While Lancaster is best known for the Amish community and the Amish tourism that it attracts, Lancaster has grown way beyond buggy rides in the park and a few tour houses. In fact, the vast majority of Amish tours and Amish attractions do not accurately represent the Amish at all. Just like anyone else, the Amish do not enjoy being turned into a spectacle. Their religious values do not permit photographs taking, and the homes that are on display do not always depict the community well in areas of their impeccable cleanliness, ingenuity, or tradition.
A visit to Lancaster can be as upscale or down to nature as you want it to be. With hiking trails, campgrounds, and rivers and lakes, the outdoor enthusiast has an ample playground for warm weather activities. Downhill and cross country skiing and snow tubing and are only a stone’s throw away for the winter time traveler. If you do pop by in early winter, stopping by Santa’s House for a taste of the real Santa Village is a treat regardless of age.
Lancaster’s numerous parks host events and festivals throughout the year. Although it is not uncommon to find an event or festival located right in the middle of the city, complete with street vendors, balloon animal artists, face painting, live music, and local entertainment and dancers. Throughout the summer Long’s Park, the county’s most popular park, hosts a weekly music festival every Sunday evening. The 4th of July brings a street festival throughout downtown Lancaster where food samplings from all over the world enhance the live music and entertainment.
The Living Water Museum, the Sight and Sound Theater, the majestic Fulton Opera House, and Dutch Apple Dinner Theater add brilliant entertainment to any trip. With performances that you won’t find in any movie theater, each offers its own unique atmosphere along with unique or well redone classic plays, musicals, and shows. For a night of outright laughter, the Comedy Club hosts local and national talent for well rounded entertainment.
One of the biggest attractions for families with kids 6 years old and under is Dutch Wonderland Amusement Park. Complete with a water park, Dutch Wonderland offers the best thrill rides for small children in a clean and safe environment. The rides have improved significantly over the past several years and the park continues to grow. While kids over 7 may find it boring, smaller children find it is the perfect outing just for them. Parents can get in on the action as well, you just won’t find intimidating rides that kids aren’t permitted on, which can make it a much more kid friendly day when you’re talking the land of the little ones. Some rides have height restrictions which only mean that a parent or adult must accompany them. Families with older children will find two theme parks within an hour from Lancaster city, Hershey Park and Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom.
Lancaster is home to many unique attractions, including the sizeable shoe house (as in there was an old lady who lived in a shoe) which was featured on the Amazing Race as a clue point, a wax museum, and several children’s touch museums. Water parks and gigantic waterslides, miniature golf, and of course real golf can be found all over the county.
Every first Friday night of the month, Lancaster City hosts Lancaster Night Out. Over 60 participating art shops, galleries, restaurants, and unique merchants keep their doors open late and encourage people to view Lancaster’s fine arts. With galleries offering wine toastings and new artist exhibits, the walking tour of Lancaster’s more unique culture has pulled many locals into the fabulous shops and galleries. Many of the featured artists come directly from Pennsylvania School of Art and Design, which sits conveniently at the early stage of the walking tour.
With over 5000 antique dealers, over 3000 of them in Adamstown, Lancaster County alone, an avid antique collector will never grow tired of touring the galleries of antiques. From collectables to antique auctions, Lancaster is an antique enthusiast’s dream come true.
Three active ice rinks, the town’s minor league baseball team, ample different and unique restaurants and shops, and an overhauled downtown flair, Lancaster has truly grown into its own in the last ten years. The oldest inland city in the United States, Lancaster, Pennsylvania has much more for the visitor than could ever meet the eye.