July 19–26, 2026
Our last-minute stop in Pennsylvania Dutch Country gave us a week filled with scenic farmland, Amish country roads, local markets, thrift shops, historic homes, traditional foods, and plenty of unexpected discoveries.
Sunday, July 19, 2026: Arriving in Pennsylvania. The drive from Virginia to Pennsylvania took about four hours, with most of the trip following Interstate 81. We could tell when we crossed into Maryland and then West Virginia. Those short stretches of interstate did not seem to receive quite the same attention as the roads around them, but we made our way through both states and eventually reached the Pennsylvania line.
Almost as soon as we crossed into Pennsylvania, Beth and I both noticed how different the landscape looked. Huge farms stretched across the countryside, with field after field planted in crops—mostly corn. In some places, the farmland seemed to continue for miles. That peaceful agricultural scenery stayed with us until we left the interstate near Hershey.
As we continued toward our destination, the towns appeared clean and welcoming, with interesting sights lining the main roads along the way.
We arrived at Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country in Manheim, Pennsylvania. Since this had been a last-minute addition to our trip, our original reservations showed that we might need to move campsites a couple of times during our stay. Thankfully, the ranger checking us in was able to combine all our nights and keep us on one campsite in Section B. That was a pretty good way to begin our Pennsylvania Dutch Country adventure.
After getting settled into our campsite, we spent Sunday afternoon and evening relaxing around camp. It was a quiet ending to the travel day and gave us time to rest while planning the places we wanted to visit during the week.
Monday and Tuesday, July 20–21, 2026: were workdays for us, but Monday evening gave us our first opportunity to venture into town for supplies. We headed toward Lancaster along a route that we would soon learn was filled with many of the places and sights we would enjoy throughout the week.
Dinner that evening was at Oregon Dairy in Lititz, Pennsylvania. It was a neat stop that offered much more than a restaurant. The property included a grocery store, gift shop, ice cream shop, and a supply house carrying just about anything someone might need.
We chose the buffet for dinner, which left us completely full. Still, we managed to find room for a dessert we did not recognize. We were not exactly sure what was in it, but we knew it was delicious. We asked Kevin, our host, about it. He told us he had come from California to work at Oregon Dairy and jokingly said that when he tried to return home, he got lost in the Pennsylvania cornfields. The mystery dessert turned out to be shoofly pie, and it was simply delicious.
On the way back to camp after dinner, we stopped at one of the many roadside stands selling fresh-cut flowers. We picked out a beautiful bouquet and also purchased a bottle of homemade root beer—a simple roadside stop that gave us another taste of Pennsylvania Dutch Country.
Tuesday evening took us back to Lancaster to pick up a few supplies we had forgotten. A quick, last-minute decision landed us at Chili’s for dinner. We do not usually choose chain restaurants while traveling, but this time we were both craving it.
We each ordered a sampler and quickly realized we probably should have split just one. By the time we finished, we were completely stuffed. From there, it was back to camp to relax and get some rest, because the real adventures of our Pennsylvania Dutch Country visit would begin the next morning.
Wednesday, July 22, 2026: We began Wednesday at Country Gift & Thrift Shoppe in eastern Lancaster County.
Since this was our first time traveling through the heart of the Amish community, the drive itself became part of the experience. We encountered several horse-drawn buggies along the way, along with numerous Amish bicyclists sharing the road.
Once inside the shop, we found three floors packed with just about everything imaginable. There were clothes, hardware, books, household items, and much more. Despite the huge selection, everything was organized far better than what we normally expect to find in a thrift store, making it easy—and enjoyable—to explore.
As we continued through the countryside, we found ourselves wondering whether we would rather travel by horse and buggy or by our truck and trailer. Both certainly have their benefits, although each offers a very different pace of life.
Our next stop was Smucker’s Gourd Farm, where we met Sam and Mary Beth. The shop offered a huge selection of gourds grown right there on the farm, along with gifts, sundries, crafts, and plenty of good conversation.
Sam works the farm for his father-in-law. He took time to talk with us about our first visit to the area and was impressed that we had traveled from Tennessee. He asked what the land was like there, and we explained that parts of Pennsylvania felt somewhat similar, but Tennessee has much higher mountains that can often be seen from almost anywhere.
The elevation at the farm was around 469 feet. We told him that we live in the North Carolina mountains at about 3,333 feet, which made for an interesting comparison.
After our conversation, Sam needed to take care of some business in the barn, so Mary Beth stayed behind to mind the store while we gathered our purchases.
When we were ready to check out, she began ringing up our order on the register. At one point, she asked whether the word “dye” was spelled “due.” We confirmed that the key she was about to press said “dye,” and she continued entering the items. Our total came to just over $31, so I handed her $32. She carefully counted the money and then counted the change back to me. There was nothing unusual about the process. That is exactly how a purchase is supposed to work.
The remarkable part was that Mary Beth was doing it all herself—at just six years old.
As we finished checking out, Sam came back into the store and helped pack our purchases so everything would make the ride home safely.
Our next stop was Intercourse, Pennsylvania, where we had lunch at Amos’ Place. Even though we ordered what seemed like a fairly light meal, we both left completely full. We enjoyed the food, looked through the nearby shops, and resisted buying any baked goods since we still had several stops ahead of us.
From there, we continued to Kitchen Kettle Village, which felt like a small town within the town. Gift shops, restaurants, candy stores, handmade crafts, entertainment, and more filled the village. We spent time walking through the shops and made a couple of purchases before moving on.
Our final stop in the area was Bird-in-Hand Bake Shop in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania. The property had a little of everything, including a petting zoo, fresh homemade ice cream, and more baked goods than we could possibly choose from. We enjoyed some ice cream while we were there and selected a few baked treats to take back to camp. After successfully avoiding baked goods earlier in the day, we finally gave in—and this seemed like the perfect place to do it.
Thursday, July 23, 2026: We began the day at the Discover Lancaster Visitors Center, where we gathered brochures, maps, and information about the area. This is a very good first stop for anyone who has not traveled through Lancaster County before.
From there, we headed to the Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market, a large indoor market filled with locally made goods, crafts, foods, snacks, ice cream, and several counters offering meals.
Speaking of food, it was time for lunch, so we crossed the street to the Bird-in-Hand Bakery & Cafe. The weather was beautiful, allowing us to sit outside and enjoy the nearby store while waiting for our lunch to be prepared.
Just down the road, we found the Bird-in-Hand Artisan Village, another large collection of shops offering a wide variety of items for sale. One display was a working beehive. While this is not new, it is always fascinating to watch the bees working in the hive.
Leaving Bird-in-Hand, we headed toward the Mascot Roller Mills and Ressler Family Home.
Mascot Roller Mills is a preserved, water-powered grain mill located along Mill Creek. The property allows visitors to step back in time and learn how grain was processed into flour using machinery powered by flowing water.
Next to the mill stands the Ressler Family Home, an 1855 miller’s house that was occupied by three generations of the Ressler family. The home has been preserved much as it appeared when siblings Franklin and Anna Ressler lived there, offering a glimpse into rural family life during the early twentieth century. The home remained in the family until Anna Ressler’s death in 1992, helping preserve both the building and many of the family’s belongings. In fact, when Anna donated the property to be preserved, she set the rooms up exactly as she wanted them, and they are still displayed as she left them.
On the way back to camp, we stopped for dinner at Francesco’s. We both ordered our favorites. Fettuccini alfredo for me and spaghetti and the Italian sub for Beth. The food was great and plentiful, leaving leftovers.
Friday, July 24, 2026: Today was another workday, so we spent most of the day around camp.
That evening, we went to E& E Diner for diner. It was just around the corner from the campground.
Saturday, July 25, 2026
Saturday, July 25, 2026: We set out in search of a Pennsylvania community with a name that was very familiar to us. About an hour and a half later, we arrived in Telford! (Pennsylvania, that is.)
Although this Telford was very different from the small Tennessee community connected to our family, it was fun to visit another town carrying the same name.
Some fun facts about the Telfords: These are the only two towns in the United States named Telford. There was a Telford in Lincoln County, Washington, from 1908 to 1917, but it was renamed/incorporated into other communities. Telford, TN, has been named “Telford” longer than Telford, PA, though Telford, PA, was inhabited (under the name “County LIne) before Telford, TN. Telford, TN, was named for “Colonel” George Whitfield Telford, son of Thomas Telford (whose house still stands in Limestone; my dad worked with a man who lived in that house at one time; they used to carpool for their shifts at Burlington). Colonel Telford donated some of his land for the railroad. Colonel Telford had twelve daughters and no sons, thus no one to carry on the family name. The community changed the name to Telford to honor him and carry on his name. (Telford, TN, was formerly known as “Millwood” and was first called “Telford Depot”, though the “Depot” was later dropped.) Telford, PA, was named for Thomas Telford, a well-known civil engineer and stonemason. The oldest building in Telford, TN, was built by a stonemason from PA for Thomas Embree (the Embree house on Matthews Mill Rd, close to my stomping grounds). Telford, PA, is in two counties, Bucks and Montgomery, and is a tad bit larger than Telford, TN, with around 4800 residents, compared to around 900 in Telford, TN. Sorry lots of info; I love history!
We wanted lunch at the Telford Tavern. While we waiting in the adjacent store, Kevin let the clerks talk him out of it because they did not even know what time they would be opening.
So we headed for lunch at the Souderton Family Restaurant. The place had been suggested by some locals. Breakfast all day. We both ordered gravy and biscuits with our sides. Unfortunately, the gravy was not one of the highlights. We actually had a conversation about “northern” gravy compared to the gravy we were used to.
After lunch, we visited the old Telford Train Station. The railroad line through town was once part of the Reading Company’s Bethlehem Branch and later carried passenger trains. Although passenger service ended years ago, the line has continued to be used for freight traffic.
While exploring the area, we also came across a Buddhist temple. We did not expect to encounter a such a place on our search for Telford, making it one of the more unusual discoveries of the day. Not our thing, but this place stood out in the community.
On the drive back toward camp, we stopped at Fox Meadows Creamery. It was a busy place, but it turned out to be a great stop. Fox Meadows makes its ice cream on-site using milk from the family’s dairy farm. Along with ice cream, the creamery offers specialty desserts, cafe foods, and locally made products.
Sunday, July 26, 2026: We began at the Tanger Outlets, where we spent some time browsing the stores.
When lunchtime arrived, we headed toward Cabbage Hill Schnitzel Haus. From what we had seen beforehand, we expected to find a small, stand-alone restaurant that might be something of a hidden local dive. Instead, we arrived at Southern Market, a historic downtown building that now operates as a food hall with several different restaurant counters. Cabbage Hill Schnitzel Haus was one of those counters, serving German-inspired foods connected to Lancaster’s Cabbage Hill neighborhood.
Our next stop was Historic Rock Ford, located near the Conestoga River.
The centerpiece of the property is the circa-1794 home of General Edward Hand, an Irish-born physician and military officer who served as adjutant general to George Washington during the American Revolution. The Georgian-style mansion is considered one of Lancaster County’s best-preserved homes from the period.
The property also includes the John J. Snyder Jr. Gallery of Early Lancaster County Decorative Arts. Located in a restored bank barn, the gallery contains Lancaster County furniture, clocks, silver, ceramics, paintings, rifles, and other objects dating primarily from the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
On the way back to camp, we planned to stop at Aldi for a few groceries. That plan changed when the At Home store next door caught our attention. Sometimes the unplanned stops are the ones that take the longest.
After a full week exploring Pennsylvania Dutch Country, it was time to prepare for our next move. The following morning, we would leave Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country and continue our Pennsylvania adventure at Thousand Trails Hershey.
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