Things To Do On A 3-day Itinerary to Lancaster, PA

Lancaster in Central PA has many unique things to do, and while it is known for Amish Country, Lancaster will astound you with its plethora of activities covering history, architecture, famous residents, and a thriving downtown.

In these pandemic times, domestic travel is re-surging as people are opting to explore and experience their region more. Click To Tweet

Read on for how I spent 3 days in Lancaster, PA, by which I mean the City of Lancaster and its close surroundings, and not the county as a whole. Of course, you can always add on more days to accommodate time for all these and more interesting activities on offer.

Without further ado, here goes an itinerary of interesting things to do in Lancaster, PA, including Amish Country.

#Getting There

I absolutely love train travel as a means of sustainable travel and one pandemic pro is Amtrak sales and price slashes since 2020 to encourage train travel. No need to convince me!

Tagskryt – Swedish for “train brag” where train use is encouraged

• Amtrak Keystone service runs daily from Moynihan Penn Station to Harrisburg, PA, stopping in Lancaster. It goes through major New Jersey and Pennsylvania towns and cities so it is accessible. It takes approx. 3h 30 mins.
• If you insist on driving, it takes 3 hours, give or take any road issues (why would you want that stress and uncertainty??)

Be mindful of mask mandates in certain indoor spaces and within private businesses

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Day 1: Things To Do In Lancaster, PA

Historic Lancaster Walking Tour

38 Penn Square, Downtown Lancaster Visitors Center

One of my favourite things to do in Lancaster is a walking tour of the city after a well deserved rest. This tour begins at the Downtown Lancaster Visitors Center where you will meet famous American faces renowned in history and whom you didn’t know were from Lancaster. For example, James Buchanan – DYK that he’s one of historian’s lowest rated Presidents – and Representative Thaddeus Stevens, are in living galleries narrating a sentence or two of some of their famed exploits. Fascinating!

Then, it’s outside to walk Lancaster City and marvel at the history on every block. Famed historical sights to see on this downtown walking tour through interesting neighbourhoods are:

• Fulton Theatre. Named for Robert Fulton and allegedly haunted, he is the inventor of the first commercial steamboat to ply the Hudson River in New York, and for which most parts of NYC are named after. (I had no idea he was from Lancaster!)
• Underground Railroad site @ Lancaster Marriott. The site was once the home of Thaddeus Stevens, the Republican Representative & Abolitionist, who worked tirelessly for the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (prohibiting local and state governments from depriving citizens of life, liberty, and property).
• St. James Episcopal Church Cemetery. I love historic cemeteries and this one is the final resting place of some of America’s famous names in the Revolutionary War and general U.S. history. The Church itself has an interesting past with arches and a courtyard akin to the Cloisters, in NYC, giving me strong deja vu. The Church is much older than the Cloisters, just FYI.

These are just a fraction of really interesting and historic landmarks in Lancaster, PA, that you will see on a Downtown Lancaster Visitors Center walking tour. I genuinely enjoyed it and learned so much about history going back to settler interactions with indigenous people.

*As we’re in pandemic times, always book ahead for activities as there may be limits and time changes.

Central Market Lancaster

23 N. Market St., across Penn Square from Lancaster Marriott

Tue, Fri, Sat 6a-3p

Central Market Lancaster is the oldest and continuously running public farmers’ market in the country. The beautiful brick building was erected in 1889, but the actual market itself precedes the building, as farmers brought their wares to vend back in colonial era.

The market is a bit on the small side and houses local vendors, some from Amish Country, selling produce and artisanal made goods from Lancaster. Walk through aisles teeming with organic produce, prepared foods, handmade items, and grab some breakfast or lunch.

Interesting facts about the market:

• Marvel at the exposed rafters and beams made from hardwood that is the original timber it was built with.
• Food is prepared off-site and brought to the market as there is no cooking permitted indoors. Again, historic hardwood is a fire hazard.
• On the market site once stood the home of Colonel William Henry – master rifle maker and experimenter in steam navigation. Robert Fulton (scroll back to walking tour above) hung around him and most likely learnt a thing or two about steam navigation.

Gallery Row

100 block of N. Prince St., and shopping on the 300 block of N. Queen St.

This is a beautiful neighbourhood full of galleries, antiques, record stores, vintage everything stores, plant shops, historic Fulton Theatre, cafes, and much more. If you stay downtown, Gallery Row is a walking distance from any of the downtown hotels and you will marvel at solid, historic architecture and landmarks. Indeed, downtown Lancaster is so small and neighbourhoods so accessible by foot that you will enjoy all walks to city activities and sites.

Gallery Row is one of the major things to do in Lancaster and is not to be missed

#Replenish Your Calories

The Exchange Lancaster

25 S Queen Street

After a full day of walking and sight-seeing, nourish your exhausted form @ The Exchange Lancaster, atop Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square. It is a rooftop bar with truly sumptuous meals – roast squash pizza ftw! – and panoramic views of downtown. The outdoor lounge is enclosed with comfy couches, armchairs, fires, and heat lamps for the cold months.

*RSVP in advance. Again, pandemic procedures.

 

Day 2: Things To Do In Lancaster, PA

Yesterday was downtown Lancaster exploring the sights, history, and sounds of the city and its architecture. Today, we venture into Amish Country! One of many things Lancaster County, PA, is known for is their Amish community, and today, we will be experiencing some interesting things to do right in the community.

Amish Experience

3121 Old Philadelphia Pike (Rt. 340), Bird-in-Hand

Re-opening in March 2022

This attraction is 20 mins from downtown Lancaster and you can easily reach it via Uber…BUT, call Uber an hour before your arrival time because it takes 10 – 20 mins for Uber to get to downtown from wherever. NYC has spoilt me with 2 min Uber accessibility.

Amish Experience at Plain and Fancy farm is Lancaster County’s officially designated heritage site, and is one of truly experiential things to do in Lancaster. This is true Amish Country and Amish Experience offers unique on-site Amish cultural activities like:

• F/X Theater showing the movie, Jacob’s Choice, about a fictional Amish teen and his family.
• Amish House & School Presentation & Tour. Sit in a real schoolhouse and see what Amish children learn: German, English, Math; learn a bit about the culture – children stop at 8th grade, most girls eventually become teachers, and the community eschew modern conveniences that include anything electric.
• Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides for a 30-60 min breezy ride through Amish Country farmlands.

For more full day Amish Country experiences, wander the town and its Amish run stores and other individual activities. Amish men are renowned expert toy makers so don’t miss any toy displays available as Amish experiences are one of the most interesting things to do in Lancaster, PA.

>>Watch REEL of Buggy Ride Through Amish Country<<<

#Replenish Your Calories

Annie Bailey’s Irish Public House

28 E. King St., half-block from Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square

Get your Guinness on with some fish ‘n’ chips or other Irish fare at Annie Bailey’s. I strongly advise to RSVP in advance because it gets quite crowded and noisy at the bar after hours. You will be amazed at the number of men wearing plaid shirts. Truly spectacular!

Conway Social Club

28 E. King St.

Wed & Thurs 6p – 10p; Fri & Sat 6p – 12a

Upstairs of Annie Bailey’s, it is a cool kids club offering quiet solace from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Conway Social Club is a dining destination to experience in Lancaster and it reminds me of secret Victorian era speakeasies and bars in NYC. I love that vibe.

RSVP in advance, walk up and through a dimly lit foyer with period decor, into a long and fairly narrow lounge scene with seating, chandeliers, a gallery wall, and moody decor and ambience.

 

Day 3: Things To Do In Lancaster, PA

Rachel’s Cafe and Creperie

201 W Walnut St.

Closed Mondays
8:00AM – 3:00PM Tuesday – Sunday

Start the day with a hearty breakfast of humongous crepes, pancakes, hot or cold beverages, and smoothies, because you will need it for more full day adventures.

Rachel’s Cafe is a leisurely walk from any downtown accommodation but be warned, arrive before 8am to be the first to snag seating, else you will wait 30min to 1hr for open tables. It is quite popular in town hence the queue and wait. There is no reservation required so walk-in very early to eat and begin your day.

Historic Rock Ford

881 Rockford Road, with onsite Snyder Gallery

Re-opening April 2022

There is so much preserved history in Lancaster beyond Amish Country that you will need weeks to properly go through half of the historic homes and landmarks present, and one such place is Historic RockFord.

Historic Rock Ford is accessible with a 10min Uber from downtown

Also known as the General Edward Hand Mansion, Historic Rockford is the 33 acre, 1794 home of 18th century and U.S. (of Irish descent) Revolutionary War doctor-turned-soldier, Edward Hand (he was a General in Washington’s army). This massive estate with open expanse of land is where the Hand family and their retinue of free and enslaved labourers and servants lived till after the War.

This historic home has an interesting life, from the bankruptcy of the family after Edward Hand’s death to the recovery of original furniture pieces sold over the century. Some of these pieces are in their rightful place in the home and will excite architecture and history nerds alike.

Interesting spots in the estate are:

• Wide, wide open and picturesque grounds
• A doll’s house replica of Historic Rockford on the upper floor
• Preserved decor and furnishing
• A basement kitchen with open hearth and 18th century cooking implements and ingredients

After touring the house, walk to the Snyder Gallery of Early Lancaster Decorative Arts across the grounds, in a converted 18th century barn. The gallery curates history and culture of early Lancastrians with objects used by these people, such as grandfather clocks, rifles, furniture, silver, and more. These curated items date between 1760 and 1820, and are well preserved in the gallery.

As a culture and history buff, Historic Rock Ford is one of the most unique things to do in Lancaster and I highly recommend it for all visitors.

Tip: Take a camera for all the landscape picture potential on the open grounds.

Demuth Museum

120 E King St.

Charles Demuth is a famous Lancaster artist born in 1883 as an only child. He studies art in Philadelphia, sojourns in Paris, NYC, New England and is popular in his circle. He is well known for portrait posters and one of his works was acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of art in 1918.

He is also well known for The Figure Five in Gold, a pop art picture that everyone knows, even beyond art circles. Click To Tweet

He died in 1934.

Take a self-guided tour through his childhood home-turned-museum and browse his artworks and other contemporary paintings.

Tip: Exit the museum, turn right, and go through an archway into an idyllic garden courtyard behind the museum full of plants and colourful flowers in warm weather.

Building Character

342 N Queen St.

Building Character is a unique 10,000 sq.ft of vintage, recycled, and handmade products that has a tagline of “it’s like Etsy live!”. There are over 70 shops here with everything from real honey and local hot pepper sauces to carved art, antiques, on-site printing, and much more. Get practical sustainable items to take back with you and I promise you, you will not trash them.

#Replenish Your Calories

Plough

2 E King St.

Another of Lancaster Marriott’s fine dining establishments, Plough has mouth-watering dishes and cocktails to nourish you at the end of your Lancaster adventures.

Other fine dining establishments in the City of Lancaster include:

• Amorette, 401 N Prince St., Lancaster
• The Imperial, 26 E Chestnut St., Lancaster

Need some sweet treats for the journey back home?

• Barberet French Bistro & Bakery, 26 E King St., Lancaster
• Lancaster Sweet Shoppe., 141 N Duke St., Lancaster

Other Lancaster historical landmarks to self-tour:

Penn Square. This is the heart of downtown with Lancaster Marriott as its focal establishment. In the middle of the square is the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, erected in 1874 to honour Union troops killed in the Civil War. Walk Penn Square and nearby streets for historic plaques and architecture as a cheap thing to do in Lancaster, PA.

Lancaster Marriott @ Penn Square used to be the Watt & Shand Department store. Within Lancaster Marriott are the preserved Underground Railroad home of Thaddeus Stevens and Montgomery House, another historic home of a famed Lancaster attorney.

>>Watch REEL of historic sites in Marriott Lancaster<<<

 

St. James Episcopal Church. Founded in 1744, the current building was erected in 1820. Patriots like Edward Hand (and family), William Atlee, and famed botanist, Henry Muhlenberger, lie here. Furthermore, the grounds hold over 200 unmarked graves of Indigenous people, townspeople, children, colonists, and British & American soldiers who at some point resided in Lancaster. Walk the quiet cemetery grounds and peer at known names on tombstones you’ve read about or seen re-enacted in movies.

James Buchanan’s Wheatland. Federal-style home of the 15th U.S. President, famed bachelor, and one of historians’ lowest rated Presidents. Tours resume February 2022 and is one of the popular things to do in Lancaster, PA, by history and culture travelers.

Shreiner-Concord Cemetery. “Another cemetery?!” , you exclaim. Not intentional, I promise lol. Again, if you’re any sort of history buff, it will interest you to know that radical Abolitionist, Thaddeus Stevens lies here. Indeed, he penned his own epitaph below:

I repose in this quiet and secluded spot, not for any natural preference for solitude. But finding other cemeteries limited as to race by charter rules, I have chosen this that I might illustrate in my death the principles which I advocated through a long life, equality of man before his creator.

As small as the City of Lancaster is, it is full of historic landmarks, plaques, and architecture, much of which are not mentioned here. My favourite way of exploring downtown is by walking it and getting lost in its picturesque grid where you will discover many unique and unforgettable things to do in Lancaster, PA.

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I hope you enjoy this unique Lancaster itinerary and you can mix and match activities to experience more. If you’re interested in Amish Country, nearby towns with immersive experiences are Bird-in-Hand, Strasburg, and Intercourse…amongst others.

Don’t forget to comment, share, and bookmark for a weekend escape or warm weather getaway. See you on the social streets!

*This Lancaster itinerary was a press trip hosted by Discover Lancaster

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