Dutch Wonderland is one of those authentic amusement parks that I just can't help but love. There is a history here that goes back to 1963, when potato farmer, Earl Clark started the place.
Our first stop was the carousel. A classic.
Admission to the park includes most, but not all, of the activities along the way. Pony rides, photos, games and a few other things cost extra. Fortunately, all of the rides are included, which means they can go round and round on their favorites all day long.
Throughout the park, there are small moments where you can find the original displays, perfectly preserved and featuring little bits of Amish life. I'm so glad they have kept them. Where else can you pose with a giant pretzel anyway?
Or peek into an Amish house?
The target audience here skews young. 3-12. This may not be the place to bring your teens, but for my kids, ages 6, 6, and 12, it was perfect. The biggest roller coaster, Kingdom Coaster, is manageable for my youngest, and plenty of fun for my oldest. Honestly, I was shocked that my youngest two loved it so much. Apparently, they have a wild side that I didn't know about. Hands were in the air. Screaming.
And since there is rarely a picture of me in this blog, here I am, self-photographed, on the Kingdom Coaster. Hello.
But back to the point. There are places here where you can find the original stuff. And my favorite older attraction, is an incredibly simple ride.
I'm not giving away the surprise. But I will tell you this — the ride has been here since 1964, and it's the most low-tech ride in the park. Sometimes simple just works.
There was some silliness along the way...
and a driving lesson.
After we had played for a while, we headed to the water section of the park, Duke's Lagoon. The kids splashed and played and cooled down.
Then we headed back for still more rides.
All in all, a wonderful day.
1-866-386-2839
Dutch Wonderland
2249 Lincoln Highway East
Lancaster, PA 17602
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