Visit Amish Country Pennsylvania - Lancaster, PA | Discover Lancaster (2024)

FAQs

What are Amish bedroom rules? ›

Each person sleeps on their side of the bed, with a board in between them to prevent any physical contact. The couple is allowed to talk to each other during the night, but they're not allowed to touch each other.

Lancaster County is perhaps the most iconic Amish community in America. This region offers a deep dive into Amish culture, with its vast farmlands, traditional horse-drawn buggies, and a slower pace of life.

When one thinks of Amish Country, PA, hopefully it is not because of those Discovery Channel shows depicting "actual Amish People!" Nothing could be further from the truth. If you want to take a step back and relax and enjoy the sights and sounds of country life then this is definitely a trip for you.

When visiting their community, please keep the following basic courtesy rules in mind: Don't stare, gawk, or otherwise be disrespectful of the Amish. When driving, keep an eye out for slow-moving Amish buggies (especially at night), and give them plenty of room when following or passing.

In summer, conservative Amish tend to bathe at least twice weekly to eliminate dirt and sweat. The women may bathe more frequently and keep the home clean as well. New Order Amish may bathe more frequently than the Swatzentruber order, taking advantage of running water for showers or baths.

Traditionally, the practice of courtship involved two young adults, often betrothed, who spent the night in bed together under the parental roof to ensure compatibility and accountability. A bundling board or bundling sack may make an appearance, as it takes the form of a contraceptive for a bundling couple.

If you really want to feel the peace and tranquility that the Amish lifestyle provides, come see us on a Sunday! Our Countryside Bus tours on Sunday are a bit different than on other days, but you'll see things that cannot be seen any other day of the week.

While the Amish do not take pictures of themselves, they do use mirrors. The use of a mirror is allowed because unlike a picture, it is not a graven image. Women use mirrors to do their hair and men use mirrors to shave.

As a Christian church they follow the basic tenets of Christian faith; however, they emphasize adult baptism, simplicity, community, separation from popular culture, the separation of church and state, and pacifism. Their roots reach back to the Anabaptist movement in 1525 at the time of the Protestant Reformation.

Spending two or three days in Bird-in-Hand will give you time to enjoy many of Lancaster's attractions at a relaxed pace. In addition to doing all of the best day trip activities, you can add in home-cooked meals or a more personalized Lancaster Amish tour.

Can you spend the night with the Amish? ›

Staying at an Amish bed and breakfast or guesthouse is a unique and memorable experience for most of our guests, but it's not for everyone. If you choose one of our Amish bed and breakfast or guesthouse lodgings you will be the guest of an Old Order Amish family.

If you're interested in the Amish, it's a rare opportunity to spend time with an Amish family in their home. You can ask about this when making your reservation and we'll see if it can be arranged. Most of the farms offer a tour of the property along with an explanation of their farming techniques.

I think the level of integration with the modern world varies community to community (some Amish communities are more insular than others) but the most conservative of them will probably use the same methods women used for hundreds of years — wrapping themselves with strips of material, or wrapping their shift/ ...

Alcohol consumption isn't prohibited in all Amish communities, and neither is it encouraged. It doesn't play a big role in Amish youth culture, either. However, it often becomes more of a feature during Rumspringa.

The Amish also believe marriage should be between a man and a woman. Same-sex relationships are not allowed within the Amish community. Unmarried Amish men and women aren't supposed to have any physical contact with each other. This includes kissing, hugging, and even holding hands.

While the Amish do not take pictures of themselves, they do use mirrors. The use of a mirror is allowed because unlike a picture, it is not a graven image. Women use mirrors to do their hair and men use mirrors to shave. If you take our guided farmhouse tour, you'll spot a few mirrors in the house.

Amish courtship is somewhat similar to English courtship. Young couples may head out into town for dinner or simply hang out. Pre-marital relations are not permitted in Amish courtship. Either party can break off their courtship at any time.

Birth control and abortion are forbidden by religious doctrine, even when pregnancy is life threatening. The Amish church has no rule against immunization, but only 16-26% of Amish children have received immunizations against the common childhood diseases.

Amish represent a collection of different demes or genetically closed communities. Since almost all Amish descend from about 500 18th-century founders, genetic disorders that come out due to inbreeding exist in more isolated districts (an example of the founder effect).