Weekend Itinerary:
- Arrive Friday evening, just in time for a hearty PA Dutch meal.
- Wake up early on Saturday morning and plan for a full day of Amish activities. (Keep in mind the Amish do not work on Sundays, but we are open for tours on Sundays!)
- Sleep in on Sunday morning. In the afternoon, take a drive through the peaceful countryside before departing back home.
1. Stay at a Bed & Breakfast
You are coming to Amish Country for a unique vacation, don’t waste it on a cookie-cutter chain hotel. Plus, your hosts can offer a unique perspective on living in Amish Country. Get off the beaten path and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Lancaster County. We have so many B and B’s to choose from in so many different locations, you’re bound to find one that will appeal to your individual sense of style and needs. View the best Bed & Breakfasts in Amish Country.
2. Take a tour, no seriously, do it!
No one knows Lancaster better than a tour guide born and raised right here in Amish Country. Taking a tour will give you a deeper, more profound understanding of what you are seeing around you in the countryside. Even a 30 minute guided house tour will teach you more about the Amish than what you can find online. Your ordinary local Joe-shmoo has no idea what’s in his back yard- but a tour guide does!
If it’s your first time visiting, we highly suggest you take a guided bus tour. Our guides will take you deep into the farmlands and teach you how to spot an Amish house. After taking a bus tour you’ll know your way around Amish Country!
3. Visit a farmer’s market or roadside stand.
Visit early in the morning as many markets close in the afternoon. The sheer variety of foods, baked goods, and local culture should not be missed. Most markets have seasonal hours and days that they are open, always check before you go. See our market recommendations here.
Or take a drive through the countryside early in the morning and you’ll find the best fruits and vegetables at roadside stands. Bring cash along, as many of these Amish farmstands do not accept credit cards. And remember, they are not open on Sundays.
4. Skip the chain restaurants.
There are so many local restaurants that are fabulous. There are Amish run and Pennsylvania Dutch style restaurants to choose from. Don’t skip downtown Lancaster, it is a foodie’s mecca and loaded with top-notch eateries. Many microbrews have sprung up in the past several years, give one a try. We like Katie’s Kitchen, Dienner’s Country Restaurant, Lancaster Brewing Company, and the Speckled Hen Cafe to name a few.
5. Take a buggy ride.
You know you want to. Yes, it’s cliché, but you gotta! You can’t go back home and tell your friends you went to Amish Country and didn’t take a buggy ride. There are so many to choose from, you’ll definitely find one that suits your time and interests. Abe’s Buggy Rides gives buggy rides around our farm on Friday + Saturday. Come for a tour, and stay for a buggy ride.
Come with an open mind.
Everything you’ve read or heard about the Amish may or may not be true and that’s why we suggest taking a tour! You may see one with a cell phone, or driving their buggy through the Burger King drive-through. That’s the joy of visiting Amish Country, you never know what you will learn, see or do till you get here.
Photo Credit: Bruce Neumann
Updated on 7/8/2021