The history of Strasburg Railroad (strasburgrailroad.com) dates back to 1832, making it the state's oldest continuously operating public utility. The railroad offers a 45-minute train ride from Strasburg to Paradise, with many opportunities to see beautiful Pennsylvania farmland from the train car's windows along the way. Occasionally featured are specialty train trips such as "A Day Out With Thomas" which takes families on a train pulled by classic storybook character "Thomas the Tank" -- an actual operating steam locomotive. Tickets are available online and at the train station.
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania (rrmuseumpa.org) is located across the street from the Strasburg Railroad. The museum has more than 100 railroad cars and locomotives in its 100,000-square-foot indoor exhibit space and its outdoor restoration yard. The museum is open daily from April through October and Tuesdays through Sundays from November through March.
Visitors can get an up-close view of a working farm while visiting the Amish Farm and House (amishfarmandhouse.com). The property is set on 15 acres of Amish farmland, four miles from Strasburg. Visitors can tour its one-room schoolhouse, barns and outbuildings in addition to a covered bridge, seasonal corn maze and several walking trails. The Amish Farm and House is open daily and welcomes guests with pets.
Ed's Buggy Rides (edsbuggyrides.com) takes visitors on a three-mile, 35- to 40-minute tour of the surrounding farmlands. You can choose from open-air spring wagons, open family carriages and closed family carriages.
Sight and Sound Theatre (sight-sound.com) is the largest live theater of its kind, with its offerings frequently referred to as "Christian Broadway." The theater features live performances with live animals in shows such as "Noah, the Musical" and "Daniel and the Lion's Den." Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office.
The American Music Theatre (amtshows.com), located four miles from Strasburg, claims to be the only theater in the United States to offer both original shows and touring concerts. The 1,600-seat theater gives more than 300 performances every year, with shows ranging from rock and roll to Broadway tours.
The family-friendly amusement park, Dutch Wonderland (dutchwonderland.com), is located four miles from Strasburg in Lancaster. It has more than 30 rides, including a water play area, a roller coaster, a miniature golf course and an area for live entertainment. The park is open daily from late May through August and on weekends in early May, September and early to mid-October. Nearby, shopping enthusiasts can browse the stores of Tanger Outlets (tangeroutlet.com), which is open daily and has numerous outlet stores, ranging from clothing to accessories and home goods.
