Lancaster County , fifty miles west of Philadelphia, stretches for about 45 miles from Churchtown in the east to the Susquehanna River in the west. Although Lancaster City, ten miles east of the river, was US capital for a day in September 1777, the region is famed more for its preponderance of agricultural religious communities, known collectively as the Pennsylvania Dutch (a mistaken derivation of Deutsch , or German).

An extremely touristy place, even before it was brought to international fame by the movie Witness , Lancaster County has maintained its natural beauty in the face of encroaching commercialization. It is a region of gentle countryside and fertile farmlands, mule-drawn ploughs, tiny roadside bakeries crammed with jams and pies, Amish children wending on old-fashioned scooters to and from their one-room schoolhouses, and flower-filled, immaculate farmhouses. However, attempting to live a simple life away from the pressures of the outside world has proved too much for many Pennsylvania Dutch. A few (mainly Mennonites) have succumbed to commercial need by offering rides in their buggies and meals in their homes. Members of the stricter orders in particular have moved away from the ceaseless intrusions of privacy - as well as soaring land prices - to less touristed Ohio and Iowa. Remember, too, that as Sunday is a day of rest for the Amish, many attractions, restaurants and other amenities will be closed.

Lancaster County - Pennsylvania Dutch Country

• Lancaster County - Pennsylvania Dutch Country
• The Pennsylvania Dutch
• Arrival and information
• Getting around
• Touring Pennsylvania Dutch Country
• Eating and nightlife

Pennsylvania cities


All U.S. city guides