Pennsylvania Dutch Country

Several day trip options are available west of Philadelphia in Lancaster County, which is home to the Amish, Mennonites, and other cultures collectively known as the Pennsylvania Dutch. It's a gently rolling farmland where Amish farms can be identified by their tall windmills and horse-drawn wagons and carts are common.

Shops in villages like Bird-in-Hand sell beautiful Amish handmade quilts, straw hats, baskets, and delicious local food specialties like shoo-fly pie. The Amish Village in Strasburg allows visitors to experience the Amish way of life by touring an 1840 farmhouse and a one-room schoolhouse, as well as taking a 45-minute scenic ride through the countryside dotted with Amish farms on the Strasburg Rail Road's century-old steam train.

The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg houses historic railroad artifacts as well as over 100 vintage locomotives and cars. Visit the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery in Lititz for a hands-on pretzel twisting lesson, and the Quilt Museum in Intercourse to see beautiful examples of Amish handwork. Lancaster's Central Market is the country's oldest continuously operating farmers market, and you can learn all about country life at the Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum, a living history village and farm.

Google rating: 4.0/5.0
Phone: 1-800-723-8824
Address: 501 Greenfield Road, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17601
Website: https://www.discoverlancaster.com/