Visiting Amish Country

[Summering]

We had a wonderful time last year with two of the kids. We stayed at the Howard Johnsons just so they could partake in the Cribbean Water Park. The indoor water park was ten dollars each additional, but worth every cent. They had a ball at the water park. We used it before check in, and later in the evening.........right up until almost 10PM. There was so much fun at the indoor park that we were never bored. Plus the nice jacuzzi was a dream to sit in.
The kids liked our tour of the "back roads" seeing all the amish children and the farm workers.
They also adored the show we saw " New Beginnings" at the Sights and Sounds theater ( Ronks) right in a town right next to Lancaster.They did the back stage tour also, and we found that to be very interesting for all of us.
Actually we are taking three of the boys this weekend to a Woodcarvers show right in Lancaster.
We will be staying at the Fultons Steamboat Inn this time. Trying a new place out. It has an outside play area with a wooden boat and a fort to climb into. Plus an indoor pool. This place is shaped like a Steamboat! The rooms have been remodeled and they seemed very inviting.
We have stayed at various places. Most of your search engines will direct you to some very nice hotels. Its best to look for family friendly if you have more then four attending your group.
The Hershey Inn is nice also and close to Sights and Sounds.........They have a big buffet lunch and dinner. There are many, many, buffet lunch and dinner places scattered about in a general area.....
Good and Plenty, Yoders, amongst others.
Advice: Get a good map.........head off the beaten path for wonderful sights.......
There is a few good groups that will take you on tour. One out of the Country Kettle area has nice wagons......
You will love it........Please let us know how it went!

[bethany12]

Originally Posted by ki0eh

Although Lancaster (LANK-uh-stir) is where the most developed tourist destinations are, it only feels "rural" if you're coming from the big cities of the Northeast Corridor. If a buggy ride along a seven-lane road past an outlet mall to stop at one of numerous places selling Chinese made "Amish" goods isn't what you are thinking of, you might want to consider the far less developed and more relaxed Kishacoquillas (pronounced "Big") Valley of Mifflin County, between Lewistown and State College. Welcome (http://www.visitbigvalley.com/index.htm - broken link)

I laughed so hard at that comment! I made the mistake of going to a "well-known" Amish community in central Ohio. The products/gifts/souvenirs were either way too expensive (handmade) or cheap in quality. There were so many cars and people that the whole atmosphere felt like an amusement park. The "amish" restaurant was equal to a chain restaurant experience of a cracker barrel or ponderosa. Many years ago I lived in a town that wasn't far from Amish farms. The Ohio experience was an 180 from what I had previously encountered. Stick with the off-the-beaten-path Amish communities!

[Summering]

" Off the beaten path" is the trick in Lancaster. We have seen way out in the farm lands........
The plows pulled by mules. The teens doing field work all in a big group. Kids heading home on scooters and pulling wagons.......into farms that had no lights, and woman were busy doing sweepings of the walkways........
The best sight I saw once was up on a mountain in the late evening. Just the silhouette of a farm boy high on a ridge. With a hand plow and mule........All you could see is the dark frame of them.
Other then that it does get commercial in the main, shopping, town areas.
Very much fake and quite amusing.
Our trips to the Sights and Sounds theater were always enjoyable. There is plenty to do in that town.
( Oh and by gosh, I am headed there tomorrow.........)