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Strasburg Offers An Enjoyable
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You can even eat a lovely meal with your journey by booking the Strasburg Railroad Dining Car. Your lunch or dinner is efficiently served so you have plenty of time to enjoy the beauty of the countryside while riding the rails. The dinner train, and the Wine and Cheese Train fill up fast so reservations are a must.
The train fun continues nearby at the
National Toy Train Museum
, with toy and model trains on five operating layouts and many more on exhibit. Families can see 150 years of toy trains, and toy train movies in a replica of a 19th century railroad station.
Continuing the train theme is the
Choo Choo Barn
, a popular attraction with visitors for over 40 years. This longtime family favorite has a fantastic model railroad exhibit of Lancaster County featuring many animated local scenes with lots of moving parts. Shops filled with model trains and railroad souvenirs are also on the property.
Just west of the Choo Choo Barn is Zook’s Quilts & Furniture. Here the Amish folk offer a varied, wonderful variety of quilts, country furniture, crafts, and a large selection of fabrics – the kinds of items that have made Lancaster famous the world over.
Strasburg was a principal stop for Conestoga wagons along the road between Lancaster and Philadelphia, and boasts a number of buildings constructed before 1815. One such historic inn (dating to 1788) at the center of town is now the Strasburg Country Store & Creamery.
Their delicious homemade ice cream is mixed daily with premium ingredients and 14.5% butterfat. And, the building still serves as lodging as the Strasburg Village Inn Bed & Breakfast. Enjoy one of ten classically appointed Williamsburg-style rooms with private baths. The front porch, magnificent fireplace, and canopy beds are favorites with guests.
Opposite the Creamery at the town center you’ll find Mrs. Penns Jewelry and Rock Shoppe. Their store is the headquarters for the Lancaster
Ghost Tour
that departs daily from the shop. Being such an old town, there are a lot of ghost stories about Strasburg you’ll want to hear about!
Just a short walk east, and just across the street are two unique shops you must take time to visit – Don’s Collectibles and The Springerle House Cookie and Tea Café. They are right next door to each other, and both are wonderful shops for different reasons.
Don’s is chock full of all the things you loved as a child, from Coca-Cola collectibles to M&M memorabilia. In addition there is a huge assortment of sports collectibles, and coins for sale.
At the Springerle House, they hand make unique hand pressed, intricate cookies from mold designs reproduced from the 1600’s. Today, third generation springerle cookie makers preserve this Pennsylvania German tradition, and bring it to you in a lovely small café.
Heading east from the town center about a mile, you’ll see the sign on the left for Verdant View Farm. Don and Ginny Ranck greet guests from the world over at their working dairy farm. They offer a bed and breakfast as well as a separate Farmland Fun tour that educates and entertains you about the real world of life on a working farm. The views on the farm will amaze you. And yes, you really can milk a cow!
A short distance away you’ll find an entirely different farm experience. Cherry-Crest Farm is a favorite for the whole family for great farm agritainment, starting with a challenging corn maze – not just for kids! You find clues along the way to help you maneuver through a themed maze. In addition to the maze there is plenty to do on the property.
There are many lodging options in Strasburg. At the Carriage House Motor Inn, you can walk through the historic part of the village, or take a short drive to the railroad!
Just up the street at 135 East Main is The Iron Horse Inn, perhaps the town’s oldest dining establishment. The owners say their historic building has been a tavern or restaurant since 1896, and was once the Hotel Strasburg. Stop in to sample the building’s character, comfortable atmosphere, and combination of fine dining with neighborhood meals.
On the way to, or from Strasburg along Route 896, is the Hershey Farm Restaurant and Inn and home to the annual Whoopie Pie Festival. Popular with locals and visitors, they offer a tasty smorgasbord, a la carte menus, and a fabulous gift shop. Plus, guests can wander through 10 acres of vegetable and flower gardens. And, it’s within walking distance of Sight and Sound Millennium Theatre.
Just a bit north, in the Strasburg Square shops, there’s a really fun stop for kids, and kids at heart, at Strasburg Toys and Collectibles. There is a great assortment of Thomas the Tank toys, farm toys, games, and even NASCAR and other collectibles, and antiques.
Nearby are two Amish-owned quilt shops down on the farm, each distinct, and worth a visit. Heading east on scenic North Star Rd., you’ll find Lapp’s Quilts & Crafts, and J&B Quilts & Crafts, just a block apart, on opposite sides of the road. Both are filled with much to tempt quilt lovers.
With such an eclectic mix of attractions, shops, and museums, Strasburg offers an enjoyable experience for everyone. As the folks in this part of Amish country like to say, “Strasburg has it ALL!”
Here are some additional attractions and accommodations in the Strasburg area I thought I should share with you since I first wrote this page:
You’ll find The Amish Village near Strasburg, PA, interesting, informative, and educational. Every effort has been made to show in authentic detail the everyday life of this gentle people.
Did you ever wonder what you would look like if you were a Plain person? If so, make a trip to Amish Impressions in Strasburg, PA.
Eldreth Pottery produces traditional salt-glazed stoneware and redware pottery. All pottery is handmade in Lancaster County using traditional Pennsylvania German production methods.
Village Greens Miniature Golf combines the challenge of golf with the natural beauty of lush gardens to create a unique recreation experience for all generations to enjoy together.
Enjoy life in the slow lane at one of the most photographed homes in Lancaster, the Limestone Inn Bed and Breakfast. This 200+ year-old home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
For a fun family destination, your next corporate retreat, a romantic getaway, or the perfect setting for your very special occasion, Netherlands Inn and Spa has everything you need.
