Lancaster Trip Report

Because we had so much fun in Lancaster, PA, in May, we made another winter trip last weekend. So much fun, but so much work. Traveling with two nearly 2.5-year olds is hard work (especially when they have colds making them slightly crankier than usual). Here's a look at my list that went into planning this short getaway.

Like last time, I can't recommend Lancaster highly enough for toddlers and little kids. There is so much to do. Here is the day-by-day report.

Saturday:
We drove up early Saturday morning, and arrived at our first destination--the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania--around 10am when it opened. Perfect timing. This museum is awesome. It's a bunch of retired trains in a huge building for kids to run around and explore. In addition, they have several rooms full of train tables. The kids were in heaven, especially Fletch.

Eric took a ton of pictures here because it was such a cool place.

 

 

After the train museum, we headed to lunch at Katie's Amish Kitchen. Don't eat here. It wasn't good. We followed that by checking into the Eden Resort, our favorite hotel, and taking some good naps. This time, we got a Two Bedroom Studio King Villa, and it was perfect. It had a large hotel room connected to a small separate bedroom for bunk beds. The kids slept in the small bedroom (in Pack n Plays), and had a space of their own, and Eric and I didn't need to sneak out to  the bathroom every night like last time for fear of waking the kids. 

After naps, we did some outlet shopping, and then got dinner (Red Robin). A fun, but busy day.

Sunday:

The kids woke at their normal 6am time, which was great, because I honestly was a little nervous with how they'd do alone in their separate bedroom all night long. We headed to breakfast, and then to the Choo Choo Barn. This little museum features a huge model train layout. It was really cool.

The Choo Choo Barn is connected to Thomas' Trackside Station, which is a store devoted entirely to Thomas. Again, the kids were in heaven.

All those trains wore me down...

After our morning of fun, we ate at Isaac's (also next to the Choo Choo Barn), which had some delicious sandwiches. Great restaurant for kids: a fish tank, they bring Goldfish snack to the kids while you're waiting, and foods that even picky toddlers will like.

Then we got a few more outside photos.

Lunch was followed by an attempt to nap at the hotel. Unfortunately, the kids weren't quite as cooperative as they were on Saturday, and slept for maybe 45 minutes. When they got up though, they were horribly cranky, and it was late Sunday, so not much was still open. We found a local bounce house type place, and headed there. This place was like the seventh level of hell--crowded, germy (and I'm not one to usually worry about germs), and with lots of big kids to trounce the little kids.

After the bounce house, it was Red Robin for dinner again and then baths and bed. We all needed a bath after that experience.

Monday:
On Monday, we just ate breakfast, checked out of the hotel, and then headed to the Hands-On House, which is Lancaster's children's museum. With our family membership to the National Children's Museum, we were able to get into the Hands-On House for free. I was so excited! It's a cute, little museum really aimed at toddlers. In some ways, it kept the attention of the kids better than the National Children's Museum. If you head to Lancaster with toddlers, I recommend it.

Once we left the Hands-On House, we made a quick pit stop for lunch (at another Isaac's location), and then headed home. The way home was a bit less fun than the trip there, thanks to overtired kids with colds and because I tripped in the parking lot at lunch and was achy and sore. I know the fact that I tripped doesn't come as a surprise to some of you that know me.

That's the full report. It was so fun, and I'm a bit sad that we probably won't be taking any more trips for a while, but we have exciting times ahead, so I'm sure we won't miss it.