When its hot outside, one of our favorite things to do is enjoy a creek or lake. Whether we go tubing, find crayfish or play at a beach, there is sure to be tons of fun at creeks and lakes in the summertime.
Here are a few creeks, lakes and beaches in the Lancaster County area that have easy access and are either cheap or affordable family-friendly locations!
Creek Play in Lancaster County
Poole Forge Creek
(Churchtown, PA) Located along Route 23, just east of New Holland, this is the perfect place to go on a hot day. There is tons of shade and a huge pavilion for picnicking, not to mention a beautiful covered bridge and even a playground.
Near the playground is an easy access point to the creek. You do have to go down a slight incline so its not perfect for the littlest of kids unless a parent goes with them. By themselves, children ages 4-12, will enjoy hours finding numerous crayfish and exploring the rocks.
The far side of the creek does have a deeper section with faster moving water.
Silver Mine Park
(Pequea Township) A nice creek to play in along a paved walking/biking path. There is also a catch and release fishing pond, and a canoe launch.
Boehringer’s Drive-In
Boehringer’s Drive-In
(Adamstown) This cute little drive-in restaurant features the perfect creek play area for little kids. Its shallow, wide and there is a pretty long stretch along their picnic table area, so even if there is a lot of people visiting, you will always have plenty of room to play. Please note they are closed on Mondays—but you can still play in the creek!
Frugal Tip >> Willow Creek Discount Grocery store is only about a minute away, and regularly offers a half-off deal. See some of the amazing finds I discovered on my recent trip, and also get access to the coupon offer. Its worth checking out if you’re in the area.
West Earl Community Park or Talmage Park
(Brownstown) There is a neat playground at Talmage Park as well as a walking trail, but most people don’t know that if you follow the walking trail (to the back of the big field) there are several easy places to enter the creek for some swimming and water fun. At some places the water is slow-moving so it can be a little less inviting—search for the shallow areas with faster moving water!
You can also access the creek on the other side of Route 772, where there is no playground, near the bridge. If you are going canoeing or kayaking this is an excellent place to start or finish, wish ample parking spaces for vehicles.
Lancaster Central Park
Lancaster County Central Park (Photo credit: http://bit.ly/2trQxEt)
A great creek for splashing in! Check their website or give them a call before you go. They often offer in-depth investigation stream studies of the Mill Creek in Central Park for $2 per student. Participants will learn about native species who live in our nearby streams, and try a few techniques to collect organisms for a closer view. Wear closed-toe shoes and clothes you don’t mind getting wet. Call (717) 295-2055 for more info.
Pequea Creek Campground
Photo Credit Pequea Creek Campground (http://bit.ly/2trntNg)
At the campground and further upstream, there are many access points to play in this creek or go tubing!
Please be careful where you tube. If you travel downstream on tubes toward the Pequea Creek campground there is a section called Suzie’s Hole, where the water gets really fast and there is a slight waterfall. You will see many signs telling you to get out of the water, so as long as you are paying attention, you will be fine. Just walk around it and get back in again.
Safe Harbor Park and Nature Preserve
At this quiet park there are pavilions and some playground equipment along the Conestoga River. There are many access points to the water, but be careful, many people enjoy fishing here.
Tucquan Glenn Nature Preserve
Credit: Lancaster Conservancy.org
The six-mile long Tucquan Creek and its tributary, Clark Run, is a great place to play—and you’ll also find excellent hiking trails here too! Please do not park on River Road. When parking lot is full try parking at another River Hill Preserve. You can download a printable map on their website.
Conestoga Creek
We regularly tube on the Conestoga Creek, starting just past the bridge that goes from East Main St in Brownstown to Farmersville (currently under construction this year) and then get out at Talmage park!
Depending on the speed of the water the day, it can take between 2.5-3 hours to float that stretch! There is one point that it gets about 4ft deep, but the rest is shallow enough for young kids! You’ll likely see Blue Herons and Bald Eagles on your floating trips!!!
Thank you Frugal Lancaster reader—Sabrina, for sharing this with us!
Lakes and Beaches in Lancaster County
Blue Marsh
Blue Marsh Lake (Photo Credit Blue Marsh: http://bit.ly/2tWU4fL)
Blue Marsh is a 1,150 acre lake in Berks County, PA. There is a day-use area with a large swim beach, a bath house, food concession, picnic area and pavilions. The swimming area is roped off separately from the boated area so kids easily no where they can and cannot be. Kids of all ages will enjoy it here. This is a great beach to visit for the day instead of driving all the way to the shore!
Muddy Run Park
(Holtwood, PA) Muddy Run Park is open year-round from sunrise to sunset. A boat launch is available for a small fee ($4.00) for anyone not enjoying our campground facilities. Rowboats (with or without electric motors), paddle boats, kayaks, and canoes available to rent. There are also numerous hiking trails.
Mt. Gretna Lake & Beach
Mt. Gretna Lake and Beach
Mt. Gretna Lake & Beach is a family owned and operated swim and recreation facility open to the public for a daily fee. Open every day from 11:30am to 6:30pm. Visit their website for daily admission rates, and if you decide to go, be sure to search their available coupons for a discounted rate!
