Lancaster County: Amish Farmlands, Museum Tour, Farm Visit

The most useful thing about this Lancaster tour is that it gives you three different views of Amish life in one three-hour outing: a guided ride through the countryside, a room-by-room farmhouse tour, and time to wander a 15-acre farm. You see working farms and one-room schoolhouses from a small bus, then examine the household details and farm routines up close.

I like the 14-passenger bus, which is far easier for seeing narrow country roads than a large coach. I also like the mix of quiet scenery and hands-on stops, from Amish baked goods and root beer to real schoolbooks and the farm’s unusual Amish scooter ride. The main drawback is that the farmhouse and farm are at the tour property beside Target, not at a remote farm deep in the countryside.

Key points to know before booking

• A three-part visit: Take a 90-minute countryside ride, tour an original Amish farmhouse, then explore a 15-acre farm at your own pace.
• Small-bus sightseeing: The climate-controlled van holds 14 people, making the ride personal and easy to follow.
• Good food stops: You can buy baked goods, ice cream, root beer, pretzels, barbecue chicken, Pennsylvania Dutch dishes, and whoopie pies.
• Useful cultural context: The house tour covers Amish history, religion, clothing, and daily life, with written translations in 17 languages.
• Family-friendly farm time: See baby goats, chickens, alpacas, and Max, a Scottish Highland steer, then try the Amish scooter run.
• Plan around the details: Bring cash, skip video recording, and remember that roadside stands close on Sundays.

Three hours, three different looks at Amish Country

This experience works best if you want an introduction rather than a full day spent roaming rural roads on your own. The 90-minute bus tour supplies the broad picture. The farmhouse explains how Amish beliefs affect home life. The farm visit gives you time to look around without a guide keeping you on a tight schedule.

That structure is one reason the $38 price is fair. You are paying for transportation, a live English guide, the farmhouse tour, and access to the farm grounds. Food, drinks, and purchases cost extra, but you can control that part of the budget.

The tour starts at The Amish Farm and House on Lincoln Highway, Route 30, beside Target and near the American Music Theatre. The big gray farmhouse dates to 1805, so the setting can feel surprising at first. You are not arriving at an isolated country lane. You are arriving at a historic property that now shares a busy commercial area with a major store.

Parking is free and plentiful in the front and rear lots. Go inside the historic farmhouse rather than waiting near the Target entrance.

The 14-passenger ride through Lancaster’s farm country

The bus portion lasts about 90 minutes and is the main chance to see Amish farms, homes, fields, buggies, and one-room schoolhouses from the road. A small, climate-controlled vehicle keeps the ride comfortable in changing weather and gives the guide a better chance to speak with the group.

The exact route and guide vary. Guides named in tour feedback include Tim, Charles, Debbie, Jerry, and Sherry. Tim was praised for his humor and photography help, while Charles and Jerry were noted for making the ride both informative and sociable. You should expect the guide to explain what you are seeing rather than simply point out farms through the window.

Keep your camera ready, but remember that video recording is not allowed. You will be looking at real homes and working farms, not a staged outdoor show. That makes it important to photograph with care and follow the guide’s instructions.

The bus makes stops where you can buy local products and food. Depending on the day and route, you might find pretzels, baked goods, ice cream, root beer, furniture, quilts, or other handmade items. Bring cash, since it is the required practical item for purchases.

One point to watch is time. A three-hour package cannot give you a long stop at every farm stand. If shopping is your main goal, you may find the stops brief. The bus ride is designed more for an overview of Amish country than for a leisurely market crawl.

Farm stands close on Sundays, so Sunday departures may have fewer shopping opportunities. The countryside ride still takes place, but plan your expectations around the day of the week.

What the 1805 farmhouse explains well

The guided farmhouse tour is the most structured part of the experience. You move room by room through a home once lived in by an Amish family, with explanations of Amish history, religion, clothing, and household customs.

This is where the tour moves beyond pretty farm views. You begin to understand how religious beliefs shape ordinary choices, from clothing to schooling and the use of modern technology. A house gives those ideas a physical setting, which makes the information easier to remember.

The farmhouse guide is separate from the bus guide. Carol, for example, was praised for her clear explanations, while other visitors singled out the house guides for answering questions fully. Guides and presentations can vary, but the format gives you a second voice and a closer look at Amish domestic life.

Written translations of the house tour are available in 17 languages. The live tour itself is in English, but this written support is useful for international visitors who want more than a quick look around.

There is one important physical detail: you climb a flight of stairs inside the house, and there is no elevator. The overall experience is described as wheelchair accessible, but you should contact the local partner ahead of time if someone in your group needs a wheelchair-accessible bus. The house stairs may still affect which parts of the visit are practical.

One honest limitation is the setting. The house is historic, but it is located at the main property next to Target, not in the middle of open farm country. If you expect to enter a farmhouse still operating as a private home, this part may feel more like a preserved educational exhibit. That does not make the information less useful, but it changes the mood.

The 15-acre farm, animals, crafts, and schoolhouse

After the guided portions, you have time to explore the 15-acre farm on your own. Most people spend about an hour here, though the pace is yours. This is the least formal section and a welcome change after the scheduled bus and house tours.

The farm includes animals, local artisans, and an Amish one-room schoolhouse. You can sit at Amish desks and look through actual Amish schoolbooks, an especially helpful stop for families. Children get something concrete to examine, while adults can connect the schoolhouse to the earlier discussion of Amish life.

The animal area includes baby goats, chickens, alpacas, and Max, a Scottish Highland steer. The animals are a pleasant part of the visit, though the collection is not a large petting zoo. If you are hoping for many animals or an organized feeding session, keep expectations modest. Feeding is not listed as part of the experience.

The farm also offers the only Scooter Run, where you can ride real Amish scooters modeled on those used by Amish children. It is a small activity, but it gives the visit a playful element and helps younger children stay interested after the more serious house tour.

Artisans and handmade goods add another layer. You may browse Amish-made crafts, food, furniture, quilts, and other products, depending on what is available. The emphasis is on looking, learning, and buying directly at permitted stops, not on watching a long craft demonstration.

Eating at the Amish BBQ Barn

Food is not included in the $38 ticket, but the farm gives you several chances to spend a little more. The Amish BBQ Barn is home to chicken dinners prepared by David King and his family, along with Pennsylvania Dutch foods such as whoopie pies.

Past food stops have included fresh pretzels, homemade baked goods, ice cream, and cold homemade root beer. You might want to save your appetite for the farm, especially if barbecue sounds more appealing than a quick roadside snack.

The food adds value because it turns the visit into more than a museum tour. You can taste local specialties while sitting with the farm surroundings, rather than rushing through a gift shop. Still, the exact menu and cost are extra, so bring cash and treat the food as an optional add-on.

If you want a full meal, allow enough time during the self-guided farm portion. The farm visit is generally about an hour, and adding lunch can make that section feel less hurried.

How authentic is the experience?

This tour gives you a respectful, organized introduction to Amish culture, but it is still a commercial attraction. The bus route lets you observe Amish homes, farms, and schoolhouses without sending a large crowd onto private roads. One useful part of the design is that the tour offers context while limiting direct disturbance to the Amish community.

You are not promised personal access to Amish families or a look inside an active private home. Instead, you see the countryside from the bus, visit a historic farmhouse prepared for public education, and explore a farm with exhibits and activities. That distinction matters if you are seeking a quiet, independent drive through Lancaster County.

I think the arrangement works well for a first visit. You get a clear explanation of what you are seeing, and you avoid the confusion of trying to identify farms or customs on your own. At the same time, the property beside Target and the staged nature of the farmhouse may disappoint anyone expecting an entirely rural experience.

The tour also avoids treating Amish life as a costume show. The best guides answer questions about religion, clothing, schooling, and technology in a straightforward way. Names and personalities vary, but guides such as Tim, Charles, Debbie, Jerry, Carol, and Sherry have been singled out for being friendly, clear, and good at handling questions.

Timing, weather, and practical planning

The full experience lasts three hours, with about 90 minutes on the bus and roughly an hour commonly spent at the farm. The farmhouse tour fills the remaining time, though the exact sequence can vary.

The tour runs rain or shine. Wear shoes that are comfortable for walking around the farm, and bring a rain layer if the forecast looks uncertain. In severe weather, the local partner will contact you.

The meeting point is easy to find if you are driving, but the Target next door can make the property seem less rural than expected. Use the free front or rear parking lots and enter through the large gray farmhouse.

There is no hotel pickup or drop-off. You need to make your own way to the meeting point. The tour is conducted in English, with written translations for the farmhouse portion in 17 languages.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the tour for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Check the departure time when booking, since starting times vary.

Who will get the most from this tour?

I would recommend it to first-time visitors who want a clear introduction to Lancaster County without arranging several separate stops. Families will appreciate the animals, schoolhouse, scooter ride, and food choices. The climate-controlled van also helps if you want to see the countryside without worrying about navigation.

It suits international visitors particularly well because of the written farmhouse translations. Older adults may appreciate the limited driving and guided format, though the farmhouse stairs are worth considering.

You may want a different plan if you want a completely rural setting, extensive shopping time, or a quiet self-guided drive. The bus route is informative, but the stops can feel short. The farmhouse is educational, yet it is part of a visitor attraction rather than an untouched farmhouse in the countryside.

Should you book the Amish Farm and House tour?

Book this tour if you want good value in a compact half-day format. For $38, you receive a guided country ride, a farmhouse tour, and access to a 15-acre property with animals, a schoolhouse, artisans, and the scooter run. Add food or souvenirs only if they appeal to you.

Go in expecting an organized introduction, not a private encounter with an Amish family or a remote farm visit. If you accept the commercial setting and plan around the brief shopping stops, this is a practical and thoughtful way to understand Amish life in Lancaster County.

FAQ

How long does the Amish Farm and House experience last?

The experience lasts three hours. The guided countryside bus tour takes about 90 minutes, and most people spend about an hour exploring the farm.

What is included in the $38 price?

The price includes the guided tour of Amish Country in a climate-controlled 14-passenger van, the guided Amish farmhouse tour, and access to the farm visit. Food, drinks, and purchases are not included.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. You must make your own way to The Amish Farm and House on Lincoln Highway, Route 30.

Where do I park?

Free parking is available in the front and rear lots at The Amish Farm and House. The property is next to Target, between the American Music Theatre and the Target shopping center.

Is the tour offered in languages other than English?

The live tour guide speaks English. Written translations of the guided farmhouse tour are available in 17 languages.

Can I take videos during the tour?

No. Video recording is not allowed. You may bring a camera for photographs.

Is the experience wheelchair accessible?

The experience is described as wheelchair accessible, but you should contact the local partner in advance if someone in your group needs a wheelchair-accessible bus. The farmhouse tour includes a flight of stairs and has no elevator.

Does the tour operate in bad weather?

Yes. The tour takes place rain or shine. If there is severe inclement weather, the local partner will contact you.