If you’re looking for magic that’s relatively close and without the Florida or California price tag, Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, Pa. is a great spot to visit, especially if you have (mostly) young children. This amusement park is a place we’ve been trying to get to for a couple of years. Finally, this year we made it.
It’s geared for children up to the age of 8-10. I found that even with my oldest being 8, and my youngest being 2, I could probably squeeze another year or two out of it. The amusements range from roller coasters that are kid-friendly to a log flume ride that was perfect for a two year old. There’s a monorail offering a great bird’s-eye view of the entire park which helped us find rides we had missed. There was plenty to make a child scream with glee, and make an adult use every bit of strength to not give into the nausea of a spinning house.
My Favorite Part: Healthy snack options! I wish more parks would do this. I was able to purchase a 16-oz. plastic cup of applesauce with a little cinnamon on top for about $2 (maybe it was $2.59). My daughter and I shared it and I felt much better about finishing my son’s ice cream later on. The park also supports local Lancaster food companies like Turkey Hill ice cream and Musselman’s applesauce. Just as a side note here, I mostly only make my own applesauce and Dutch Wonderland’s was quite good.
So, if you love beautiful rolling hills and animals grazing in pastures as your driving scenery, and a place that is fun for kids of varying ages, I recommend a trip to Dutch Wonderland. Depending on the route you take, it can work well as a stop either before or after Hershey Park if you have a couple of days to work with. Additionally, they offer the same deal as Hershey does: If you arrive the evening before, entrance is free with the purchase of a ticket for the next day.[mappress]
