Mannheim Township Library is definitely my favorite. I often use their study rooms, and they're…read morephenomenal. Good bit amount of room, and the sound barrier is pretty decent. Study rooms are first come, first serve, but there's generally plenty space and rooms for you to study in!

This library is absolutely beautiful, clean, nicely organized and we love the events they offer for…read morekids! We have taken our 6 month old daughter to a few of the Baby Mania days. This is a great way for her to be around other babies (and it's free!). They read stories, have group activities and end with free time/play. All of the staff I have encountered have been very helpful and friendly. I highly recommend visiting MTPL, especially for their kids events!

Ive communicated with Manheim Township several times thru their website and found them to be open…read moreto suggestions and questions. They always reply to my queries. Maybe not as fast as Id like, but they do. My recent query was about installing crosswalks at a busy intersection. Weather they do it or not remains to be seen..

Not a lighthouse. Very disappointed. I knew there wasn't…read moreany water in this area but was hoping for a lighthouse structure and not a clock.

I saw this lighthouse on the cover of "Lighthouse Keeping", and thought, "It's just another…read morelighthouse". Boy, was I wrong! From the fabulous views of the bay, all the way down the massive spiral staircase, you can smell the history, that is the Gap Lighthouse. The gift shop was well stocked with lighthouse memorabilia. Kids' toys, snacks, and museum quality sculptures and paintings. There is even a washroom attendant! It is centrally located in the city of Gap, and with hardly any traffic, it is a breeze to walk just about anywhere! One thing that was missing, was an Inn at the lighthouse. Maybe "Inn" the future??

The Soldiers & Sailors Monument is a reasonably standard Civil War monument. It's tall, made of…read morestone, and has several statues placed on or around it. The monument does have several features that make it stand out. 1. It's located directly across from the Lancaster County Convention Center, so it's easy to access. 2. It's located almost in the middle of the street with busy roads surrounding all sides but one. 3. It's been updated with more plaques and new information as more conflicts have occurred. Take a second to read the plaques when walking by, they provide interesting information about the conflicts.

This phallic salute to soldiers and sailors has a rich history dating back beyond its July 4, 1874…read moreerection. The 1744 Treaty of Lancaster between the British and Iroquois was signed at this very spot in the old Lancaster courthouse. On September 27, 1777 the Second Continental Congress met in that same building, which burned down just 6 years later. Originally designed as a tribute to Lancastrian Union soldiers killed during the American Civil War, the statue now also represents those who have served in subsequent American military conflicts. Basically, if you fight for our country, Lancaster will honor you with a giant stone penis on top of which a robed woman sporting a sword and crown of stars called the "Genius of Liberty" turns her back on the defeated confederacy. Oh yeah, and there's 4 little men at the shaft representing the branches of the armed forces. Totally overshadowed by the badass penis climbing lady. Take a look next time you're in town.

The Ephrata Cloister or Ephrata Community was a religious community established in 1732 by Johann…read moreConrad Beissel at Ephrata, in what is now Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. By the early 1750s, Ephrata Cloister was home to nearly 80 celibate Brothers and Sisters who lived in striking Germanic-style log, stone, and half-timbered buildings. Alongside them, nearly 250 family members, known as Householders, resided in nearby homes and farms. Ephrata became known for: the German calligraphic art of Frakturschriften; self-composed a cappella music written using Beissel's rules for four-part harmony; and an ambitious printing establishment creating works for the use of the community and neighbors. During the American Revolution, Ephrata served as a hospital for nearly 250 American soldiers, some of whom rest in the Mount Zion cemetery overlooking the historic grounds. The Society declined after the death of Beissel in 1768. The last celibate member died in 1813, and the next year the remaining Householders incorporated into the German Seventh Day Baptist Church. Members continued to live and worship in the Cloister buildings until the close of the Church in 1934. After that, the buildings were turned over the state and became the museum you can visit today. I learned all this and more, when I visited the Ephrata Cloister this past Sunday. When you arrive, there's plenty of parking and then a short walk over to the visitor center, where you can purchase a ticket. Inside the visitor center is a small museum, which provided plenty of history and helpful context for exploring the grounds - especially if you're not taking advantage of the excellent guided tour. With the map you receive when you pay for admission, you can explore the grounds, and there's also an phone-led audio guide that tells you about each building (they're numbered). On the day I visited, there were two guided tours (one at 1pm and one at 2:15pm), and I highly recommend joining the guided tour if you can. It starts with a video in the auditorium space in the visitor center, and then a very helpful guide (ours was Sue) walked us to the grounds and explained more about the history and architecture. After that, she walked us to two buildings you cannot enter without a guide (the Sister's House and the attached Meetinghouse/Saal the Sisters used). I learned so much about this community - which I knew almost nothing about before my visit - and they were fascinating: they ate one (vegetarian) meal a day, they slept few hours each night (with a break from 12-2am in case the second coming arrived), and lived as an religious, pious, and equal community. Sue our tour guide pointed out which buildings were recreations and which were original. There were several that were original to the 18th century, and the architecture is really stunning. There's plenty to learn about this historic community and society and no wrong way to do it (although I highly recommend the guided tour, which I got so much out of - Sue was great). Don't forget to stop by the gift shop on our way out, too! A fascinating piece of American history right near Lancaster. If you're exploring Lancaster County for a weekend, including a visit to Ephrata Cloister is well worth it!

You have the option of touring it urself or with a group and an option of watching the 15 minute…read morevideo before the tour. WATCH THE VIDEO. Good combination of informative & comedic & good acting. Tour guide was very information and kept a comfortable atmosphere for questions. I would recommend walking around in the yard to find the water (idk if it's a river) and these stairs that kinda stop in the forest

It is worth going here just to see the beautiful countryside just a bit off the beaten path. You…read morecan drive your car over the bridge. There is a small parking area for one car on the south side and you can pull over on the shoulder on the southbound side once you are on the north side of the bridge (there is a slight drop off so better to do this with a Jeep, truck or a 4WD vehicle with some ground clearance). Two or three cars were parked there on the spring day, with people fishing in the creek. This beautiful bridge was built in 1849 at a cost of $700 along Hammer Creek when thousands of people were rushing to find gold in the California Hills. The bridge was later rebuilt in 1887 by John Bowman for $1744.