Things to Do in Lancaster

Just Plain Yoga wants its visitors to find the perfect fit when it comes to yoga technique. They offer a questionnaire to identify the right class for each student, based on how rapidly or slowly they want to move, as well as whether they want to achieve relaxation, increase flexibility, or build strength in your third eyelash. The studio offers 11 different styles for intrepid yogis, including gentle hatha sessions that link breath to body, and morning vinyasa flow to jump-start the day. Hesitant first-timers are especially invited to the “yoga for any body” class, a gentle, welcoming class for anyone who thinks they are too inflexible or overweight to do yoga.

Hershey Theatre, conceived in 1933 by noted philanthropist and chocolatier Milton S. Hershey, stands as an opulent tribute to the performing arts. Taking architectural cues from Saint Mark’s Basilica in Venice, the foyer’s towering arches gleam with golden paint and crystal chandeliers. The blue-and-gold mosaic that leads to the main seating area is the masterwork of two German artists who spent two years on its construction. Once inside the theater, audiences might think they’ve stepped onto the streets of Venice thanks to the atmospheric ceiling, stonework facades, and gondoliers paddling them to their seats.

Keenly aware of Lancaster’s need for a space celebrating the city's vibrant art community, a group of determined artists and citizens banded together in 1965 to found the Goethean Hall Gallery of Art, nestled amid Franklin and Marshall College. Though the art gallery has changed venues and names, the original vision of its founders—to provide visitors with the “best available art”—remains unchanged. Rechristened as the Lancaster Museum of Art (LMA), the museum now resides in the historic Grubb mansion, and boasts diverse exhibits and events for the public. The mansion’s 4,000 square feet of galleries and porticos plays host to an ever-changing lineup of awe-inspiring art, as well as a permanent collection composed of paintings from a roster of Lancaster’s homegrown artists, including Hugh Fitzgerald, Abby Rudisill, and Ellen Slupe. LMA also fosters an artistic dialogue with the community through numerous education programs that introduce the next generation to the ins and outs of the creative process.