Lancaster County lodgings vary from campsites and intimate inns to luxury resorts and bedrooms in working Amish farmhouses. Reservations are recommended in summer -- especially at farms with only a few rooms available. Find farm lodgings at www.afarmstay.com, www.discoverlancaster.com, or www.mennoniteinfoctr.com.

Hotels & Motels

Incorporating the stately facade of the former Watt & Shand department store, the new Lancaster County Convention Center, 25 S. Queen St. (tel. 866/503-3786; www.lancasterconventioncenter.com), brings an adjoining Marriott Lancaster, with 416 upscale rooms, a rooftop bar, and two more restaurants to historic downtown Lancaster. An interactive museum, Stevens & Smith Historic Site, opened in 2010 and incorporates the former residence, law office, and Kleiss Tavern owned by abolitionist and U.S. Congressman Thaddeus Stevens.

As the second-largest and most diverse B&B community on the East Coast, Lancaster County encompasses a wonderful assortment of romantic to family-friendly lodgings in quaint villages and idyllic country locales. Among the most appealing destinations is the Victorian mansion-style Hurst House Bed & Breakfast, 154 E. Farmersville Rd., Ephrata (tel. 800/603-9227 or 717/355-5151; www.hursthousebandb.com), with enchanting hilltop views from the wraparound porch. Each period-furnished room includes a private bathroom, balcony, fireplace, cable TV/DVD, and Wi-Fi, and there's an elevator to all floors.

Farm Vacation Bed & Breakfasts

What better way to get the flavor of Amish life than by staying with a farm family? The Pennsylvania Dutch Country Convention & Visitors Bureau (tel. 800/PA-DUTCH [723-8824]; www.discoverlancaster.com) has a complete listing of about two dozen working farms that take guests. Reservations are recommended since most offer only three to five rooms. Expect simple lodgings, hall bathrooms, and filling, family-style breakfasts, all at less than motel rates. Dinners with the family are sometimes offered at an additional charge. You'll be able to chat with the women in the family (the men start and end their days with the sun) and get suggestions on local routes, walks, and crafts producers. Even day-trippers can get an entertaining, hands-on taste of farm life for an hour or two as a "Farmer's Apprentice" at Verdant View Farm Bed & Breakfast, 429 Strasburg Rd., Paradise (tel. 888/321-8110 or 717/687-7353; www.verdantview.com).

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.