Summer Vacation Time? Ohio's Amish Country Beckons Families

Summer Vacation Time? Ohio's Amish Country Beckons Families

(ARA) - Summer is family vacation season. Soon the kids will be out of school and feeling the wanderlust inspired by warm weather. But families bored by the beach or tired of the theme parks can find themselves looking for something different - a vacation that blends family-oriented fun with education, modern excitements with the best of bygone days.

They're finding it in Ohio's Amish country, home to the largest population of Amish in the United States (not Lancaster, PA, as many assume). Convenient to both the Akron and Cleveland airports, the area draws tourists from all over the country as well as from neighboring states within driving distance. Visitors can enjoy the area's scenic farmland, old-fashioned dining, and of course the sights and handicrafts of Amish life.

And families don't have to break the bank to find fun in the region. Here are six ideas for things to see and do in Ohio's Amish country - many of them free:

1. The Midwest has the legendary Wall Drug Store and Ohio has Lehman's, an old-fashioned hardware store founded in 1955 by Jay Lehman. Established in Kidron, the central marketplace for the Amish country area, the store started out by serving the needs of the Amish community. While it's evolved considerably since then, the store and its online outlet still emphasize old-fashioned items like non-electric appliances, hand tools, hand-cranked housewares, oil lamps and museum quality antiques.

Recently, the family-owned business purchased an historic barn built in the 1840s, moved it to the store site and rebuilt it (with the help of an old-fashioned Amish barn-raising) in preparation for expanding its operation. When completed, the new store will be more than 30,000 square feet - over twice the size of the original store - and will offer interactive displays, historical information, product demonstrations, café and coffee shop, indoor and outdoor seating and a high-tech theater. The hand-hewn barn will also serve as an historic landmark for Wayne County. You can visit the store's Web site, www.lehmans.com, to learn more.

2. Your family may not be in the market to buy a prize-winning heifer, or even a few chickens, but the kids will still enjoy a turn through the Kidron Auction Livestock Sale and Flea Market. Held every Thursday (except on Amish holidays), the auction is Ohio's oldest consignment livestock market. Admission is free and food vendors are on hand with traditional Amish country fare as well as kid-friendly cuisine.

On special days in spring and summer, large machinery sales also take place. For sale dates and more information, call (800) 589-9749 or (330) 857-2641.

3. Shrock's Amish Farm in Berlin, Ohio offers a unique window into the Amish lifestyle with guided home tours, a farm animal petting area, Amish buggy rides and shopping. To learn more, call (330) 893-3232.

4. For a real taste of Amish tastes, dine at the Amish Door Village restaurant. The 30-year-old establishment serves hearty Amish-style meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Closed on Sundays, the restaurant serves delicious fare that's great for kids - who often crave familiar and simple foods while on vacation. Two locations serve travelers and locals alike in Wooster and Wilmot, Ohio. Carriage rides are available and the restaurant also offers a bed and breakfast.

5. Public gardens or plant nurseries are great places for kids to either blow off some steam with free run of the grounds or quiet down and learn something about botanical life. Quailcrest Farm, located in Wooster, Ohio, offers both gardens and greenhouse. Visitors can stroll (or frolic) through the gardens then stop by the 12,000-square-foot greenhouse for some gardening advice from the farm's professional growers. Special events and programs take place throughout the year. Call (330) 345-6722 for more information.

6. Vacationers know shopping is not a spectator sport and Ohio's Amish country offers diverse wares in rustic as well as modern environments. At P. Graham Dunn Woodworking and Laser Art Gallery in Dalton, visitors can watch craftsmen engrave inspirational messages on wood items, tour the laser room and browse a beautiful gallery filled with great gift ideas. In Mt. Hope, Homestead Furniture showcases high quality hand-tooled hardwood furniture in a 27,000-square-foot showroom. Coblentz Chocolates in Walnut Creek provides tours and samples of hand-dipped confections, from chocolates, homemade caramels and truffles to nuts and a great selection of sugar-free items. Finally, drop in to Walnut Creek Cheese for a variety of locally made cheeses, meats, jams, jellies, kitchen supplies and homemade ice cream.

Courtesy of ARAcontent