Another vote for Jim Thorpe (Mauch Chunk).

Charming 19th-century town with lovely architecture, fab restaurants, art galleries, shops, live music at the opera house, and tons of outdoor activities such as whitewater rafting, kayaking, mountain biking, hiking...

National Geographic Adventure Magazine voted it one of the top 50 places in the USA to Live and Play this year.

The town's web site is www.jimthorpe.org.

You'll love it.

Pine Hill in upstate ny is a very nice hostel and its near Andes ny and bovina. Very rural, mountainous and pretty. THeir small museum is fascinating. Very clean. But it is a 3 hour drive from nyc in Delhi county sorta near delhi, margaretsville, sorta near onienta which is cute too.

Thank you everyone for your suggestions . We decided on a B&B in Lancaster. We got tickets to a show at the Dutch Apple Teater in the evening.Now we need help on stopping for lunch at a nice place on the way from NJ.. We would like to go to Kitchen Kettle, Lititz Town,Bird and Hand,Family Cupboard,,Good N Plenty or Plain & Fancy?? Heard such terrible things about them though..
Looking the shop in nice shops and a place where we can get a good meal. We are 10 people.
THANK YOU!

Miller's Smorgasboard. The food is good, and their desserts are better. I have an obsessive relationship with their pies, and I'm fussy about baked goods. They also serve alchohol, if that's something you'd be interested in having.

I would also vote for Millers- near the outlet shops in Lancaster. There are many nice shops in downtown Lancaster but certain areas are dangerous- especially at night. Like any city- just take precautions but you should be fine during the day in the shopping, tourist areas. It really is a lovely area. Most of the restaurants are smorgasboards, all you can eat. If you have people in your party without big appetites, you may want to stick with small diner type restuarants (plenty in the area) or Millers b/c you can opt for the soup and salad bar. Oh, and seating for parties of 10 should not be a problem. They accomodate large groups regularly. Enjoy your trip and the quiet country side of PA!

Lancaster???? You have got to be kidding?????????

You picked Lancaster over Eaglesmere?

Lancaster is a DUMP. My neighbor's daughter lives in Lancaster and she told me that her boyfriend was almost stabbed going into a Turkey Hill one evening. Lots of drug activity in this city.

Good luck.

Thingorjus

I take issue with the "dump" reference, living 15 miles north of Lancaster. There are many wonderful shops and treats there, the Fulton Opera House or Theater being one of the best. WE saw 42nd Street on Wednesday and it was fantastic.

I can't speak to the dump reference, but I will agree that Eaglesmere is 'quaint'. I grew up near there and we would go and toboggan a few times each winter. I don't know what else there is in the winter though...

Maybe you can do a wee bit of shopping at the outlets while the men reserve a table at the bar for a few hours !

I don't think Lancaster is a dump, and there are parts of Lancaster County that I think are some of the prettiest spots in the US. For this group though, it would not be my first choice. The Brandywine Valley has great B&B's and lots of activities as well as fine restaurants. Winterthur, Longwood Gardens, the Brandywine River Museum, a few wineries, & the theater in Wilmington would all be good stops. But, for a cute town with walkable restaurants and shopping, I would go to New Hope/Lambertville. There really is a dearth of good dining options in Lancaster, & most of the towns are too small to support good shopping and good restaurants.

Have you ever been to Lititz?

I have been to Lititz. I really love Lancaster County. I love the countryside. It's a great place for antiquing, visiting a farm, seeing how the Amish live, bicycling, etc. But, for me, if I wanted a weekend of nice restaurants and theater, it wouldn't be my first choice.

And recently, to everyone's chagrin, the finest restaurant/shopping complex in the area, Doneckers, closed its doors after 53 years of business.What a loss to our community.

Doodles:

It's probably too late if you've already decided on Lancaster, but I wanted to join the recommendation for the Lambertville - New Hope area.
The area is full of restaurants, antique shops, artists, and even wineries on the PA side.

bookmarking

2Doodles, can you give a little more information on the length of time that you'll be in Lancaster and the area where you are staying? The Dutch Apple is a great start and I would be honored, as a 30 year resident, to steer you to great shopping and restaurants?I came for a 5 year job opportunity and would never leave.

I wouldn't describe Lancaster as a dump but also could never describe it as quaint. Paradise doesn't fit the bill either.
Strasburg, White Horse, Intercourse I see as quaint.

Hi, Lambertsville, NJ is a fabulous town on the Delaware River with great art galleries, fine food, and the Woolverton Inn nearby is to die for! Try it.