18 Things To Do In Lancaster That Will Blow Your Kids’ Minds

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a charming blend of rolling hills, scenic farmlands, and a rich cultural heritage, is packed with experiences that will leave your kids in awe. Whether you're exploring the great outdoors or discovering the area's hidden gems, Lancaster offers a variety of mind-blowing activities that are sure to excite and inspire the whole family.

In this blog post, we're diving into the heart of Lancaster to showcase unforgettable things to do—activities that will blow your kids' minds and create memories you'll all treasure for years to come

1. Cherry Crest Adventure Farm: Endless Family Fun

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm is a paradise for kids and parents, offering over 50 exciting activities. Families can navigate giant corn mazes, jump on massive trampolines, and ride pedal carts through the farm. Animal lovers will enjoy feeding baby animals, while seasonal events like the sunflower festival and flashlight corn maze add a unique touch. The farm provides hands-on learning experiences about agriculture in a fun and interactive way. Kids can run, explore, and burn off energy while discovering the beauty of farm life. Before leaving, families can enjoy farm-fresh snacks like kettle corn or apple cider slushies. This outdoor wonderland promises unforgettable memories filled with adventure and laughter.

Why Kids Love It: It’s an outdoor wonderland where they can burn off energy while learning about farm life.

2. Dutch Wonderland: A Fairytale Kingdom

Dutch Wonderland is a magical 48-acre theme park designed specifically for kids, making it an ideal family destination. With over 35 rides, including the Kingdom Coaster and Exploration Island, excitement is around every corner. The park also features a water play area, Duke’s Lagoon, where kids can splash and cool off on hot days. Live shows bring fairytales to life, adding to the immersive experience. Younger children will love meeting Duke the dragon, the park’s friendly mascot, who makes every visit extra special. From thrilling rides to whimsical attractions, Dutch Wonderland captures the magic of childhood.

Why Kids Love It: It’s a park made just for them, and the smiling dragon mascot, Duke, makes every visit extra special.

3. Eastland Alpacas: Adorable Encounters

North Museum of Nature and Science

Since its founding in 1953 by Franklin & Marshall College, with philanthropic support from Lancaster businessman Hugh M. North, the North Museum of Nature and Science has served as a beacon of scientific curiosity and public learning in Lancaster. Born from the legacy of the 19th-century Linnaean Society—dedicated to collecting the natural world—the museum became an independent nonprofit in 1992 and underwent major renovations before reopening in 2015.

Inside, over 250,000 specimens spanning 500 million years of Earth history are displayed across paleontology, entomology, ornithology, geology, botany, and anthropology galleries. Highlights include the only locally discovered holotype fossil Sphodrosaurus pennsylvanicus, an early Roseate Spoonbill taxidermy from 1844, and immersive exhibits demonstrating fossil evolution and regional biodiversity.

The museum’s live animal room brings science to life, while its planetarium—featuring a full-dome SciDome XD system—offers immersive astronomy, meteorology, and Earth science show. Hands-on STEM activities, rotating exhibits like “Dinosaurs Among Us,” and educational outreach programs further reinforce the museum’s mission to inspire and engage visitors of all ages.

Voted Lancaster’s best museum, it remains deeply rooted in community education. A visit here reveals not only ancient artifacts, but the region’s enduring commitment to science, discovery, and access for all

4. Sight & Sound Theatres

Emerging in 1976 as a small multimedia show at Lancaster Bible College, Sight & Sound evolved into one of the world’s largest faith-based theater institutions. By 1998, a new Lancaster venue opened with a seating capacity near 2,000 and a massive 300-foot wraparound stage—capable of staging biblical epics like Noah and Queen Esther complete with live animals and spectacular visual effects.

The ministry-driven theater attracts over a million visitors annually, turning stories from scripture into immersive Broadway-style productions that resonate across generations and cultures. Set amidst rolling farmland near Ronks, the venue is as much pilgrimage site as performance space—a testament to Lancaster’s blend of faith, theatrical innovation, and creative ambition. For many, attending a Sight & Sound show is less about seeing a play and more about experiencing storytelling elevated through design, drama, and devotion.

5. Refreshing Mountain Retreat & Adventure Center: Outdoor Thrills

Refreshing Mountain Retreat is an outdoor adventure paradise where kids can challenge themselves and explore nature. The zip-lining experience allows them to soar through the treetops, offering breathtaking views and an adrenaline rush. Adventure courses with rope bridges, rock climbing, and obstacle challenges make every visit an exciting test of courage and skill. Younger kids can enjoy scaled-down zip-lines and explore the wildlife center, home to reptiles and amphibians. Nature trails wind through the retreat, providing peaceful moments to discover the beauty of the outdoors. Families can also participate in team-building exercises, making it a great bonding experience.

Why Kids Love It: Zip-lining and obstacle courses turn an ordinary day into an exhilarating adventure.

6. Indian Echo Caverns: Underground Adventures

Indian Echo Caverns offers a breathtaking underground journey through ancient limestone caves filled with natural wonders. Guided tours take visitors deep into the caverns, where they’ll discover stunning rock formations, hidden passageways, and stories of the past. The cool, dimly lit caves create a sense of mystery, making it feel like a real-life treasure hunt. Kids will be fascinated by the sparkling stalactites and stalagmites, learning how they formed over thousands of years. After the tour, families can visit the petting zoo, where friendly animals await, or try their luck at gemstone panning. The experience blends education with adventure, making it both thrilling and informative.

Why Kids Love It: It’s like stepping into a real-life treasure hunt in a magical underground world.

7. Old Windmill Farm: Experience Amish Life

Old Windmill Farm offers a hands-on look at Lancaster’s rich Amish heritage, giving kids a taste of farm life. Visitors can milk cows, bottle-feed calves, and collect fresh eggs, turning everyday farm chores into an exciting adventure. The farm emphasizes traditional, sustainable farming practices, allowing families to see how food is grown and animals are cared for. Kids will love interacting with the animals, from fluffy baby chicks to gentle horses and playful goats. The simplicity of Amish life becomes a fun and immersive learning experience, helping children appreciate a slower, more connected way of living. Each visit is an opportunity to ask questions and gain insight into a culture rooted in tradition.

Why Kids Love It: They get to do “farm chores” in a way that feels like play, and the animals make it extra fun.

8. ZooAmerica: Explore Wildlife Close to Home

ZooAmerica is a small but engaging zoo that brings kids up close to North American wildlife. Home to animals like black bears, wolves, otters, and bald eagles, it offers an educational yet exciting experience. The zoo focuses on conservation, teaching children about the importance of protecting local species and their habitats. Walking through the exhibits, kids can watch playful otters splash around or observe a majestic wolf up close. Seasonal events, such as Creatures of the Night, add an extra layer of excitement with after-dark tours and spooky animal encounters. The zoo’s manageable size makes it perfect for young kids, allowing for a relaxed and interactive visit.

Why Kids Love It: Seeing a wolf up close or watching playful otters is always a hit!

9. Lancaster Barnstormers: A Night at the Ballpark

A Lancaster Barnstormers baseball game is more than just a sporting event—it’s a full evening of family-friendly fun. Clipper Magazine Stadium offers a kid-friendly play area with bounce houses, making it a great outing even for little ones who aren't die-hard sports fans. Special theme nights, like Star Wars Night or fireworks celebrations, add an extra dose of entertainment. The team’s mascot, Cylo, keeps kids engaged with on-field antics and meet-and-greet opportunities. Between innings, families can enjoy tasty stadium snacks like popcorn, hot dogs, and ice cream. Kids even have the chance to run the bases after the game, making them feel like baseball stars.

Why Kids Love It: Between the games, the mascot Cylo, and the chance to run the bases, there’s something for every kid.

Lititz Bikeworks offers a fun and active way for families to explore Lancaster’s beautiful countryside. Renting bikes and hitting the Warwick-to-Ephrata Rail Trail is an adventure filled with fresh air and scenic views. The trail is smooth and family-friendly, making it perfect for riders of all skill levels. Along the way, families can stop at parks, local cafés, or picnic spots for a quick break. Kids will love the sense of freedom and excitement that comes with riding their own bike on a scenic adventure. The experience blends exercise with exploration, allowing families to discover hidden gems of Lancaster County.

Why Kids Love It: It’s an adventure on wheels, with plenty of places to stop and play.

11. Lancaster Central Market

Tracing its roots to 1730 and officially chartered in 1742 by King George II, Lancaster Central Market is America’s oldest continuously operating public market and was municipally-run longer than any other in the nation until 2005. The current Romanesque Revival building, completed in 1889, features twin 72-foot towers, terra-cotta roofs, and steel-truss-supported interiors—a symbol of the city’s evolving civic identity. Over nearly three centuries, it has been a daily gathering place for farmers, artisans, and families—offering everything from Pennsylvania Dutch baked goods and Amish meats to multicultural cuisine from Uruguayan empanadas to Middle Eastern falafel. More than a marketplace, it reflects Lancaster’s agricultural legacy and immigrant-driven diversity, making it a vibrant epicenter of food culture. Even today, chefs and visitors flock here to taste local produce, artisanal specialties, and flavors rooted in the region’s enduring traditions

12. Fulton Opera House

Established in 1852 as Fulton Hall, the Fulton Opera House rests upon the foundation of Lancaster’s colonial jail—the site where the 1763 Conestoga Massacre occurred, a tragic moment that inspired the first American plays. Commissioned by civic leader Christopher Hager and designed by Philadelphia architect Samuel Sloan, it quickly evolved into a stage venue honoring Robert Fulton, the city’s steam engine pioneer—and later reconstructed in neo‑Victorian style by Edwin Forrest Durang in the 1870s.

The Fulton has survived cinema-era decline and near-demolition, earning its status as the oldest continuously-operating theater in the United States and a National Historic Landmark in 1964. Within its gilded walls, actors from Mae West to Edwin Booth have performed, and local abolitionists once led events here in the name of justice. Today, the Fulton Opera House presents regional theatre, concerts, and family programming—all shaped by nearly two centuries of civic resilience and creative reinvention

13. Penn Medicine Park

Since opening on May 11, 2005, Penn Medicine Park (formerly Clipper Magazine Stadium) brought professional baseball back to Lancaster after a 44-year hiatus, anchoring downtown with the Lancaster Stormers of the Atlantic League. Built on a historic industrial site once known as the "baseball ground" in the 1880s, the stadium’s brick-and-steel architecture reflects its roots while offering modern amenities for fans and families alike. Over time, it evolved into a hub for community events—hosting concerts, fairs, health screenings, and even a winter ice rink. Beyond the games, the Silverball Retro Arcade inside offers vintage pinball and classic arcade games, while the Broken Bat Craft Beer Deck serves local brews amid family-friendly attractions like carousels, rock climbing walls, and giant board games. Penn Medicine Park captures Lancaster’s passion for baseball and community connection—where sport, wellness, and local history meet in a lively urban setting.

14. Explore and Experiment at Lancaster Science Factory

At the Lancaster Science Factory, kids don’t have to stand behind a rope or read signs that say “Do Not Touch.” In fact, it’s the opposite—they’re encouraged to push buttons, spin wheels, build bridges, shoot air cannons, and experiment with everything in sight. It’s hands-on learning turned into a full-blown adventure. Physics, electricity, engineering—it’s all packed into one space where the excitement doesn’t stop at the classroom door. You can easily spend hours watching your kid go full mad scientist mode, and they’ll be having so much fun they won’t even realize they’re learning.

This isn’t just a rainy-day backup plan—it’s a solid go-to any day of the week. It’s big enough to explore, small enough to not feel overwhelmed, and cool enough that even adults end up crawling into exhibits “just to try it once.” If you’re looking for smart, screen-free, genuinely entertaining options, this place delivers hard. Among the most underrated fun activities in Lancaster, the Science Factory stands out by being equal parts chaos and curiosity—and the kind of place your kid will beg to return to the second you hit the parking lot.

15. Play Big at Tiny Town

Tiny Town isn’t your average indoor play place—it’s a kid-sized world where imagination runs the show. Picture a whole miniature city designed just for kids, complete with a firehouse, café, doctor’s office, hair salon, market, and more. Kids put on costumes, grab props, and dive headfirst into pretend play that feels like the real deal. One minute they’re ringing up groceries, the next they’re driving an ambulance or fixing a sink with a toy wrench like it’s urgent business.

What makes it really special is how much freedom kids have to create their own adventures. Parents can hang out in the coffee area and watch it all unfold, or jump in and play along (and let’s be honest—you probably will). Everything is clean, safe, and just the right amount of chaotic. It’s the kind of place where time flies and no one wants to leave. For families looking for interactive kids activities in lancaster PA that are indoors, stress-free, and actually fun for both kids and adults, Tiny Town is a win. Plus, they host birthday parties and events, so chances are you’ll find yourself coming back more than once.

16. Step Back in Time at the Biblical Tabernacle Reproduction

This isn’t your typical museum walkthrough. The Biblical Tabernacle Reproduction is a full-scale, historically accurate model of the Old Testament tabernacle, and it’s kind of mind-blowing in person. Located at Lancaster Bible College, this experience brings ancient scripture to life in a way that hits different—especially when you’re standing inside a place that mirrors what the Israelites used in the wilderness. From the altar to the Holy of Holies, everything is carefully designed to reflect the original setup described in Exodus.

Whether you’re religious or just curious about history, it’s a powerful, eye-opening stop. The guided tours are detailed without being overwhelming, and you walk away understanding something that’s usually just a vague picture in a textbook. Kids are usually more engaged than you'd expect—probably because it's immersive and feels almost theatrical. If you’re mapping out what to do in Lancaster, this is one of those quiet gems that leaves a lasting impression. It’s meaningful, educational, and strangely calming. Definitely not what you expect to find tucked behind a college campus—but absolutely worth your time.

17. Lancaster Central Market

Over nearly three centuries, it has been a daily gathering place for farmers, artisans, and families—offering everything from Pennsylvania Dutch baked goods and Amish meats to multicultural cuisine from Uruguayan empanadas to Middle Eastern falafel. More than a marketplace, it reflects Lancaster’s agricultural legacy and immigrant-driven diversity, making it a vibrant epicenter of food culture. Even today, chefs and visitors flock here to taste local produce, artisanal specialties, and flavors rooted in the region’s enduring traditions

18. Explore That Fish Place – That Pet Place

That Fish Place – That Pet Place is way more than just a giant pet store. You walk in thinking you’re grabbing some dog treats or aquarium gravel, and next thing you know, your kid is staring at a tarantula like it’s a Disney character. There are tanks the size of bathtubs filled with tropical fish, a whole section of reptiles, and birds that actually talk back. It’s chaotic in the best way—part store, part field trip, part “can we PLEASE take this home?”

Kids love this place because there’s something happening in every corner—turtles chilling in their little pools, lizards hanging out under heat lamps, and colorful fish darting around like they’ve had too much caffeine. Parents love it because it’s free to explore, air-conditioned, and you can knock out your pet shopping while letting your kids run off some curiosity. It’s one of those things to do in Lancaster with kids that sneaks in as entertainment but totally counts as a parenting win. You might not walk out with a new pet, but you’ll definitely leave with a hundred new questions and a kid who just discovered their favorite fish.

Conclusion

Lancaster is a family-friendly destination packed with diverse activities that cater to kids of all ages and interests. From exploring underground caverns and meeting adorable alpacas to zip-lining through the trees and biking scenic trails, the area offers endless opportunities for adventure. Thrill-seekers can enjoy amusement parks, while animal lovers can visit zoos and farms for hands-on experiences. Even tech-savvy kids will find excitement at the VR lounge, where imagination comes to life. Whether you're looking for outdoor thrills, educational fun, or classic summer relaxation, Lancaster delivers unforgettable family memories. With so much to explore, it’s the perfect destination for your next kid-friendly getaway. So pack your bags, plan your trip, and get ready for an unforgettable family adventure in Lancaster!

So, pack your bags and book your perfect Lancaster vacation rental for a kid-friendly trip with your family!

FAQ

1. What is the best time of year to visit Lancaster with kids?

The best time to visit Lancaster is spring (April to June) or fall (September to October) when the weather is mild, outdoor activities are in full swing, and family-friendly attractions like farms and parks are especially vibrant.

2. What are the must-visit kid-friendly attractions in Lancaster?

Top picks include Dutch Wonderland, a theme park designed for younger kids, the Hands-on House Children’s Museum for interactive learning, and the Cherry Crest Adventure Farm for outdoor fun like corn mazes and wagon rides.

3. Are there any free or budget-friendly things to do in Lancaster with kids?

Yes! Kids can explore Long’s Park, which has a playground, walking trails, and a petting zoo. Additionally, Central Market offers a fun and educational outing where kids can see local goods and grab a snack.

4. What unique food experiences can families try in Lancaster?

Lancaster is famous for its Pennsylvania Dutch treats. Be sure to try shoofly pie, whoopie pies, and soft pretzels. Miller’s Smorgasbord and Katie’s Kitchen are great spots to enjoy family-style dining.

5. What are some indoor activities for kids on a rainy day?

On rainy days, visit The Lancaster Science Factory for hands-on STEM exhibits, go roller skating at Castle Roller Skating, or catch a family-friendly show at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre.

6. Are there any farms or animal experiences in Lancaster suitable for kids?

Yes! Families can visit Amish Farm and House for buggy rides and farm tours or explore Cherry Crest Adventure Farm for hands-on animal encounters. The Barnyard Kingdom is also perfect for younger kids.

7. Is Lancaster stroller-friendly for families with younger children?

Absolutely! Attractions like Long’s Park, Amish Village, and Kitchen Kettle Village have paved paths, making them stroller-friendly. Many museums and restaurants also accommodate families with strollers.