Amish Country, PA

Life in the Slow Lane

A visit to Pennsylvania Dutch country is like taking a step back in time. Way back. Horse-drawn buggies are common. Everyone -- even kids -- wears somber, old-fashioned clothes circa the 1800s. And women churn butter.

Lancaster County, PA, copyright Roger Berger/PA Dutch CVB

No, this isn't a cute restoration village staffed by actors. It's the real thing.

This stuck-in-time culture has become a curiosity for today's modern visitor. Thousands flock to the patchwork-quilt farmlands of Lancaster County, PA each year, to peer into the lives of the Pennsylvania Dutch (aka Amish), tour their unique barns, and feast on their delicious food.

Plan on spending a day here. It's a fun way to teach children about history, hard work and family values.