Pennsylvania German communities shaped Lancaster County beginning in the 1700s. Their impact is still visible in the vibrant local culture today. If you’re planning a Lancaster County getaway, use this guide to explore Pennsylvania German history, local food and nearby heritage sites from one comfortable home base.
What to See
These three stops offer a closer look at Pennsylvania German rural life, faith communities, skilled trades and local traditions:
- 1719 Museum: At 1849 Hans Herr Drive in Willow Street, PA, the 1719 Museum explores the lives of Mennonite settlers and their Native American neighbors in the early 1700s. Tour Herr House, a sandstone homestead built by the Herr family with a steep roof, central chimney and Germanic architectural influence. It is the oldest still-surviving homestead in the county.
- Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum: Step into a 40-acre village and farm to learn about 18th and 19th-century Pennsylvania German agricultural and cultural practices from costumed interpreters. Watch demonstrations of lacemaking, blacksmithing, redware pottery and basket weaving. While you're there, look for Fraktur, the decorative calligraphy associated with Pennsylvania German folk art.
- Historic Ephrata Cloister: This Ephrata, Pennsylvania, site preserves the story of Conrad Beissel’s 1732 religious community, known for celibate members, sacred music, physical labor and German-language printing. This community translated and printed the 1,500-page Martyrs Mirror, an important work for the Mennonite community and the largest book published in the colonial period.
What to Eat
Round out your heritage itinerary with a stop at Lancaster Central Market, where you can browse local stands for prepared foods, baked goods, produce and Pennsylvania German staples. Look for:
- Chow-chow: A pickled vegetable relish that’s especially delicious on meat.
- Scrapple: A pan-fried breakfast dish made from pork, cornmeal, broth and seasonings.
- Chicken pot pie: A hearty dish with chicken, broth, vegetables and square homemade noodles instead of a baked crust.
- Shoofly pie: A pie with a cake-like center that’s sticky and sweet with molasses, butter and spices.
Where to Stay
Make The Warehouse Hotel your convenient home base for exploring Lancaster County’s Pennsylvania German heritage, with local markets, museums and historic sites a short drive away. You’re only about 20 minutes away from the Lancaster Central Market and 17 minutes from Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum.
With comfortable rooms and an easy location near Lancaster-area attractions, The Warehouse Hotel helps you slow down after a full day of exploring. Check out our current Stay and Play special offers, or choose a room and check the rates for your stay today.
