Many Washingtonians begin the Yule-time season with a trip to see a Broadway show, followed by fine dining, gallery visits and, of course, shopping, shopping and more shopping.
These same people are often programmed to sign up for bus trips to New York which offer, for one group price, an exhausting day of activities that starts at 6 a.m. and ends with a bleary-eyed drive home from a cold parking lot after midnight.
Lancaster, Pa., a short jaunt north on Interstate 83, presents a delightful alternative to the hustle of the Big Apple’s holiday spectaculars, the elbow-bumping in overcrowded department stores and the long lines at galleries and museums. The convenience and money saved on travel may even allow room for an overnight stay in one of Lancaster’s quaint inns or Bed & Breakfasts.
To begin, plan a trip around a live show. The Fulton Theatre is Lancaster County’s professional regional theater and a National History Landmark that produces Broadway-caliber musicals in an atmosphere of grand, Victorian architecture.
December’s shows feature “The Sound of Music” running alternately with “Nutcracker: A Holiday Musical.”
Advance sales for “The Sound of Music” are going well, according to Tom Kirkpatrick, the Fulton’s marketing director.
“Some theatres will put on holiday shows that deal with Christmas themes specifically, but we have found that people are attracted to family stories,” he said. “It’s all about family bonds and traditions that audiences respond to overwhelmingly.”
Shopping in Lancaster is ideal on many levels. The downtown shopping district has extended hours, and parking meters are free. The city is graced with antique shops, abundant galleries and unique boutiques at practically every corner in which to find that one-of-a-kind gift. It’s not difficult to see why Lancaster thrives as an art town — or, as the city guide “One” states, “a distinctive community where quaint meets cosmopolitan; where history and modern art mingle; where the food is fresh; the people are hip and the city is real.”
Look for hip fashion at BellaBoo Children’s Boutique, Veleska Jewelry, The Potteryworks, Beadworks and Gem Den and Zap &Co., The Retro Department Store. Find history in the Heritage Center Museums at Market Square or the 1794 Rock Ford Plantation.
Find the fresh food and the hearty drink at Penn Square Grille and the Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant.
As for hip merchants, make it a point to visit David Hine, proprietor of Britain’s Best, a shop right out of a Dickens novel where people come for English china, Irish woolens and rugby shirts.
“I stock Christmas cakes, pudding, mince pies, 30 kinds of biscuits and about 40 jams and marmalades, all British imports,” Hine said in a distinctively English accent. “I have over 800 different food items.”
If Hine’s shop or the Fulton’s performances are not reason enough to stay over an extra day in Lancaster, check out the accommodations at King’s Cottage Bed & Breakfast Inn or the Lancaster Arts Hotel for the best reason of all — a good night’s sleep and no cold drive from a parking lot at midnight!
