Exploring Lancaster County (and Beyond)… Underground

Lancaster County might be known for its rolling farmland and charming covered bridges, but some of its most fascinating adventures lie beneath your feet. From naturally formed caves to historic hideaways and even candlelit dining vaults, there’s a whole other world underground just waiting to be explored. While you’re staying at The Lancaster Bed and Breakfast, here are a few ways to take your trip below the surface.

Indian Echo Caverns – Nature’s Masterpiece
Just outside Hershey, about 35 minutes from Lancaster, you’ll find one of Pennsylvania’s most beautiful show caves. Indian Echo Caverns at Echo Dell has been millions of years in the making, with limestone formations shaped by time, water, and geology’s slow magic. The Susquehannock Indians are believed to have been the first humans to use the caverns, long before fur trappers stumbled upon them in the 17th century.

A 45-minute guided tour takes you past glittering formations — flowstone, delicate curtains, and towering columns — into chambers with names as memorable as their beauty. Don’t miss Crystal Lake, a clear, sparkling pool that’s a favorite photo spot. It’s a constant 52 degrees inside, so pack a light jacket and good walking shoes. The descent down the stairs to the cavern entrance feels like stepping into another world.

Wild Caving with North Fork Adventures
If you prefer your underground adventures a little less polished and a lot more rugged, North Fork Adventures offers guided wild caving trips throughout south central Pennsylvania. One of the highlights is Wind Cave — also called Pequea Cave or Cold Cave — located in southern Lancaster County’s Clark Nature Preserve.

This isn’t a cave carved by water over millennia; it’s a tectonic cave, created when massive rock slabs shifted and fractured. At over 2,000 feet of passages and a chilly 30-degree interior, it’s the largest of its kind in the eastern U.S. Expect to scramble over boulders, squeeze through narrow openings, and get dirty. Helmets, headlamps, and backup lights are provided, but you’ll want to wear long sleeves, long pants, and clothes you don’t mind getting muddy. For those with a sense of adventure, it’s an unforgettable way to connect with the raw side of Lancaster County’s underground world.

Underground Railroad History
Lancaster County’s underground stories aren’t just about rock and stone; they’re also about courage and the fight for freedom. In the decades before the Civil War, this region was a key stop on the Underground Railroad, a secret network helping enslaved people escape to the North.

LancasterHistory offers private “Origins of the Underground Railroad” tours, with options ranging from a 2-hour exploration of downtown Lancaster sites — like the Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Historic Site — to longer excursions that include historic safehouses like the Mifflin House.

For a more immersive experience, “Living the Experience” at Bethel AME Church brings history to life with a creative reenactment that blends storytelling, spirituality, and audience participation. And in Christiana, the Underground Railroad Center at Zercher’s Hotel tells the story of the 1851 Christiana Resistance — a dramatic confrontation that became a pivotal moment in the nation’s path toward the Civil War.

The Catacombs at Bube’s Brewery
Not all underground adventures require a helmet and flashlight — some just call for an appetite. In Mount Joy, Bube’s Brewery invites you to dine 43 feet below street level in its Catacombs Restaurant. These stone-lined vaults date back to the 1800s, when German immigrant Alois Bube ran a thriving brewery on the site.

Today, the Catacombs is an upscale, candlelit dining space perfect for a romantic night out or a themed theatrical feast (think pirates, medieval royalty, or Dracula). You’ll walk through the historic brewery on your way down to your table, where the rock walls and stalactite-like ceilings set the mood for gourmet dishes, handcrafted cocktails, and house-brewed beer. Paranormal tours and ghost hunts are also offered — because with this much history, who knows what spirits might linger?

Going Deeper in Lancaster County
From the naturally cool chambers of Indian Echo Caverns to the adventurous twists and turns of Wind Cave, from the courageous paths of the Underground Railroad to the stone vaults of a 19th-century brewery, Lancaster County’s underground offers experiences as varied as they are fascinating.

So the next time you’re here, don’t just look around — look down. You might discover that some of the region’s best stories are told in the shadows beneath your feet.