<p>What places are worth visiting/touring, outlet store suggestions, and what more upscale restaurants would you suggest? DH and I will be there for about 2 days.</p>
<p>There are a whole lot of places worth visiting/touring. What are your interests?</p>
<p>Outlet stores – there are two sets of outlets right in Lancaster (Tanger and Rockvale). You can google them to see what stores are there. There are additional outlet stores right next to Hershey Park, in Hershey, PA (about 30 minutes away).</p>
<p>What kind of upscale restaurants do you want? What types of food? How much are you looking to spend? There are many choices in the area.</p>
<p>sallyawp, I was aware of the Tanger Mall, but not Rockvale, so thanks.</p>
<p>Interests: Museums, antiques, unique tours, visiting interesting historical sites</p>
<p>Food: Open to all types. We are not looking to save money on a nice dinner. We would love a memorable dinner, and price is not an issue since we will be celebrating DH’s birthday.</p>
<p>If you want to stay at a really interesting hotel - the Lancaster Arts Hotel is just wonderful. It is very close to F&M’s campus and it is so much nicer than any chain hotel. The Marriott in downtown Lancaster is also very nice. </p>
<p>Restaurants - Fenz is a small, upscale restaurant very close to the Lancaster Arts Hotel. Google their name and you can see a sampling of their menu. Modern decor. A personal favorite. </p>
<p>Iron Hill is also close by, microbrewery with outdoor seating, good vibe, obviously more casual. Another pub type restaurant is Characters - it is in an alley off Queen Street. Always good food and generous servings. </p>
<p>For a more traditional restaurant, Hayden Zug’s is close by, about a 15 minute drive from downtown Lancaster. Fine dining in a colonial building. Once again, menu is online. Nice wine selection. </p>
<p>A favorite place for lunch with DD - Rachel’s Crepes on Queen St. There are also some funky shops along the street. Salmon and chive crepes are outstanding. Or dessert crepes. If you are just going with a hubby - not so much a guy place. </p>
<p>Prince Street has lots of art galleries, the Fulton Theatre, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Music. </p>
<p>Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday are market days in downtown Lancaster. Things are most lively on those days. </p>
<p>Hope this helps!</p>
<p>The Quilt Museum in downtown Lancaster has a beautiful display of Amish quilts, and the nearby Farmers Market is a great place to grab lunch if you are there on a day it is open. (tues, fri, sat)</p>
<p>motherof4pearls, I would love to go into the Quilt Museum, but I don’t think DH would be interested. I did think about checking out the Farmer’s Market either for breakfast or lunch. Is that a grab an go situation, or are there tables?</p>
<p>Worknprogress, thanks. This is also helpful.</p>
<p>Touring, sightseeing suggestions?</p>
<p>I’d like some options for dining, and sites.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in antiques, then I suggest visiting Adamstown, PA. This area is known for its many antique shops and malls, and it’s just a short drive from Lancaster off Rt. 222.</p>
<p>If you’re around on a Sunday, then I recommend visiting the Adamstown area then. Stoudts Black Angus Antiques and Renningers are too huge antique malls that are open on Sundays only from 7:30-4:00. If you get there early, you often find great deals at some of the outside vendors at the Black Angus. In the past, the Black Angus had a lot of quality antiques. (I haven’t been there in the past couple of years, however, so it might have changed.) </p>
<p>Stoudt’s is a unique place. The antique mall is located in the old Stoudts brewery. The brewery is still operating, but it has evolved into a large regional microbrewery. There’s a popular restaurant on the premises that serves Pennsylvania Dutch style foods.</p>
<p>Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market. Look it up - only open certain days of the week. Maybe take an Amish Buggy ride tour. It is so peaceful there. Just drive on the back roads and watch the farmers plowing with mules pulling them. Baby lambs, etc. Clothes on the clotheslines. I love it there. Watch the short movie and tour a replica of a “modern” Amish home. It’s located between Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse.</p>
<p>My wife was going to book us into this Amish farm B&B place over Spring break, but Rohoboth won out. Just as well, let other people milk the goats…</p>
<p>The Strasburg Railroad–America’s oldest short line railroad–offers a 45-minute trip through the Amish countryside in restored antique passenger cars. The cars are pulled by a coal-burning steam locomotive. The train travels through non-touristy areas, so you’ll get a real feel for the area. It’s lots of fun.</p>
<p>The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania is directly across the street from the Strasburg Railroad station. It has dozens of old trains, many of which you can climb aboard and explore. My kids love it.</p>
<p>Strasburg is just southeast of Lancaster.</p>
<p>A very pretty drive is go east on Rt 30 from Lancaster for about 20 miles. When you get to Rte 10 go north to Honeybrook and then west on Rte 23 back to Lancaster.
You can take a detour to Strasburg if you want.</p>
<p>If you want a real PA Dutch Smorgasbord go to Shady Maple. Go on an empty stomach.
[Shady</a> Maple - Smorgasbord](<a href=“http://www.shady-maple.com/smorgasbord]Shady”>Shady Maple Smorgasbord)</p>
<p>Fine dining: Symposium on Centerville Road, Gibralter on Harrisburg Ave., Haydnb Zug’s in East Pete, Bubbe’s Brewery (catacombs) in Mt. Joy.</p>
<p>Wow, shady Maple really looks ummm, like an unbelievable amount of food, but I would rather have the fine dining experience!</p>
<p>PAVenturer, thanks. Do you have a personal favorite?</p>
<p>Anyone ever try Annie Bailey’s restaurant? I saw the name on a couple of websites.</p>
<p>Adamstown, sounds interesting. Thanks for all of the suggestions!!!</p>
<p>Is Adamstown better to visit on a Saturday or a Sunday for antique shopping? I’m not saying we’ll buy anything, but I guess you never do know.</p>
<p>Shady Maple is fine dining in Amish country! ;)</p>
<p>^^Sunday, definitely. Stoudt’s Black Angus and Renningers are only open on Sundays, and the Black Angus is definitely worth visiting. If you’re lucky, you might be there on one of the huge extravaganza weekends.</p>
<p>It’s funny. All the area’s Amish shops are closed on Sundays, but some of the best antique shops and malls are ONLY open on Sundays. Go figure. </p>
<p>If you visit Adamstown, you’ll see why it’s called The Antiques Capital of the USA. I’ll never forget the first time we made a trip there. I was amazed to see so many antiques shops and malls out in the middle of nowhere!</p>
<p>H and I go to Lancaster at least once a year, and last year we happened upon DJ’s Taste of the 50’s diner on Old Phila Pike (I think the same road as Bird in Hand Farmers Market.) This is not upscale, but definitely good eats, and as much fun as we’ve ever had dining in the area.</p>
<p>justamomof4, I know, because we have gone had a few Pennsylvania Dutch dinners over the years, lol.</p>
<p>mapsey, thanks for the info. It might come in handy, if we decide to look at antiques.</p>
<p>smdur, thanks. It really isn’t what we were looking for right now, but it sounds very cute.</p>
<p>Anyone every go to Annie Bailey’s for dinner?</p>
<p>Northeast - my personal favorite is Symposium. I have only been to Haydn Zug’s once and it was very good but it is also very highly regarded. Bube’s Brewery is a step down from either but great atmosphere and great food. I live across the river in York county so I get to Lancaster often. Symposium is one of favorite southern PA restaurants. Here is the menu: [Symposium</a> Mediterranean Restaurant :: American dishes with a Mediterranean flare for an unparalleled dining experience!](<a href=“symposiumrestaurant.com”>symposiumrestaurant.com - This website is for sale! - symposiumrestaurant Resources and Information.)</p>
<p>Annie Bailey’s is good - I think the food at Character’s is much better. Also Mollie’s Pub is really a true neighborhood pub. I would go to Annie Bailey’s for lunch, not dinner</p>
<p>So, for fine dining - my choices would be 1. Fenz 2. Bellvedere 3. Hayden Zug 4. Effie Ophelia’s </p>
<p>All of the above have websites with menus, if you wanted to drive over the bridge to Wrightsville, the Accomac is really outstanding. </p>
<p>I love the little towns of Lititz, Stasburg, and Columbia. Columbia has a watch museum - at first I thought that sounded a little boring, but it is really interesting.</p>