The Amish Village

Published September 21, 2024

After our first day in Lancaster, we started our morning with homemade breakfast from our host, Elaine. We dined on baked oats and yogurt on our little patio overlooking the grounds.

Since we had an early start to the day — and being the foodies that we are — we decided to grab a second-breakfast a few hours later.

 

Katie’s Kitchen

We drove 15-minutes past open acres of farmland. Multiple wooden road stands sold metal tins of neon flower bouquets. This gave me the picturesque images of Amish Country that I expected for our trip to Lancaster. We didn’t see any horse-and-buggies on the road, though we passed an Amish boy on his scooter.

Soon, we arrived at the Amish-run Katie’s Kitchen, with a parking lot that was packed for the mid-morning hour.

Breakfast at Katie’s Kitchen

I didn’t capture any pictures of the interior of Katie’s Kitchen, as some of the Amish don’t like their picture being taken, and I wanted to be respectful of that.

Stepping through the doorway, a curved counter sat to the right before blending into the dining room. This was a no frills restaurant. Booth seating lined the front window overlooking the parking lot, with tables spread throughout the dining room. A counter with seats lined the left-hand side of the room and overlooked the kitchen. Bonneted Amish girls of all ages served the room, seating guests, taking orders, and cleaning tables.

We had a 5-minute wait, where we explored a souvenir rack behind the counter-seating which had journals, candles, home decor and handmade clothing for sale.

Breakfast Platter #3 | $7.25

From the portion to the quality of ingredients, Katie’s Kitchen serves a great breakfast. Especially for the price! I even enjoyed the chip-like potatoes, which acted like home fries.

I highly recommend visiting Katie’s Kitchen if you’re looking for a breakfast spot in Lancaster. The service was personable and quick, our food was fresh and had large portions, and the location was a popular destination for both tourists and local Amish families.

The Amish Village

Our main activity for the day was a visit to The Amish Village, which was two minutes up the road from Katie’s Kitchen.

 

After checking in for our ticket time, we received a sticker with our tour time and joined the rest of our group for the start of the tour in the Amish house.

Amish Farmhouse Tour 

A guide walked us through the three levels of an Amish Farmhouse. This included the gathering room for religious ceremonies, the large kitchen with propane-powered lamps and appliances, the upstairs rooms — which were devoid of any decorative furniture — and the basement, where cast-iron stoves were used for preparing food. The kitchen was one of my favorite rooms, and that’s where I took the most pictures.

The Amish Village Barn

After the house tour, we were free to explore the barn with horses, donkeys, goats, and pot-bellied pigs. Quarter-powered dispensers of grain sat throughout the barn.

A windmill and small river flowed around the walking paths. Ducks and chickens ran freely around the area. A Jersey cow, mini horse, and goat wandered through the fenced fields.

Amish Country Bus Tour

By the time we finished seeing the animals, it was time to get on the bus for our tour. Unlike the house tour, which was a large and noisy group, the bus only held 10-15 people.

Our bus driver was born-and-raised on a farm nearby and knew the local Amish families’ histories. A 90-minute tour led us past modern farms with solar panels, open fields with freshly harvested buckets of onions, a one room school-house, all the while learning about the Amish culture.

Fisher’s Produce

We took a break from our bus tour to stop by an Amish-run business — a red farmstand called Fisher’s Produce.

Potted and hanging plants lined outdoor decor, including wooden garden signs, metal birdhouses, and other cute garden decorations.

Tiered planters of flowers transitioned into cardboard bins of fresh corn and metal racks of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Fisher’s Produce sold cookbooks of Amish recipes, candles, artwork, handmade potholders and pillows, local honey, jams, and sauces, and a rack of baked goods. We bought individually wrapped whoopie pies, which were soft and crumbly with a sweet icing filling.

Soon, we were back on the bus, winding through the country roads. Amish families worked together in the fields baling hay. Kids played in the streams on the front of the farms. We passed by one horse-and-buggy as well as a farm with Clydesdale horses.

The Amish Village Shops

We were allowed back within the gates of The Amish Village to tour the rest of their shops, including a schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, and gift shops.

The one gift shop sold chilled glass bottles of soda and had a chest for ice cream, which most people bought on this sweltering summer day. We stopped by their baked goods and browsed the shelves filled with maple syrup, fudge, and candies.

Back outside, picnics of people lounged in the shade. Additional tables on a gravel patio sat alongside the woods. Two food trucks sold BBQ chicken and hot pretzels. We ordered a $5.00 pretzel which was crispy and glazed in butter. It was unlike any pretzel I’ve ever had before. It was so delicious I didn’t even get a picture of it!

Things to Do In Lancaster, PA

Of all the activities during our trip, visiting the Amish Village is one of the best ways to learn about Amish culture. From the house tour, to the bus route through the farmland, and the self-guided exploration of the Amish Village, it was a full day of activities at the Amish Village.

Lancaster Central Market

Looking for even more activities to do in downtown Lancaster? Click here to read about our visit to the famous Lancaster Central Market and the 8 food vendors we tried.