Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Lancaster County, PA

In Pennsylvania's Dutch Country the local families ride in horse-drawn buggies
with rear-view-mirrors and directional lights. There is much to see including the
Strasburg Train Museum and nearby Hershey Chocolate.

On Sunday the young men of Lancaster
County borrow Dad's top-down buggy for a
horse-drawn cruise around town. Their
Standard-breads high-step down Route 30
while truckers ease their big rigs around them
trying not to spook the ponies. The Amish are
expert horse trainers and each large farm
might have many animals including seven
Belgians or Percherons to pull the plows, two
draft mules to pull winnowers, and a trotter to
pull the surrey used for the Sunday drive.
The young men will use the open coach in the
Sunday courting ritual and prize the grace and
spirit of their thoroughbred and Morgan
crosses initially bred for harness racing.
The horses are such high steppers that if it
weren't for the clip clop of hooves on
pavement you would think that these ponies
could fly.

Milton Hershey combined his 17th Century farm
ethic and hard work with 20th Century technology
when he built a factory northwest of Lancaster on
Route 283 where he also built a town and
eventually a huge complex dedicated to chocolate.
Although raised by Mennonite parents, Hershey
embraced the machine age and put the latest 1905
technology to work near a source of abundant fresh
milk to become our favorite chocolateer.
With his fortunes from chocolate he built an antique
automobile collection, a huge amusement park, a
zoo, and a 23-acre rose garden for his wife.
Visitors can take trolley rides through the town on
streets named Chocolate Ave and Hershey Drive,
each lined by street lamps in the shape of the
Hershey Kiss. A highlight for kids might be the tour
of a simulated factory complete with animated
cows that sport boas and croon a hip-hop opus to
milk.

While it is unlikely that Mr. Hershey would have
chosen the musical accompaniment for the factory
tour, he was an innovator; the factory now
processes one million pounds of milk chocolate
daily and ships 80 million Hershey Kisses each
day throughout the world.
In fact everything in town says chocolate and this
includes a spa treatment at the Hotel Hershey
where you can wash away your travel aches
immersed in warm slurry of rich therapeutic
chocolate.

Hershey Chocolate

Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Lancaster County, PA

Keep a
watch on
the mirror
for a
passing
carriage

Pennsylvania Dutch Country, Lancaster County, PA Villages such as Bird-in-Hand,
Intercourse, and Paradise are great places for a vacation in the heart of Pennsylvania's
Dutch Country because of the many roadside stands selling handcraft and confections.

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How to Reach Amish Penn Dutch Country:
By Auto: From the south take Route 95 to Baltimore, Route 83 to York
(Harley Factory). Route 30 to Lancaster,
From the north,: Route 95 to Philadelphia and then Routes 76, 202 and
30 to Lancaster. From the west, Harrisburg
By air: Philadelphia Airport and rental car

When to Go To Amish Penn Dutch Country: April is a good month to visit because you might
combine your visit to Amish country with a visit to Longwood Gardens where on the second or third
week in April the tulip gardens are in full bloom. Otherwise May until October are good months to
visit and enjoy outdoor activities..