Lancaster, PA Vacation and Tourism Information

Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre - Lancaster, PA

Beauty and the Beast

The city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania is a hotbed of American history.  From the home of President James Buchanan to the birthplace of Milton Hershey's chocolate dreams, Lancaster has seen many sights and has many tales to tell.  The tranquil farmlands and gently rolling hills of the area make the city's beauty as central as its history.

Lancaster City Info

• Land Area: 7.4 sq. miles
• County-owned parks: 8
• Number of radio stations: 2 AM; 7 FM
• Number of television stations: 2

Lancaster Weather and Climate:

• Average daily temperature — January: 29 degrees F; July: 75 degrees F
• Average annual rainfall — 43.3 inches
• Average annual snowfall — 31.5 inches

Distances to other Metropolitan Areas from Lancaster:

• Atlanta, GA — 755 miles
• Charleston, SC — 664 miles
• Charlotte, NC — 515 miles
• Chicago, IL — 693 miles
• Dallas, TX — 1,443 miles
• Memphis, TN — 990 miles
• Miami, FL — 1,190 miles
• Nashville, TN — 780 miles
• New York, NY — 163 miles
• Raleigh, NC — 390 miles
• Washington, DC - 123 miles

Lancaster Safety Phone # and Major Hospitals:

• Ambulance: 911; Police: 911; Fire: 911
• Community Hospital of Lancaster — Address: 1100 East Orange Street
• Lancaster General Hospital — Address: 555 North Duke Street
• Lancaster Regional Medical Center — Address: 250 College Avenue

Lancaster Top Tourism Draws and Seasons:

• Landis Valley Museum
• Amish Country
• Heritage Center Museum
• Cherry Crest Farm
• Demuth Foundation
• Strasburg Railroad
• Dutch Wonderland Amusement Park
• Amish Farm and House
• Sight & Sound Entertainment Center
• Dutch Apple Dinner Theater
• Nissley Vineyards and Winery Estate
• American Music Theater
• James Buchanan's Wheatland
• Historic Rock Ford Plantation

Lancaster Major Shopping Areas:

• Park City Center Mall
• Rockvale Square Outlets
• Old Mill House Shoppes
• Tanger Outlet Center
• Central Market

Lancaster Major Dining Areas:

• Downtown Lancaster
• Manheim
• Park City Center
• Rockvale Square
• Mount Joy
• Strasburg
• Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster Famous Landmarks & Historic Places:

• Lancaster Brewing Company
• Central Market
• James Buchanan's Wheatland
• B.F. Good & Company Leaf Tobacco Warehouse
• Baumgardner's Mill Covered Bridge
• Bausman Farmstead
• Jacob Bowman Tobacco Warehouse
• Buck Hill Farm Covered Bridge
• Cameron Estate
• Central Hotel / Bube's Brewery
• Strasburg Railroad
• Penn Square
• Soldiers and Sailors Monument
• Pennsylvania Railroad Museum
• Conestoga Steam Cotton Mill Complex
• Donegal Mills Plantation
• Franklin and Marshall College Campus Historic District
• Fulton Opera House
• Robert Fulton Birthplace
• Hans Herr House
• Lancaster City Historic District
• Lancaster Watch Company
• Landis Valley Museum
• Mount Hope Estate
• PA Renaissance Faire
• Wright's Ferry Mansion
• Jasper Yates House
• Hotel Brunswick

Lancaster Famous Natives and Residents:

• President James Buchanan
• Milton S. Hershey
• Frank W. Woolworth

Notable Moments in Lancaster History:

• 1700 — Hans Herr led Swiss Mennonites into Lancaster and created the first permanent colony there.
• 1718 — City of Lancaster was founded
• 1777 — Lancaster was the United States Capital for one day when the Continental Congress met here while trying to escape the British army.
• 1852 — Fulton Opera House was finished
• 1861 — President Abraham Lincoln addressed the residents of Lancaster from the balcony of the Heister House, now known as the Ramada Brunswick Hotel

Interesting facts about Lancaster:

• Milton S. Hershey began his candy making career in Lancaster, PA with the Lancaster Caramel Company.
  Lancaster was named after Lancashire England and its symbol is the red rose from the house of Lancashire.  York, Lancaster's neighboring county, is named after York, England and its symbol is the white rose from the house of York.
• Lancaster was the nation's capital for one day when the Continental Congress met there in September of 1777 after their withdrawal from Philadelphia in an attempt to escape the British troops.
• Fulton Opera House is America's oldest theater in continuous operation.
• The Lancaster County Prison was built in the 1850's and is said to resemble the castle at Lancashire, England.
• The Benjamin Mishler house on South Prince Street was built in 1873.  Mishler built the house in only 10 hours after a wager was made with a friend.  The house is still in use 120 years later.
• President James Buchanan, Pennsylvania native and Lancaster resident, was the only bachelor President of the United States.
• Frank W. Woolworth, founder of Woolworth Department Stores, built his first five and dime in Lancaster in 1879.

Lancaster Population and Demographics:

• City of Lancaster Population — 56,348 (as of the 2000 census)
• Male — 27,474 (48.8%)
• Female — 28,874 (51.2%)
• White — 61.55%
• Black — 14.09%
• American Indian and Alaska Native - 0.44%
• Asian — 0.08%
• Other race — 17.44%
• Two or more races — 3.94%
• Hispanic/Latino — 30.76%
• 2000 percent population 18 and over — 72.53%
• 65 and over — 10.53%
• Median age — 30.4
• Median household income - $29,770

Lancaster Colleges and Universities:

• Franklin and Marshall College
• Lancaster Bible College
• Lancaster Institute for Health
• Lancaster Theological Seminary
• Harrisburg Area Community College (Lancaster Campus)
• Pennsylvania School of Art and Design
• Bradley Academy of Arts
• Thaddeus Stevens State School of Technology

Lancaster Economy & Business — Notable Companies based in Lancaster:

• Armstrong World Industires

Lancaster Hispanic Community Media and Churches:

• Lancaster Newspaper, La Voz Hispana — Hispanic Newspaper
• Raices de Todos — Bilingual Magazine
• WLCH FM 91.34 — Radio Centro