Location: 900 W. Main St., Ephrata
Drive time: A little over an hour.
Cost: $119-$179.
The scoop: History and hospitality are de rigueur at this charming 1763 inn just outside downtown Ephrata. It’s also a reasonable stroll from the utterly intriguing Ephrata Cloister, one of America’s earliest religious communities—and one with some decidedly cult-like attributes.
Amenities: Five cozy guestrooms are elegantly equipped with pillow-top beds, flat-screen TVs, working fireplaces, and spa-quality towels and robes; some have jetted tubs. The roomy Crimson Dove Suite overlooks the back garden, and has a bathroom with heated floor, whirlpool tub and rain shower. Kids are OK (with prior approval) in the Tailor’s Cottage.
Don’t miss: The Green Dragon Farmer’s Market and Auction, a Friday-only assemblage of more than 400 local growers, merchants and craftsmen. And you’re also a short drive from Adamstown’s numerous antique shops. Serving spectacular, locally sourced comfort food with an urban edge, Ma(i)son is the latest acclaimed BYO in nearby downtown Lancaster. Just be sure to make reservations early; the place is tiny.
Contact: (717) 733-6094, historicsmithtoninn.com
