Beautiful Amish Country

Although the inn claims otherwise, the truth is that the rooms really don't differentiate between smoking and non. The air circulates between ALL rooms in the units and therefore WILL smell like smoke if neighbors are smoking. For those who are allergic or otherwise sensitive to tobacco, I strongly suggest staying elsewhere. This is because the rooms only offer one source of fresh air--the door.

The housekeeping here is very basic as well. The rooms are kept neat, but the actual cleaning could have been more thorough--especially in the bathroom.

The Rodeway Inn offers a convenient location midway between the town of Hershey and the town of Lancaster. Hershey Park, the Amish Country, horseback riding and the annual Renaissance Fair are all located within a 15 minute drive from the inn. There is a restaurant next door and a small outdoor pool on the premises. The staff members in the main office are friendly, helpful and offer a wealth of free tourist brochures and maps on the area.

The fees to stay are quite cheap. As long as you consider this inn as a campground minus the camper, you won't be disappointed.

Home-style cooking, award winning ice creams and fresh baked treats make this restaurant the order of the day. The dishes are a generous delight for the senses and the service is incredible. At Kreider's, everyone is treated like an old friend!

The entrees are generous in size. Thus, it is definitely the place to visit when very hungry. The menu features locally inspired country fare like ham, chicken and turkey as well as a nice variety of home-grown veggies. Desserts here are delicious and fresh-baked. They vary from the traditional Amish Shoo-Fly Pie and apple dumplings to other flavorful creations like lemon-coconut layer cake.

All of the food I tried was fantastic! If I had to pick one thing that stood out above the rest, however, it would be the corn bread. It is rich, dense, buttery and befitting as a meal in itself.

The restaurant is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's a wonderful place to eat, relax and take in the scenery. If all this isn't enough to inspire a visit, how about a large gift shop? The upstairs gift loft is a treasure trove of unique Amish handicrafts sure to delight anyone on your souvenir list!

This restaurant is the embodiment of family friendliness. While there always seems to be a large crowd for seating, turnover is quick and the wait is comfortable. There are two large "living rooms" for waiting patrons. Each is set up with a TV, lots of travel brochures, and plenty of toys to keep kids busy. If it weren't for all the strange faces, these rooms might just feel like home.

Service here is very friendly and the food is excellent. The Bird-In-Hand Family Restaurant features traditional Lancaster County Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. House specialties include chicken corn and vegetable beef soups, Dutch pot roast, oven-roasted turkey, and chicken pot pie. For dessert, local well-loved specialties include Shoofly Pie, Red Velvet Cake, and over-stuffed apple dumplings all baked fresh each morning. Homegrown pumpkin pie is also a delight when in season.

The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday to Saturday while offering two ways to dine. Menu style dining is, of course, available at any time during restaurant hours year-round. Buffet style dining times vary with each season, so it is best to call ahead. Either way, visitors always enjoy plenty of great "comfort food" at really comfortable prices!

Showcased as "A Century of Success", the parade was a replay of the last 100 years of this town built on chocolate. Divided into decade segments from 1900 to 2000, it was perhaps the showiest, proudest, three and a half hours ever spent! Local celebrities sailed by on beautiful floats tossing out free toys and candy for everyone. Great bands in period costume gave touching tributes to American war heros. Local vendors and sponsors donned character costumes and puttered around in funny little cars. Of course, all of the Hershey characters were on hand to entertain. It all made for a once in a lifetime experience. There was even a horse-drawn calliope!

I almost feel as though I've been spoiled for any other parade I might attend in the future. After a wonderful spectacle like this, it seems that the only successor lies here in Hershey--100 years from now.

Aside from all the fantastic shops, Kitchen Kettle Village offers plenty of other family friendly activities as well. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride down Pepper Lane or spend some "cuddle time" at the petting zoo. Learn what it means to "throw a pot" at Garnett Pottery. Watch how leather is "tooled" into beautiful belts, bags and totes at Deerskin Leather. Afterwards, check out one of the flavorful events that is undoubtedly underway. Host to four delicious festivals each year, the Village celebrates everything from rhubarb to chow-chow (an Amish relish).

Located in the heart of Amish Country, the Village guest quarters are not only quaint, but convenient for day trips as well. Kitchen Kettle Village is open year-round, Monday through Saturday. It is a definate must-see for anyone visiting Lancaster County!

By now, even the sensory-deprived should be wanting some chocolate. The gift shop is the perfect place to load up on all your Hershey's favorites--including the stuff that may be hard to find at home. Oh, Mr. Goodbar! I've found you at long last! For a special treat with an extra long shelf life, pick up some nifty candy-themed souvenirs like ornaments, tee shirts and cute plush character dolls.

Of course, no visitors' center would be complete without a great place to eat. The food court offers quick, convenient family friendly dining. Got more time on your hands? Hershey's Chocolate Town Cafe is a full-service restaurant that has something for everyone.

Tours begin in the "meeting room" where Sunday worship services are held. Furnishings for this room typically consist of many wooden benches and a small wood-burning stove for heat. The Amish do not have actual church buildings and therefore take turns holding services for the entire community in their homes. These services take place every other Sunday lasting four to five hours. Church typically ends with a meal shared with all the members of the home community. On non-church Sundays, the Amish spend the day visiting with family and friends in neighboring communities.

Next, the tour moves on to the kitchen where propane and water powered appliances offer modern convenience. Because the Amish choose to live separately from the world, they do not have outside utilities like electric brought into their homes. The tour then moves on to the bedrooms where visitors learn about traditional Amish clothing and some not-so-traditional footwear. Yes, the Amish have been known to rollerblade into town on occasion!

Guides then show tourists a few more places along the grounds. Afterwards, visitors may explore at their own pace. Some of these other sites include a blacksmith shop furnished with all the trade tools, a one-room schoolhouse, livestock, and a ham smokehouse where visitors may observe the process through a glass window.

The Amish Village gives a fun, informative glimpse into the everyday lives of these intriguing people. A tour here is sure to be the high point of any visit to beautiful Amish Country.

"Built on Chocolate" is a fascinating look at Milton Hershey's life. From his humble beginnings to his world-class fame, this exhibit makes for a great starting point. "Kisstory", the new exhibit for 2003, traces this national icon from its 1907 introduction to present day. Early product packaging, advertising campaigns, and production methods are displayed within colorful, interactive showcases.

Among the displays of Amish tools and Native American handiworks is a separate theater-gallery containing perhaps the most well-loved artifact in the museum: The Apostolic Clock. This captivating 13 foot timepiece was made by a local Lancaster resident over 125 years ago. It features an hourly procession of beautifully handcrafted biblical figures starting about 20 minutes before the hour. The clock is in operation daily.

Of course, visitors shouldn't overlook the Hershey Museum Shop. It has a nice selection of handcrafted museum reproductions as well as books, jewelry, and Hershey memorabilia.

Singing turn-of-the-century conductors will take you on a nostalgic and sentimental journey along famous Hershey sites. The trolley rolls past historic delights like the chocolate factory, Hotel Hershey, Kiss-shaped streetlamps and, of course, Milton and Kitty Hershey's mansion. You'll learn that every Hershey's candy has a story behind it -- along with a yummy sample headed your way! Plenty of laughs and treats ensure this will be the sweetest ride of your life!

The busy stands house offerings of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, baked goods, preserves, spices and candy. Among the non-food items are beautiful handmade quilts, leather goods, wooden handicrafts, and fresh flowers. Visitors may watch demonstrations in woodcarving, candle dipping, and fudge making as well.

When the Lapp family first purchased this property from the Brubakers in 1975, there were just two buildings on site. The house in front of the market (built around 1920) and the old brick duck hatchery behind it have since been restored to their original beauty. Today, both buildings are used to house retail outlet stores like The Glass Factory and Fashion Brand Linens.

Prices here are very good and the quality of everything is fantastic. From food and candy to housewares and toys, The Bird-In-Hand Farmers Market is a real shoppers' paradise. The preserves alone are worth the trip!

Tours begin in the Front Room where the Amish typically hold Sunday worship services. Lasting between four and five hours, much of these services are spent singing and chanting in the Amish dialect. Guides will usually play a sample of these soothing and hypnotic songs before moving on with the tour.

In the kitchen, guides explain that the Amish practically live in this one all-important room. Regarded as the center of the home, quality bonding time here keeps the family strong. Upstairs in the bedrooms, visitors learn about the strict codes of traditional dress and how today's Amish have adapted these rules a bit. Will an Amish businessman carry a cell phone? Yes! Will an Amish woman wear a down jacket under her shawl in winter? Yes! Will the kids rollerblade? Of course!

After the house tour, visitors may stroll around the 25-acre farmstead on their own. This is where the self-sufficiency of the Amish really hits. From food and refrigeration to fertilizer and building materials, everything these people need can be found on their farms. A waterwheel brings cold spring water into the kitchen to power the refrigerator. The lime kiln provides a site for making mortar and fertilizer. The barn provides shelter for livestock and space for threshing hay, drying corn and curing tobacco. The windmill pumps water from the cistern for the animals. Perhaps the most amazing thing about a working Amish farm today is the engineering. Everything works in perfect fashion without the aide of electricity. Furthermore, all these intricate components are created with an eighth grade education and the good advice passed down through generations!

The Amish Farm and House is open to visitors year-round. The hours change with the seasons, so it is best to call ahead. Information sheets are available in a host of different languages and guides encourage questions. There is a large gift shop filled with many beautiful works and a corn maze able to confuse the wits of anybody.

Tours through this museum are guided by 34 life-size exhibits. Each animated showcase narrates a particular aspect of Lancaster County's role in U.S. history with the touch of a button. The museum houses over 160 handcrafted wax figures depicting events from the early 1600s to present day. In addition to these automated displays, there are plenty of hands-on exhibits and play areas for young children to enjoy. General kiddie favorites include the family dress-up, pretzel-making and quilt creation areas. The tour concludes with a large barn-raising scene where visitors learn about Amish customs and traditions.

Discover Lancaster County History Museum is open year-round. The hours and days do change with the seasons, however, so it is best to call ahead. There is a nice gift shop on-site and the museum is located within easy walking distance of Dutch Wonderland Amusement Park.