1. Dutch Wonderland
City: Lancaster, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 2249 Lincoln Hwy. East
Description: At some amusement parks, little kids can feel somewhat left out when they’re too big for the “baby rides” and too small for everything else. But Dutch Wonderland actually caters to children ages 10 and under with more than 30 just-the-right-size rides, including two roller coasters and two water adventures plus live shows. Steps away from the amusement park is the 18-hole Wonderland Mini-Golf Course.
2. The Amish Farm and House
City: Lancaster, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (717) 394-6185
Address: 2395 Route 30 East
Description: This 25-acre property has been a true working farm since it was deeded from William Penn in 1715. Many buildings from the early 19th century have been preserved, including an 1803 stone bank tobacco barn and an 1805 farmhouse, home to generations of Old Amish families and furnished in their traditional style. Tours of the house are guided, then continue on your own to visit the 1803 stone bank barn, blacksmith shop, other farm outbuildings, resident animals, and a one-room schoolhouse.
3. Charles Demuth House and Garden
City: Lancaster, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (717) 299-9940
Address: 120 E. King St. (rear)
Description: Master watercolorist Charles Demuth (1883–1935), whose paintings hang in major museums throughout the world, created almost all of his works in the second-floor studio of his 18th-century home. His living quarters and studio have been re-created, and an on-site gallery features rotating exhibitions as well as Demuth’s art. No admission (donations encouraged). Closed Mon and for the entire month of Jan.
4. James Buchanan’s Wheatland
City: Lancaster, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (717) 392-8721
Address: 1120 Marietta Ave.
Description: Take a guided tour of this 1828 Federal-style mansion that was the home of America’s 15th president for 20 years (1848–1868), including the tempestuous time of his term (1857–1861) as the nation teetered on the edge of civil war. It was in this house that Buchanan organized his presidential campaign quarters and, later, family members held his funeral. Regular guided tours are available year-round except for Jan through Mar. Closed Sun and Mon.
5. Hands-on House Children’s Museum of Lancaster
City: Lancaster, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Address: 721 Landis Valley Rd.
Description: Interactive, imagination-fueling, themed exhibits and programs allow children from ages 2 to 10 to experiment with colors and multidimensional design, get hands-on with gears and pulleys in a kid-friendly “machine shop,” and learn about life on the farm. Open daily, including Sun.
6. Lancaster Museum of Art
City: Lancaster, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (717) 394-3497
Address: 135 N. Lime St.
Description: Contemporary regional artists are well represented in the permanent collection of this 4,000-square-foot facility that is a focal point for Lancaster County visual art exhibition and education. Throughout the year, 16 additional traveling or temporary shows feature the works of regional, national, and international artists in a variety of media, including children’s art and juried and contemporary crafts.
7. Landis Valley Farm and Museum
City: Lancaster, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (717) 569-0401
Address: 2451 Kissel Hill Rd. (just off Route 272
Insider Pick:
Description: Don’t let the word “museum” throw you; this largest living history village of Pennsylvania Dutch life draws you into the day-to-day of the mid-18th and 19th centuries as you visit 2 dozen original and re-created buildings filled with exhibits and artifacts and interact with costumed guides and artisans. Check out the online schedule for special events throughout the year. Open daily, year-round.
8. North Museum of Natural History and Science
City: Lancaster, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (717) 291-3941
Address: 400 College Ave.
Insider Pick:
Description: Wonders of the past, visions of the future are here for the exploring with exhibits of eons-old fossils and artifacts extracted from the earth to the quest for knowledge about the unknown reaches of the universe. One particularly popular attraction is the high-definition planetarium ($$) that makes you feel as if you are actually visiting galaxies yet to be explored. The museum is open Tues to Sat.
9. Red Rose Segway
City: Lancaster, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (717) 393-4526, (877) 393-8345
Address: 305 N. Queen St.
Insider Pick:
Description: Full disclosure—I love Segways. That said, you can choose from 3 different escorted and narrated 90-minute tours: City, Ghosts and Graveyards, or Arts Tour. Participants must be at least 16 years old.
10. Historic Lancaster Walking Tour
City: Lancaster, PA
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (717) 392-1776
Address: 5 W. King St.
Description: A brief film presentation lays the groundwork for your 90-minute tour that spans 250 years. Every day Apr through Oct, you can join a colonial-garbed guide who leads tours down cobbled streets to visit more than 50 locations, including historic homes, courtyards, churchyards, and gardens. Call for prices.