R
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Set over nearly 18 acres, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania has 100 gigantic mechanical marvels to climb around and admire. Combo tickets are available…
Getty Images
Pennsylvania Dutch Country
Lancaster County and the broader space between Reading and the Susquehanna River is the center of the so-called Pennsylvania Dutch community. The term refers to myriad religious orders and cultures of Germanic roots (Deutsch – mistakenly anglicized to Dutch) who have lived here since the 18th century; Amish, Mennonites and German Baptist (Brethren) are the best known. One common cultural thread: all are devoted to various degrees of low-tech plain living.
This simple life, with its picturesque horse-drawn buggies, ironically attracts busloads of visitors and has spawned an astoundingly kitschy tourist industry. Get onto the back roads and you can appreciate the quiet pastoral serenity these religious orders have preserved.
Small settlements in the area include train-mad Strasburg and pretty, red-brick Lititz. Ephrata is headquarters of Ten Thousand Villages, a massive Mennonite-run fair-trade imports store with branches all over the country.
Explore Pennsylvania Dutch Country
- RRailroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Set over nearly 18 acres, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania has 100 gigantic mechanical marvels to climb around and admire. Combo tickets are available…
- NNational Toy Train Museum
Let's be clear: you can have never touched a toy train in your life and still love this odd little museum. The push-button interactive dioramas are so up…
- LLandis Valley Museum
Based on an 18th-century village, this open-air museum is the best way to get an overview of early Pennsylvania Dutch culture, and Mennonite culture in…
- 11719 Hans Herr House
The 1719 Hans Herr House is generally regarded as the oldest original Mennonite meeting house in the western hemisphere. Today, the property displays…
- NNottingham Serpentine Barrens
Chester County generally boasts a green and gentle landscape, but then you come across this swath of scrub and sandy soil and wonder if you made a wrong…
- PPhillips Museum of Art
At this art museum you'll find art and objects d'art sourced from across different eras of American history, plus Soviet recruitment posters and Arabic…
- EEphrata Cloister
One of the area's myriad breakaway religious sects established this community in 1732; despite celibacy vows and infighting, it lasted until 1934. Now it…
- JJulius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery
The first commercial pretzels in America were made here starting in 1861 – and back then pretzel-making was a coveted and high-paying job. You can try…
- LLancaster Mennonite Historical Society
The small museum here displays beautiful glass and woodwork, along with the story of how Mennonites established themselves in this area. There's a well…
Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Pennsylvania Dutch Country.
See
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania
Set over nearly 18 acres, the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania has 100 gigantic mechanical marvels to climb around and admire. Combo tickets are available…
See
National Toy Train Museum
Let's be clear: you can have never touched a toy train in your life and still love this odd little museum. The push-button interactive dioramas are so up…
See
Landis Valley Museum
Based on an 18th-century village, this open-air museum is the best way to get an overview of early Pennsylvania Dutch culture, and Mennonite culture in…
See
1719 Hans Herr House
The 1719 Hans Herr House is generally regarded as the oldest original Mennonite meeting house in the western hemisphere. Today, the property displays…
See
Nottingham Serpentine Barrens
Chester County generally boasts a green and gentle landscape, but then you come across this swath of scrub and sandy soil and wonder if you made a wrong…
See
Phillips Museum of Art
At this art museum you'll find art and objects d'art sourced from across different eras of American history, plus Soviet recruitment posters and Arabic…
See
Ephrata Cloister
One of the area's myriad breakaway religious sects established this community in 1732; despite celibacy vows and infighting, it lasted until 1934. Now it…
See
Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery
The first commercial pretzels in America were made here starting in 1861 – and back then pretzel-making was a coveted and high-paying job. You can try…
See
Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society
The small museum here displays beautiful glass and woodwork, along with the story of how Mennonites established themselves in this area. There's a well…
Guidebooks
Learn more about Pennsylvania Dutch Country
Uncover the heart of travel and be inspired to see new sights with one of Lonely Planet’s in-depth, award-winning guidebooks.