Amish Country: What To Do (8 Ideas)

What can you do in Amish Country? In this guide I share my eight top ideas for Amish Country activities with you. Your choices will also depend somewhat on the type of community you visit.

1. Visit Amish Stores
2. Visit an Amish/Mennonite Cultural Center
3. Attend an Amish Auction
4. Eat at an Amish or PA Dutch-style restaurant
5. Take an Amish Farm Tour
6. Go on a Buggy Ride
7. See a theater production or other show
8. Shop at outlets & “non-Amish” stores

Larger Amish communities like Lancaster County or Shipshewana, Indiana have plenty of activity options. Amish farm tours, historical centers, shopping, restaurants, buggy rides, and more activities are readily available in these more tourist-oriented places.

Smaller communities are more limited. Activities revolve around visiting Amish businesses, food, and attending events such as auctions that might be happening in the community.

Let’s check out eight ideas for Amish Country activities.

1. Visit Amish Stores

I list this one first because this is my own go-to activity in Amish settlements – both new ones, and communities I already know well.

It’s the #1 thing I recommend to outside visitors who want to directly experience Amish culture. It’s the fastest and best way as a newcomer to have a chance to speak with an Amish person on their “Home turf”.

Many Amish people make a living running small businesses – stores, workshops, roadside stands, and so on. You, as a member of the public, have an open invitation to visit their shops and stores (as long as you limit it to business hours of course, and never on Sunday, when all Amish businesses are closed).

There are several great advantages to spending a good chunk of your time in Amish Country visiting Amish businesses:

1. A great chance to talk to Amish people
2. See where the Amish shop & learn about the culture through their stores. A good example is an Amish variety store. They have a wide variety of items as the name suggests. You’ll get a better understanding of what Amish people use in their homes and daily lives (eg, kerosene lamps or musical wall clocks, to take two examples).
3. Find some neat buys. I love picking up Amish bakery items like pies, and canned goods. You might bring home a homemade candle or soaps. You never know what you might find.
4. Get some great deals. You’ll often find items you’d buy elsewhere – priced relatively low in Amish shops.
5. Experience Amish culture directly in an Amish context – “unmediated” by outsiders. In other words, there is no “filter” or “interpreter” when you visit an Amish store on your own. You’ll probably notice things that lead you to ask questions and learn more about the culture.
6. This activiity is available to anyone – including newcomers and people who’ve never met the Amish before

Now, it’s not required, but I usually try to buy something – even something for a dollar or two – in each store I visit. It’s a nice token of support – and especially if someone took the time to talk with you.

That said (depending on the type of store) I leave having spent a lot more than a dollar 🙂 Especially if we’re talking places with baked goods, bookstores, or variety stores, which always seem to have something unexpected that I want to take home.

Check out this post for more on the types of Amish stores I recommend visiting.

Also be sure to check out my tips on how to find Amish businesses in smaller communities – and on making friends with Amish people.

2. Visit A Cultural Heritage Center

Some larger Amish communities have institutions dedicated to explaining the history and beliefs of the Amish, and related Anabaptist groups (e.g., Mennonites, Hutterites).

These places are focused on educating the public about Amish ways and lifestyle. They may also have bookshops and other facilities. A big plus here is the opportunity for a deeper level of learning than what you might get on, say, an Amish farm tour, or from a buggy ride guide.

Here are some examples of this type of attraction:

• Amish & Mennonite Heritage Center (Berlin, Ohio) – Features the large Behalt historical cyclorama painting, and home to the Ohio Amish Library.
• Menno-Hof (Shipshewana, Indiana)
• Mennonite Life Visitors Center (Lancaster County, PA) – formerly the Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society
• The Illinois Amish Heritage Center (Arthur, IL)

This is a good option if you want to take an afternoon to spend some time inside getting greater context about the Amish.

You’re also apt to get a lot of your questions answered about Amish life and beliefs (in some cases, Amish people themselves, or members of related groups, work at these institutions).

Spending some time at a cultural center can add another layer to your understanding of the Amish and really enhance your visit to Amish Country.

3. Go To An Amish Auction

An Amish auction is a great chance to attend arguably the largest of all Amish social events, eat some state fair-style food, and if you’re so inclined, get some deals.

Though the purpose of these events are often to raise money to benefit a school, fire company (eg, the famous mud sales of Lancaster County), or other cause, you don’t have to place bids. In fact, many people attending these auctions aren’t there to out-bid their neighbors.

Amish people often come to these events to socialize. They are community-wide meeting venues. They are not only for the Amish, either. They are nearly always open to the public as well, so expect to see non-Amish people also in attendance.

How to find an Amish auction

There are two approaches here, based on the size of the community you’re in.

Larger Amish Communities

In larger communities, there may be multiple auctions happening in a single day (except Sundays). Auctions often happen on Fridays and Saturdays.

There may be a dedicated auction house – a regular venue where auctions are held, often multiple days a week.

Here are some examples of auction houses in larger Amish communities. These all run regular or semi-regular auctions and you’ll find information on each online:

• Mt. Hope Auction (Mt. Hope, OH – Holmes County)
• Shipshewana Auction (Shipshewana, IN)
• Topeka Livestock Auction (Topeka, IN)
• Leola Produce Auction (Leola, PA)
• Mel’s Stable (Lancaster County, PA) – Horse & Livestock auctions
• Plowboy Produce Auction (Ethridge, TN)

Or, the auction may be a one-off event – for example, an annual school auction held a the Amish school house grounds.

Or even a farm sale, where an Amish farming family sells off a lot of their farming equipment, livestock and other goods, either because they are moving, or getting out of farming.

Auctions also commonly have themes. Some places have a dedicated produce auction building, especially as produce farming has grown in popularity with Amish over the years.

Larger communities will have a livestock auction building, with sales specializing in different types of animals, including cattle, horses, and ponies.

You can often find information on auctions in larger communities online. You’d also do well to ask in Amish stores about any auctions happening. Look for signs both on the roadside, and posted on message boards often found inside Amish businesses near the entrance.

Smaller Amish communities

In smaller communities, finding an auction is much more hit-and-miss. Depending on the size of the community, they may only have auctions relatively rarely – once-yearly school benefits, or the occasional estate auction.

• You may need to do some research ahead of time if you’re going to a smaller community, to see what’s on the auction schedule.
• The good news is that since these events are usually intended for the general public as well, you’ll often find auction information online doing a few Google searches. You can also ask around after you arrive, and check for signs as described above.
• However, if you really want to attend an auction in a smaller community, it’s better to figure the schedule out before you plan your trip. They simply happen less often in smaller communities.

A related option is attending an Amish benefit meal. These are large homemade meals put on by the Amish where they public is invited to eat – usually for a set price, and/or for a contribution. Read more on this option in the Amish Country: Where to Eat guide.

4. Eat At An Amish or PA-Dutch Style Restaurant

Eating certainly counts as an activity, and if you choose the right place, you can have an experience (and meal) to remember.

In the larger communities in particular, all-you-can-eat buffet places are common. They are often branded as “Pennsylvania Dutch”, or just “Dutch”, or “Amish-style”.

Come hungry because they typically have a wide range of both PA Dutch-style foods like butter noodles, pork and sauerkraut, and shoofly pie – along with more standard “American” fare like fried chicken and meatloaf.

Amish families also sometime eat at these places. And don’t be surprised if your server or hostess is a young Amish lady.

Not all of the food you find at these smorgasbords is going to be “authentically Amish”. But it should give you a pretty good sample of Amish-style dishes. And if you manage to leave one of these feast houses hungry, that’s on you 🙂

The often heavily-advertised PA Dutch restaurants are of course not the only place to get a meal in Amish Country. There are also smaller local places where Amish families eat meals, for example.

Be sure to check out the guide on where to eat in Amish Country for a list of PA Dutch buffet restaurants, and several more options, including Amish benefit meals and eating a meal in an Amish home.

5. Go on an Amish Farm Tour

What if you want to visit an Amish farm? I’ll tell you about organized options in a minute. But first, my favorite recommendation is similar to what I suggest in activity idea #1 above.

It is simply to drive until you see a sign advertising some type of product for sale. For example, eggs, produce, and canned goods are typical things for sale at Amish farms. Then stop in and buy something!

These might be roadside stands at the end of the lane. But often you need to drive onto the property and buy from the family, either off the front porch, or perhaps in a small side building.

These are typically not full year-round stores. But many Amish farm families sell seasonal goods and produce as it is harvested – sweet corn, pumpkins and gourds, potatoes, to name a few.

If you see a sign, feel free to visit (as long as it’s not too late in the evening, and not Sunday). You might also have a chance to strike up a conversation (though often as not, people aren’t that talkative and might have some other work going on, as this is not their main business).

The minus of this approach, of course, is that it’s not a tour, and you’re not guaranteed to find someone who feels like talking and explaining their lifestyle to you.

Organized Amish Tours

So, what if you want something more organized? Another way to have an Amish farm experience is to go with a company offering formal tours. These come in two main forms.

1. A tour of an example Amish farmhouse and/or other buildings. Amish don’t live in these homes, but a historical farmhouse will be set up to represent how Amish live today (or how an older version of the Amish traditionally lived).
2. A visit to an actual working Amish farm, or even several farms and/or Amish families with small stores. The Amish farm family typically has some sort of business or stand where the tour stops, and you can buy farm products. This might also be combined with a buggy ride (see next entry).

Number 2 is a nice option if you’d like a guided tour, and to visit farmsteads where the families are expecting visitors – and may even be willing to answer questions about Amish life. Some tours make several stops at various Amish businesses, not just farms.

Here are some examples of organized Amish Tours (both types):

• Amish Farm and House (Lancaster County, PA)
• The Barns at Nappanee (Nappanee, IN) – formerly Amish Acres
• Illinois Amish Heritage Center (Arthur, IL) – Featuring two historic 1800s Amish homes
• Old Windmill Farm (Lancaster County, PA) – Described as an “authentic Amish working farm”
• Yoder’s Amish Home and Farm (Holmes County, OH) – Tours of a historic Amish home and barn, and a schoolhouse
• Troyer’s Amish Tours (Holmes County, OH) – “Backroads” Amish tours to less-visited places led by a local guide with local Amish connections
• Simple Life Amish Tours (New Wilmington, PA)
• Jamesport Amish Tours (Jamesport, MO)
• Amish Tours of Harmony (Harmony, MN)

In some cases, the same companies which arrange farm tours can also set up meals in Amish homes (given enough notice), or buggy rides.

6. Go on a Buggy Ride

This can be both a fun and educational experience. You get a real feel for what riding in a horse-drawn buggy is like, just like many Amish do on a regular basis.

You’ll also have a guide/driver who will explain things about the Amish, and the community you’re in. In some cases, the driver may even be Amish himself.

Usually, these are specially-made, oversized buggies. They look like Amish buggies for the most part. But with an eye to extra safety, they typically have more reflective material on them than your standard Amish buggy.

The tour typically goes through an Amish-heavy area of the community. You’ll be on the same roads as motor vehicles, so you’ll get a sense for how slowly a buggy goes in comparison to car traffic.

In some communities, notably Ethridge, Tennessee, tour services offer wagon rides. These wagons are pulled not by typical buggy horse breeds (eg, Standardbred), but by large draft horses used for farming (for instance, the Belgian). This is due to the size of the wagon, which hauls a larger group of people.

Here are some examples of buggy ride businesses in different communities:

• Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides (Lancaster County, PA)
• Abe’s Buggy Rides (Lancaster County, PA)
• AAA Buggy Rides (Lancaster County, PA)
• Mel’s Buggy Rides (Holmes County, OH)
• Yoder’s Amish Home (Holmes County, OH)
• Hershberger’s Farm & Bakery (Holmes County, OH)
• Buggy Lane Tours (Shipshewana, IN)
• Blue Gate Carriage Company (Shipshewana, IN)
• ACM Tours (Arthur, IL)
• Green Meadow Farm (Arthur, IL)
• Amish Welcome Center (Ethridge, TN) – Wagon rides

Again, some companies offer a package which might include the buggy ride and Amish home meal and/or farm tour.

7. Attend a theater production or other show

In some larger, heavily-touristed communities, a number of venues offer theatre productions, musicals and other shows based around Amish or related themes.

Examples include the long-running “Plain and Fancy” musical, long a regular production at the Round Barn Theatre in Nappanee, Indiana, and the Amish Experience Theater in Lancaster County and its production of “Jacob’s Choice”,  about a young Amish man’s struggle over joining the church amid a backdrop of Amish history.

Others have more broadly Christian religious themes, such as Biblically-themed productions like “Noah” or “Daniel” at the Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster County.

Here are some venues offering theater productions and other shows:

• Sight & Sound Theatre (Lancaster County, PA)
• Amish Experience Theater (Lancaster County, PA)
• Bird-in-Hand Stage (Lancaster County, PA)
• Amish Country Theater (Holmes County, PA)
• Ohio Star Theater at Dutch Valley (Holmes County, PA)
• Blue Gate Theatre (Shipshewana, IN)
• Round Barn Theatre at the Barns at Nappanee (Nappanee, IN)

Taking in a family-friendly show in Amish Country can make for a nice evening of uplifting, and in some cases, educational entertainment.

8. Shopping at “non-Amish” places

Finally, we can’t ignore the many shopping opportunities you’ll find in larger Amish communities in particular. These are non-Amish businesses, but many are popular with visitors. In other words, they are not Amish-owned, though they may sell Amish-themed products (though not necessarily).

In places like Lancaster County, you’ll find abundant outlet malls and other stores and shopping venues. Also in Lancaster County (town of Intercourse), the extensive Kitchen Kettle Village offers many cozy shops (an “outdoor shopping village”) in a quaint main-street style setting.

Berlin in Holmes County, Ohio is home to a year-round Christmas store called Tis the Season.

Another one to mention is the Shipshewana Flea Market. This very large flea market (advertised as “the Midwest’s largest outdoor flea market”) runs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for approximately five months each year (spring & summer).

Typically, the small towns at the center of the more sizeable communities have abundant gift shops and other stores.

Rather than list out every shopping outlet, I’m going to list the main towns in each of the three major Amish communities, where you’re most likely to find a number of stores and shops (but not the only places with shops):

• Intercourse, PA (Lancaster County)
• Bird-in-Hand, PA (Lancaster County)
• Lancaster, PA – Rockvale Outlets area
• Berlin, Ohio (Holmes County)
• Sugarcreek, Ohio (Holmes County)
• Walnut Creek, Ohio (Holmes County)
• Shipshewana, Indiana (Elkhart/LaGrange County)
• Middlebury, Indiana (Elkhart/LaGrange County)

This activity doesn’t have too much to do directly with the Amish. But if you get the itch to venture beyond Amish-run local stores for your shopping, you’ll find quite a few places you can do that in the larger communities.

For more, see:

• Amish Country: Where to Go (25-Community Guide)
• Amish Country: Where To Stay (3 Options)
• Amish Country: Where To Eat (5 Options)
• Amish Country: Five Amish Businesses (You should visit)
• Amish Country: Eat a Meal in an Amish Home (2 Ways)
• Lancaster County vs. Holmes County: 7 Differences
• 32-State Amish Community Guide
• My 5 Favorite Amish Communities