York (Pennsylvania)

York is a city in the Susquehanna Valley region of southern Pennsylvania. It is billed as the "factory tour capital of the world" for its numerous factory tours. It was a major city in U.S. revolutionary history as well, hosting the Continental Congress for a time. It is often viewed by locals as the first capital of the United States but it is unsure if this is actually true because it was never officially named the capital and it was only viewed as the capital because the Articles of Confederation were adopted in the York County Courthouse.

Get in

By plane

York has no local international airport, but nearby Harrisburg has the Harrisburg International Airport. For more direct flights, people can fly into BWI airport in Baltimore, or possibly to Philadelphia. York Airport is 7 miles past the city on US 30 and is a general aviation airport with no scheduled flights.

By train

Nearby Lancaster has an AMTRAK stop on the Philadelphia to Pittsburgh line. Nearby Harrisburg also has a transportation center that provides service for AMTRAK trains on the same line.

By car

Using a car is the easiest way to arrive in York. The following highways connect the city with others in the region:

• I-83 south Harrisburg and I-83 north Baltimore
• US-30 west Lancaster & Philadelphia and US-30 east Gettysburg

By bus

Greyhound operates a station in York with connections to Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and beyond.

Get around

Walking is the easiest way to explore the downtown area, as everything is close enough together. Municipal parking garages are available with very reasonable rates ($0.75/hr). Rabbit Transit is also an option when getting around the city but can be fairly expensive if used multiple times for short distances. All day passes are available though for those that want to use the bus to get around.

See

East Market Street during spring

• 1 William C. Goodridge Freedom Center and Underground Railroad Museum, 123 E Philadelphia St, ☏ +1 717-848-3610. 
• York County History Center, 121 N Pershing Ave, ☏ +1 717-848-1587. 
  • Agricultural & Industrial Museum, 217 W Princess St, ☏ +1 717-848-1587. part of the historical center complex. 
• Harley Davidson Factory Tour, 1425 Eden Rd (Factory is visible on left side of Rt 30 when travelling Eastbound), toll-free: +1-877-883-1450. Come see where America's favorite motorcycles are made. Tours are free and last about one hour (M-F 9AM-2PM). Please dress appropriately for factory tours. Reservations requested for group of 10 or more. Children under the age of 12 are not allowed on the factory tour. 
• York Barbell Weight Lifting Hall of Fame and Tour, 3300 Board Rd. Take a tour of the world's largest weight lifting producer that is used by Olympic athletes and found all around the world. Also visit the weight lifting hall of fame. 

Do

• Historic Downtown York: Take a tour through downtown York to see the city's historic roots.
• York Revolution, 50 Washington St. An independent minor league baseball team that plays in the Atlantic League. They play at PeoplesBank Park in downtown York. Season lasts from May to September.  
• York Expo Center (York Fair Grounds), 334 Carlisle Ave (Exit 21B off Interstate 83 onto US route 30 west, exit at Carlisle Avenue (route 74), left at light, stay in left lane for approx. 1 mile, destination on the right), ☏ +1 717-848-2596. The York Expo Center hosts many events throughout the year including the York Fair in September which is America's longest running public fair. 
• Appel Performing Arts Center, 50 North George St (Exit 15 off Interstate 83 towards George Street), ☏ +1 717-846-1111. Hours vary. Go see performances from local and national stars on stage. Ticket prices are fair since this is a non-profit organization. Price varies. 

• 1 York City Ice Arena, 941 Vander Ave, ☏ +1 717-848-1084. The coolest fun around York. It has ice skating classes, free skates, a concession stand, and there is an ice rink to watch local and high school games. (updated Nov 2020)
• Nixon Park Nature Center, 5922 Nixon Dr, ☏ +1 717-428-1961. Tu-Su 8:30AM-4PM. Trails and natural history exhibits. 
• Heritage Rail Trail County Park, 27 mile trail passing through York.
• Counselor Park. Couselor Park is a fun time for everyone, with a running track, six basketball courts, a pond for fishing and skating in the winter, three playgrounds, six baseball fields, and multiple soccer fields. 
• Springetsberry Park. A park on the east end of town, amazing fun for everyone. It has a long jogging track, a huge playground, multiple soccer and baseball fields. Basketball courts, and an outdoor hockey rink. It even has a summer festival called Saturday in Park with tons of food trucks and a brilliant Fire Work Show. 
• Heritage Hills Hotel and Golf Resort, 2700 Mount Rose Ave, toll-free: +1-877-STAY-PLAY (7829-7529). Fun for the entire family, eat at the pub, or for more finder dining Iron Woods. A golf course voted one of Pennsylvania's best and in the winter time a snow tubing experience that can't be forgotten at Avalanche Express. There is also a miniature golf course and summer kids camps. Heritage Hills even has a spa and hair stylist. 
• Out Door Country Club (ODCC), 1157 Detwiler Dr, ☏ +1 717-764-1188. Established 1892 it is one of York's Premiere Golf Courses. It also has one of the best restaurants in all of York. It also has a driving range, tennis courts, a swimming pool, and a pub for after a long day of golf. 
• Colony Park Lanes North and Laser Alleys Family Fun Center. Two great bowling alleys with fun for everyone. It has the lanes available for rent and league play. A bar for those of age, a concession stand, and an arcade. 
• R/C Queensgate Movies 13 & IMAX, 2067 Springwood Rd. It has HD screens and extremely comfortable chairs. 

Buy

• Stauffer's Cookie Outlet, 375 S Belmont St (at 6th Ave), ☏ +1 717-848-6630, toll-free: +1-888-480-1988. M-Th 8AM-5PM, F 7AM-5PM, Sa 8AM-3PM (closes on Sa at 1PM during summer). Stauffer's cookies are sold from an outlet store in downtown York. (updated May 2016)
• Martin's Potato Chip Factory Outlet, 5847 Lincoln Highway (US Route 30) (Take US route 30 West to Thomasville), toll-free: +1-800-272-4477. 
• Snyder's of Hanover Outlet, 1350 York St (From US route 30, turn left onto Carlisle Street (route 94), left onto Frederick Street (route 194) at center square of Hanover, right onto York Street (route 116), plant is on the left), toll-free: +1-800-233-7125 ext 8592. 
• 1 West Manchester Town Center (formerly West Manchester Mall), 415 Town Center Dr (headed west away from York city-turn right at the Olive Garden, then left at the next light), ☏ +1 717-764-5941. Go shopping, have dinner, and catch a newly released movie all in the same location. (updated Nov 2020)
• 2 York Galleria, 2899 Whiteford Rd, ☏ +1 717-840-1322. A great two-story mall with a food court, Boscov's, Gold's Gym and Marshalls. Great fun for everyone. It has something for everyone and even has an arcade. (updated Nov 2020)
• 3 Penn Market, 380 W Market St. (updated Nov 2020)

Eat

• 1 York Central Market House, 34 W Philadelphia St, ☏ +1 717-848-2243. Numerous food stalls perfect for lunch time browsing. Reasonable prices ($3-6). (updated Nov 2020)
• The Roosevelt Tavern, 50 N Penn St, ☏ +1 717-854-7725. This building dates back to 1860 and is one of the finest restaurants in York, famous for the delicious cream of crab soup. 
• White Rose Bar and Grill, 48 N Beaver St, ☏ +1 717-848-5369. Delicious food at affordable prices. Everything from Quesidilla's to their famous crab pretzels 
• Rutters Farm Store. Rutters is a staple in York and all over south central Pennsylvania. You can get everything from a dozen eggs to some made-to-order sandwiches. They are all over York for your convenience and some are even equipped with gas stations and car washes making it all more the convenient. 
• Round the Clock Diner, 222 Aresenal Rd. Round the Clock Diner, open literally around the clock. A typical diner with a long menu and many choices. The food is delicious and cheap. A great place for Saturday and Sunday morning breakfast. 
• Roburrito's. With multiple locations across York, Roburrito's has gained a reputation amongst locals as an excellent low-cost burrito diner. 
• Fujihana, 935 Loucks Rd, ☏ +1 717-845-8988. One of several hibachi locations in York. This one is the best but also the most expensive. The staff is energetic and obviously love their job. Come on one of the weekend nights, and be thirsty. They have squeeze bottles filled with sake and they're not afraid to use them. 
• Tokyo Diner, 2300 E Market St, ☏ +1 717-755-9638. M-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su noon-10PM. Another hibachi joint in York. This one has the distinction of being the least expensive. The food is great, on par with Fujihana. The place is quiet if you come to sit with your friends to chat, something Fujihana can't match. (updated May 2016)
• MexItaly, 2440 E Market St, ☏ +1 717-600-8226. Mexican/Italian fusion restaurant. Order pizza and tacos at the same place! 
• Guadalajara, 2600 E. Market St, ☏ +1 717-801-1238. One of the best Mexican restaurants in York. The atmosphere is upbeat and the employees are friendly. The food is fantastic. It's attached to a Quality Inn, so be on the lookout or you may miss it. 

Drink

• Jackie B's, 300 Mulberry St, ☏ +1 717-854-6247. 11AM-midnight. Wings, prime rib, steaks, seafood. 
• Banana Max, 1401 Roosevelt Ave, ☏ +1 717-600-1133. A bar, Drink specials on Thursday and Saturday 8PM-midnight, DJ dance party Tu-Sa. Friday Happy Hour and free food at the buffet. 

Sleep

• Four Points by Sheraton, 1650 Toronita St (Exit 21A off Interstate 83, left onto Toronita Street, quick left into hotel), ☏ +1 717-846-4940. All guests are welcome to use the large indoor pool, restaurant & bar, the high-speed internet in all of the redesigned guest rooms, cable TV, and all rooms are non-smoking. Great rates are available for great customer service and rooms. 
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites, 140 Leader Heights Rd (Exit 14 off Interstate 83), ☏ +1 717-741-1000. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. All rooms include a microwave and mini-fridge, and complimentary Wi-fi. Free hot breakfast. 99.99 and up. 
• Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, York, PA, 245 St. Charles Way (Exit 16A off of 83), ☏ +1 717-747-5833. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. This hotel features country-style décor, free high speed internet, an indoor pool and fitness center. 
• Hampton Inn, 1550 Mount Zion Rd (Mount Zion exit off US route 30), ☏ +1 717-840-1500. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. All rooms include cable and premium TV channels, a refrigerator, and free internet access. 
• The Yorktowne Hotel, 48 East Market St (Exit 15 off Interstate 83 towards South George Street, turn right onto East Market Street), ☏ +1 717-848-1111. Free Wi-Fi, valet parking, washer and dryer, and two on site restaurants (including one that is rated four diamonds by AAA) are at the three-star Yorktowne Hotel. As of August 2022, the hotel is closed as it undergoes renovation. 
• Wingate by Wyndham, Arsenal Road And North George St (Exit 15 off Interstate 83 towards George Street, cross over US route 30 and hotel will be on the right), ☏ +1 717-848-2100. All guests can enjoy a free hot continental breakfast, free high-speed wired and wireless internet, and the indoor heated pool. 
• Heritage Hills Resort, 2700 Mount Rose Ave, ☏ +1 717-755-0123. One of the nicest hotels in York, with many other amenities offered. Never a dull day in Heritage Hills, it has the Serenity Spa, a golf course voted one of the best in Pennsylvania, miniature golf, a driving range, avalanche express snow tubing in the winter time, and it has two restaurants. 

Connect

• YorkPA.org. Official web site run by the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau. 
• InYork.com. News portal run by the York Dispatch. 

Go next

Nearby destinations suitable for day trips include:

• Allentown — Pennsylvania's third largest city.
• Gettysburg — Explore Civil War country.
• Harrisburg — Explore the Capital of Pennsylvania.
• Hershey — Explore chocolate country.
• Lancaster — Explore Amish country.
• Gifford Pinchot State Park is a fifteen minute drive north of York along I-83 and offers camping, canoe/kayak rentals, a small beach, and other outdoor fun. It has camp ground available for rent and is right off of lake Redman and is open for family fun in the sun. Nature walks is also a huge attraction, and adventuring through the trails Pinchot has to offer is an exciting day for any thrill seeker.
• Washington D.C. — 1½ hour drive away, experience the best the capitol of our country has to offer.
• Baltimore, Maryland — About an hour away go see an Orioles or Ravens game, or spend the day in the exciting inner harbor. Or just go for a relaxing dinner in Little Italy or Greektown.

York is a destination on the American Industry Tour from Boston to Chicago.

Routes through York

END ← Harrisburg ←	N  S	→ Shrewsbury → Baltimore
Pittsburgh ← Gettysburg ←	W  E	→ Wrightsville → Lancaster