Hi Fodorites

Travel period: early/mid Feb 2014
Travel Plans: flying into SFO initially (11 Feb), need to get to DC by Sat 15 Feb, need to finish up in Williamsburg, VA by 16/17 Feb.
Travel budget: modest.
Method of transport: Happy to fly and drive. Don't want really long days in car as I'm travelling solo and don't want to get over-tired.

I am wary about long travel days given I will be travelling in Winter time.

I'm coming from NZ and attending a quilting event in Williamsburg in mid-Feb. I also have a DC based friend I would like to see on-route.

Being a quilter, lover of natural landscapes and curious about different lifestyles; the Amish community has fascinated me for years.

I'm wondering whether I could use this short trip to observe Amish life and get closer to Amish quilting.

I have read several pages of Amish threads and have considered the merits of Lancaster-surrounding areas. I did toy with flying to Ohio to see Amish there and then driving to DC but am a bit put off by the drive time.

Fodorites, if you have any suggestions for:

- how to observe some Amish quilting and glimpse the Amish lifestyle
- how to see a little of the area without getting too bogged down in tourist traps.
- where to base myself for accommodation.

I would love to hear your thoughts,

Thanks in advance.

Lovener1

Just saw this. There are Amish communities in a number of places around here. The greatest concentration is probably in Wayne and Holmes Counties. Towns to look for on maps are Kidron, Sugarcreek, Millersburg, Charm, Mt. Hope, and thereabouts. There is a major livestock auction in Kidron every Thursday, beginning around 11am. http://kidronauction.com/
I don't have any info on Amish quilting, but can ask around for you.
Stay tuned.

You have another thread about this with many posts. New Berlin has quilt shops. I don't think you will be invited into Amish life.

You can fly one-way from San Francisco to Akron-Canton (CAK), Cleveland (CLE), or Columbus (CMH) in Ohio for about $200, drive a rent-a-car to "Amish country" and stay there for a day or two. Flights are available from Ohio to DC for about $100. You'll need to factor the length of the SFO-Ohio flight, and the 3-hr time change to see if that's doable.

As Gretchen suggests, you're not likely to be able to drop in on an Amish household and watch them quilt. There are some quilt shops around where you could ask. Or, you might book into a B&B and inquire of your hosts. Here is a link containing more links to lodging and shopping in the Holmes county area: http://www.amishleben.com/ There are several B&B's that look interesting, including one located in Berlin : http://www.bbonline.com/united-state...n/country.html

February weather can be a concern. Many of the roads in this area are, as you might guess, back country roads. All bets are off in the event of a winter storm.

On my last trip to DC, I did return home to NJ via Lancaster, PA (although I was primarily going to the outlets) and it was a very manageable drive. In that area, there are a number of commercial-ish ways to interact with the Amish (ie buggy rides) but I also believe there are options for spending the night at an Amish farm/home. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, but if I think of anything else, I'll post.

Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions. In light of the challenging weather conditions, I have decided that now's not the time to cross this one off the list. I appreciate your time and advice.