Understand
[edit]Founded in 1754 as Cross Keys, Intercourse (pop. 1,500 in 2020) is one of several small villages with unusual names in the heart of Pennsylvania's Amish country. Other charmingly-named local Pennsylvania Dutch villages include Blue Ball, Gap, Fertility, Mount Joy, Lititz, Bareville, Bird-in-Hand, and Paradise.
As Amish villages are only about 40 mi (64 km) from Wilmington (Delaware) and 60 mi (97 km) from Philadelphia, these tiny communities are flooded with thousands of visitors.
Get in
[edit]From Lancaster (Pennsylvania), travel 10 mi (16 km) east on Pennsylvania Route 340.
Get around
[edit]
Map of Intercourse
- Car: driving around farmlands
- Public transportation: Bus (RRTA Route 13, White Horse[dead link])
- Walking around the town
See
[edit]
- 1 American Military Edged Weaponry Museum, 3562 Old Philadelphia Pike, ☏ +1 717-768-7185. May-Nov: M-Sa 10AM-5PM, closed Sunday. Military knives and artifacts. Items from the Spanish-American War, the two world wars, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq (Desert Storm).
- 2 People's Place Quilt Museum, 3510 Old Philadelphia Pike, toll-free: +1-800-828-8218. On second floor of historic Old Country Store. Exhibits antique Amish quilts and decorative arts.
Do
[edit]- Aaron and Jessica's Amish Buggy Rides, 3121 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird in Hand, ☏ +1 717-768-8828.
- Amish Experience, 3121 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird in Hand, ☏ +1 717-768-8400. Shuttle van tour of Amish country.
Buy
[edit]- Old Country Store, 3510 Old Philadelphia Pike, ☏ +1 717-768-7101. Amish and Mennonite crafts, quilts, toys and tablecloths.
- 1 Kitchen Kettle Village, 3529 Old Philadelphia Pike, toll-free: +1-800-732-3538. A group of 40 stores include handmade items, antiques, food and furniture.
- Bird-in-Hand Village. A visit to the Village of Bird-in-Hand is like returning to a bygone era. Here you will find friendly shopkeepers, homegrown Lancaster County foods and restful lodging for weary voyagers. An old-fashioned Farmer's Market in the heart of town offers fresh foods, handmade crafts and homegrown produce. The town's Old Village Store is still open for business, filled with unique and nostalgic inventory.
- Intercourse Merchants Association Group. Intercourse is the hub where the Amish and local folks do their business and host thousands of visitors each year. The beautiful Amish farms surround the Village which is on the Old Philadelphia Pike (Route 340), earlier known as King's Highway, in Eastern Lancaster County. Intercourse is in close proximity to all Lancaster County attractions and in particular, the sister villages of Bird-in-Hand and Strasburg.
Eat
[edit]- Kling House, 3529 Old Philadelphia Pike, ☏ +1 717-768-2746, toll-free: +1-800-732-3538. M-Th 8AM-3PM, F Sa 8AM-4PM. Restaurant in old farmhouse, open for breakfast and lunch.
- Immergut Hand-Rolled Soft Pretzels, 3537 Old Phila Pike, ☏ +1 717-768-0657. Hand-rolled and baked regular pretzels, specialty pretzels and pretzel wraps.
Drink
[edit]- 1 Bird-in-Hand Bakery & Cafe, 2715 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand (take Old Philadelphia Pike west from Intercourse, the bakery is about a half-mile down the road on the right past the light at N Ronks Rd), ☏ +1 717-768-1501, toll-free: +1-800-524-3429, [email protected]. M-Sa 6AM-6PM. Homemade casual cuisine for breakfast lunch, or early dinner. Baked goods (especially pies, cakes, cookies), specialty coffee, and artisan ice cream.
- Kitchen Kettle Village Café (Old Philadelphia Pike at Newport Road). One of several restaurants in Kitchen Kettle Village.
- Rumspringa Brewing Company, 3174 Old Philadelphia Pike, ☏ +1 717-768-7194. The Lancaster Beer and Wine Gallery includes a first-floor Wine Gallery and a Barn Café on the second floor.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Amish Country Motel, 3013 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bird-in-Hand, ☏ +1 717-768-8396, toll-free: +1-800-538-2535, [email protected]. 7AM-9PM. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Family-owned motel in the middle of Lancaster's Amish Country (about half-way between the town of Bird-in-Hand and the Village of Intercourse). Outdoor pool. Free Wi-Fi. Free guided bus tour of Amish Country, cable TV, individual room air conditioning and heat, and in-room refrigerator. Book online option. Rates vary.
- [formerly dead link] Holiday Inn Express - Lancaster, 24 S. Willowdale Drive, ☏ +1 717-293-9500. Just off of routes 30 & 896, surrounded by the Rockvale Outlets and located in the heart of the "Amish" countryside.
- Inn at Kitchen Kettle Village, 3529 Old Philadelphia Pike, toll-free: +1-855-STAYKKV (7829558).
- Inn and Spa at Intercourse Village, 3542 Old Philadelphia Pike, ☏ +1 717-768-2626 (inn), +1 717-768-0555 (spa), toll-free: +1-800-664-0949 (inn), +1-800-801-2219 (spa). Antique or locally-made furniture, fireplaces, wi-fi, shower or bathroom en suite, flatscreen TV/DVD. $260 (grand suite).
- Intercourse Village Inn and Suites, 3610 E Newport Road, ☏ +1 717-768-3636, toll-free: +1-800-717-6202. Best Western with indoor pool, restaurant, fitness room.
- Harvest Drive Family Inn, 3368 Harvest Drive, Gordonville, ☏ +1 717-768-7186, toll-free: +1-800-233-0176, fax: +1 717 768-4513. Fisher's Amish Restaurant, 4500 ft² Scenic Village Banquet and Conference facility, coffee and hot tea in the lobby, gazebo and patio overlooking the farmland, playground, guest coin laundry. Rooms include Wi-fi, refrigerator, microwave, coffee/tea maker, iron/ironing board, hair dryer and 32” flat screen TV. Family suites with 3 beds available.
- 2 The Red Caboose Motel, 312 Paradise Lane, Ronks, ☏ +1 717-687-5000, toll-free: +1-888-687-5005. All of the rooms are converted railroad cabooses. The restaurant is a real dining car. Located next door to the National Toy Train museum and near the Strasburg railroad and the Choo-Choo barn. Free petting zoo on site. Observation tower on site. Rooms are not fancy and Wi-Fi coverage is spotty. $139.
- Sunset Valley Motel, 2288 New Holland Pike, +1 717-656-2091. Clean, quiet, and comfortable. Located away from busy Route 30, but only takes a few minutes to drive to all the tourist areas. All rooms have cable TV and microwave oven/refrigerators.
- 3 Travelers Rest Motel, 3701 Old Philadelphia Pike (intersection of Route 340 & North Hollander Rd), ☏ +1 717-768-8731, toll-free: +1-800-626-2021, [email protected]. 7AM-9PM. Free Wi-Fi and cable TV. Free deluxe continental breakfast with homemade baked goods and farm-fresh hot food. Each room has air conditioning and heat. Easy walking distance from small shops & attractions. Free access to nearby indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Complementary guided bus tour of Amish Country. Rates vary.