Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery
Lititz, PA · 39 minutes from Reading · Under $20 a person

Plan the day
Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is a historic pretzel bakery with guided tours in Lititz, PA. It dates to 1861 and calls itself the first commercial pretzel bakery in America.
A tour lasts around 25 minutes: you get a ball of dough and a lesson in the pretzel twist, then watch the bakers hand twist soft pretzels beside the original ovens from 1861 and hear some American pretzel history. Everyone leaves with a sample of the bakery's Little Ones hard pretzels, and at $6 for adults it slots easily into an afternoon in Lititz.
Before you go
Reservations are recommended for any group size; walk-ins are welcome but space is limited. Free parking in the lot beside the bakery and along East Main Street. Wheelchairs and walkers are accommodated. The dough you twist is for practice and is not baked.
Checked October 8, 2026 on the official site. Hours, prices and seasons change, so confirm there before a long drive.





