Family-Friendly Hotel near Amish Farmers' Markets and Historical Museums

The city of Lancaster and the farmlands that surround it are often referred to as Pennsylvania Dutch Country, a region popular among tourists that earned its name during the days of European immigration nearly 300 years ago. While still a hotbed of colonial history—18th-century churches and cultural museums abound—Lancaster is better known for its current thriving Amish community; horse-drawn buggies, smorgasbord-style cuisine, and one-room schoolhouses evoke an old-fashioned charm. The Heritage Hotel – Lancaster, located off the main road that runs through this rural country, provides easy access to these local attractions.

Loxley's, a two-story treehouse-style restaurant, is the crown jewel of the hotel. Inside, an expansive bar festooned with arrowheads surrounds a tree growing through the center of the room, and branches crawl up the dining-room walls. Use your dining credit to sample signature plates such as a half rack of Country Faire pork ribs ($17.99), pan-seared scallops ($24.99), or a collection of stacked half-pound burgers.

At night, make your way to the raised outdoor bar areas, which serve cocktails and finger foods late into the night, and come back for breakfast in the morning for another taste of the regional fare. Upstairs, wood furnishings fill contemporary guest rooms, and outside, umbrellas and lounge chairs surround a seasonal outdoor pool. The hotel hosts live music on an outdoor patio through the month of August.

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: Rural Farming Region with Large Amish Community and Rich Colonial History

Lancaster is located about 60 miles west of Philadelphia in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Grazing cows, covered bridges, and rolling farmlands dot its idyllic rural landscape, representing the slower-paced lifestyle that reigns here. Lancaster County is also home to the largest Old Order Amish population in the country. For a glimpse into this fascinating culture, head to Lancaster Central Market, located 6 miles from the hotel. Here, in the oldest continuously operating farmers' market in the country, simply dressed vendors sell freshly ground horseradish and smoked sweet bologna.

Nearby at the Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, you can tour more than 15 historical buildings, including a farmstead and a country store, and watch costumed guides demonstrate pottery making and tinsmithing. The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, meanwhile, commemorates the region's rich locomotive history; operate the controls of a freight train and learn how steam engines work.

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