Some trips stay with you. This one goes back to the fall of 2014, when Katy and I loaded up the RV, hooked our two little red Hondas on the back, and headed north to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Those were the first bikes we ever owned together, and this was one of our first real rides on them.
A little about Lancaster County
Lancaster County sits in southeastern Pennsylvania, about an hour and a half west of Philadelphia. Back in the early 1700s, families from Germany and Switzerland came here looking for religious freedom and good farmland. Among them were the Amish and Mennonites. Their German-speaking descendants became known as the “Pennsylvania Dutch,” from the word Deutsch, meaning German.
Today the area is home to one of the largest Amish communities in the United States. The Amish live a simple, faith-centered life: many farm the land, dress plainly, and travel by horse and buggy instead of cars. So when you drive or ride through here, you’ll share the road with buggies, pass farms worked with horses, and see laundry drying on the line. Please be respectful and don’t photograph people up close. Most Amish prefer not to be in pictures.
Where we stayed
Our home base for the week was Country Acres Campground in Gordonville, run by the same folks behind Bird-in-Hand. It was quiet, clean and surrounded by corn fields, and the trees were just starting to turn red and orange. Some mornings the fog sat right down on the campground, and you could hear the clip-clop of a buggy going by before you could see it.
The ride
We rode the back roads with no real plan. Two-lane roads, farm after farm, big silos, white fences, and plenty of horse and buggies sharing the road with us. We rolled through small towns with old brick houses, passed a Pequea Valley school bus, and took our time. If you ride in Amish country, slow down and give the buggies plenty of room. It’s part of the charm.
Where we ate
We ended the ride at the Bird-in-Hand Family Restaurant & Smorgasbord. If you want good, home-style Pennsylvania Dutch food, this is the place. Come hungry. The porch was all dressed up for fall with corn stalks and pumpkins, and we even parked our bikes right next to a horse and buggy.
Must-see places in the area
If you’re in Lancaster County for a few days, these are worth the stop:
- The back roads themselves. Just drive or ride slowly between Bird-in-Hand, Intercourse and Strasburg. The farms, silos and buggies are the real show.
- Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse. Two small villages in the heart of Amish country, with family restaurants, bakeries, quilt shops and roadside stands.
- Strasburg Rail Road. Known as America’s oldest operating railroad, with roots back to 1832. A steam train ride through the farm fields.
- Lancaster Central Market. In downtown Lancaster, running since 1730. It’s called the country’s oldest publicly owned farmers market that has never stopped operating.
- Covered bridges. The county has dozens of old wooden covered bridges tucked along the back roads. They make great photo stops.
- Amish Farm and House. A good place to learn how Amish families live and farm, if you want to understand more of what you’re seeing on the road.
Planning your own trip?
A few books we like for Lancaster County and Amish country:
- Lancaster and Lancaster County: A Traveler’s Guide to Pennsylvania Dutch Country – a handy guide for planning where to go.
- Lancaster County Covered Bridges: A Traveler’s Guide – great for planning a scenic ride.
- The Amish of Lancaster County – learn more about the people and the way of life you see on the road.
- Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book – bring a little of that smorgasbord home.
Packing for an RV and Motorcycle Trip
Taking the RV and bikes out yourself? A few things worth packing:
- Waterproof saddlebags for snacks, rain gear and souvenirs on the ride
- RV leveling blocks for getting level on a grassy campsite
- A folding camp rocker for sitting out at the campsite after a ride
- A campfire pie iron for easy campfire dinners and desserts
Have you ridden or camped in Lancaster County? Tell us your favorite back road or place to eat in the comments.
– Corey & Katy
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