HOLTWOOD, Pa. — Travel the quiet country roads of Lancaster County, and chances are you’ll catch a glimpse of its most famous tourist attraction: the plain-living Amish who arrived here in the early 1700s and still make do without the modern conveniences of electricity or telephones.
We saw lots of them on our way to the Pinnacle Overlook in this tiny hamlet on the Susquehanna River, late on a Sunday afternoon.
Despite a light but steady rain, we started our weekend getaway with a hike from the rocky overlook, which offers a sweeping view of the winding river some 380 feet below. It’s particularly spectacular in fall, when the valley erupts in a riot of red, orange and gold, making it a leaf peepers delight.
As we crossed the Norman Wood Bridge and climbed the meandering hills leading to the park’s parking lot, we passed buggy after horse-drawn Amish buggy carrying the faithful home after worship services in a slow-moving convoy, with blinking taillights cutting through the mist. It was quite the welcome.
As our hike from the overlook through the woods along the Conestoga Trail would soon prove, Amish culture is far from the only thing worth exploring in Pennsylvania Dutch Country.
There’s miles of hiking and biking along rail-trails, wooded hiking trails and public green spaces in and around the county. The multi-purpose Northwest Lancaster County River Trail, which follows the route of the historic Pennsylvania Mainline Canal for 14 miles along the banks of the Susquehanna, is among the prettiest. Pleasantly flat, with scenic views aided by porta potties and benches along the way, it’s extremely user-friendly. Plus, well-marked access points lead into the charming river towns of Columbia and Marietta so you’re never far from a pub or restaurant.
I also had great fun hiking the old trolley line to Chickies Rocks, a colossal (and scary) outcropping of quartzite rock that towers 200 feet above the river. While the final few steps required the agility of a mountain goat — man, is it steep and rocky — the view rivals that of Pinnacle Overlook, making it the perfect spot for a fall foliage selfie.
Traveling with kids who love animals? Eastland Alpacas in bucolic Mount Joy is worth a visit. Kevin and Sue Zurin started the 30-acre farm 20 years ago with two alpacas and now count nearly 100 of the wooly, long-necked mammals, plus a llama. Visitors are allowed to pet, feed and snuggle up to the gentle animals, and there’s a store featuring yarn, rugs, socks and other fiber products made with the 300 pounds of fleece the farm harvests each July. (Fun fact: It takes Zurin just 3½ minutes to sheer an alpaca.) Tours are offered on Saturdays, and there’s also an annual open house with wagon rides, demos and a food stand the first two weekends in November.
Or maybe you’re looking to follow up a morning of fall colors with an afternoon of culture. Given its rich and varied history that dates to the early 1700s, it’s no surprise the county is home to more than a dozen museums. You can explore President James Buchanan’s home Wheatland, climb aboard a caboose at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania or take a walking tour of the historic Ephrata Cloister, a monastic settlement dating to 1732.
Lancaster also has the state’s most (29) 19th-century covered bridges, which can be explored by car or, if you’re more adventurous, via scooter. Strasburg Rail Road in Ronks offers a moving history, with rides through the picturesque countryside aboard its restored steam locomotives and cars.
No vacation is complete without a little shopping, and yes, Lancaster has all those outlets. But it’s also a great kicking off point for a lazy afternoon of boutique shopping for quilts and locally made crafts in Lititz, Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse, or picking among the pumpkins at a roadside market. For antiques, the antiques capital of the U.S. lies 8 miles north of Ephrata. Adamstown is nationally known for its 5,000-plus antique dealers who have set up shop in dozens of antique shops, galleries, malls and flea markets along Route 272. Some of the bigger markets, including Renniger’s Antique Market in Denver, offer one-stop shopping with hundreds of dealers under one roof.
You’ll want to spend a morning at Lancaster Central Market (open 6 a.m.-3 p.m. every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday). Opened in 1730, it’s the oldest publicly owned farmer’s market in the country, with 60 local vendors offering everything from Amish baked goods to locally sourced meat, poultry and cheeses.
Hammond Pretzel Bakery is another local favorite. The family-owned business has been cranking out hard pretzels since 1931, and visitors can watch them being hand twisted and rolling off the conveyor belt. You can purchase them by the bagful, right out of the oven, in plain or seasonal flavors.
Speaking of good things to eat, the farm-driven menu at downtown’s LUCA, which includes Neapolitan-inspired pizzas and handmade pastas, is so worth the trouble to snag a reservation (our seat at the bar was delightful).
Bube’s Brewery in Mount Joy is an entertaining place to throw back a pint while noshing on a handheld sammie,. Established by the German immigrant Alois Bube in the 1870s, it’s the oldest intact pre-prohibition microbrewery in the U.S., according to manager Jeffrey Woodman. Its stone-lined basement still holds eight original 4,000-gallon barrels, and the free tours also include a look at the original cooper’s shed.
What really makes for a unique dining experience are the large vaults dug 43 feet beneath the brewery to store Bube’s German-style lagers. They’re now part of “The Catacombs,” an underground restaurant offering fine dining from chef Tylor Fleenor and special events such as “Dracula’s Feast” during Halloween. Yes, it’s kind of creepy, but it’s also incredibly cool and sort of romantic. It’s also a perfect place to see one of the ghosts discovered by paranormal investigators from SyFy’s “Ghost Hunters” show. Not a believer? The brewery offers official ghost tours every Friday and Saturday at 10 p.m. ($10) to convince you otherwise.
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If you go
Lancaster is about a 4-hour drive from Pittsburgh. Lodging options include everything from national chain hotels and historic inns to cozy bed and breakfasts and locally owned motels. For a guide on where to eat, seasonal events and other attractions, along with a tutorial on Amish culture, visit discoverlancaster.com.
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