Things to do with Kids during the Holidays in Lancaster, PA

Festive Fun To Be Had

Country Barn Christmas | November 30th, December 1st, 7th, 8th 14th & 15th
Experience giant slides, a cozy fire pit, friendly barnyard animals, exciting trike rides, the challenge of the straw pyramid, an enchanting Elf Scavenger Hunt, a thrilling hedge maze, and much more!

Dutch Winter Wonderland | Open weekends starting November 1 - January 1
“Tis the season to make new family memories. Enjoy 10 new activities that make this award-winning holiday event more festive than ever. It's time to celebrate the season with the family at Dutch Wonderland!

A trip to Kitchen Kettle Village is the perfect place to embrace the holiday season!
Enjoy the beautiful lights of the village as you shop. Visit on Saturdays and experience live music. Pass brass bands as you dash from one shop to another. Roast a marshmallow over an open fire at the "Pepper Lane Fudge S'more Station." There are special events to look forward to. Book a dinner with Mrs. Claus and Yummie. Get tickets to the Holiday Family Fun with Santa & Friends. Discover abundant shopping filled with music boxes, authentic Amish quilts, and homemade Lancaster County food, fresh baked goods, and tasty canned goods.

Christmas Trains at Strasburg Rail Road | Until the end of the season
Hop aboard one of several holiday trains pulling out of the station at Strasburg Rail Road! Santa’s Paradise Express is a Christmas tradition in Strasburg that brings the magic of the holidays to life. Take the Christmas Tree Train to Leaman Place Grove and pick out your very own pre-cut tree. On Santa’s Christmas Trolley, children ages 11 and younger will have the opportunity to take a professional photo with Santa and tell him what they want for Christmas! Photo is included in ticket price. Experience the nostalgia of Christmas past on The Night Before Christmas Train aboard an authentic stream train.

Amish Farmhouse Christmas Experience | Old Windmill Farm | November 26 until December 30th
Make authentic farm-to-table food alongside the Amish using recipes handed down through generations. Churn butter, press fresh apple cider, bake fresh bread and pumpkin pies, then sit down at the heirloom table to enjoy. Afterwards, boil apples to make apple sauce for preserving!

Santa Express | Stone Gables Estate | November 29 until December 23
Hop aboard the Santa Express and have a magical, narrated adventure on an 1869 steam locomotive replica as it chugs along the Lincoln & Lancaster Railroad. You & your young ones won’t want to miss out on a visit to the Christmas Village this winter. The fully decorated Star Barn will be offering beverages, snacks, and the opportunity to meet Santa, his helpers, and more!

Things To Do This December

Where to Find Holiday Lights in Lancaster, PA

Christmas Spirit Light Show and Christmas Tree Lane | Clipper Magazine Stadium | November 29 - December 31st
Drive through the wonderful Christmas light display from the comfort of your own vehicle. Your journey will take you through a mile-long track as you are immersed and surrounded by hundreds of thousands of color-changing lights, animated and dancing with your favorite holiday classics. Take in over 100 beautifully decorated trees while you ae there. Please check our schedule for wet-nose Wednesdays, free pictures with live reindeer on Thursdays, as well other fun events.

Christmas Candylane | HersheyPark | November 15 - January 1
Be amazed as you stroll through the amusement park that has been transformed to embody the Christmas spirit with festive music, decorations, and so many Christmas lights.

Annual Christmas Light Drive-Thru | Stone Gables Estate | November 29 and January 4
Celebrate the traditions and true meaning of Christmas with your loved ones from the comfort of your vehicle. Stone Gables Estate invites you to experience a spectacular 3-mile Christmas Light Drive-Thru which features over 800,000+ brilliant LED lights and expressions of the Christmas message.

Experience Christmas Lights Like Never Before | Refreshing Mountain | November 29 – January 5
Experience over a half million lights decorating trees, buildings, and other structures either by a stroll through their interactive Christmas light displays or from an aerial perspective. Reserve a ziplining adventure in advance, tickets go quick! For those wanting to keep their feet on the ground, the walk-thru experience is wheelchair accessible and kid-friendly including a scavenger hunt. Enjoy a hot beverage from their café around one of their bonfires as you bask in the wonderous forest of lights. With so much to see and do at Refreshing Mountain, consider making a weekend of it! Book a cabin or hotel room right on the property for easy access to all of the adventures they offer.

Top Holiday Light Shows

Have A Fun Time At A Show!

The 2024 Christmas Show: Joy to the World | American Music Theatre | November 5 - December 30
The ringing of church bells in a quaint town square sets the scene for Joy to the World. Evoking the revered holiday nostalgia of hometown America, our stage transforms into a small town winter carnival brimming with family, friends, and entertaining elves. Awe-inspiring music and dance, phenomenal voices, and light-hearted holiday humor are the ingredients for this holiday extravaganza!

The Christmas Candy Caper | Bird-In-Hand Stage | November 1 - December 28
Candy store owner Lydia Miller is a long-time prankster, so when two men try to steal her coveted candy recipe and kidnap her instead, no one believes the ransom note is real. The ensuing exchanges between the kidnappers and the community are hilarious, and the conversations between Lydia and the kidnappers are insightful and enlightening, as each discovers that their lives didn’t turn out the way they expected.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas | Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre | November 8 - December 5
Based on the beloved movie. Veterans Bob and Phil, a successful song and dance team, meet a sister duo and follow them to a Vermont inn. They discover the inn is owned by their old Army General who fell on hard times. The quartet decides to put on a show to save the inn and their General's future. This Irving Berlin score includes "Blue Skies," "Sisters," "Happy Holidays," and "White Christmas."

Ryan & Friends: A Comic Christmas | Bird-In-Hand Stage | November 14 - December 28
This limited run, “special edition” show features even more music than Ryan’s regular shows, including new songs, parody Christmas songs with hilarious original lyrics and at least one traditional Christmas carol. You’ll hear Christmas comedy poetry recitations and commentary from Ryan’s cast of characters. Madeline joins in the songs and silliness, and you’ll be laughing along with the whole comical cast.

Elf Jr. The Musical | Ephrata Performing Arts Center| December 6 - December 22
Based on the beloved film, this delightful musical brings the magic of Christmas to life on stage. Follow Buddy, a cheerful and oversized elf, as he leaves the North Pole in search of his true identity in bustling New York City. Along the way, he spreads joy, love, and a bit of chaos, teaching us all the true meaning of Christmas. With catchy songs, energetic dance numbers, and a heartwarming story, Elf, Jr. is the perfect show for kids and adults alike.

Winter Wonderland | Magic & Wonder Theatre | November 7 - December 31
Join Brett and his cast in a heartwarming Christmas show this November and December. Family and friends of all ages will enjoy the illusions, comedy, costumes, and music in this spectacular production. You'll journey to the wonder of the "North Pole", see toys come to life in "Santa's Magical Workshop", all while remembering the True reason for the season. This one-of-a-kind Christmas show fuses together the fun and wonderment of the Christmas season with comedy, dynamic circus arts, and grand illusions.

Holly Jolly Jukebox | Magic & Wonder Theatre | October 25 - December 21
Everybody gather around the yuletide jukebox as we put the "rock" around your Christmas tree!! Get ready to tap your toes, clap your hands, and dance down the aisles to the greatest rock and roll renditions of all of your favorite holiday tunes. This high energy song and dance review is sure to put everyone young and old in the holiday spirit. So grab your quarters and head on down to Shirley's soda shop at the Magic and Wonder Theater this season for Holly Jolly Jukebox!!

Frozen, The Broadway Musical | Fulton Theatre | November 15 - December 31
Bundle up, grab your loved ones, and prepare to be swept away by the unforgettable tale of Frozen. Step into an icy wonderland where magic chills the air and sisterhood burns bright. Discover the power of love, and the magic of letting go in this dazzling musical adventure that will leave you breathless.

Who's Holiday | Fulton Theatre | December 6 - December 29
WHO’S HOLIDAY! Is a wildly funny, adults-only comedy that tells the story of Cindy Lou Who as she recalls that Christmas Eve she first met the Grinch and the twisted turn of events her life has now taken.

A Christmas Carol | Fulton Theatre | November 30 - December 28
A miserly and miserable man, Ebenezer Scrooge greets each Christmas with a “bah humbug,” until he is visited one Christmas Eve by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Through a restless night, the spirits show him happy memories from his past, cruel realities from the present and the grim future should he continue his cantankerous ways. This musical adaptation retains the emotional power and pure joy of the Charles Dickens story, showing us that it is never too late to change.

Daniel | Sight & Sound Theatres | November 1 - December 31
Taken from his people, Daniel is exiled far from home in the perilous kingdom of Babylon. Now this faithful servant must navigate his new life inside a palace filled with golden statues and shifting empires. As royal pressures mount, Daniel is faced with a dangerous choice. Will his trust in God remain steadfast through every test of faith?

Illumination | Prima | November 22 - December 22
Experience the magic of the holiday season like never before with Illumination, an immersive candlelit holiday concert. Captivating renditions of beloved holiday classics will envelop audiences in a radiant ambiance, making it a cherished family tradition each year.

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