Right you are, MP. The Heritage Hotel is fully booked already one night and no king rooms the other.

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 single travel the various single travel 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?
We go to Lancaster once or twice a year, but primarily for shopping (lots of outlets, single travel 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 single travel that it's so close to route 30. In terms of hotels, our go to place is the Fulton Steamboat single travel 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.
I stayed single travel in a Fairfield Inn there, and it was fine, and it was centrally located single travel right at a major highway interchange. I think I actually looked single travel 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.
I cant help with hotels but Lancaster Brewing Co. Is a local brew pub with good pizzas and sandwiches. single travel 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.
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 single travel 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!
Doug, I looked at the Fairfield, which I think is right by the Hilton Garden single travel 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.
Lancaster is a college single travel 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...