
Working Pennsylvania Dutch food factories
Start your shopping extravaganza off with the sweet tastes of the region. Head to the Amish village of Intercourse and stop by Kitchen Kettle Village, a village of 42 country shops and restaurants built around the nationally celebrated Jam and Relish Kitchen. In the kitchen, watch as Amish women still make and can each delicious jar of jam, relish, salsa or preserves by hand! Just across the street, the Intercourse Canning Company specializes in "Amish hors d' oeuvres" with special jellies, sauces, dressings and more. Or look to the Intercourse Pretzel Factory or Sturgis Pretzel House for huge tins filled with salty pretzel favorites. At Wilbur Chocolate Factory Store, choose from tasty molds for favorite careers or pastimes, or simply gift boxes filled with confectionary delights.
Explore Amish shops of Intercourse and Bird-in-Hand
Explore the various Amish owned and run in the village of Intercourse. Look for handmade wooden furniture and crafts at Lapp's Coach Shop, quilts and crafts at the Old Country Store, or explore a typical Amish general store at Zimmerman's (featured in the movie "Witness"). Take a ride into the countryside and explore tiny Amish-owned quilt and craft shops along quiet country lanes.
Pennsylvania Dutch Family Style Restaurant
Get into the true spirit of Pennsylvania Dutch Country with a visit to one of the area's family-style restaurants, where diners sit at long tables and pass heaping portions of local favorites, including fried chicken, mashed potatoes, brown butter noodles, chow chow, ham loaf, and much more. Don't forget dessert - with Pennsylvania Dutch specialties like shoofly pie! You'll want to take some home to remember the experience!
Farmers' Market
Explore farm stand shopping like nowhere else with a trip to one of the region's famous farmers' markets. Explore downtown Lancaster's Central Market, the oldest continuously operating farmers' market in the nation, or sample the offerings of true "Amish Country" with a stop at the Bird-in-Hand Farmers' Market. On Thursdays, the Columbia Market House features fresh produce, crafts and more in an historic market near the mighty Susquehanna, and for true bargain hunters, head to the Green Dragon on Fridays, where locals claim that "if you can't find it at the Green Dragon, it chust ain't fer sale!" Many of the markets are surrounded by quaint shops or downtown Lancaster's art galleries, which are always fun to browse.
Outlet shopping
Shop till you drop are words to live by when you venture to Lancaster County's fantastic factory outlets! At Rockvale Outlets Lancaster and Tanger Outlet Center, both located along Route 30 just east of the city of Lancaster, you'll find hundreds of top designer names and bargain basement prices. Take advantage of tax-free shopping on clothing and food in Pennsylvania for even greater bargains!
Antiquing
If you love nothing more than browsing through shelves of old housewares, admiring Victorian furnishings, decorating with early Colonial linens, or just searching for that "special something," Pennsylvania Dutch Country is your home for antiquing of every kind. Browse huge antique malls filled with hundreds of dealers, or stop into tucked-away mom-and-pop shops in quaint country villages for one-of-a-kind finds. Stop by any of the outdoor markets or antique auctions as well, and you'll find everything from exquisite antique furniture and delicate china to milk bottles, Amish toys, historic postcards and much more.
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