Lancaster, PA need help with planning...

[pommfrites]

opens May1st...jfyi and Hersheypark is already open. Went last Saturday and had a ball with DH, DS 4, and DD 3.

I should have specified...HP will be open MAy 1st everyday just like DW. The kids still loved it. I did the Amish Country thing back in 4th grade on a trip and our class seemed less than enthused about anything other than the corn cob pipes they sold at the store. It was far from authentic, especially since my DH family is part Mennonite (his brother joined in), but his family was a couple generations back and they still have a farm. I know the Amish are more strict, but the experiences in the Amish Country aren't reallllyy Amish,, since they don't have anything to do with us!

 

[andrews_dad]

The Amish stuff in Lancaster for tourists is much like visiting Mexico, Canada, Germany, etc via Epcot. There is no other recourse as true Amish ain't having a tour group come through their farm and church.

 

[Redwitch]

For the quilter...
http://www.quiltandtextilemuseum.com/

 

[Sagginit]

in an earlier post i posted a few things including buggy rides. im in my mid 20s and went last year with a friend for a girls weekend. we enjoyed all of the attractions i posted b/c we are kinda kids at heart. if they are teens then i would definately look into hershey park, the only other thing we did was a wine tasting and they are too young for that. you could taste though and let the 19 year old drive the rest of the day.

 

[ntink]

we have taken family & friends here:
http://www.amishexperience.com/

Everyone really enjoyed the movie and the house tour. We took a buggy ride from here also.

 

[scrapquitler]

op here. Our kids are 14 & 19. My 19 dd is all about quilting and is looking forward to going around on Sat. morning to the yard sells looking at quilts. Where is a good place to go to see orginal Amish Quilts?

SYlvia Petersheims is in my opinion, the best place to go to see quilts (and their prices are lower than if you are in the village of Intercourse)...she is on the main road into Bird In Hand on the right. If you go from the LIncoln HIghway onto 896 like you are going to Bird In Hand, you take a right at the end of 896 and her house is on the right.

 

[MickeyP]

any one try the red caboose inn. Looks like real train cars for rooms.. I did pass the boat one last week on a drive and thought that would be neat too, thanks for reminding me.

We stayed there about 10 years ago. My boys loved it, and it was nice. I wouldn't rec the dining car though. I remember a lot of flies. What's the boat one?

 

[it's kelly]

We stayed there about 10 years ago. My boys loved it, and it was nice. I wouldn't rec the dining car though. I remember a lot of flies. What's the boat one?

The Fulton Steamboat Inn

 

[tami82]

I can recommend three great places to stay with kids #1 the Fulton Steamboat, great playground for the kids, lake that they could feed the birds & fish, nice pool & victorian theming my kids love this place and they have bunk beds - outlets across from street & close to everything. Willow Valley has a small indoor waterpark area, nice grounds, bakery, restaurants (a bit more expensive and further away from the outlets), 3rd Bird in Hand Family inn it is off the main highway of 30 and near the Amish Farmlands where you could see horse & buggy go by. They have 2 indoor pools with big hot tub, mini golf, restaurant, bakery, farmers market on site (only thing is the rooms are a bit older). With these three hotels there is enough to keep the kids happy.

 

[lsg1]

We have been going to Lancaster for years since before we had kids and now my kids are 14, 19 and 22. We started by staying at the Hershey Farm Inn or the Bird in Hand Inn and then for a few years stayed at the Fulton Steam Boat Inn and now we stay at the new Amish View Inn which is part of Plain and Fancy.

The Bird-In-Hand inn has a free bus ride of the amish country and they have 3 stops - first at a quilts home, second at a country side shop and third at the Hayloft Candle shop. Ever since we took that complimentary tour, we still go to all 3 places on our own.

There is the amish house and farm which is right next to the Target and you get a tour of the house and farm and explanation of their way of life. We went there about 3 years ago last and the kids still enjoyed it.

Lastly, the best places to eat are Plain and Fancy farm where you sit family style and are served a full amish meal (or now they have ala carte menu also) or Millers (owned by same people as Plain and fancy farm) which is a buffet.

We also love the Bird-in-hand Inn's buffet(maybe better than Millers).

Look for coupons for Millers and Plain and fancy farm.