Pennsylvania might just have the ultimate family road trip—and you don’t even need to pack snacks for a cross-country trek. Between Lancaster’s charming Amish countryside and Hershey’s chocolate-fueled thrills, this route is packed with quirky attractions, sweet surprises, and just the right amount of chaos. From goats to roller coasters, here are eight family-friendly experiences that make the drive from Lancaster to Hershey pure gold.
Ride the Rails at Strasburg Rail Road
All aboard for old-fashioned fun! The Strasburg Rail Road’s steam-powered trains chug through rolling cornfields like something straight out of a storybook. With open-air gondolas, café cars, and friendly conductors, this 45-minute ride charms both kids and nostalgic parents. Bonus: Thomas the Tank Engine sometimes makes special guest appearances. Just try not to hum the theme song the entire ride (good luck with that).
Goats, Buggies & Barns at The Amish Farm & House
If your kids think milk comes from the grocery store, this 300-year-old working farm will set the record straight. The Amish Farm & House offers hands-on tours, goat feeding, and authentic buggy rides that make “simple living” surprisingly exciting. It’s educational, adorable, and full of “look, a baby goat!” moments. Don’t be surprised if you start daydreaming about swapping your SUV for a horse and buggy.
Make Your Own Ice Cream at the Turkey Hill Experience
Calling all future flavor scientists! The Turkey Hill Experience in Columbia lets kids create and taste their own ice cream flavors. Expect sticky fingers, sugar highs, and family debates over whether “pickle swirl” counts as genius or madness. There’s unlimited sampling (dangerous but delightful), so pace yourself—or don’t. Either way, you’ll roll out of here happier and a few scoops heavier.
Scream for Chocolate at Hersheypark
Part theme park, part sugar-fueled fever dream, Hersheypark is the perfect mix of coasters and cocoa. Thrill-seekers can conquer Candymonium, while littles tackle pint-sized rides in the kid zones. Cool off at The Boardwalk water park or say hi to otters next door at ZooAmerica—included with a Hersheypark ticket when you enter via the bridge from inside the park during public hours. It’s a chocolate-scented wonderland where you can eat candy for breakfast and nobody judges you.
Design a Candy Bar at Hershey’s Chocolate World
Yes, you can make your very own Hershey bar—from ingredients to wrapper. The Create-Your-Own Candy Bar lab is pure golden-ticket fun. The free chocolate factory ride adds to the experience (complete with singing cows). Watch your kids’ eyes light up as they become chocolatiers for a day, and resist the urge to “sample” their creation before they do.
Breakfast Bonanza at Lancaster Central Market
The oldest continuously operating farmers market in the U.S. is also the tastiest. Open Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, Lancaster Central Market serves up maple-bacon doughnuts, whoopie pies, and other sugar bombs that double as breakfast. Stroll the aisles, chat with vendors, and embrace the glorious chaos of deciding between 14 types of homemade jam. It’s impossible to leave empty-handed—or hungry.
Go Big (Really Big) at Shady Maple Smorgasbord
This place isn’t just a buffet—it’s a food event. Shady Maple Smorgasbord is the largest buffet in America, stretching over 200 feet of Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. Pricing is family-friendly—kids three and under eat free, and ages 4–10 are half-price. Grown-ups can sample everything from fried chicken to shoofly pie. Come hungry, leave questioning your life choices—in the best way possible.
Sleep in a Steamboat at Fulton Steamboat Inn
End your trip in style by sleeping on a replica 19th-century steamboat. The Fulton Steamboat Inn is pure novelty with koi ponds, playgrounds, and nautical-themed rooms. It’s kitschy in the best possible way, and kids will absolutely lose their minds over “sleeping on a boat.” The only downside? Convincing them to check out when it’s time to go home.
