Though Lancaster, Pennsylvania is most famous for its large Amish community, Lancaster has so much more to offer visitors. There’s the charming, picturesque Lancaster City with its historic farmers’ market and theater, the beautiful county with its rolling hills and protected farmland, and the many small towns with excellent shopping and restaurants. Here’s how to spend one weekend in Lancaster.
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Side note: This guide was written by Karissa, a Lancaster local. This way you can ensure you are reading the best and most accurate weekend in Lancaster guide. Local’s know best! Read more about Karissa in the author’s bio at the end of this post!
Table of Contents
How do I get to Lancaster?
The best way to reach Lancaster is via Amtrak. Lancaster City has an Amtrak station, and from there you can walk or take a car to your lodging in Lancaster City.
If you don’t live near an Amtrak station, or the train journey is too far for a weekend trip, you’ll need to fly to Harrisburg or Philadelphia and drive or take the train from there.
If you plan to stay in the city during your entire weekend in Lancaster, you won’t need to rent a car – everything you’ll want to do is walkable (or, if walking is a challenge for you, Lancaster has ride-sharing apps like Uber). However, if you’d like to visit Amish Country or any small towns, as this itinerary recommends, you will need to rent a car.
What is the best time to visit Lancaster?
Lancaster has four distinct seasons. Winter is cold and sometimes snowy, summer is hot, autumn is cool, and spring is warm.
In my opinion, the best time to visit Lancaster is the spring or the fall. The weather is much less extreme, the scenery is especially beautiful, and the tourist crowds are smaller than in the summer.
Lancaster, PA Average Temperatures:
- Winter (Dec-Feb): 40/24 (6.5 days of rain)
- Spring (March-May): 63/41 (8.5 days of rain)
- Summer (June-Aug): 84/62 (7.5 days of rain)
- Fall (Sept-Nov): 65/44 (6.5 days of rain)
*Peak Fall Foliage: Beg-Mid October*
Where should I stay in Lancaster?
For this weekend in Lancaster itinerary, I recommend staying in Lancaster City (where you can walk to most destinations on the itinerary!).
Great options for lodging include:
- Budget-friendly Option: This vacation apartment rental is affordable and charming, and includes both a terrace and a fully equipped kitchen.
- Mid-range Option: The boutique Lancaster Arts Hotel is located near the Amtrak station and Lancaster’s main highway, which makes it a particularly great choice if you plan to spend a lot of time outside of the city. It also has an especially excellent on-site restaurant!
- Luxury Option: The Marriott, in Lancaster’s main square, couldn’t be more conveniently located. It’s across the street from Central Market and just steps or a few blocks away from many other top attractions in Lancaster City.
- Dog-friendly Stay: Lancaster City’s Holiday Inn welcomes pets on request, and is helpfully located near one of the city’s best parks.
- Unique Option: The Cork Factory Hotel is exactly what it sounds like: a hotel housed in a former cork factory. Cool!
If you’re torn about where to stay, I recommend plotting everything you’d like to do on Google Maps so you can see which lodging locations are most convenient for your plans!
Sample 3-Day Lancaster Weekend Itinerary
You will quickly fall in love with the historic town of Lancaster. From the quaint shops to the fun tours, this weekend in Lancaster has something for everyone!
Day 1: Lancaster City
Morning:
Start your day at the lovely Prince Street Cafe – one of my go-to breakfast spots. TIP: snag one of the high-top tables by the huge windows for great people-watching and views of the Fulton Theatre!
After breakfast, head just around the corner to Penn Square, where you’ll join a 10 AM walking tour of historic Lancaster City. Among other things, you’ll visit Central Market – America’s oldest continuously operating farmers’ market! – and walk through my favorite part of Lancaster, the Old Town neighborhood.
Afternoon:
After your walking tour, return to Central Market for lunch. Central Market is a wonderful place to find any number of things, from Amish souvenirs to groceries to candy to flowers to coffee to…take your pick. My favorite food stands include Saife’s (Middle Eastern) and Christina’s Criollo (Puerto Rican), but you really can’t go wrong.
For the rest of your afternoon, explore Lancaster City’s many excellent shops. Lancaster’s best-known shopping area is the 300 block of North Queen Street, where you can find souvenirs, vintage clothing and decor, vinyl records, sustainable clothing, Lancaster gift boxes, and so much more. Be sure to check out Building Character for a huge array of handmade goods, vintage decor, and other fun surprises!
Other great places to shop in Lancaster City include Redeux (for awesome vintage items), Space (for dreamy furniture and home decor), and Foxduck (for Lancaster-themed attire).
And, if you’re a book lover, don’t miss Lancaster’s bookstores, which include the amazing Pocket Books (located on the outskirts of the city, but it’s well worth the trip!) and Read Rose Books.
Evening:
Make an early reservation at Himalayan Curry & Grill, which serves up incredible Indian and Nepali food. Or, for a more casual vibe, head to Southern Market, which has a wonderful food hall with dishes from all over the world.
Then walk to the historic Fulton Theatre for whatever show they’re putting on during your visit! After the show, cap off your night with drinks at the cozy Conway Social Club.
Day 2: Amish Country
Morning:
Fuel up at Rachel’s Cafe and Creperie, which serves absolutely fantastic (and surprisingly large) crepes, both sweet and savory alike.
Once you’re sufficiently stuffed with crepes, drive out of the city to explore Lancaster’s famous Amish Country.
One option is to hop in your car and just follow your whims, heading down any roads that look or sound interesting (Scenic Road, anyone?).
If you go for this, my top recommendation is to drive east on Route 340 (Old Philadelphia Pike) out of the city. Near Bird-in-Hand, or any time after it, take a left wherever you please and meander those back roads to your heart’s content.
If you’d instead prefer a more structured visit to Amish Country, check out this guided tour, which includes a visit to a historic Amish farmhouse.
Afternoon:
Have lunch at a very local institution, Dienner’s, where you’ll find real Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. The buffet is genuinely great!
Spend the rest of your afternoon cruising around Lancaster County on a scooter or in a very cute “scoot coupe” with Strasburg Scooters. This is a blast, and is my favorite thing to do with friends who are visiting Lancaster! I especially recommend the Country Roads Excursion, but you can’t go wrong.
Evening:
Head back into the city and spend your evening at Decades – a very cool spot with a restaurant, bar, retro arcade, and six-lane bowling alley.
Day 3: Lititz
Morning:
Head out of the city once again to check out the nearby town of Lititz. Lititz is a famously charming place – so lovely that it was once voted “America’s Coolest Small Town.” It’s the type of town you might see in a Hallmark Christmas movie!
Start your visit to Lititz with breakfast at the Tomato Pie Cafe.
Next, explore Lititz Springs Park right across the road from the cafe. If you’re visiting in February, you might even catch the annual ice sculpture festival!
Spend the rest of your morning checking out the lovely shops on Lititz’s Main Street. My favorites include Aaron’s Books, Zest, and A Tea Affair. Lititz also has a Wilbur Chocolate retail store that’s worth a visit if you have a sweet tooth.
Afternoon:
Grab lunch at Bulls Head, a pub in a historic inn on Main Street. Then head to the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery – the first commercial pretzel bakery in the USA! Tour the historic bakery and learn about how pretzels are made.
Insider tip: Make a reservation in advance, as tours can sell out or be unavailable if you show up without warning!
Evening:
For your last evening in Lancaster, head back to Lancaster City and have dinner at LUCA, a modern Italian restaurant.
If you have time before you need to leave Lancaster, enjoy some farewell drinks at The Exchange, which has the best view of Lancaster City.
Other things to do in Lancaster:
- The small town of Strasburg, in Lancaster County, is famous for its train-based attractions. Check out the various experiences on Strasburg Rail Road’s historic steam train!
- Visit Wheatland, the home of President James Buchanan (a Lancaster native).
- Check out Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse, where you can order a tasty cocktail and drink it while sitting on a comfy sofa and watching an indie film.
- Enjoy one of Lancaster’s excellent mini-golf courses, which include Waters Edge in Bird-in-Hand and Village Greens in Strasburg.
- Explore the town of Intercourse – yes, really – which has the excellent Smucker Village shopping complex (not to mention a bunch of quilt stores). You can also check out Kitchen Kettle, which is kind of a tourist trap, but is a good place to buy some local foods (don’t miss the jam shop).
- If you happen to be visiting during the third weekend in September, don’t miss the Lancaster Balloon Festival, which launches from Bird-in-Hand. Hundreds of hot air balloons fill the sky, soaring over gorgeous farmland. For a hefty fee, you can even ride in one of the balloons.
Where (else) to Eat in Lancaster City:
- Amanita Cafe: One of the city’s best brunch spots, Amanita serves farm-to-table food in the historic and beautiful Chestnut Hill neighborhood.
- Horse Inn: Most famous for its cocktails, Horse Inn is located in a historic former stable.
- Cabalar: A contender for the best burger in Lancaster City, Cabalar also serves up other sandwiches and casual meals from its butchery-slash restaurant.
- Silantra: Speaking of casual food, don’t miss this lunch spot with food inspired by Asian street kitchens.
- Sa La Thai: Great curries, noodles, and all the other Thai food you know and love.
- Souvlaki Boys: My go-to spot for a quick meal, Souvlaki Boys has pitas, salads, and other Greek street food.
- Altana: A rooftop restaurant with a unique view of Lancaster City.
Other Tips to Know Before Visiting Lancaster:
Lancaster is super safe, especially in the central business district of the city. It would be an excellent place to visit as a solo traveler – and I say that as a woman who lives alone in Lancaster City!
Don’t take photos of Amish people’s faces unless they give you explicit permission – it violates their religious beliefs to have photos of their faces. It’s fine to photograph them from behind, though!
And, most important of all: it’s pronounced LANG-kiss-ter!
Weekend in Lancaster, PA Map
Use this map as the perfect starting point for planning your Lancaster weekend trip. I’ve included all the stops on this 3-day itinerary.
More Pennsylvania Getaways
Want to explore more of Pennsylvania? Check out these other exciting weekend guides in the state.
About the Author!
Karissa is a lawyer by trade, a photographer at heart, and a traveler in her bones. In 2023, she quit her legal job to travel the world, and now shares her global adventures on her blog, In Old Cities. Follow along on Instagram!
When she’s not traveling, Karissa lives in America’s version of an old city: Lancaster, PA.
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