If you’re looking to get away from Philly for a day but still want to spend your time in a city with walkable streets, delicious food, and lots of local character, you might enjoy a day trip to Lancaster.
The City of Lancaster is located in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and while there’s a ton to do across the region (I’ll save that for a different guide!), exploring just the city can take up a full day on its own.
🚆 Getting There
Lancaster is located along Amtrak’s Keystone Service line which was actually Amtrak’s most punctual route in the country in 2023. The train ride from 30th Street Station lasts about an hour and 15 minutes, and from the Lancaster station, it’s about a 20-minute walk or 5-minute rideshare to get to the main downtown area.
If you want to drive, give yourself an hour and 30 minutes to two hours to get to Lancaster from Center City. Once you arrive, be sure to check if your parking space is metered to avoid getting a ticket.
😋 Fooooooooooooood!
Lancaster’s vast and diverse food scene deserves its own article. (The New York Times literally wrote one in 2019!) In addition to Pennsylvania Dutch classics, you can find cuisines ranging from Uruguayan to Scandinavian to Middle Eastern.
When I visited Lancaster, I tried a soft pretzel from Kom Essa in Lancaster Central Market — a delightful morning treat. (Asha Prihar/City Cast Philly)
You can wander the streets to find a storefront that looks appealing to you, or you can stop by the historic Central Market to get a snapshot of the local food scene all in one place. Make sure to visit on a day when the market is open: Tuesday, Friday, or Saturday. Just don’t expect air conditioning or a ton of indoor seating.
You can sample even more of Lancaster’s food scene a few blocks away from there at the Southern Market, a (climate controlled) food hall with lots of seating and a smaller — but still diverse — selection of vendors. My rec: The basil fried rice at Lemon Grass, a Thai and Hawaiian food vendor. Delicious!
🛍️ + 🎨 Explore Small Businesses and Local Art
Lancaster has an active arts community. You can catch a glimpse of some of the work that local artists produce by visiting the DeMuth Museum and the Lancaster Museum of Art, or browsing Gallery Row on Prince Street.
The small business scene is also strong, so taking a stroll around downtown can lead you in so many different directions. I’d recommend starting with Queen Street — whether you’re seeking pickles or bowling, there’s probably something for you. Businesses range from the vintage/handmade marketplace BUiLDiNG CHARACTER to the Scandinavian candy store Sweetish. If you’re looking for a chill break from shopping, drop into Deerfoot Downtown for a surprisingly extensive $5 wine tasting. (Yes, you read that price correctly.)
And, while you’re walking around, why not stop and play the piano?
A local music organization places decorated pianos throughout the city every spring and summer. Because of this, some people call Lancaster the “Street Piano Capital of the World.” (Asha Prihar/City Cast Philly)
🤓 Satisfy Your Inner History Buff
Sort of like Philly, Lancaster — which was settled by Europeans in the 1720s — has lots of history. (Did you know it was the nation’s capital city for one day during the American Revolution?) I opted to take a $10 walking tour to learn about it, and I came away from the almost two-hour-long stroll about town feeling like I got my money’s worth, and then some. My tour guide talked about the city’s founding (and connections to Philly), prominent Lancastrians throughout history, the stories behind local businesses and local media outlets, the area’s architecture, and more.
Aside from the tour, I made a point to visit the grave of Thaddeus Stevens, a Civil War-era Republican congressman known for being an ardent anti-slavery voice. And speaking of the Civil War era … I didn’t get the time to visit, but President James Buchanan’s home, Wheatland, is located in Lancaster and open for tours six days a week.
