Amish Country “Unplugged”
In June, I got to take my niece (who shares a curiosity in all things Amish with me!) and my two daughters on an “unplugged” getaway to Amish country in Lancaster, PA. We had the best time! I thought it might be hard to get 3 teens to stay off their electronics, but they did great! I found it was actually me who had the hardest time with it… That was eye opening! We explored, had a spa night (I know, very un-Amish!), and played A LOT of Dutch Blitz.
We stayed on a farm that used to be owned by an Amish family, but is now owned by a non-Amish family, so it does have electricity-but no wi-fi. We stayed in what used to be the “Dawdi Haus” - an addition to a family house, typically made for grandparents to live in during their retirement. It overlooked amazingly beautiful farm land and giant cows that we enjoyed watching.
The home and farm we stayed at were in Strasburg, PA. The area was so wonderfully peaceful and quiet. We got to see covered bridges, flower & produce stands, and tasted the most delicious ice cream we have ever had at Down on the Farm Creamery (located on a working Amish farm and dairy), which was just a mile or so from where we were staying. We definitely went there both nights we stayed and can’t wait to go back next time we are in the area!
Since we were staying in a house with a kitchen, we stocked up on groceries at a neat grocery store called Strasburg Market Place. In addition to fresh produced and local baked goods, they also have a coffee shop and delicious homemade doughnuts.
The first night, we stopped and got a to-go order from Agape Cafe & Grill. When I stopped to pick it up, I kind of wish we would have eaten in the restaurant because it was very cozy yet trendy on the inside. It was an interesting mix of modern fare and “down home cooking,” The next morning we ate at Katie’s Kitchen. It is a delicious restaurant with traditional homemade Amish food and owned by an Amish family as well. My all time favorite restaurant in that area is Dienner’s Country Restaurant or “The Amish Buffet” as we lovingly refer to it. It has the most delicious homemade buttery egg noodles, and SO MUCH PIE!!! Baked chicken, veggies, mac & cheese, and more. In the 8 or so years we have been going, it hasn’t changed a bit! Which is all the more comforting. There is often a big line and long wait, so we tried to go at non-peak times or on weekdays. There are neat little stores near by to go after you eat or while you wait.
Since this was my niece’s first time visiting the area, we went to The Amish Village to learn about the Amish culture and some of why they do what they do. It is presented in a respectful way and fun to go inside an older Amish house and school house and ask questions to the (non-Amish) tour guides. Another touristy place we went is the Kitchen Kettle Village in Intercourse, PA. It is mostly little gift shops and some snacky places and all the “Intercourse (PA!)” souvenirs you could ever want! Hahaha!
The Amish Village - Ronks, PA
You can tour an Amish home, sit on a buggy, pet some farm animals, and see inside an Amish school house.
The one thing we didn’t get to do this trip (though we tried) was Sight and Sound Theatre. We have been there twice and have been amazed at the production both times. We tried to buy tickets again this time around, but a week or two in advance was too late to get tickets for summertime. We will try again next time!
On our way out of town, we found some delicious food, produce, and souvenirs to take home at the Bird-in-Hand Farmer’s Market!
Central Pennsylvania is a fairly short drive from our home in Virginia, but it always leaves me feeling like we are far away from the hustle and bustle of the big cities nearby. I very much enjoy the area eating and shopping (did I mention, clothing is tax free in PA??)! The areas of peaceful farmland is so relaxing to me, and it is a place I enjoy going back to over and over again.