Lancaster City Market

Located in the heart of downtown Lancaster is Central Market.

Central Market boasts itself as being one of the country’s oldest, continuously operating farmers’ markets, and a trip to downtown Lancaster should not be without a trip here.

Fresh baked goodies, home grown produce, fresh meats, even fresh apple cider…not to mention PA Dutch goodies you can only find at homegrown stands like these. Here you’ll find scrapple, butter pickles, and chow chow as well as fresh preserves and homemade jellies and jams.

You can also find hand made crafts here like kitchen goods, woodcrafts and children’s toys.

Central Market is located at 23 North Market Street in downtown Lancaster and is open Tuesday and Friday from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Lancaster Heritage Museum

In the central part of the city of Lancaster, at 5 West King Street, is the Heritage Center Museum.  This museum, attached directly to the Lancaster Visitor's Center, is free for all to enter.  Consisting of 3 floors, this museum gives you a brief view into the history of Lancaster, and Pennsylvania Dutch Country as a whole.

The first floor is dedicated to the Amish culture and the differences between PA German and English traditions. Many of the exhibits on this floor, and throughout the museum are interactive and great for kids. Lifestyle exhibits include Amish toys that children can play with to understand how children play in the Amish culture.

While you'll learn and see exhibits about the Amish, you'll also see various other portions of the areas history including a working printing press from the 1920s. The third floor print shop has a person running it and will discuss each part of the print shop and teach children and adults how to use some of the machinery.

Before you leave, make sure to grab some flyers on other great attractions in the area at the Visitor's Center and a restaurant recommendation and see some of the local craftsmanship at the museum store.

Stop by across the street at the City Market for a bite to eat before exploring more of downtown Lancaster.