Lancaster PA, located in the heart of Pennsylvania’s Dutch Country, is home to one of the oldest and largest Amish settlements in the country. It is also one of the country’s most sought after antiquing destinations. But you may be wondering, is Lancaster PA worth visiting? If you are looking for a getaway that is peaceful, remote, and simple – Lancaster is the place to go. This post will provide the ultimate list of things to do in Lancaster and surrounding areas.
Updated March 23, 2023!
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Where is Lancaster?
Located in the southeast section of Pennsylvania, Lancaster is under an hour drive from York, Harrisburg, and Hershey and only an hour and a half from Philadelphia. It took us 2 and a half hours to get to Lancaster from our home in Northeast PA.
I would recommend staying at least a weekend in Lancaster to fully soak in all of the beauty and fun it has to offer.
Things to Keep in Mind When Visiting:
Lancaster vs. Lancaster County
When people refer to Lancaster they may be referring to the city of Lancaster itself or to Lancaster County which is comprised of several small towns and communities. All of these small towns are in the greater Lancaster area.
Most of the things to do in this list of things to do are around the entire Lancaster area, with 30 minutes being the furthest travel distance. It is important to keep in mind these travel times to each destination from downtown Lancaster:
Bird-in-hand: 7 miles (east), approximately 15 minutes
Lititz: 8.5 miles (north), approximately 15-20 minutes
Intercourse: 10 miles (east), approximately 20 minutes
Ronks: 8 miles (southeast), approximately 15 minutes
Columbia: 14.5 miles (west), approximately 30 minutes
Do the Amish like Visitors?
Please remember that the Amish community is very private. Those that do not participate in the tourist industry may not want to have their picture taken or to talk about their lifestyle. Please be considerate and understanding of their community and way of life.
The Amish community also does not allow visitors to their church.
It is also important to plan your trip ahead of time. Being that this is an Amish community, many attractions are not open on Sundays or on holidays.
With that being said, let’s get into this travel guide for Lancaster, PA, discover why Lancaster is worth visiting, and all of the fun things to do!
Turkey Hill Experience
Address: 301 Linden St, Columbia, PA
Hours: 10:15am-4pm
One thing you must do while visiting Lancaster that is fun for the whole family is the Turkey Hill Experience. Although it is not a working ice cream factory, you can still learn all about how ice cream and the tea are made. Throughout the experience, there are several interactive areas. The kids can milk cows, be the star of their own tv commercial and develop their own flavors and design their own packaging. This is self-guided so you can take as much time as you like at each exhibit.
Although it is an additional fee ($8.45 per person), I highly recommend you do the taste lab. Here you are given a generous portion of vanilla ice cream that you get to create your own flavor, add your own toppings, and make your own swirl. I made a banana flavored ice cream with salted almonds, pretzels, and a peanut butter and caramel swirl. It was delicious! I think Turkey Hill needs to make that their new flavor!
Dutch Wonderland
Address: 2249 Lincoln Hwy E, Lancaster, PA
Hours: 10am-6pm. In the summer months of June, July and August they are closed Tuesday and Wednesday. After the summer months, they are only open on the weekends.
Your kids are surely going to want to make Dutch Wonderland a part of your Lancaster getaway! I would plan on spending most of your day here. This fun theme park consists of over 35 rides and attractions. They also have a waterpark called Duke’s Lagoon.
They have a fun photo pass option that you can purchase. Here you will get your picture taken at specific locations around the park and then when you get home you have unlimited downloads. So this way you can enjoy your time at the park and let someone else worry about the pictures!
If you are staying at Cartoon Network Hotel, this is located right next door.
Strasburg Railroad
Address: 301 Gap Rd, Ronks, PA
Located about 15 minutes from downtown Lancaster, in Ronks, PA, the Strasburg Railroad is one of the oldest operating railroads in the country. You can choose from an open air car (which we did), coach class, or one of the premium cars that are climate controlled with swivel comfy seats.
We wanted to do the open air car so we could fully experience the beauty of the Amish countryside as we rode past. The ride lasts about 45 minutes and is a 9 mile round trip on the same track. The conductor provided some really cool educational information throughout the ride as well.
What I loved about this attraction is it made you feel like you were back in older times getting on a train to travel across the country. You walk through this mini town past a general store, a toy store and a restaurant. This is a great activity for people of all ages, both of my kids loved it!
They have several different events throughout the year, such as a wine and cheese event, dinners and beer tasting events. So check their website for details.
Grab your tickets online in advance to ensure you are able to get the time slot you want.
Choo Choo Barn
Address: 226 Gap Rd, Ronks, PA
After you finish your ride on the Strasburg Railroad, head just down the road and check out the Choo Choo Barn. They are open 7 days a week from 10am-5pm. They have 22 operating trains, and 150 hand built figures in a 1700 square foot layout. Perfect for the train-loving little boys (or girls!) in your family!
Kitchen Kettle Village
Address: 3529 Old Philadelphia Pike, Intercourse, PA
Open: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 9am-6pm. They are closed on Sundays.
Kitchen Kettle Village is the cutest, authentic Dutch country shopping that you will find in the Lancaster area. With over 40 unique shops and restaurants there is surely something for everyone. This is a great spot to find primitive decor if that is your style.
My favorite was the Jam & Relish Kitchen. They had a cookie dough peanut butter that I had my eye on as well as home made pasta sauces, jams and jellies, hot sauce, cookies you name it! Oh, and of course the famous shoo fly pie! Stop in and take some freshly made goods home with you!
Amish Horse & Buggy Rides
A visit to Lancaster PA wouldn’t be complete without going on an authentic horse and buggy ride! There are several options throughout the area to choose from. We chose to take our ride with AAA Buggy Rides – located in Kitchen Kettle Village
The girl that drove the buggy was so nice and so eager to answer our questions. She said that she grew up Amish for part of her life before her family converted.
No reservations are needed in advance. They have a couple of different options for rides. We chose to take the 4 mile, 35 minute ride through the countryside past working Amish farms. It cost $45 for three of us (Jake was free). They also have a 5 mile option that takes you over a covered bridge. Sometimes on the weekends they will even stop at a road stand that sells cookies and homemade made root beer!
The Amish Experience Theater
Address: 3121 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird in Hand, PA
Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm
The Amish Experience Theater is a great educational experience for the whole family. Here you can learn what it really means to be Amish. They feature a show called “The Story of Jacob’s Choice” which details the struggle of Jacob and his choice to continue within the Amish community. They run this show every hour on the hour and it lasts for approximately 35 minutes.
Here you can also visit an Amish family home and one room schoolhouse in a 45 minute guided tour.
A combo ticket to do both is $19.95 for ages 13+ and $14.95 for ages 4-12.
Amish Farm & House Tour
Address: 2395 Covered Bridge Dr. Lancaster, PA
Hours: Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm
Here is another authentic Amish experience that Lancaster has to offer where you can really learn about and experience a different way of life. They have several different tour options that you can choose from. The kids will love the Farm Animal Fun Tour where they can get dirty and gather eggs, hold chickens, cuddle baby goats, etc. They also have a self guided farm tour which gives you access to all 15 acres of farmland.
The full package is their bus tour which runs about $32 per person. Here you will take a 90 minute ride through the countryside, tour the farmhouse, the farm and the one room schoolhouse.
Covered Bridges
To really encompass the old time charm and romance of Lancaster, and its surrounding small towns, you should absolutely check out some of the old covered bridges. There are over 25 covered bridges in Lancaster County to pick from. I think seeing these old bridges definitely makes Lancaster worth visiting. These are one of the most popular attractions in Lancaster.
We chose to drive to Colemanville Covered Bridge (Address: 41 Fox Hollow Rd Pequea, PA). This was the closest one to Kitchen Kettle Village.
Some of the buggy rides will take you over a covered bridge and there are around 5 driving tours that you can do as well. Check out discoverlancaster.com for the complete list of bridges and their locations.
Central Market
Address: 23 N Market St, Lancaster PA
The top tourist attraction in Lancaster is Central Market – the oldest running public farmers market in the country – located right in downtown Lancaster! Here you can find fresh produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods, fresh flowers, canned goods, etc! All homemade and hand-crafted from over 60 local vendors!
They are only open Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 6am-3pm.
Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre
Address: 510 Centerville Rd, Lancaster, PA
I am disappointed that the show was sold out when we were visiting Lancaster, because this is one of the things that we really wanted to do. They have a show only option or a dinner and a show option. Have dinner served and watch a live play! This is a great option for the whole family! You need to make reservations in advance online. Obviously, they sell out quickly! Dinner and a show tickets run about $65.00 for adults.
Check out their website for the show schedule and menu options.
Outback Toys
Address: 101 W Lincoln Ave, Lititz, PA
If you have a tractor lover in your family, a trip 15-20 minutes north of Lancaster to Outback Toys in Lititz is a must. They have farm toys, collector tractors, and apparel from your favorite tractor companies.
Hot Air Balloon Rides
Address: 2727 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird in Hand, PA
If you want a one-of-a-kind experience, and you have an extra $250 to spare per person, consider booking a hot air balloon ride with the US Hot Air Balloon Team. This would be a really romantic way to see the countryside.
Corn Cob Acres
Address: 191 College Ave, Mountville, PA
If you happen to be visiting Lancaster in the fall (Sept-Oct) consider visiting Corn Cob Acres for fun for the whole family. They have over 50 activities and adventures and you can buy pumpkins to take home. They also have a farm theme park for the younger kids.
For the brave souls, or those that love a good thrill, their Field of Screams is for you! It is conveniently located right inside Corn Cob Acres. They have a haunted hayride, haunted woods and two haunted houses. It is surely not for the faint of heart though!
Cherry Crest Adventure Farms
Address: 150 Cherry Hill Rd, Ronks, PA
You will pass right by here on your ride on the Strasburg Railroad. Or if you don’t take the train ride, the kids will get to wave to the train as it passes by from Cherry Crest Adventure Farms.
They have a corn maze, a pumpkin patch (in the fall), wagon rides, a petting zoo and many other activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Go Shopping
Park City Center is the largest indoor shopping mall in Lancaster.
Address: 142 Park City Center, Lancaster, PA
Tanger Outlets is a huge outdoor outlet mall. I know people who have come to Lancaster just to shop here!
Address: 311 Stanley K Tanger Dr, Lancaster PA
Antiquing
If shopping for antiques is more your speed, Lancaster has got you covered. Here is home to thousands of antique shops and is arguably some of the best antiquing in the state. The antiquing alone makes Lancaster worth visiting!
Indoor Options for Families with Kids
If you find that you are in Lancaster on a rainy day or you are looking for something to do indoors with the family, here are three fun options:
- Bounce Kraze
Address: 407 Granite Run Drive, Lancaster, PA
They have nine large bounce attractions that will surely keep the kids busy for hours. They even have a toddler zone for the smaller children. They also serve snacks!
- Magic & Wonder Show
Address: Magic & Wonder Theater, 3065 Lincoln Hwy, Paradise, PA
Experience a comedy show full of magic and awe! This show is very family-friendly.
- Lancaster Virtual Reality Lounge
Address: 325 N Queen St, Suite G04, Lancaster, PA
Who doesn’t love virtual reality – it’s something different and so fun to do! Here they have over 50 experiences to choose from as well as an escape room.
I hope this list of things to do showed you that Lancaster PA is worth visiting! Don’t forget to check out my post on where to eat and stay in Lancaster so you don’t miss out on the best food in town!
