Top 5 Things to Do in Lancaster with Toddlers
Visit Lancaster for more than just idyllic scenery.
An easy hour and a half drive from Philadelphia, Strasburg, Pennsylvania is home to beautiful, rolling hills, miles of farmland, and tons of railroad-themed activities. You’ll feel like you stepped back in time when you hear the clip-clop of horses’ hooves on the pavement as you drive by yet another horse and buggy (not to mention the joy you’ll feel when the kids excitedly shout out “horse and buggy!” for the millionth time). With plenty of farms, restaurants, playgrounds, and trains, Strasburg and the surrounding towns in Lancaster County are incredibly family-friendly. It is the perfect place to explore with young children! There are so many things to do that you won’t be able to do everything in just one visit, so below are the top 5 things to do with toddlers.
Dutch Wonderland
Perfect for young children, Dutch Wonderland is a fun amusement park with over 35 rides and attractions. All rides have signs with color-coded gemstones to represent different height restrictions, which makes it really easy to see which rides the little ones can and can’t go on. Even the very tiniest of tots can go on at least ⅔ of rides and attractions!
Exploration Island has giant dinosaurs, a fossil dig in sandpits, a boat ride, and cars you can drive around a track. There are coasters, bumper cars, swings - and even a monorail ride around the park.
In the summer, Duke’s Lagoon features all kinds of fun water play. During the fall’s Happy Hauntings, you can trick-or-treat through an island full of dinosaurs and enjoy the fun Halloween decorations throughout the park. Winter features festive decor and a light show.
You could easily spend the entire day (and more) at Dutch Wonderland, but right down the road, you can find the Tanger Outlets, the Cartoon Network Hotel, and dozens of restaurants, like the Lancaster Brewing Company Taproom.
Dutch Wonderland Family Amusement Park
2249 Lincoln Highway East
Lancaster, PA 17602
Lancaster Playground
Ever have trouble deciding which playground to go to? If you go to Lancaster Playground, maintained by playground store King Swings, you’ll have your pick of 12 different playsets! Of course, they all have specs and prices available, but you get to try them all with no pressure at all! This is a totally free playground with no salespeople to bother you (and if you happen to want to purchase a playset for your backyard, there are brochures on your way out). Kids of all ages can have a fantastic time swinging on all different swings, running up ramps, climbing ladders, hanging out in club houses, and even jumping and sliding into ball pits! So fun.
Parents will enjoy it too. Completely fenced in and safe, you can relax on a bench in the shade and watch your child run excitedly from playground to playground. They’ll be exhausted and ready for a nap by the time you leave. Perfect.
Lancaster Playground
909 Strasburg Pike
Strasburg, PA 17579
Strasburg Rail Road
Train-obsessed toddlers in your family? There are TONS of fun options in Strasburg. One of the best is Strasburg Rail Road. For under $50, you can take the whole family on a scenic 45 minute train ride through beautiful Lancaster farmland. In a comfortable open-air car, you will ride by the Red Caboose motel and petting zoo and Cherry Crest Adventure Farm (next on our list), so if you’re thinking of visiting these other attractions, you’ll get an up-close preview.
Before or after your fun train ride, you can grab a tasty sandwich from Cafe 1832 (directly across the track) and visit the gift shop and toy train store - full of Thomas toys. Your toddlers will squeal when they see this! Just next to the toy train store is a cute playground to make use of while waiting to board the train.
Speaking of Thomas, Strasburg Rail Road even offers the opportunity to ride with Thomas. On several dates in April, May, June and September, Thomas the Tank Engine actually pulls your train! There are also photo ops with Thomas and the other trains and fun activities (like a visit from Sir Topham Hatt and dance parties) to boot.
Other special events and extras include Easter Trains, Christmas Trains, murder mysteries, cabarets, trivia nights and escape rooms. The possibilities for a fun train ride experience are truly endless.
Still not enough trains? Right across the street is the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. Don’t let the word “museum” fool you - this place is very family-friendly, open and perfect for kids. Less than $10 a person to view real trains (and the history of them) up close, as well as model trains that will thrill the kiddos, is well worth it. There is a ton to see inside - and there is more outside in the railyard. They even do a trick-or-treat event, where kids can visit locations throughout the museum to get candy and small toys while enjoying the trains.
Right down the road is the Choo Choo Barn, which houses a 1700 square feet model train layout with endless things to see. Model trains, cars, trucks, houses, Dutch Wonderland, a ski slope, and a circus tent are just a few things you’ll notice. It’s just very fun to see a miniature world come to life. This could be a quick visit or you could try to find each item on their scavenger hunt (nearly impossible!) - a nice bonus is that once you pay for admission, you can come back later that day for free.
Strasburg Rail Road
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm
Recommended by everyone for good reason! Cherry Crest Adventure Farm has sooo much to do - you could spend the whole day. A 25-acre farm with over 60 attractions, Cherry Crest has something for everyone. There is a giant corn maze with a different theme each year (this year’s theme is a thank you to first responders), a rock wall, tractor rides, Sproutsville (a tiny town for small kids), trampolines, slides, baby chicks and animals to feed, country road carts (like surreys you ride at the beach), straw bale towers, swings, paintball and TONS of other activities.
Is there anything to do besides activities? Of course! In summer and fall, live music and shows will keep you entertained when you want a break. You can stop in the general store, trading post or sweets shop if you feel like shopping - you can purchase anything from tasty candy and fudge to souvenirs to remember your trip, from jarred salsa and pickles to beautiful home decor.
Cherry Crest even has food and sweets (cider donuts, anyone?), so you can truly spend the entire day having fun without having to leave for anything! Fall weekends also feature wine and beer and spectacular fireworks over the farm at night!
There is no reason NOT to visit - and stay awhile.
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm
150 Cherry Hill Rd
Ronks, PA 17572
Kitchen Kettle Village
Last but not least is the quaint Kitchen Kettle Village. If you’re looking to have a laidback morning and do a little shopping, this is the place to go. Adorable shops with souvenirs, clothing, home decor, candles, jewelry and everything else you can think of. While strolling through the picturesque courtyard, you can grab an item from the bakery, sample some freshly made fudge, or have a tasty soft pretzel and grab a spot on a bench to people watch and listen to the horse and buggies go by while the toddlers run around in a safe car-free space.
Grab some breakfast or lunch at any of the yummy restaurants in the town of Intercourse. Everything is walking distance.
There is also a hidden gem - at least for our toddlers. Back behind the shops is a chance to feed cute pygmy goats for a quarter. We found this by chance, and our toddlers loved it!
Overall, Intercourse and Kitchen Kettle Village are worth exploring.
KITCHEN KETTLE VILLAGE
3529 OLD PHILADELPHIA PIKE
INTERCOURSE, PA 17534
Next Time
Couldn’t fit it all in over the course of one weekend? Neither could we! When you could spend an entire day at each place, it’s no wonder why you'd want to visit Lancaster more than once. Your kids will have so much fun, they’ll want to visit again next weekend too. Pick an activity or two, and plan your first (and next) trip today!