<p>I like the pretzel factory in Lititz. I also like the railroad.</p>
<p>I’d go to a flea market / antiques market. Get some Amish made root beer. Get off the big roads and find some of the places where people driving buggies go for ice cream and the like. </p>
<p>PA Dutch country is where “family restaurants” originated in the US. The food tends to be those staples and sometimes is a very good rendition. </p>
<p>I hate outlet malls but then that’s me.</p>
<p>Lergnom, thanks you.</p>
<p>Worknprogress, I sent a PM to you.</p>
<p>If you want to get out in the countryside a bit, the land east of downtown Lancaster is great to explore, but can be a bit tricky. There is a wonderful map (it’s yellow) titled Free Map of Amish Farmlands which my hubby and I picked up off the literature racks at Fulton’s Steamboat Hotel - a place we have stayed and enjoyed as a family - not fancy, but a bit unique and a good location at the intersection of Route 30 & Route 896. Just north on Route 896 (you pass Good & Plenty - a family style restaurant where your party sits with other parties), you can turn right on Route 340 and be at Bird-in-Hand Market in a few minutes. The Shady Maple (also a fav for our family, although I wouldn’t consider it a fancy restaurant, the food is wonderful - and if you go on your hubby’s birthday, his dinner (or lunch) would be free!) is a bit trickier to get to, located on Route 23. Our favorite way to get to it is from the Morgantown exit from the turnpike and then a quick drive through several small towns and Amish farmland. We recently discovered, we can get to the Shady Maple in about 10 minutes from Route 222 by taking the Ephrata exit onto 322 South (or could be called 322 East). You turn left when you hit Route 23 and the Shady Maple is just up the road on the right. This map is the best one we’ve found of the roads around Lancaster. I wonder if it is available online? It is available from the 340-23 Club, PO Box 239, Intercourse, PA 17534. Hope this helps! DoveMom</p>
<p>The very first time I was in PA Dutch land I called the hotel for directions and said I was at the Bird-in-Hand. She said, “You mean the Bird-in-Hand in Bird-in-Hand or the one across from the hotel.” </p>
<p>Pause. </p>
<p>It took a moment to process. Then I said, “If I were across the street, I wouldn’t need directions.” She laughed.</p>
<p>Okay, during that conversation I would have thought that somewhere in the process I took a right turn, while the lady on the phone took a left turn into lala land. LOL! True, if you were in Bird-in-hand “across the street”, and you knew it, you would not need directions.</p>
<p>Update, we just got back from a 1.5 day/2night stay. We got there Friday night, so we did end up going to Shady Maple for dinner since we were dressed for casual dining. It was fun. I have never seen a larger buffet anywhere. </p>
<p>On Saturday we decided to visit the Starsburg railroad and the Sturgis Pretzel place. We enjoyed the drive. In the evening we went to Accomac Inn for a wonderful dinner. We really enjoyed it! </p>
<p>This morning we drove to the antique places and just browsed for a short time. We did not make any purchases. Then we drove to Hershey, did the cute little ride that is there, had lunch, bought some chocolate and left.</p>
<p>It was a delightful couple of days. Thanks to all for your suggestions!</p>
<p>Glad you enjoyed yourself!</p>
<p>I was in market on Saturday - thought i might meet a CC mom.</p>
<p>Well, now that you have been to Shady Maple, you might want to stop by the Diet, Exercise & Health thread in the Cafe. :0</p>
<p>Glad you enjoyed the Accomac. I really love the food, the presentation, the service and the location. You really feel pampered. Oh, and I love their Bananas Foster - mmmm.</p>
<p>WP, you know, we did go to the market on Saturday. We bought a baguette, some cheese and some coffee and ate it in our hotel room. It was perfect. I really enjoyed that market because we don’t have anything like it near our home. </p>
<p>As far as the Shady Maple, it is truthfully not my thing, so I did not go overboard eating there at all. </p>
<p>At Accomac, we ate a lot of food! DH and I shared everything. We ordered the baked brie and scallop appetizers, I had duck and DH had some sort of beef dish. Enjoyed the flambe presentation. We shared a piece of strawberry cheessecake. It was all very good!</p>
<p>Am leaving Lancaster area today. After 4 days of driving windy country roads with blind curves I would say I am finally getting the hang of it. </p>
<p>Drivers around here got to be the most patient and courteous I have seen in a long time. There had been many a times when there were a long line of cars driving behind me going 10 miles below the speed limit because I can’t see my way ahead around the next curve or slope. Not once was I honked or yelled at. No one even bothered to pass me. Only yesterday did I finally drove at the posted speed limits and no more long line of cars behind. :)</p>
<p>I managed to take in the sights of Hershey - I love chocolate. 
I have to pass on the many delightful restaurants mentioned here as I just had dental surgery. All I could manage were mashed potatoes and soup. </p>
<p>I am saving this thread though and hope to explore them when I visit the area again.</p>
<p>What a great thread. I’ve been to Lancaster a lot, and have done very few of these things. We have eaten at one of the buffets - not sure which. And we toured an Amish Farm once. And once visited the outlets. (S was 18 months old - I bought him 12 outfits for $20 at the Carter’s Outlet. Never found another deal like that.) Also rode the RR. We like looking at the covered bridges, too. (I think one burned down a year or two ago.)</p>
<p>My H was born in Lancaster, and his ancestor founded the town of Paradise. If you rode the Strausburg RR, then they probably pointed out the old cemetery you passed, and mentioned that she (H’s ancestor) is buried there. When I go, I spend most of my time browsing cemeteries, visiting the historical society center, and otherwise working on genealogy. Two of the antique shops in Paradise (straight down Rte 30 from Lancaster - can’t tell when you leave one for the other) are in ancestor’s homes, so we like to go there, too.</p>
<p>My D will be working in Lebanon, PA this summer, so I expect to have another trip or two to Lancaster. My H will be happy to go somewhere other than cemeteries. (He doesn’t enjoy them as much as I do.)</p>
<p>Mt. Gretna is delightful and if you happen to be there for the art show - it is very nice.</p>
<p>Munchkin - we often think people are starting to get too aggressive in their driving - glad none of the natives were rude to you!</p>
<p>Am leaving Lancaster area today. After 4 days of driving windy country roads with blind curves I would say I am finally getting the hang of it. </p>
<p>H grew up in the County and every time we’re there it is always " Oh, yeah, this it the corner where my brother got hit, this the curve where I flipped the car, this the intersection where my nephew dinged the buggy, this is where brother and I got thrown from the car". It would be horrible to have teenage boys learning to drive in Lancaster.</p>
<p>I am back in Lancaster again and something surprised me. I was at a quiet section of the hotel parking lot - Holiday Inn Express organizing and tidying up and a small car drove by, and a man called out " Excuse me, I live close by and ran out of gas, can you spare me some money ? " I automatically said yes, even though my big city girl instinct said, “don’t take out your wallet”. I gave him $5. I noticed there were 2 little kids in their car seats at the back, and there was a woman in the passenger seat. </p>
<p>I was holding a just bought Coach bag in it’s paper bag while the man approached me, so I cleared out all the valuables in the van and took it up to the hotel room. I also moved the van to the front of the hotel where there are more cars. </p>
<p>I wonder if the economy was that bad around here. Or perhaps people really help each other around here and think nothing of asking strangers for a few dollars.</p>
<p>No, we do not do that in Lancaster. I live here and would not have given the guy money. Plus, I would have been very sceptical.</p>