School’s out for the summer for so many districts throughout the Mid-Atlantic. With summer vacation comes an increase in the potential for family road trips and travels to some of the region’s best-known tourist destinations. Lancaster County in Pennsylvania is one such consideration for an extended visit—a truly remarkable location laden with one-of-a-kind offerings and attractions. From amusement parks to live musical and stage performances, shopping excursions to myriad Amish cultural experiences, sightseeing tours to farm visits with hands-on activities, it’s all right here in Lancaster.
If you’re looking to take in various experiences lasting several days or more, though, you’ll have to explore your options for overnight lodging. No worries, though, for an abundance of accommodations await you in the surrounding area. You may stay at one of several big-name hotel chains, for instance, especially if you’re part of a rewards membership program. But do take note of Lancaster’s more unique overnight stay options as well. These get you away from the mundane and redundant so entirely that they can be counted as part of the multifaceted adventure you experience on your extended stay in town. Here are seven lodgings in Lancaster known for their unique features and offerings.
Beaver Creek Farm Cabins
Do you long for a quiet and peaceful retreat away from all the hustle and bustle of surrounding area attractions yet still within a convenient, navigable range of all the action? Then a Beaver Creek Farm Cabin rental may be just the thing to suit you. Located just a mile and a half south of Strasburg, this family-owned and operated farm has been welcoming visitors since 1967.
The scenic and majestic grounds span over 30 pristine acres and house several different one- and two-bedroom, individually-standing cabins. Six of their two-bedroom cabins have two full beds and one single bed, both of their two-bedroom cabins have two full beds, and both of their one-bedroom cabins share a wall, and each side has one full bed. All cabins also contain a sofa bed. Additionally, each one comes with a fully equipped kitchen and AC/heating. Coin-operated washers and dryers are available on the grounds. Do take note, however, that cabins are absent of televisions and phones, enabling you to disconnect from the world and fully embrace simplicity.
Beaver Creek Farm is located at 2 Little Beaver Road Strasburg, Pennsylvania 17579. Visit the website to learn more.
Cartoon Network Hotel
It doesn’t get any more animated than a stay at the one and only Cartoon Network Hotel. Owned and operated by Palace Entertainment (who also owns nearby Dutch Wonderland) and in agreement with Warner Bros., this Cartoon Network-branded lodging is the first of its kind. It opened as the area’s latest family-friendly resort in January 2020 following an extensive retheming process to the formerly operating Continental Inn.
The hotel boasts 165 uniquely themed room options. These range in standard family rooms and larger dream suites alike. The icing on the cake is that all are intricately inspired by favorite shows featured on the Cartoon Network, including Adventure Time, The Powerpuff Girls, Steven Universe, The Amazing World of Gumball, and others. The theming here is all-immersive and down to a T.
In addition to the rooms themselves, the hotel has plenty of fun features offered on location. These include 24-hour arcade access, a Toon Room Kids’ Play Area, indoor and outdoor swimming pools (and themed splash pad), and even in-house dining via an original restaurant where the toons do all the cooking and you get to watch the process. Ongoing activities are also presented for children and families throughout their stay, and guests get to enjoy certain other area perks exclusive to them, including early access to nearby Dutch Wonderland Theme Park with three tickets included.
The Cartoon Network Hotel is located at 2285 Lincoln Hwy E, Lancaster, PA 17602. Visit their website for all other details and information.
Cork Factory Hotel
A most befitting recommendation for any history buff fascinated by area history, when you stay at the Cork Factory Hotel you are, quite literally, staying inside of a former factory that played a pivotal role in various Lancaster business operations following its construction. It first served as the Lancaster Cork Company in the mid-19th century before being acquired by Armstrong Cork Co. in 1865 (later renamed Armstrong World Industries) and then Kerr Glass Manufacturing Corp. in 1969. Since 2010 it has found new life as one of the area’s most fascinating novelty historical hotels to stay at.
The Cork Factory Hotel retains its industrial structural feel and motif while also presenting a freshly reformatted urban vibe. Guests may choose accommodations among 93 featured guest rooms and suite offerings, all of which provide free WI-FI access and various other home-away-from-home essentials and amenities. The hotel even features an onsite fitness center, delectable dining via a resident restaurant, and various meeting spaces perfect for hosting special events.
You will find the Cork Factory Hotel in Lancaster’s Urban Place, at 480 New Holland Ave #3000, Lancaster, PA 17602. Learn more by going to their website.
Fulton Steamboat Inn
This steamboat-inspired hotel, situated right in the heart of Lancaster County near all the major area attractions, provides the perfect solution for anyone looking for a land-locked river cruising experience without any threat of seasickness! The Fulton Steamboat Inn is essentially just that—a riverboat in design and appearance, but one that never sets sail and operates as a stationary lodging. The hotel’s namesake, Robert Fulton, was the inventor of the first steamboat and befittingly enough was even a local of Lancaster County.
Since opening back in 1990, the Fulton Steamboat Inn has been offering up one-of-a-kind originality in its fully immersive Victorian and nautical motif. Other praise-worthy hotel highlights include three sun decks (one exclusive to adults), a stunningly elegant lobby, an indoor heated swimming pool with an accompanying whirlpool spa, an arcade, a fitness center, and even the award-winning Huckleberry’s Restaurant and Tavern. The grounds even feature scenic walking trails and a lovely koi pond.
The hotel’s rooms are nothing short of the finest refined standards and come with many amenities. Every room, for instance, is equipped with 32” LCD flat panel televisions, a refrigerator, microwave, coffee pot, and ironing board.
The Fulton Steamboat Inn is located at 1 Hartman Bridge Rd, Lancaster, PA 17602. Go to the website to learn more.
Lancaster Arts Hotel
Art appreciators take note that staying in this hotel is on par with staying in-house at an actual art gallery. Also, like the aforementioned Cork Factory Hotel, this lodging boasts a unique industrial backstory. The building was at first used as a tobacco warehouse in the 1880s before shifting gears in 1945 to play host to a paper and twine business and later an electronics company. It’s been operating as a hotel since 2006.
The hotel offers 63 distinct guest rooms, including 12 hotel suites. In true artistic fashion, no two rooms are the same. They do all, however, pack the same perks and featured amenities, including free WI-FI, a wine refrigerator, turndown service, and more. All guests are also treated to continental breakfast each morning and may access a 24-hour fitness center along with other onsite features. The hotel is also home to the John J. Jeffries Restaurant, which provides organically grown produce directly from surrounding area farms.
As already mentioned, to stay here is quite literally to experience extended overnight accommodations in an art gallery. That’s because the hotel is really a boutique hotel, and the very first one of its kind, featuring an actual onsite art gallery showcasing rotating exhibits by artists throughout the region. What’s more, all displayed artwork and furniture are available for purchase!
The Lancaster Arts Hotel is located at 300 Harrisburg Ave, Lancaster, PA 17602. For all other information follow the website link.
Red Caboose Motel
Here’s a novel “train” of thought; stay in a room that’s really a repurposed caboose train car. You can do that when you book accommodations at Red Caboose Motel in Ronks. One of the area’s most one-of-a-kind longtime lodging options, Red Caboose Motel (originally the Red Caboose Lodge) first opened on the Lancaster scene back in 1970. At the time, then-owner and founder Donald Denlinger started with just 19 caboose cars from the Penn Central Railroad, which he purchased at auction.
Today’s motel setup comprises 48 rooms, 38 of which are converted caboose rooms for guests to stay within. All feature in-house amenities that include private bathrooms, televisions, complimentary Wi-FI, refrigerators, microwaves, and more.
In addition to guest rooms, other locations making up the motel model include two dining cars adjoined to comprise the resident Casey Jones’ Restaurant, a barn for hosting and holding special events, a gift shop, and other rooms from converted cars. The motel is formatted across multiple shorter tracks rather than a long linear length and all cars are permanently welded onto the current track model, making them unmovable.
In addition to serving as an area accommodation, the motel is a viable roadside attraction. It was even listed in Guinness World Records back in 1984 for housing the largest collection of privately owned cabooses in the world.
The Red Caboose Motel is located at 312 Paradise Ln, Ronks, PA 17572. Click here to learn more.
Sun Retreats
Lancaster County is home to plenty of excellent campgrounds, but one of the area’s most stellar offerings of great acclaim is Sun Retreats. Situated in the heart of scenic Amish country for miles around, the grounds on which Sun Retreats can be found are vast and versatile. This goes for both the onsite features and amenities to enjoy as a guest here and the different ways in which you can stay.
Lodging options range from RV hookups to tent sites. There are even cabins for those less adamant about braving the elements. These come complete with beds, heating and AC, flat-screen televisions, WI-FI, a private bathroom with shower, and fully equipped kitchens/kitchenettes. Cabins are uniquely themed, ranging in traditional house models and less conventional ones, like covered wagons, cabooses, yurts, and even tipis.
Whichever way you choose to stay here, know that when you are a guest on the grounds you get to enjoy all extended resort offerings. These include a six-acre lake, swimming pools, water play areas, onsite recreations of many kinds, fishing, an entertainment hall with a pipe organ, and much, much more. Also, take note that Sun Retreats is a pet-friendly resort, so the WHOLE family gets to come along on the trip!
Sun Retreats is located at 576 Yellow Hill Road, Narvon, PA 17555. You can read more on their website.
There’s no shortage of unique ways to enjoy an extended stay throughout Lancaster County. Again, there are many other campgrounds in the area to consider along with fun-themed Airbnbs to check out. There are even options for staying at homey-feeling working farms where you get in on the action, rising and working alongside the owners as they teach you all about daily operations onsite. Two excellent recommendations include Rocky Acre Farm Bed & Breakfast and Verdant View Bed & Breakfast.
Likewise, in true Amish Country appeal, you can even stay at Amish-owned inns and bed and breakfasts too. One great suggestion is Beacon Hollow Farm. You can check out additional offerings listed on www.amishfarmstay.com.
Whichever way you decide to stay, you have plenty of options awaiting you in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. So, what are you waiting for? Get out and go explore the area this summer; you’ll be glad you did.