Get the app

Pennsylvania, United States

Lancaster

Two nights for Central Market, steam trains and Lititz. Below: 2 sights, 2 activities and 1 place to eat, plus how Lancaster fits into a longer trip.

Plan Lancaster with friendsBrowse 8 places
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States
Places
8

2 See · 2 Do · 1 Eat · 2 Shop · 1 Stay

Curated routes
1

Philadelphia, Longwood & Lancaster

Best season
Late Nov – Dec

from our route notes

Warmest month
July

30°C / 86°F avg high

Coolest month
January

3°C / 37°F avg high

Wettest month
June

about 122 mm rain

Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.

Things to do in Lancaster

8 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.

See

2 sights worth building a day around across Strasburg and Lititz.

  • Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in LancasterPhoto: Dough4872 · Public domain
    See

    Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania

    State railroad museum across the road from the Strasburg Rail Road, with a hall full of restored locomotives.

    Tip Pair it with a Strasburg train ride on the same morning.

    • Strasburg
    • $$
    • 1.5 hr
    • Morning
  • See

    Lititz Moravian Church

    1787 church on Lititz's Church Square, the heart of the town's Moravian settlement, with candlelight services at Christmas.

    Tip Walk Church Square and the Moravian graveyard behind it, then browse East Main Street.

    • Lititz
    • Free
    • 30 min
    • Afternoon

Do

2 activities for when the group wants to do more than look across Strasburg and Lititz.

  • Strasburg Rail Road in LancasterPhoto: Dough4872 · Public domain
    Do

    Strasburg Rail Road

    America's oldest operating short-line railroad, running steam trains through Amish farmland, with Santa trains in December.

    Tip Book Santa train seats early; a seat in the open-platform car is cold but has the best view.

    • Strasburg
    • $$
    • 1.5 hr
    • Weekend morning
  • Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery in LancasterPhoto: Doug Kerr · CC BY-SA 2.0
    Do

    Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery

    Lititz bakery opened in 1861, the first commercial pretzel bakery in the US, with short tours and a hand-twisting lesson.

    Tip Take the tour to twist your own pretzel, then buy hard pretzels in the shop.

    • Lititz
    • $
    • 45 min
    • Morning

Eat

Where we would book a table in Lancaster in East Earl.

  • Shady Maple Smorgasbord in LancasterPhoto: FossilDS · CC0
    Eat

    Shady Maple Smorgasbord

    Huge Pennsylvania Dutch buffet in East Earl with roast turkey, chicken pot pie, shoofly pie and dozens of other dishes.

    Tip Closed on Sundays; come hungry and skip lunch.

    • East Earl
    • $$
    • 1.5 hr
    • Dinner

Shop

Markets and shops worth the detour across Downtown and Intercourse.

  • Lancaster Central Market in LancasterPhoto: Jared Kofsky/PlaceNJ.com · CC BY-SA 3.0
    Shop

    Lancaster Central Market

    Brick market hall that calls itself the oldest continuously operating public farmers market in the US, with Amish and Mennonite stands.

    Tip Open Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays only; come early for whoopie pies and shoofly pie.

    • Downtown
    • $
    • 60 min
    • Saturday morning
  • Shop

    Kitchen Kettle Village

    Cluster of shops in Intercourse selling jams, relishes, quilts and crafts, in the heart of Amish country.

    Tip Drive the back roads around Intercourse and Bird-in-Hand on the way; watch for buggies.

    • Intercourse
    • $
    • 75 min
    • Afternoon

Stay

1 place to stay we would book in Lititz.

  • Lititz Springs Inn in LancasterPhoto: Smallbones · CC0
    Stay

    Lititz Springs Inn

    Historic inn on the main square of Lititz, long known as the General Sutter Inn, with the Bulls Head pub downstairs.

    • Lititz
    • $$
    • Overnight

How to fit Lancaster into a trip

Lancaster is stop 3 of 3 on our Philadelphia, Longwood & Lancaster route. Follow it as-is or lift Lancaster into your own plan.

Getting here and onward

Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.

Lancaster month by month

Average daily highs run from 3°C / 37°F in January to 30°C / 86°F in July. June is the wettest month, with about 122 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.

Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. Lancaster weather and the best time to visit →

Near Lancaster

8 other destinations from our guides within about 150 km (93 mi), measured in a straight line.

Lancaster questions, answered

How many days do you need in Lancaster?

Our route notes suggest 2 nights in Lancaster. On our Philadelphia, Longwood & Lancaster route it is stop 3 of 3 in a 5-day trip. The listed visit times for our 8 places add up to roughly 8 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.

What is Lancaster best known for?

Two nights for Central Market, steam trains and Lititz. Standouts on our list: Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania (State railroad museum across the road from the Strasburg Rail Road, with a hall full of restored locomotives); Lititz Moravian Church (1787 church on Lititz's Church Square, the heart of the town's Moravian settlement, with candlelight services at Christmas); Strasburg Rail Road (America's oldest operating short-line railroad, running steam trains through Amish farmland, with Santa trains in December).

When is the best time to visit Lancaster?

Our Philadelphia, Longwood & Lancaster route is best Late Nov – Dec. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in July (30°C / 86°F), the coolest in January (3°C / 37°F) and the most rain in June (about 122 mm).

What are the best things to do in Lancaster?

Start with Strasburg Rail Road, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery and Lititz Moravian Church. Our guide lists 8 places in all, from 2 sights, 2 activities, 1 place to eat, 2 shops and 1 place to stay.

What is near Lancaster?

The closest destinations in our guides are Kennett Square (about 55 km / 34 mi), Baltimore (about 87 km / 54 mi) and Fells Point (about 88 km / 54 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.

Plan Lancaster with your crew

Open the Philadelphia, Longwood & Lancaster route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 8 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.

Get TripsCircle

Plan around Lancaster

More in Pennsylvania

More in United States

Plan it together

Plan Lancaster