Lancaster

Travel back in time and spend some time with the Amish, while only traveling a couple of hours from NYC. A fun trip for kids and adults alike, you’ll go back to days long ago when horse-drawn buggies filled the streets. Whether you’re interested in handmade crafts, or learning how life was in Amish communities, Lancaster is a must do weekend destination.

Things to Do in Lancaster

More than anything, Lancaster is known as home to one of the largest Amish communities in the United States. You would have to try hard not to be able to witness a completely different way of life amongst the Pennsylvania Amish community. Their way of life has not changed much in 300 years and they live a simple and non-materialistic life without modern conveniences. Experience parts of this lifestyle yourself, by taking one of many tours offered. Visitors can travel the countryside on a horse and buggy tour, visit Amish farms and homes, taste Amish cuisine, and explore Amish shops. The location is a great excuse to take a break from technology and enjoy the simple things.

Visiting an Amish community is far from the only thing to see and do in Lancaster. The downtown area of Lancaster serves up your choice of international cuisine, fine dining, and comfort foods. During the summer months, this area hosts live music in many locations. Take an evening to visit The Demuth Museum or the Friendship Heart Gallery to explore some of the art and cultural history of Lancaster.

If you want to stroll through some interesting shops, head to the 300 Block on North Queen Street in downtown Lancaster. Here you’ll find boutiques, vintage items, and Pennsylvania crafts. Nearby is another great place to shop, Lancaster Central Market. This is the oldest farmer’s market in the country that has operated continuously, since 1730. Approximately 60 vendors offer a wide variety of local specialties, like baked goods, fresh produce, and ready-to-eat foods.

Lancaster has many options for outdoor activities. You can spend the day exploring the area by land or by water. North Fork Adventures offers guided climbing expeditions at some of Lancaster’s most beautiful nature spots. If heights are not your thing, you can explore Lancaster’s 2,000 feet of caves with an experienced North fork Adventure guide. Alternatively, if you prefer to be on the water, KayakLanCo rents gear for self-guided kayaking adventures on several different routes. Here you can spend the day kayaking around Lancaster’s natural habitat, and pass by the town’s historical bridges on your trip. They also offer kid-sized kayaks, so that kids can come along and get introduced to this fun activity. If you have young children, they can ride along in your kayak for free.

Dutch Wonderland

Looking for something more thrilling? Then check out Dutch Wonderland, a theme park with more than 35 rides and a large, fun-filled waterpark. If you’re with family and looking for a hotel that the kids will love, then you should be sure to check out the Cartoon Network Hotel near the park. The hotel itself serves up some fun, with its own outdoor pool and splash pad for kids and parents to unwind after a day at the park. During the summer months, the hotel hosts movie nights on an outdoor movie screen for the whole family.

Strasburg Rail Road

The Strasburg Rail Road offers rides in authentic steam trains. These train rides are a great experience for kids and adults and are popular among visitors of the area. On top of the regular rides, they also offer a variety of special events for all ages. For younger kids, you can visit during their Day out With Thomas the Tank Engine event, when kids can meet Thomas the Train and tour multiple styles of train cars. During the holiday season they offer many Christmas-themed rides and events, like the Night Before Christmas events. For adults, they have special events, like the escape room experience and tours behind the scenes of train maintenance. All ages can join their dinner or breakfast rides, where the great views can be enjoyed while eating a delicious meal.

When to Visit Lancaster

Although summertime is the best time to enjoy the outdoor attractions in Lancaster, there are things to do in the city year-round. During the fall, you can enjoy the harvest season and find many farm stands and farmers markets with fresh local produce and baked goods. During the winter months snow tubing is a family favorite. You can also combine your vacation with holiday shopping at Tanger Outlets and The Shops @ Rockvale.