cooljoe815

My wife and my teenage daughter are visiting Washington DC next week and they want to visit an Amish community. We have been trying to see if they a tour guide buses to Amish community but haven't had any luck. We check with some local hotels and it appears they are plenty coming from NY but none from Washington DC.

Anyone know the easiest and best way to visit the Community from Washington DC. They are relying on pubic or private transportation. My wife prefers not to drive.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

bachslunch

I'm not sure you'll really see a working Amish community, and it'll be pretty much impossible to see the traditional Pennsylania Amish region as a day trip from Washington, DC without a car in any event. You're better off doing this as either a day trip out of Philadelphia or staying a night or two in the Lancaster area if you have no car.

If you are without a vehicle and still want to do the no-car route, you'll have to be based in Lancaster and take the city bus. I was able to do this as a day trip out of Philly. Took the train station out, bus or hike to downtown, saw Central Market and the Lancaster Quilt and Textile Museum (very good) and the Lancaster Cultural History Museum (okay). Took a bus east to the Amish Farm and House, which is probably as close to seeing what Amish life is like as you'll get unless you can arrange to stay on someone's farm (yes, it's hemmed in on both sides by shopping malls, but I still enjoyed it). Afterward, I took the bus back to downtown Lancaster and walked around to look at the architecture, which is well worth seeing here, before catching the last train back to Philly. One can also take a bus out to Wheatland, James Buchanan's homestead, but I didn't have time to include this.

Several other area attractions, such as Ephrata Cloister, Hans Herr House, Landis Valley Museum, and Lititz Museum (not to mention the towns of Gettysburg, Hershey, and Harrisburg, all worth a visit to varying degrees) are possibilities. Again, a car is at least useful and likely necessary.

Getting to any of the Pennsylvania Dutch style restaurants without a car may be a challenge, but I think it can be done (I walked about a half mile north of the Amish Farm and House to Good and Plenty, a family style place which I enjoyed very much -- note well, there's no sidewalk, but a shoulder/breakdown lane area for walking). Some folks here will say don't bother eating at any of these places, advice I don't agree with. It's likely possible to go to Plain and Fancy Farm Restaurant (also family style) or Miller's Smorgasbord via bus from Lancaster.

Note well that cabs in Lancaster are truly *terrible* with a capital "T" -- hopelessly unreliable and very prone to just not show up at all, so absolutely don't count on them.

cooljoe815

thank you for your reply. And thanks for the Cabs tip.

sweetjen34

There is a small Amish community in St. Marys County, MD, about 45 minutes from DC. If you go to the farmers market on Saturday you will see them selling their handicrafts and produce/baked goods. It is common to see them driving their carts led by horses. A drive around will find farmhouses that belong to the Amish, identified because there are no electric lines running to the house.

Birdie

"Amish Country" can be found in a number of states: Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, etc.