I have a friend appearing in a show at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, and we thought we'd do a weekend there -- October 12/13/14.
She recommends the hotel next door to them -- the Heritage Hotel, but it doesn't look so great and it seems that is out about 4 or 5 miles from the center. But does being in the center mean anything? I see various chain hotels including the various Marriotts. I suppose we'll do the dinner show Saturday night -- but any recommendations for GOOD dining? Any suggestions of what to see and do while there?

I haven't been to Lancaster for about seven years now, but I enjoyed the food at Gibralter last time I was there. http://www.kearesrestaurants.com/gibraltar/

It's in a shopping center across the street from Franklin & Marshall College.

We go to Lancaster once or twice a year, but primarily for shopping (lots of outlets, if you're interested). One of my favorite other things to do is to just drive through the countryside. It's beautiful farmland, and always hard for me to believe that it's so close to route 30. In terms of hotels, our go to place is the Fulton Steamboat Inn. You may want to make hotel reservations soon because the decent places fill up very quickly this time of year. You might want to check out Lancaster proper for restaurants (versus the route 30 area). The city is very interesting and has a number of decent restaurants.

Right you are, MP. The Heritage Hotel is fully booked already one night and no king rooms the other. I booked at Hilton Garden Inn. But wondering about the Marriott which seems to be right downtown. Would that be better do you think? I understand the one "must do" is the Central Market downtown.

If you have any interest in architectural artifacts, there is a great warehouse there run by the historical society I think. Fun stuff==not all big stuff.

I stayed in a Fairfield Inn there, and it was fine, and it was centrally located right at a major highway interchange. I think I actually looked at that Hilton Garden Inn and didn't choose it because it didn't have the free breakfast. My feeling is you do just as well in Lancaster at a chain hotel.

As for really good food ... ha. Plenty of Amish-style buffets and family-style restaurants but few things that I've ever found that are actually good. Of course, I've only been to Lancaster 4 times (and once was on business). When I had a business lunch in Lancaster, we went to Applebee's. It's that kind of place.

Resign yourself to the fact that you're going to subsist on shoo-fly pie, funnel cake and creamed [vegetable of your choice].

The location of your hotel isn't all that important, since you're going to have to get into your car anyway and explore the back roads. It's the kind of place you should see once, and only once.

Make sure to have your picture taken in front of the Intercourse post office. You can't miss it. The big sign in front says "INTERCOURSE."

I cant help with hotels but Lancaster Brewing Co. Is a local brew pub with good pizzas and sandwiches. Iron Hill Brewery is another food option with a broad, solid menu. Ric's Bread is a great local bakery.

I love the Central Market and always try to get into town to visit. Check out the guy who sells celery....just celery, and the baked goods are amazing. I've stayed at that Marriott for a conference and it was a basic Marriott, but very convenient if you want to do things in the city since you won't have to deal with parking.

I had dinner at Lily's on Main in Ephrata a few weeks ago. It was very good. It should take you about 20 minutes from Lancaster.

http://lilysonmain.com/

We LOVE getting ice cream at Lapp Valley Farm in New Holland. Slightly off beaten path, well worth it.

Definitely besides getting things like an extra wooden rack for drying clothes, well made and not too expensive, our favorite thing to do is same as MP07950's first post, just driving thru the countryside. You really need to get off main roads to do this, and let yourself wander and get lost. After all, with gps's, you know you'll get found again!

You'll find great scenery and unexpected sales of things right off farms, or shops that are truly independent.

Doug, I looked at the Fairfield, which I think is right by the Hilton Garden Inn. Breakfast at Fairfield is no biggie to me, and frankly I suspect if any meal is a standout in Amish country it is probably breakfast, so we'll be going out for that, I think. And surprisingly the Fairfield was MORE than the Hilton, which I generally think is better.

Parking at the downtown Marriott is $16 a day, so for three days, it seems a pretty big expense compared to paying for parking once to visit the Central Market -- or is there more we'd do downtown?

Lancaster is a college town, and has a small but thriving community of artists and galleries. Yes, Dutch Wonderland is only enjoyabe for little kids, and there are now better outlet stores in other parts of PA, but Lancaster is not just Amish buggies and shoo-fly pie...

just for the record -- shoo fly don't bother me!