This places was a rare gem to find. Although the builds and grounds are closed due to covid. You can still see the buildings from the parking lot and open pathway.The oldest building was built the year George Washington was born. So it much older than America. And the little cemetery has someStone well worth seeing. Including one with the person being born in the 1600s.Nice quick stop if you are passing through the area. Well worth it.Be sure to honor the Revolutionary War Veteran that is buried here.

I have enjoyed my visit during their Charter Day experience this year. The buildings and grounds were very well maintained. The staff, demonstrators, and volunteers were very informative kind and helpful. If you like learning about different local history, religions or different lifestyles, I would recommend visiting this location. I would recommend starting your visit by watching the short movie outlining the Ephrata Cloister in the visitors center.

Sadly they are closed. Walked the cemetery... a beautiful feeling, even in the parking lot....(Thank you for the UpDate.. QR Codes is a great addition. Hope to return in another season. )

The place was closed due to covid, however the grounds was still open for the public to walk around. It is a very unique piece of history and one that I would love to go back and tour the interior.Made for some great picture taking and adding to IG my travel channel.

Beautiful property, well maintained, with great historical architecture. Great to stroll through.

Georgeous old buildings that are well preserved

This is a great place to visit especially if you are at all interested in history, religions or different lifestyles. The tour guides are very knowledgeable and the buildings have been kept in extremely good condition. Leave a good amount of time open on your schedule to visit as there is a lot to see and wear comfortable shoes. Great place to visit around the holidays as well as they will traditional music and decorations

Very well maintained grounds and buildings with an historic appeal, but also an historic feel to the place. The buildings are in exceptional shape. The museum and store are chocked full of great details. The guided tour was out of this world - informative and flexible. All of the staff were unbelievably kind and helpful. Definitely stop in when in Ephrata. Very responsible entrance fee.

Incredible place full of history. We arrived at around 1 pm on a Sunday and we were greeted at the visitor center by very attentive and knowledgeable staff, he gave us a map of the facility and a general idea of the activities to participate in, including a guided tour, a short movie outlining the Cloister and a self guided one where you dial a phone number on your cellphone and punch in the number of the building you want to get information on, he also informed us that we got a discount if we had an AAA membership, which we did. We did the self guided tour as I was mostly interested in photography. Most of the buildings were open to visit on our own except two, the largest ones at the center, which you can visit but only on the guided tour. Overall it was great, my only complaint (and this is nitpicking) is the use of plexiglass instead of actual glass used at the doors blocking the displays inside the buildings, it was hazy at times and very difficult to photograph through, but I get it, some people have no respect for history and plexiglass is more resilient than actual glass. Would definitely come again, my girlfriend and I had a great time.

Good place to visit for a day trip. Interesting history behind the cloisters with the strange story of the people that lived there. Also, a view into how life was like 300 years ago. Recommend it if you like history and youre curious about how people lived in pre-revolutionary times

Very scenic and historical especially the veteran memorial

Such a rich history! Great place for the family

Great site with existing large buildings from the early 1700s. Special events with crafts and music. Largest book printed in the colonies was produced here. Dont miss the printing office.

Very interesting place! It’s a historical place yes. But it’s more of an insight into human phycology. Went here for the lantern tour which was a lot of fun to take a step back in time into a society very different from our own but in our “backyard”. The actors really got into it and our tour guide was a lot of fun. Check this place out it’s worth your time and reflection.

Great historical experience that brings you back in time

Super interesting and a little creepy on a dark fall day.

The Ephrata Cloister is home to some of the most important early architecture in Lancaster County. The grounds here are beautiful throughout the year, and walking through this historic site is an great idea during any season.

This was a beautiful place to explore. We decided to do the cell phone guided tour option so we could explore at our own pace. While we were not able to get into the first building or so, we were able to see inside many others. The experience was similar to Williamsburg, but without all the crowds. We visited the physicians shop, the bakers shop, the graveyard, a house, the stable, a carpenters shop. It was a great walk outside and the cell phone tour was very informational. The visitors center offers children a guide to fill in during the tour, and upon completion, a badge is earned. Overall, we spent about 2 hours here and would have stayed longer, except it was icy cold. Inside the visitors center is a small museum with very interesting artifacts going back to the early 1700s. The guides were very kind and helpful. Would highly recommend for a homeschool or tourist visit.

Beautiful place to take pictures!

The tour guide, Lydia was great! She could answer literally any question we had and then some...We had stumbled upon this place as we had been visiting the home of my roommate in Lancaster. It seemed at first like a little hole in the wall, but turns out it holds a lot of history and community events to this day. The restoration is still ongoing, but the buildings that you can see and explore are in great condition and you really get a sense of how this community live. If you have the time and don’t mind spending $9, then I think it’s well worth a visit!

Amazing historical site.

Interesting. I couldnt help but wonder why the celibate sect of this community didnt become Catholic monks. This was apple dumpling weekend...delicious!!

Wonderful historical museum. Buildings well maintained. Grounds were kept well. Lovely place

Very good history lesson on the tour. Buildings very well maintained. Fairly true to period. I highly recommend taking the guided tour. We took our kids when they were about 8 & 11. They were as interested in the tour as we were.

The tour is really great, and tour guides are extremely knowledgeable. They have many interesting anecdotes about this unique community, that give a vivid image of life in the 1700’s. You can only go into a few of the buildings and only on the first floor, but you are still able to see many of the rooms and furniture.

We discovered the Ephrata Cloister while on our Amish Adventure and enjoyed learning this unknown (to us) history and stepping back in time, marveling at the buildings constructed and standing from the 1700s. Another incredibly peaceful and inspiring part of the Pennsylvania countryside.

The Ephrata Cloister was a amazing experience! The Cloister itself was well preserved, and had well-trained guides. Living in Ephrata and never going to the Cloister, it just felt like we were missing out on our valuable history. So we finally got to go to the place Ephrata is known for.

We loved it!!! We visited on a very cold day, but our tour guide was awesome and everyone learned some new things. Will be visiting again.

Well done guided tour. Watch your heads - low door ways. Some of the buildings are are little tough to get into, but not bad. Grounds, buildings, visitor center, and gift shop. Approximately 1 hour guided portion including video to start.

We had a guided tour, which I highly recommend this due to the fact you ask questions and get more of the story.It was fascinating to see the the men and women of the Cloister lived. For me I was intrigued by the Sisters ability to have freedoms the women of that era did not see.The first American woman composer was from the Cloister. A must see for enthusiast of religious freedom, unusual religions, birth of a community and history.

Wonderful, a must see!

Wonderful piece of history

Well restored and maintained dwellings of early settlers to the Cocalico Valley. Worth the visit!

Who knew? What a wonderful spot for a day trip. Im new to Pennsylvanias, and still getting surprised regularly by the extensive history of the area. I learned so much about Ephrata and its unique roots from a most friendly and knowledgeable guide. Thank you!

Knowledgeable guide who took his time with us. Definitely worth a visit!

I love this place. Great little gift shop too

A very interesting historic site.

This lovely historic site has a unique story to tell. The guide staff doing the telling were very up on the information and relaxed about questions. It was a fine experience. The gift shop has nice offerings. You dont need a ticket to visit the store or visitor center.

Unusual historical and faith center. We did not wait for the tour. We shopped for great books and gifts here.

An absolutely fascinating place! The site of a heterodox Protestant Christian monastery begun in the late 1700s by a very charismatic personality. The group didnt last as a cloistered community for long after he died.

This is a beautiful place to take a tour. It is very interesting and you can learn a lot of cool facts about early Ephrata. Also, it is a very good place for family photos. My family came here to get professional pictures taken and we where very pleased with them.

Cool historic destination in Ephrata. Theyve got a museum and tours. Great place to take photos.

Great place to visit

PA is lucky to have so really good state museums. This is one of them.

Very interesting place very well guide tour

Way cool if you like history. German architecture is so different from English. Gift shop is a reenactors paradise!

Its awsome how you will see the past, our history

Great history infusion on this location. Nice short tour very informative. Was there in February, cold and inclement weather shortened the total experience though. Warmer weather will open up more exploration of the Cloister grounds.

Interesting place, good area for a quick walk.

Very interesting place to visit. Take the tour and watch the movie... it is worth it!

Enjoyed the candlelight night. Interesting!

Very interesting historic site. Tour guide was very knowledgeable, and can answer most questions you would have about the place and culture of the people that lived there.

Very interesting.

Cool, historical place. Friendly & knowledgeable staff & volunteers. A neat piece of well preserved history.

Staff very knowledgeable and accommodating. I learned agreat deal and had a lovely day.

A nice place to visit and learn about Ephrata nice people great for tours too and not too big

A beautiful venue for the ice cream social. lively well cared for grounds.

Fascinating. Lovely scenic landscape. Worth going

Very informative and interesting! Definitely worth seeing.

This was so informative and beautiful even in the rain.

Super interesting place to visit. Beautiful and we had an excellent tour guide. Truly fascinating what can happen to people who have their theology a degree or so off course. This is why you need to read your bible people!

Really great historical site. Our guide really knew his history!

Amazing history and great staff!

Interesting and well preserved. Spent about 1:40 with guided tour. Recommended.

Beautiful place to take wedding pictures ️

Had a great afternoon! The guide was helpful and very knowledgeable.

Learned some very cool facts and saw some excellent exhibits

Had a wonderful guided tour of this lovely historic site. Many interesting buildings and artifacts. Intriguing history of religious group established in 19th century and continuing to the 1930s. Great visit.

Visiting here with the weather just above freezing helped give a real feel for what life must have been like. The buildings are incredibly well preserved/ restored and the guided tour including short film was very well done.

Interesting religious history of northern Lancaster County. Well preserved buildings from that era. Enjoyable guided tour that follows a theme throughout the tour. Also interesting posters and artifacts displayed to look and read at your leisure.

Great part of the early Pennsylvania history

Very nice old building

Very interesting place! Definitely worth a visit.

A historical treasure to be sure. Guides are very knowledgeable. The facility is well staffed and managed. The impact this community had, not just in the region but outside of the region, is important to know and understand.

We were there for an evening lantern tour. Very interesting piece of history. Especially if you are familiar with Ephrata

Best historical depiction ever

Great history from the Revolutionary War. It is a must see if youre in the Ephrata area

One of my favorite local historic sites. Wonderful staff and the friends of the cloister.

Great historical story.

Go on community days. Very educational

Very interesting, lots to see, you get a guided, very informative tour of the compound. Amazing to see buildings 5 stories hogh from the 1700s still standing

Visited Ephrata Cloister today. Very interesting history...

Subway subs are good ,but the service sucks sometimes.

What a wonderful piece of history tucked away and beautifully preserved. Our tour guide was very informative and we enjoyed wandering the grounds and catching a small glimpse into the past. Well worth the $10 admission per person.

Tour guides knowledge was encyclopedic!

Nice little historic park. Havent toured the grounds recently. Very informative facts about our local history

Lots of history here. Beautiful grounds.

So educational. Enjoyed the tour.

The Ephrata Cloister was a surprise for sure! Nicholas our tour guide was so much fun and loved his job! He is full of jokes and made the most out of your time while visiting the Cloister! Very informative and interesting to see how these people lived in the 1700s!

Great tour and learning experience

This is a beautiful and interesting place to visit. The tour guides are friendly and knowledgeable and the self-guided tour is also great!

Neat place to visit to learn the history of Ephrata. If you enjoy history you will love this.

I went after smoking. Would and would not recommend. Staff was great

Beautiful grounds. Very interesting history. Worth stopping by for sure!

Impressive history and an interesting information Center but the interior you visit in a guided tour is not worth the time and money.

I volunteer here. Im a little biased. The historians know their stuff, the site is clean and beautiful. Its just a really nice place where you can learn fun history too!

The Christmas Service at Ephrata Cloister was great. Intimate, simple and meaningful.

Membership gets you some nice discounts in the shop and free admission to daily tours.

Extremely interesting place and the volunteers on Community day were fantastic! Thank you

Great after noon tour back in history.Knowledgable tour guide,very interesting