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Tino643 · 03-31-2013, 05:34 PM

Hello, we are planing a 5 months trip across USA from Montréal, Canada in may. We want to see Amish community. Where is the pretty place to see and stay...Thanks

markdoane · 03-31-2013, 06:01 PM

Don't miss the area around Cashton Wisconsin. South of Sparta in the SW area of the state. Lots of other communities in Wisconsin.
Absolutely enchanting in the fall during harvest.
There's a family owned campground (Leon Valley) on the south side of Sparta.

n2916s · 03-31-2013, 06:03 PM

Millersburg, Ohio comes immediately to mind.

Haven't camped in that neighborhood, though.

Mike

Splinter · 03-31-2013, 06:07 PM

Holmes county in Ohio is beautiful.

polarlyse · 03-31-2013, 06:15 PM

There's the old standby Amish in Lancaster, Penna.

Lily&Me · 03-31-2013, 06:27 PM

Shipshewanna, Indiana, and thereabouts. Several decent campgrounds in the area, KOA's I believe.

There is an Amish-Mennonite museum there that is very interesting, tells the story of the religious persecution they fled in Germany, how they got here, etc.

Maggie

dkrug · 03-31-2013, 06:34 PM

I don't get the fascination with the Amish. We have them all over the place around here. We had them do some logging for us because we thought the horses would cause less impact in the woods. What a pain. My experiences with them haven't been the best. Not to mention horse poo all over the roads.

DanB · 03-31-2013, 06:36 PM

If you decide to come through the Ohio amish country, look up our group in Lorain County. We would love to show you the area!

We have some great camping opportunities also.

**GCinSC2** · 03-31-2013, 07:00 PM

Dittioes on Holmes County, Milersburg, Kidron, Berlin and Charm Ohio. Camping, many private parks and Mohican SP in Loudinville OH. The Mohican River area is a vacation spot for simple fun. Also some Amish east of Cleveland, but we liked the Milersburg area best. Former N OH residents.

overlander64 · 03-31-2013, 07:06 PM

Greetings Tino643!

There are Amish settlements throughout the US. Several are in the Midwest as well as the more widely known, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Some of the settlements that are most familiar to me include:

Grant County Wisconsin -- between Lancaster and Livingston along and near County Highway D.
Douglas County Illinois -- Arcola, IL; Arthur, IL; and surrounding nearby communities. Famous for Rockome Gardens. For Pennsylvania Dutch Style cooking, my favorite restaurant for the past 40 years has been The Dutch Kitchen in Arcola, IL (their Shoo-Fly Pie is scrumptious as is their home-made House Salad Dressing).
Johnson County Illinois -- Vienna, IL -- far smaller than the settlement in Douglas County, there are a number of commercial enterprises (greenhouse, general store, etc.). Most of the settlement is along Illinois 146 and Illinois 37 near the communities of Vienna and West Vienna.
Amana, Iowa -- The Amana Colonies -- Somewhat more commercialized than the other locations (IMHO). Still a wonderful place to visit with lots of history and numerous attractions.

Good luck with your adventure!

Kevin

Splinter · 03-31-2013, 07:07 PM

Also if in Ohio can go right over into Pennsylvania and check out New Wilmington area.

wahoonc · 03-31-2013, 07:35 PM

Lancaster, PA, there is a campground just to the east of town on Highway 30, Old Mill Stream Campground. I had a camper there for a couple of months during a project up there.

Aaron

Sbb · 03-31-2013, 08:07 PM

I leave for Lancaster County on Thursday. We stay in Ronks, a very small campground, Flory's backs up to a farm. I quilt and find the largest selection and best prices on fabric in the Amish areas. Sbb

loudruff · 03-31-2013, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanB

If you decide to come through the Ohio amish country, look up our group in Lorain County. We would love to show you the area!

We have some great camping opportunities also.

DanB and some of the rest of us are meeting up at the Wooster (Wayne County) Fairgrounds this weekend. In the midst of Amish country. We will be there April 4-7th. No rally fees, and all kinds of sight seeing opportunities. You are welcome to join us.

mandolindave · 03-31-2013, 09:30 PM

But you might be disappointed. I have Amish neighbors. They drive by my house on horse and buggy, but don't look at me. The children seem curious. The adults tend to keep to themselves. Some of the younger Amish will say hello to me. The Amish people that work at the farm stands around me, seem to want to say as little as possible. It is interesting to see the farm communities. The farmhouses and barns are old, and are basically horse powered. They wear very plain clothes, and it feels like you are back in time. I just don't think that they are interested in being seen by tourists.

NevadaGeo · 04-01-2013, 01:39 AM

Thought it good to note, their horse drawn black buggys will have the SMV sign, bright orange triangle, on the back. Maybe usually. And sometimes have state of the art LED lanterns on the front which you can't see from the back. Spooky sight in the dark from the front.
Horse drawn buggy, in the road, in the dark, at horse speed, in the road, in the dark, with the Bright Orange SMV sign maybe covered over, in the road, in the dark.
Aluminum and horse merged, not a pretty sight.
Forget about the horse poo...
Nice rig, nice trotting horse. Maybe young'uns courting or going to church. See lots in southern tier New York old 417 between Jasper and Addison and any road north or south.

aircooled4 · 04-01-2013, 04:29 AM

The road we live on has 9 houses...5 are Amish...within 5 miles of the house, there is an Amish bakery, woodworking store, dry goods store, cabinet shop, and many other Amish stores that anyone can visit. The ones Ive dealt with seem like normal people..albeit, stuck in 1870...:-) One of my neighbors was joking with me about having an 'oil powered TV' :-)
This is in the Columbia/Marquette/GreenLake counties in WI...

Tino643 · 04-05-2013, 08:02 AM

Thanks every one for the infos. We drive across Ohio. So it will be there....

feliciaymark · 04-07-2013, 11:29 AM

We are in Amish Country right now. We are staying at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds in Goshen, Indiana. There are many Amish cruising the county roads here.

I highly recommend Goshen. It is a charming town with kind people and many things to do and see. And yes, there are Amish all over the rural areas around here. It is pretty fascinating.

Yesterday we took a tour at the Menno-Hof Info Center in Shipshewana. It is very interesting if you are curious about the Amish/Mennonites.

Len n Jeanne · 04-10-2013, 11:41 AM

Does anyone else find sight-seeing among the Amish to be the teeniest bit voyeuristic? Yes, I know-- many make money selling home-made items to tourists.

In the western states, European tourists often want to see "real" Indians, as though they were some sort of scenic landscape feature to be put on display. Many Native Americans these days are urban. If they are on the reservation they may have strong feelings against tourism-- or they may support it, but it is their call.

We lived in Waterloo County, Ontario, home of many Old Order Mennonites whose religious faith and lifestyle is very similar to the Amish. If you head out that way on a Saturday, check out the St. Jacobs market (in Waterloo, not St. Jacobs), the area around Elmira, or simply locate some churches with hitching posts in the countryside on a Sunday morning and watch the parade of buggies heading to church.

However, these people chose their lifestyle because they are deeply religious, and may not want to be photographed. Something to treat with deep respect.

I often wonder how I'd feel if tourists rolled up in my community to peer at me and my "quaint" way of life.

Please, enjoy your trip through some beautiful rural countryside! -- Just sayin'.....