring ID.
- No Uber/Lyft late at night from the casino — plan a designated driver or taxi.
- The area has no sidewalks; walking between hotels and the casino is unsafe.
Grantville is safe. The main risk is driving after drinking at the casino; plan a sober driver.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Grantville yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
- Live horse racing (thoroughbreds)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Grantville, revision 4782494 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4782494
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Grantville
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No public transport; you need a car or rideshare.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/grantville). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.