Playgrounds, museums, farms and libraries

Community center with recreation programs, childcare and an onsite senior center. Parking is available onsite.

Recommendations from Travel Consultants Historic walking tours Gallery installations Maps & brochures available Lancaster-themed merch While the Lancaster City Welcome Center is undergoing renovations, join us at our pop-up location in the lobby of the Lancaster Marriott and Lancaster County Convention Center!

Memorial Hall at the Elizabethtown Fairgrounds hosts GEARS line-dance classes.

Mon 12–10; Tue–Thu 9–10; Fri 9–11; Sat 9 AM–12 AM; Sun 9–10

New community-built playground opened July 2026: climbing structures, swings, slides, dual zipline, nature-themed play, rubber surface, fenced

Farm store with alpaca yarn and gifts. Animal activities on open-house days in November.

Little League diamond and open grass.

Little Chiques Creek access for a short nature or fishing stop

Ball diamonds and a soccer field on the former Grandview Elementary site.

Large community-built play area, Kunkle ball field, reservable pavilions ($40)

32 acres, tot lot, creek access, nine pavilions, walking

Gazebo, veterans memorial, quiet green space

Mon–Thu 10–8; Sat 9–4; closed Fri and Sun

Weekday programs 3:30–6 PM by grade band: Teen Night (Mon, 7–12) · Guys Group (Tue) · COLLIDE (Wed, 3–6) · Girls Group (Thu) · JAM Kidz (Fri, K–2). Also homework help, music lessons, taekwondo, and a secular homeschool co-op by inquiry.

Play structure, pavilion, tennis, pickleball, basketball, ball field

Play equipment, basketball court, pavilion, open space

Playground with regular and infant swings, slides, and climbers, a gazebo, covered picnic area, sports fields, tennis and pickleball courts, and a walking trail, next to the township building.

Public library with a children's section and regular story times.

Heated 25-meter indoor pool, gymnasium, fitness center, 16 tennis courts and a summer splash pad for kids up to 12. Also runs the seasonal East Petersburg outdoor pool with a wading pool.

Seven scales of model trains from Z to G running on over 1,600 feet of track, including 100-year-old standard gauge trains, digital HO, automated O gauge loops, and dinosaur-themed G gauge trains.

Thu–Fri 10–5; Sat 9–5; Sun 12–4 through Dec 24; from Jan 2 Fri 10–5, Sat 9–3

Select dates; closed Sundays; ~2-hour visit

Public library with children's books, family story times, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten and a summer reading program.

A large Tuesday country market with food stands, produce, baked goods, crafts, an auction, and a big outdoor flea market.

Clip 'N Climb Fri 5–9, Sat–Sun 10–4; climbing gym day passes daily; arcade

Tue–Sat 10–4; Sun 12–4

An 1869 market hall with year-round vendor stands for produce, baked goods, meats, candy, and prepared food, an on-site restaurant, and a historic dungeon to peek into.

Public library with a children's area, story times, and free family programs.

Sat & Sun (plus Mon Oct 12) to 5 PM; opens 10 or 11 AM per the site's calendar key; last admission 4

Guided farm tour past the cows, the milking carousel and the silo tower. Reserve and prepay; tours Mon-Sat, May through October.

Branch library with a children's area.

Laser tag, mini golf, and arcade.

Thousands of clocks and watches, including a tower clock and a musical clock that performs on the hour. Best for older kids.

Costumed village with shows, jousting, and games. Themed weekends in October.

Ice cream counter with 24 hand-dipped flavors and a grill menu of burgers and cheesesteaks, next to Boulders Miniature Golf, a 19-hole course with waterfalls, streams, and footbridges.

Ice cream museum with a taste lab and a milking-cow exhibit.

"Open daily, weather permitting" (717-533-7479)

Fri–Sat 9–4, Sun 12–4

Playgrounds with safety surfacing, basketball, tennis, and pickleball courts, ball fields, bike paths, a pavilion and community center, and the East Pete Pool at 2575 Graystone Rd, open Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Wooded trails and a 66-foot observation tower.

Mon–Thu 9:30–5; Fri–Sat 9–6; Sun 12–5

Vintage train rides, including Pumpkin Patch and Fall Foliage trips in October.

Public library with a children's section and regular story times.

Family-owned bookstore on Main Street with new and used books for kids, teens, and adults, plus games and gifts. Reviewers mention a train table and a spot to try board games.

Large live theater hosting over 200 concerts, musicals, tribute shows, and family-friendly holiday shows each year.

Indoor artisan marketplace with over 100 local makers selling handmade goods, clothing, home decor, and vintage items, plus First Saturday family events.

Indoor inflatable park with giant bounce houses and slides, an arcade, and a snack bar; socks required.

City park with a playground, summer wading pool, tennis and basketball courts, a dog park with splash pads, a pavilion, and open lawns.

Indoor open play space for ages 1 to 6, with climbing and sliding structures, hands-on activities, and a gated area for babies under 1.

Indoor roller rink with a medieval castle theme, knights, dragons, and a drawbridge. Public skate sessions, weekend afternoon Family Fun Skate, skate rentals, and birthday party bookings.

Daily 10 AM–10 PM

Fast-food chicken restaurant on Route 30 with an indoor playground for young kids, dine-in seating, and drive-thru. The operator also hosts free family events like Breakfast Bingo.

A full-service downtown Y with a 25 yard, six lane indoor pool, gym with basketball and pickleball, indoor track, fitness floors, and Child Watch at select hours. Youth swim lessons, swim team, youth sports, and Kids Night Out.

Large wooden inclusive playground with a tot lot and a school-age section, slides, swings, climbing wall, tunnels, bridges, and a water mist area. Pavilion, half-mile walking trail, and sports fields in the park.

Retro arcade with over 40 classic games, a 6-lane boutique bowling alley, a restaurant, and a seasonal ice cream bar.

Charles Demuth's former home and studio with galleries of his watercolors, a historic tobacco shop, and a small garden; a second gallery is at 135 N Lime St. Visits run about 30-45 minutes.

A 320-seat dinner theater with a buffet, Broadway musicals, and separate children's theater shows that include a kids' brunch buffet.

Twenty-six acres with a playground, a walking trail over a mile long with exercise stations, mini disc golf, a gazebo, three pavilions, a ball field, and sand volleyball. The township also runs Flory and Lafayette-Tower parks.

About 35 acres with a playground, gaga pit, walking trail, disc golf course, two baseball and two soccer fields, open space, and a rentable pavilion.

A historic professional theater in downtown Lancaster with Broadway-style musicals and plays, family shows, and Fulton Academy classes and camps for kids.

Indoor playground and arcade.

9–4 daily (posted); winter hours not confirmed

Daily 9–5

Fri 5–10, Sat 12–10, Sun 12–9 through Nov 1; trick-or-treat trail closes 8

December hours not posted (hours page blank)

Daily 10–4, last tour 4 (a Jan–Mar "closed Tue–Wed" note also appears — call 717-566-8131)

Tue, Fri, Sat 6 AM–3 PM

Indoor ice rink owned by the Lancaster Firebirds youth hockey nonprofit. Public skate sessions with skate rentals, learn to skate classes, stick and puck, and a sports shop on site.

The main city library, at Ewell Plaza.

Mon–Sat 10–5; Sun 12–5

Bowling lanes, video arcade, billiards, mini golf, grass putting course, driving range and disc golf on one site.

Outdoor weekly market in Lititz Springs Park with seasonal produce, baked goods, handmade crafts and live music.

Public library with a children's section and regular story times.

Indoor lap pool and a zero-entry splash pool with a slide and play features, fitness center, kidZone, youth sports and swim lessons. Also runs the outdoor Lititz Springs Pool nearby in summer.

An indoor bouldering gym with 40-plus routes, obstacle course training, fitness areas, and youth climbing programs and camps.

Historic downtown park with spring-fed stream, ducks to feed, playgrounds, pavilions with grills, open lawns and restrooms.

Outdoor pool complex with tot wading pool, splash pad, slides, diving boards, lily pads, a lap pool and shaded lawn.

74-acre city park with a wooden castle playground, three-acre pond with ducks, petting zoo, tennis courts, picnic pavilions and summer concerts.

Modern library with a youth services section, children's and teen collections, museum passes to borrow, and the Morgan Center community room used for family movie nights.

Board game library of about 300 titles, more than 1,500 comics, manga and graphic novels, a cafe with drinks, baked goods and sandwiches, and lounge seating with bean bags and hanging chairs.

A 5-acre city park behind the Lancaster Museum of Art with a fenced playground on the Shippen Street side, open lawn, paths, benches, chess tables, and gardens.

Natural science museum with hands-on exhibits, live animals and a planetarium. Planetarium shows at 11 and 2 on weekends.

Indoor shopping mall with a children's play space in the food court, family restrooms, stroller rentals and seasonal events.

Seven-screen theater with IMAX and 3D, first-run and classic films, sensory-friendly showings with lights up and sound down, a snack bar and outdoor patio; stroller friendly.

A downtown ballpark home to the Lancaster Stormers with a kids' play area, batting cages, a retro arcade, concerts, festivals, and free parking.

Performing arts school offering Music Together for babies and toddlers, plus acting, dance, musical theatre classes and summer camps.

Gymnastics facility with recreational classes, competitive teams, acro and tumbling, birthday parties, and open gym on select Friday evenings plus a toddler open gym on select Friday middays.

34 bowling lanes with glow bowling, a laser tag arena, a small arcade with about 20 games, and the Red Pin Bar & Grill for food.

City park at Hamilton and East Ross streets with a playground and swings, a small free summer wading pool, basketball courts, a ball field, a pavilion with picnic tables, and a dog area.

Trampoline park with foam pits and dodgeball courts.

A LEGO and K'Nex based STEM center with hands-on building stations for Creative Play visits of up to 90 minutes, plus after-school classes, camps, birthday parties, and robotics teams.

Eleven acres of labeled trees from around the world, two state champion trees, pollinator gardens, a dwarf conifer garden, and walking routes with printed maps at map boxes. Museum and Wheatland next door.

Amish educational farm museum with guided farmhouse tours, countryside bus tours, farm animals, artisan demonstrations, a food stand, and a gift shop.

A downtown bead shop with an open studio: pick beads from the wall, sit at a table, and string a bracelet or necklace to take home. Staff finish the clasp. Classes, Girl Scout sessions, and birthday parties offered.

A 12,700 square foot indoor batting facility at the Rockvale outlets with six lanes, automated pitching machines at baseball and softball speeds, two HitTrax simulators, and loaner bats and helmets. Lane rentals, memberships, lessons, and camps.

Twenty-plus acres of farm play: corn maze, hedge maze, giant slides, train and wagon rides, bouncy pumpkin, pig and duck races, gem mining, barnyard animals, plus a farm market with baked goods and produce.

Daily 9–5; Chocolate Lab classes daily (weekdays 11:45 & 2; weekends 10, 11:30, 1:30, 3)

A paint-your-own pottery studio on the Central Market block. Choose a piece, paint it at a table, and pick it up fired about a week later. Party room for groups of 8 or more; food and drink welcome.

An indoor pretend-play village with 12 themed playhouses for kids 8 and under, plus a coffee bar and cafe seating.

Trampolines, ropes course, and climbing walls.