Central Park Hotel

06/04/2026

🚨 FINAL DUMPSTER UPDATE 🚨

Well friends...

The saga is complete.

After four sides, several questionable artistic decisions, one celebrity dumpster, and entirely too much encouragement from the internet, Side #4 is officially finished.

Introducing:

🛑 DON’T BE TRASHY 🛑

(Advice for both bears and humans.)

This morning WNEP stopped by to film the dumpster and interview me about the artwork. Somewhere along the way this thing has gained more local attention than any dumpster reasonably should.

Yesterday alone, FIVE people stopped while I was painting to check on the progress. Joe stopped by this morning while WNEP was here. At this point, this dumpster is becoming a local legend, like the late Gimpy, may his soul rest in peace.

The best part?

The local bear community has remained suspiciously quiet this whole week.

No break-ins.
No dumpster diving.
No criminal activity from the Central Trash Panda.

I don’t know if the bear-proofing is working or if they’re simply waiting for the news coverage before making their next move.

Speaking of which...

📺 Tune into WNEP tonight at 6PM and watch me discover whether I sounded clever or completely unhinged on television. Probably both…

🍤 And don’t forget — it’s SEAFOOD NIGHT!

I’ll be filling in for MG behind the bar tonight, so come grab some clams, shrimp, seafood specials, cold drinks, and help us refill the most famous dumpster in Columbia County.

Because let’s be honest...

The bears aren’t gone.

They’re just waiting for Thursday leftovers.

🐻🗑️

06/04/2026

06/03/2026

🐻🚨 CENTRAL TRASH PANDA UPDATE #3 🚨🐻

The wanted poster is officially up.

Charges currently include:
• Trespassing
• Stealing leftovers
• No respect for neighbors
• Leaving a mess

The good news?

It’s been two full nights of radio silence at the dumpster.

No break-ins.
No midnight snack raids.
No strongly worded complaints from local wildlife.

At this point we’re cautiously optimistic that our highly scientific bear-proofing techniques may actually be working.

Or…

He’s plotting.

We’ll keep you posted.

📍 Just a reminder:
We are closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays each week.

We’ll be back at it Thursday evening for Seafood Night, serving up all the good stuff (preferably to humans and not bears).

Until then, enjoy the timelapse, enjoy the sunshine, and remember:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Best Trash In Town
(According to local bears.)

06/01/2026

🐻🎨 DUMPSTER UPDATE #2 🎨🐻

Well friends, the situation has escalated.

What started as a bear getting into the dumpster has somehow evolved into me spending half the day laying underneath it painting wildlife-themed reviews.

The newest addition to the collection:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BEST TRASH IN TOWN

(According to Local Bears)

Featuring:
• Bear-approved reviews
• North Mountain scenery
• Questionable life choices
• A level of commitment that probably should have been directed elsewhere

I’m still adding details, but it’s coming together better than I ever imagined.

The bear hasn’t officially responded yet, though we feel the message is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

🍗 Wing Night starts NOW!

Stop out for dinner, grab a drink, and check out what may be the only hand-painted bear-themed dumpster art gallery in Columbia County.

As always:

✨ We chose creativity over conflict. ✨

And…
🏝️ Life’s a Beach 🏝️

PS - big shout out to Shaffers Disposal for putting up with us and our trash ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

🐻🍻🎨 g up

06/01/2026

🐻✨ BEAR & DUMPSTER UPDATE ✨🐻

Well folks, after a recent late-night black bear dining excursion resulted in some unwanted yard décor for our neighbors, we’ve been working on:

✅ Cleaning up the burn pit area
✅ Bear-proofing the dumpster
✅ Adding a little artistic flair to the neighborhood 🤪

As a goodwill gesture, a fresh patch of grass seed (complete with custom trash bag bow, naturally) has been delivered next door. Because if you’re going to buy grass seed, you might as well make it festive.

Yes, we’re aware of the bear situation.
And we’ve chosen ✨creativity✨ over ✨conflict✨.

Rather than continuing this long-running struggle between man and beast, we decided to improve communication and install some official signage.

🏕️ XX BEARS KEEP OUT XX 🏕️

We can’t guarantee the bear can read, but we’re remaining cautiously optimistic.

Some locals may remember Gimpy, who several years ago demonstrated that “bear-proof” was more of a suggestion than a rule when he peeled the lid back on this very dumpster (bearproof and all) and still helped himself to the trash buffet inside.

So while we continue working on improvements, we’ve decided to attack the problem from multiple angles:

Bear-proofing.

Beautification.

And now... public awareness.

We hope to add some custom bear inspired art to the other three sides of the dumpster promptly, just to ensure the bear receives the message loud and clear.

The warnings have been posted.

The artwork has begun.

The grass seed has been delivered.

The next move belongs to the bear.

Stay tuned for future Bear & Dumpster Updates.

🐻💖✨

P.S. The bear chose trash.

We chose ✨art✨

OH, I almost forgot to mention - it’s wing night tonight. Come on out and see us (and who knows, maybe a new piece of dumpster art for your viewing pleasure).

05/31/2026

🚽☀️ THE TOILET HAS RISEN. ☀️🚽

Our toilet has had a rough few months, heck maybe a rough life. 🤪

She’s been rattling. She’s been wobbling. She’s been making us question her commitment to the team.

Then, during last night’s celebration, she finally decided she’d had enough and completely took a dump.

Literally.

Thankfully, MammaG rolled in like a NASCAR pit crew this AM (after I completely forgot I was supposed to pick one up this AM) with a replacement seat, and after a tense few moments, our porcelain princess was back in action just in time for Sunday brunch. To add to the chaos, the dumpster diving bear was also back in action again last night, making a mess ‘round the neighborhood and making neighbors quite unhappy. I’m sure will be thrilled to see me this afternoon to re-bear-proof the dumpster amongst other things.

📸 Swipe to see:
1️⃣ A brunch plate courtesy of Leanda, loaded with all the good stuff.
2️⃣ The patient before surgery.
3️⃣ The patient during her dramatic episode.

We’d like to report that everyone survived thus far, although I’m not sure how the bear/neighbor scenario will pan out for me. The toilet though? She’s fixed and ready for the day!

We’ll be serving our Sunday Brunch Buffet all summer long, and we’re working on lining up some live music Sundays throughout summer. Stay tuned for more!

Until then, don’t let your day go to 💩 even if things get 💩 on. Keep on keepin on I think is what they say…

Final PSA: Come enjoy the sunshine, mountain views, good food, cold drinks, and the kind of historic charm that only a 150+ year old hotel can provide.

Life’s a Beach, friends. 🏖️

📍 Central Park Hotel
Gateway to the Gamelands
Benton, PA

P.S. If anyone asks, I am currently accepting thoughts, prayers, and that this toilet seat endures very light usage. You know what the sign says in the ladies room… ‘Be careful with our 1800s plumbing… it’s kinda sh*tty.’

05/29/2026

☀️ Sunshine? Check.
🏖️ Patio? Check.
🍹 Good vibes? Always.

Come hang with us tonight and enjoy this gorgeous weather before we take a brief pause tomorrow.

Please note that we will be CLOSED Saturday, May 30, for a private celebration of life honoring one of our dear friends and neighbors, Linda Stephens. She carried a light that shined on us all and it seems so fitting that the sun is going to be shining down on us this weekend as we remember and honor her time with us.

Life can be heavy sometimes. Today, we’re choosing sunshine, good company, and a reminder that even on the hard days…

✨ Life’s a Beach. ✨

Come see us tonight and soak up a little happiness.

See ya later, lovelies. ❤️
Xx

05/28/2026

Welcome to the Central Safari 🦁📸

Spotted:
✔️ A fresh sand pit
✔️ Giant Jenga in the wild
✔️ A reminder we all probably needed

Life can be a lot…
but sometimes you just have to decide it’s a Beach instead of the other “B.” 😉

Been leaning into the creative side a little more and we’re trying to bring the magic of this big old place outside and make it feel like an escape. Hope you all are feeling it too✨

Come kick off your boots and stay awhile.

Life’s a Beach 🏖️🍻

05/26/2026

What a Memorial Day weekend! ☀️🌧️🍻
Even with the rain trying to crash the party, you all showed up and made it absolutely fabulous. Thank you for packing the place and rolling with us all weekend!

We know we ran out of many items by Monday, and we’re sorry if that affected your dinner plans. While we hate the inconvenience, running out is actually a good sign for us. Nearly our entire menu is fresh and homemade, so selling out Sunday/Monday means everything gets prepped fresh again on Thursday. We take a lot of pride in serving the freshest food possible, even if it means we occasionally run short on busy holiday weekends.

We’ve gotten so much positive feedback about the patio and we’ll keep improving it all summer. We already received a special delivery today for this week’s project — big thanks to the guys at Country Fresh Hardware for the same-day delivery! You’re the best. It’s going to be so much fun and we’ll share more once it’s done! 🎉

Last night the whole crew got to sit down for a quick 15-minute family dinner together — easily the highlight of my week. We’re so grateful for our amazing team who gave up their weekend to serve all of you. You guys killed it!
There were a few key people missing, so I’m thinking this needs to be a nightly thing… Mandatory 15-minute break for staff! Bar crowd, you’ll survive the short wait for a beer 😂 Private patio “be back in 15” parties sound good to me — who’s in?

And to the sweet woman who pulled me aside to say how much she loved the space and appreciated the creativity (and wanted to thank the staff) — you made my week! I wish I’d gotten your name. Thank you for the kind words and for enjoying the patio. Hope to see you again soon! 💛

We are CLOSED until Thursday - See you this weekend — can’t wait!

05/25/2026

🍳✨ BRUNCH BUFFET IS ON at Central Park Hotel! ✨🍳
Roll outta bed and head to the mountains this morning! Our delicious Brunch Buffet is running from 10AM to 2PM with plenty of options for every craving — whether you’re team savory (eggs, bacon, all the good stuff) or team sweet (waffles, pastries, and more).— come enjoy the mountain views and good vibes! ⛰️

Tonight’s Dinner Specials:
• Frank’s Famous Beef Tips in rich gravy served over mashed potatoes OR pasta 🍖
• It’s Wing Night at 4PM — come get saucy!

A note for today:
You won’t hear us say “Happy Memorial Day” — not out of any disrespect, but because we believe the best way to show our respect is through quiet reflection. We encourage everyone to take a private moment today to honor the men and women who gave their lives for what they believed in and the missions they were called to serve. Their sacrifice is the reason we get to enjoy the freedoms and good times we cherish here.

Quick heads up: We’re closed Tuesdays & Wednesdays every week, so today (Monday) is your last chance before our little “weekend.” Don’t miss out!

Central Park Hotel — Benton, PA
Your gateway to the Gamelands 🎶
See you soon! ❤️