roy2moira

Planning a road trip that will take us through Pennsylvania Amish County and trying to decide on a hotel location. Looking at Lancaster, Bird In Hand, Intercourse, or Paradise.

Would like to see life style of the Amish up close, covered bridges, a back county buggy ride, historical sites, etc. We will be visiting Gettysburg National Park.

My wife loves to shop and is into quilts big time so shops within walking distance of the hotel would be nice or a central location where quality attractions such as Hans Herr House, etc are easily reached via vehicle.

Any suggestions or ideas on a location and/or attractions would be appreciated.

Thank you.

bookhall

The Mennonite Central Committee has a Materials Resource Center at 517 Trout Run Road in Ephrata. They have a section devoted to quilts and quilt raw materials. Everything from fat quarters to old neckties. If your wife's a quilt junkie, she'll find the place quite fascinating. If she's simply looking for finished quilts, she won't find a lot there. The MCC's big quilt auction is around the beginning of April, in Harrisburg.

2catlover

In regards to Gettysburg, get a park ranger tour. They are fantastic.They drive your own car while they give your a tour of the battlefield. They make the battle come alive

Melissa

Jgroff2506

Here's what I would do:
Stay at Amish View Inn on Rte 340. Beautiful, with great views but ask for farmland view. A little pricey but great rooms. About $200 a night so price keeps out alot of familes so there's hardly any kids running around.
There are so many restaurants..your choice. Travel down Rt 896, Rt 340 or Rte 23. These are all prime Amish areas. There are quilt shops off of Rte 23, on Rte 340 in Intercourse and on Rt 30 at Miller's Smorgasbord (also winery and local art gallery). Covered brides are on Paradise Rd, Ronks Rd, Hunsicker Rd, Mt Pleasent Rd. My favorite is on Mt Pleasant Rd. I grew up there and spent many days sitting on the supports reading. Hans Herr house is in Willow Street, near my niece's. Close to our county park but not too much else around there. Willow Vally Restaurant and Doubletree Hotel are close but not an Amish area. Close to Lancaster city if you want to do that. Very historical. There's alot to do here.

Jgroff2506

as a follow up, Aaron and Jessica's buggy ride is on the Amish View property. They have an one hour or a 1/2 hour ride through the country back roads. There's also Abe's buggy rides on Rte 340 near Smoketown and one located at the Country Cupboard Restaurant on Rte 340. Amish Experience @ Amish View Inn has an informative movie and they have guided bus tours through out the area if you're into that.

bachslunch

You may be surprised at how commercial Amish country is in central Pennsylvania. I was.

Gettysburg is a must, for sure.

If you have kids, you may want to visit Hershey, where there's Hershey Park (an amusement park), Hershey Gardens, and Hershey's Chocolate World (a sort-of tour of the chocolate company).

Harrisburg has about a day's worth of attractions, including one of the nicest state capitol buildings in the US, a state history museum, and a Civil War museum.

Lancaster is in the heart of Amish country, and there are a few good attractions here: Lancaster Quilt and Textile Museum (very good), Central Market, and Heritage Center Museum (small and just okay). The Amish Farm and House just outside the city itself may be the most economical (and at least relatively authentic) way to experience Amish life short of staying with a family. The architecture in Lancaster is also really interesting, and strolling the downtown looking at it is worthwhile. There are other nearby attractions I haven't been to, including Wheatland (James Buchanan's home), Ephrata Cloister, Landis Valley Museum, Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania, Lancaster Cultural History Museum, and Hans Herr House -- no idea how these are. Note that there are several very commercial and tourist-y things such as Dutch-themed amusement parks, miniature golf, and shopping centers.

There are dissenters to this idea here, but I enjoyed eating at one of the classic Pennsylvania Dutch style eateries (boarding house style or buffet) -- in my case, it was Good 'N' Plenty. Other options of varying degrees of desirability in the general vicinity include Stoltzfus Farm Restaurant, Miller's Smorgasbord, Plain and Fancy Farm, and Shady Maple Smorgasbord.

PaulRabe

> Would like to see life style of the Amish up close

The Amish are, by and large, EXTREMELY reluctant to allow any of the "English" (their term for non-Amish) up close to their life style. The best you'll be able to do is--
-- a buggy ride tour, hearing descriptions from someone who, after living in the area for decades, has developed a degree of interaction with Amish for which others would not be allowed.
-- a drive past some Amish farms. With any reasonable luck, you'll see Amish in their daily lives.
-- purchase of some items from an Amish family. You'll meet and talk with them face-to-face, but it'll be strictly business.

If you do any of these, do **NOT** photograph the Amish. This would be as offensive as someone video-taping you taking a shower.

roy2moira

Thanks to all of you. You have confirmed some of my thoughts & some additional information.
We will spend some time in a good part of Lancaster County, including Lancaster itself. I will take the lodging suggestion and book the Amish View Inn. That particular road it's located on seems to be a very active Amish route.

I have a good itinerary for Gettysburg Nat'l Military Park, which is much easier to plan than Amish County.

Thanks in particular to Bachslunch which give me some fine info for a Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi road trip that the foregoing is going to replace in September. The southern road trip will happen but it will be later so that itinerary has been tucked away.

Thanks again.

Wendy9334

There are a lot of great ideas in the previous posts. A great way to experience about the Amish life and culture is to visit the Mennonite Historical Society http://www.lmhs.org/ and The Mennonite Information center http://www.mennoniteinfoctr.com/.

Shopping:
http://www.pa-dutch-travel.com/Lanca...-Shopping.html

I like Ed's buggy rides, they stop at a real Amish farm and you can get off and you look and buy at all the wonderful crafts and quilts. The ride takes you through the fields where the movie "Witness" was filmed. http://www.edsbuggyrides.com/

Have Fun!!