Now with 14 stops, annual Java Journey launches Jan. 16 in the Lebanon Valley

The sixth annual Lebanon Valley Java Journey is ready to begin for another two months of drinking coffee and supporting more than a dozen local coffeehouses.

The yearly event this year runs from Thursday, Jan. 16, through Saturday, March 15. The program this year includes three new locations, including a mobile coffee truck, as well as a new mug, updated passports, and a new sticker for completing the journey.

Participants who visit all 14 locations will be entered in a drawing to win a grand prize – a stay at the Londonderry Inn & Estate – as well as numerous runner-up prizes, according to a release from Darby Seymour, public relations manager for Visit Lebanon Valley, which is the official tourism office for Lebanon County.

Using a self-guided Java Journey passport, participants will have eight weeks to visit and collect stamps from all 14 coffee shops around the Lebanon Valley, Seymour explained in the release. “Once participants complete their passport, they will turn it in at their last location to receive a specialty decal and entry to win various prizes,” Seymour said.

“The Java Journey has been a great way for us to build community pride while also supporting the local economy,” Visit Lebanon Valley president Jennifer Kuzo said in the release. “Over 50% of passports purchased in 2024 were fully completed and returned, resulting in an estimated economic impact of over $100,000!”

Anyone who is interested in joining the Java Journey can buy the 2025 mug and passport for $10 at any participating location. With the passport, participants will also receive exclusive access to a special drink from each location.

Organizers note on the Visit Lebanon Valley website that the number of mugs and passports is limited, so eager participants should plan on getting theirs early.

New locations included in the coffee trail this year are:

• Clay House Cafe, Lebanon.
• Cleona Coffee Roasters, Annville.
• Cool Beans Brew, mobile coffee truck.

Returning participants this year are:

• Ancestor Coffeehouse & Creperie, Campbelltown.
• Ancestor Coffeehouse & Creperie, Cornwall.
• Baked Sweet Coffeehouse & Bakery, Frystown.
• Caffeination Station, Palmyra.
• City Watch Coffee, Lebanon.
• Mill 72 Bake Shop & Cafe, Lebanon.
• Swatara Coffee Company, Annville.
• Swatara Coffee Company, Jonestown.
• Timber Creek Coffee, Myerstown.
• Timeless Cafe, Lebanon.
• Whirling Dervish Bakery & Coffee Shop, Annville.

For more information on the program, visit visitlebanonvalley.com/java-journey or join the Java Journey Facebook Group.