If you haven't been out to Lancaster Central Park (so named for it's strategic location in the county) you're missing a true treat.  Covering over 540 acres along the famed Conestoga River, Lancaster Central Park boasts some wonderful wooded landscape and community features such as six pavilions for public use, the county pool (which receives some 40,000 visitors a year), a professionally-designed skateboarding park, camping area and much more.  Enjoy the woodland trails along the river in any season.

There are several very nice playgorunds for kids to enjoy, and trails connect them to make a fun bike/play tour for the slightly older kids.

A particularly interesting feature of Lancaster Central Park is the Shuts Environmntal Library, which housings over 3,000 volumes and focuses on wildlife, survival, gardening and other ecological topics.  It's part of the Lancaster County Library system so your library card works there, too.  The Garden of Five Senses is also unique and is a popular destination for weddings.  I always enjoy cruising through this area when I'm in the park.

I bring my two boys down for a long afternoon of riding our bikes through the trails and hills, stopping to talk about the wildlife we see and the Conestoga River.  The other visitors are very friendly and we'll sometimes stop to chat.  It's surreal that such a quiet, peaceful place can be so close to the center of downtown Lancaster.  Take some time to visit Lancaster Central Park on your next day out - you'll be glad you did. 

For Lancaster PA homes for sale click here.  Jeff Geoghan is a top real estate expert in Lancaster County, PA, and  an involved community member.  Jeff's work has been featured in the Lancaster Newspapers, PA Business Journal and Wall Street Journal.  Jeff's blog on Lancaster County and its homes is nationally-featured.