Looking for a few day getaway not to far from Ohio? Try Lancaster Pennsylvania near Philadelphia. It is about a 6 hour drive from North East Ohio, so you will want to stay for more than one day. This is a slower paced area set in the heart of Amish country, not like a big city. But don’t let the easy pace fool you, there a plenty of things to do and wonderful things to discover.
Let’s begin with the food, which is our biggest concern while traveling. Since this is Amish country, there are plenty of jams, cheeses, and meats available at the shops in the area. On a recent visit, I ate at two restaurants which I will detail here. I enjoyed dinner and a musical show at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre, 510 Centerville Rd. Lancaster Pa. 17601. The entrees were buffet style and all were marked gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian. The servers give the drinks, alcoholic beverages, and salads. They are knowledgeable on gluten free. The performance was enjoyable. The repertoire changes about every three months. The second eatery was the Hershey Farm Restaurant, 240 Hartman Bridge Rd., Ronks Pa. 17572. Service was family style, and they provide gluten free. Try the ham balls with the sweet sauce – yummy! The mashed potatoes and vegetables were gluten free as well at the fork tender roast beef (specially served to me without gravy). They offered to make me a few special dishes like chicken and fish gluten free, but what we were served was plenty and I could eat everything except for the fried chicken, tender dinner rolls, and pies. You can check out their website at www.hersheyfarm.com
There are a multitude of places to stay and eat. Amish, American, ethnic, and many chain restaurants such as PF Changs, and Outback serve gluten free. The Amish restaurants serve many people and generally are familiar with gluten free, but, call ahead to inquire. Hotels large, small, chain, and local abound. Some offer breakfast every morning.
A main attraction is the Sight and Sound Theater, 300 Hartman Bridge Rd., Ronks, Pa. Began in the late 70’s as a Christian slide show, this theater now brings bible stories to life on a massive, fabulous, scale that rivals and surpasses Broadway (no kidding!) This year’s current attraction is Queen Esther. The huge, overwhelming constantly moving set is a panoramic 3/4 round, and the costuming is meticulous and spectacular. Live and animatronic animals are used to counterpoint the singing, musical numbers, and acting, all terriffic, beautiful, and edge-of-your-seat action filled.
There are many antique shops, Amish village shopping centers, and individual farm shops. One Amish farm I visited was Riehl’s Farm, 247 East Eby Rd., Leola Pennsylvania 17540. They have their own store which sells quilts and all manner of completely handmade goods as well as homemade canned goods, clocks, toys, and many unique items. They sell seasonal produce and you can visit the animals in their barns. Other home farms in the area specialize in root beer, pretzels (not gf), cheeses, bologna, baked goods (some gf), furniture etc., and offer samples of their wares. One farm even raises camels and sells the milk. Tours of every kind, buggy rides, shopping information, reservations, tickets, coupons, event and hotel info can be found at the Lancaster Pa. Visitor Center, 2209 Millstream Rd. Lancaster Pa. The online address is www.lancasterpa.com
Other theaters such as the American Music Theater which offers national acts and the Bird-in-Hand Theater which offers musicals in an intimate venue are numerous. Other things to do in case you still have time are, Golf courses, Factory tours, Horseback riding, Kid’s attractions, Amusement parks, Breweries, Hiking trails, Escape rooms, Yearly festivals, and Historic sites – just to name a few!
The area is slower paced, but, be careful driving — Amish buggies are everywhere. You can tell the Old Order Amish of Pennsylvania Dutch Country as their buggies are grey in color as opposed to the Ohio Holmes County New Order Amish who have black buggies.
Lancaster attractions are open year round and the people are friendly and welcoming. They are just as glad to see you as you are to finally get away for and enjoyable vacation – gluten free.
