Gettysburg and the Hershey-Pennsylvania Dutch Country - Lancaster PA Family Vacation

Preview: Hershey–Pennsylvania Dutch Country beckons with amusement parks, historical sites, Pennsylvania Dutch arts and crafts, and lots of train rides. The year 2005 is the inaugural year of Lancaster’s own new minor league baseball team, the Lancaster Barnstormers! Their beautiful new ballpark is located in downtown Lancaster on North Prince Street and Harrisburg Pike. This is the Keystone State’s classic countryside, with Amish farms and roadside markets. It was also the site of the Battle of Gettysburg, where more American lives were lost than in any other single battle in U.S. history. Harrisburg, the state capital on the shores of the Susquehanna, is a great place to visit. City Island, once abandoned, has been transformed into a family-entertainment spot, with miniature golf, the Pride of the Susquehanna riverboat, Class AA baseball, a children’s railroad, and more. Kids delight in Hershey, ChocolateTown USA, with its streetlights shaped like chocolate kisses and its triple helping of kid-friendly attractions—Hersheypark, ZooAmerica, and Chocolate World. Some 70,000 Plain People live in Lancaster County, members of communities such as the Amish, Brethren, and Mennonites. Plain People appreciate it when tourists respect their privacy and dislike of cameras. Visits to The People’s Place, the Amish Farm, and “The Amish Experience” will present important opportunities to teach your children sensitivity. Families who visit Pennsylvania Dutch Country often comment on the food: It’s abundant and inexpensive. Family-style restaurants abound, with diners seated at large tables and delicious, simple food passed around in large bowls. A reader asked about driving on country roads in Lancaster County. If you take Route 772 starting in Intercourse and continuing toward Columbia, this well-marked road loops through the county, past Amish and Mennonite farms. You can stop at a farm stand and buy vegetables or preserves from an Amish child. You’ll poke through little towns like Lititz, stumble upon quilt and craft shops, and admire scenic overlooks. The staff at the Pennsylvania Dutch Convention and Visitors Bureau can help you map out your own route, taking into consideration your own interests and the season. The above description is an excerpt from "Fun With the Family in Pennsylvania." Whether you're a first-time visitor or a long-time local resident, this chapter from the Fun With the Family Series will help you find fun and engaging activities that the entire family can enjoy at great destinations throughout the state, suitable for “kids” of all ages. This chapter includes Kempton, Kutztown, Reading, Hamburg, Shartlesville, Boyertown, Douglassville, Birdsboro, Bernville, Kleinfeltersville, Lebanon, Cornwall, Lititz, Ephrata, Intercourse, Manheim, Bird-in-Hand, Ronks, Strasburg, Nottingham, Willow Street, Lancaster, Downtown Lancaster, Landisville, Columbia, York, Hershey, Hummelstown, Middletown, Harrisburg, Carlisle, Boiling Springs, and Gettysburg.
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This travel guide comes from:
Fun With the Family Pennsylvania Guide Book