Family Christmas Itinerary

Day 1

 

Buggy Ride: Discover the countryside the way the Amish do, with a ride on an authentic Amish buggy. A peaceful ride in a horse-pulled buggy offers unique insight into the Amish way of life and gives new appreciation for the idyllic countryside. If it’s snowing out, you may just be able to take a horse drawn sleigh ride!

 

Head to Clipper Magazine Stadium’s Ice Park where our local baseball team, the Barnstormers, are trading their spikes for blades! Enjoy ice skating under the open sky at Lancaster’s only outdoor rink.

Dinner: Pennsylvania Dutch style! Enjoy traditional Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine served family-style, where diners sit at long tables and pass around heaping platters filled with fried chicken, baked sausage, brown buttered noodles, chow chow, and much more!

 

Next, enjoy an evening adventure at Dutch Wonderland: Weekends, November 20-December 19, and December 26-30 at Dutch Wonderland. Rides, games, and holiday entertainment under thousands of twinkling lights! Indoor activities include cookie decorating, voting for your favorite gingerbread house and sharing holiday wishes with Santa.

Overnight Lodging

 

Maybe it's Lancaster County's fresh country air…or the fun-filled pace. Or all that down-home cooking! Whatever the reason, when it's time to turn in, cozy, comfortable accommodations get to be a top priority. That's why you'll find such a variety of warmly welcoming hotels, motels, B&Bs, working farms, and country inns here in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country.  So you can feel right at home, away from home.

 

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Day 2

In the morning, head into town, and see what Downtown Lancaster is like for the holidays! November 26-28; December 3-5; 10-12; 17-19 - Don’t miss out on Caroling Bells, the arrival of Santa Claus, the lighting of the Christmas Tree, horse drawn carriage rides, strolling musical entertainment, a model train display, and SO much more!

 

Make sure to stop by the Lancaster Quilt & Textile Museum. You can see historically recreated and decorated rooms for the holiday, spanning each decade from 1850 – 1960. The kids won’t believe that back in the day people decorated their trees with pretzels!

 

Grab lunch at Isaac’s Downtown, the award-winning bird-themed restaurant featuring sandwiches and wraps, made-from-scratch soups, fresh green salads, unique pita pizzas, vegetarian selections, and delectable desserts. Kids' Menu complete with toy. Unique dining area with a non-smoking atmosphere or outside patio dining available.

 

Take a spin up to Hershey, an easy 40 minute drive, and pick up a cup of hot cocoa made with real Hershey's chocolate. November 19-December 31, enjoy a family holiday tradition, Hersheypark Christmas Candylane, which delights all your senses with more than two million twinkling lights, holiday-themed rides, festive entertainment, steaming mugs of signature hot chocolate, and quaint shopping experiences. Also, a winter wonderland awaits at Hershey Sweet Lights, a Holiday Drive-Thru Spectacular. Enjoy nearly 600 illuminated animated displays from the comfort of your car as you drive through two miles of wooded trails. Families return year after year for this holiday tradition.

 

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Day 3

 

Head to the National Christmas Center Family Attraction & Museum where you can be a child again - Imagine a Christmas tree so large its branches reach the four corners of the room! Nestled underneath is a huge mountain of fantasy villages and electric trains - "Toyland". Step into the pages of a fairytale as you walk through "TudorTowne", our animated storybook village. Encounter the animated elves, bears and reindeer busily crafting Christmas toys in "Santa's North Pole Workshop".

 

Catch an afternoon show, Voices of Christmas, October 30 – December 30 at Sight & Sound Living Waters Theatre. This uplifting, heartwarming holiday showcase will highlight many of the “voices” that proclaim the Savior’s birth, and the powerful impact the message of Christmas has had on countless generations throughout history. 800-377-1277 or www.sight-sound.com