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City in Pennsylvania, United States
Photo: Randolph Carney, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Lancaster is a city of around 59,000 people (2021) in Lancaster County in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. It is one of the oldest inland towns in the United States, and the center of an area inhabited by many members of the Amish community.
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Information on the life and faith of the Amish and Mennonites, quilting information, guided tours of Lancaster, Biblical Tabernacle as a reproduction of the original Old Testament tabernacle.
Historic farm with picnic area, playground and activities.
Take an educational guided tour through this 1840s farm house furnished as a typical Lancaster County Old Order Amish house. Grounds include barn with farm animals, operating water wheel, smoke house with Pennsylvania Dutch foods, blacksmith shop with tools of the smithy's trade, village gift shop and picnic area after tour.
A visitors center that is a jumping-off point to learning about Mennonites and all Mennonite Life has to offer.
The City of Lancaster was established in 1730 and is now designated as one of the largest historic areas of the country. Begin your tour of the city at the Visitor’s Center near Central Market Center, corner of Queen and King Streets.
Founded by Benjamin Franklin and John Marshall (separately, as Franklin College and Marshall College, respectively), this college is on the highest hill in the city of Lancaster.
Founded in 1855, Millersville University is one of the most highly regarded public universities in its region of the United States.
A beautiful historic site with original, 18th century buildings. Tours explain the lives of the German religious refugees that created the community in 1732.
All aboard America's oldest short-line railroad, where you'll ride authentically restored passenger cars pulled by a huge, coal-burning steam locomotive. See our Amish neighbors up close as they work and play on nearby farms.
Museum of paintings by Charles Demuth.
General Edward Hand House
A 1790s plantation that has been turned into a museum.
See Lancaster County and America captured in miniature in hand-built detail. Featuring more than 140 animated figures and vehicles and 18 operating trains.
This was the home of President James Buchanan. They give costumed tours of his historical mansion. This place has been around for ages and has a lot of history inside the walls.
The Ware Center is a state-of-the-art performing arts and events venue located in downtown Lancaster. The Office of Visual and Performing Arts at Millersville University owns and operates the venue, which seeks to foster creativity and appreciation for the arts by hosting diverse events and creating unique experiences. The Ware Center is open to the public and has several areas that are available for private events. Visit the website for upcoming events, tickets, and venue rental information and photos.
One of the oldest operating theaters in the United States. Broadway scale productions, Broadway talent, for a fraction of Broadway prices. A true jewel.
Hosts a variety of concerts and performances.
Live theatre with musicals and magic shows that vary throughout the year.
You may have heard about dinner and a movie, but how about dinner and a broadway show. This is the place to go for quite an experience. This place has a fun atmosphere which is great for groups to come and dine and watch a broadway performance. Friends, food and theater.
Artsy theater with drinks and food.
Very economical and enjoyable way to spend an evening. The food comes highly recommended and the shows are sure to bring a smile and/or a laugh.
Takes you on a scenic tour of Lancaster county.
It's a kingdom for kids. Especially suited for younger children. Families with pre-teens may prefer nearby Hersheypark.
Lancaster is a beautiful and scenic place to see when you drive around. It is even more beautiful from the sky. You can ride a hot air balloon and relax in the sky.
This interactive museum allows kids to explore their senses and touch everything.
In the summer Long's Park has "Summer Music Series", which is free concerts being held at the park each Sunday. Also, the park has an annual "Art's and Craft" festival which showcases 200 top artists and craftspeople from across the United States, Canada and beyond. Long's Park is also known for their annual Sertoma Chicken Barbecue (known as the World's largest chicken barbecue in the Genius Book of World Records!)
Fun, guided Amish Country tours in Lancaster on a motorized scooter, including covered bridge tours, and ice cream tours.
Lancaster's First Fridays are a celebration of the arts in downtown Lancaster. Walk around and explore more than 70 arts venues. You'll find new exhibitions, live music, theatrical performances, artist receptions, and fun surprises, too.
Pop culture convention.
High-tech fun park, with laser tag, virtual reality and laser theater. It offers laser shows that play to the music of the Doors, and the Rolling Stones.
Go bowling in the winter, and mini golfing in the summer.
Penn Medicine Park
An independent baseball team that plays in the Atlantic League. Very competitive baseball with very reasonable ticket prices. All home games are played at Penn Medicine Park in the James Street District of downtown Lancaster. The tickets are cheap and the games are fun. In the winter time, they turn the stadium into an ice skating rink.
Women's soccer football club.
This is not a "sit down" restaurant! This dairy is a small, old fashion convenience store. Pine View is very inexpensive and sells the quality homemade ice cream, juice, and milk (the beverages are in bags, the old fashioned way). There is also an area to pet baby cows.
Farm-fresh smorgasbord (PA Dutch-style buffet), menu-dining, and take out. Kid-specific buffet too. Breakfast, lunch, dinner smorgasbords are all different. Near Dutch Wonderland, Rockvale and Tanger Outlets, and the Village of Intercourse, PA.
Mexican/Peruvian restaurant in a Latin-style castle. Food is high quality.
Most popular diner in Lancaster with a huge menu of items. This place always seems to be crowded. Be prepared to wait for a table during busier times, especially on Sunday mornings after church.
Classic diner on the north side of the city.
Olde Hickory Inn
Very good breakfasts at good prices. Can get very crowded, especially on Sunday mornings after church lets out.
Shady Maple's breakfast, lunch, and dinner smorgasbord of food has everything you could ever want to eat.
Indian food. The naan, or flat bread is delicious and they have all kinds of curry dishes.
Italian.
Serves Bus-Up-Shut, Doubles, and other Trinidad cuisine.
This is in the city, near lots of bars and restaurants. Two story restaurant with seasonal outdoor for amazing food and drinks in one of the nicest bars in town. Contrary to its name there's no lodging, but a great piano bar on second floor.
Cozy restaurant in the heart of Leola Village offering simple, rustic Italian cuisine. No dress code and reservations are not required, but recommended.
Your typical Irish pub. Good atmosphere for the older folks. It has a very large deck to handle the smoking crowd and the addition of an "Irish Tiki Bar". Solid middle price range ($3.50-5 for a mixed drink) and good food. Young professional crowd over lunch, college students on Friday and Saturday nights.
The pit stop for those who live on the West End of Lancaster. Good food, good prices, good staff. Smoking is permitted inside. Low to medium price range ($3.50-5 for a mixed drink). Usually a neighborhood crowd, some young locals mixed in. Limited seating in the back. Excellent jukebox. The Dutchland Rollers (the local roller derby team) sometimes calls this bar home.
Bube's Brewery is an intact historic 19th-century brewery and museum complex. Bube's has had a few different restaurants operating for several years. Alois is located in a Victorian section of the building and hosts events such as murder mysteries. The Bottling Works tavern is based in a former bottling plant. There is a Biergarten and a restaurant in the cellers called the Catacombs.
Local watering hole. Drinks only, no food, therefore: you can smoke inside, it can get thick at times. Older local crowd before 8PM, Franklin and Marshall students and younger crowd after that. Mostly bar seating, some tables. Low to medium in terms of drink prices ($3-5 for a mixed drink).
Good for both younger and older crowds. Fun bar atmosphere. Must try the wings and on Thursdays try the $.25 great-tasting shrimp.
The downtown "blue collar" bar. Low prices for drinks. Smoking friendly. Pool table. The bartenders here are the old school sort: if you tip well, and they get to know your name, you will be taken care of. Limited take out options. Has an undeserved reputation for being a "rough" joint, but pay no mind. Give it a shot and make some new friends.
Has the distinction of being the first microbrewery in Pennsylvania and has won several awards for its brews.
Great food, great micro brews, and you can see how it is all made with the tours they have to offer.
Romantic B&B in small town surrounded by Amish farms. Hear the clip-clop of Amish buggies as they pass by. Fireplaces, jacuzzis, gourmet breakfasts await.
Resort-style hotel in Amish Country between Lancaster and the Village of Intercourse. 1 outdoor pool, 2 indoor pools, hot tubs, tennis and basketball courts, a picnic pavilion, fitness room, game room, business center, various meeting rooms, laundry room, and gift shop. There are a smorgasbord restaurant and live theatre onsite. Free Wi-Fi. Group discounts.
Country Acres Family Campground
Campground and RV park in Gordonville, Lancaster County’s Amish Country, next to farmland. Pet-friendly. Pool, playground, dog-run area. Free Wi-Fi. Cabin rentals, tent camp sites, RV sites (including sites with 50 amp and cable hookups). Includes free guided bus tour of Amish Country.
The hotel is shaped like, and decorated like, a paddle-wheel steamboat.
It is surrounded by the Rockvale Outlets in the heart of the "Amish" countryside.
The Smithton Inn
The Historic Smithton Inn Bed and Breakfast is a 9 guest room B&B with gorgeous grounds and an on-site wine bar and restaurant. Breakfast is included. All rooms have a private, en suite bathroom and working fireplace (or fireplace feature in 1 room), reliable high-speed internet and flat-screen TVs. They also have an EV Charging station.
The Amish Country Motel has 25 rooms, Free Wi-Fi, CableTV, outdoor pool, Non-smoking rooms, and a complimentary tour of Amish farmlands.
The Travelers Rest Motel offers a daily deluxe continental breakfast with homemade baked goods and coffee and tea available all day. Each room has free Wi-Fi, cable TV, a refrigerator, a hair dryer, a microwave, and a coffee maker. There are also non-smoking rooms available. Guests are allowed use of the indoor and outdoor pools at the Bird-in-Hand Family Inn.
Great service, a large banquet area, a pool and weight room. Has two full restaurants.
Historic, upscale bed and breakfast surrounded by Amish farmlands and small shops. Complimentary deluxe continental breakfast, Wi-Fi, and guided bus tour of Amish Country.
Historic country inn, much cheaper than the Holiday inn. Secluded on 15 acres surrounded by farmland. There is also a restaurant on site.
32" flat panel TVs, complimentary wireless high-speed internet access. 9-hole golf course, lighted tennis courts, indoor pool, fitness center, game room, playground. On-site Victorian Chapel.
This hotel is near downtown Lancaster, built out of a historic tobacco warehouse. It has a top-notch restaurant that changes seasonally, and a beautiful interior.
(Route 30). 319 room and suites, an 18-hole championship golf course, indoor/outdoor pools, game rooms, two restaurants and a lounge.
300-room hotel near center of downtown. The Penn Square Grille restaurant is on-site.
Upscale, historic hotel with 2 restaurants and a catering service for banquets. Offers complimentary Wi-Fi, a fitness center, a billiards room, a day spa and a seasonal pool.
The oldest, continuously operating farmer's market in the country. You can find just about anything here. The Amish and local vendors all bring their products to sell here. Everywhere you walk, you will see and smell all kinds of food.
The Antiques Capital in Adamstown is the premier year-around antiques destination with 5,000 quality dealers, farm markets, golf courses, easy access to Lancaster and Reading outlet centers, auto racing, micro brewery, fine lodging, dining, camping, Amish and Mennonite culture and more.
The area’s largest indoor shopping center with over 150 fashion retailers and numerous dining and entertainment options. Anchors include Kohl's, JCPenney, Round1 and Boscov's.
By car
Interstate highways lead most traffic into Lancaster County.
By plane
By bus
By buggy
It is sometimes possible to pay for a buggy ride. Yes, horses do relieve themselves on the road. If you must dodge "road apples", please be careful!
By bike
The city is increasingly bike friendly and has many bike routes including some dedicated, separated lanes.
By foot
Very walkable city. Almost anything to see is in a radius of less than a mile/1 km from the center of town.
By limo
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Lancaster · Regional · LNS
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