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Learn about the lives and beliefs of the Amish and Mennonite people as you explore the history, customs and culture of this farming community.

The Amish people emigrated from Switzerland to the United States at the end of the 17th century due to religious persecution. Once a small colony, their population in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania has doubled to about 18,000 in 20 years. Visitors will find farmers working the land as their forefathers did, without motorized equipment or modern conveniences. Driving through the rolling farmlands you will see lovely sights of corn and tobacco fields, classic barns and silos, and cows grazing on rolling hillsides. Horse drawn buggies transport the local residents, and roadside farm stands run on the honor system!

A good place to begin your tour is The Mennonite Information Center at 2209 Millstream Road between Strasburg and Smokestown (717/299-0954). This educational center offers an overview of the life and beliefs of the Amish people in the 30-minute, 3-screen movie "Who Are the Amish?" and a walk-through exhibit about both the Amish and Mennonite religions. You can arrange a same-day guided tour, in which a local MIC guide will ride with you, show you the area and authentic businesses, and answer all your questions. Additionally, you can locate listings of Mennonite-run tourist and working farm homes.

Lancaster

Busy Lancaster is in the heart of Amish Country and 45 minutes from Hershey. Stop at The Pennsylvania Dutch Visitors Center at 501 Greenfield Road for info and maps of this historic town dating from the early 1700's. Don't miss the Central Market (717/735-6890) the country's oldest farmer's market, on Tuesdays and Fridays (6am to 4:00pm) and on Saturdays (6am-2pm) held at Penn Square at the intersection of King and Queen Streets. Here, you can purchase regional produce, flowers, meats, candies, jams, baked goods and Amish crafts at the oldest publicly owned farmer's market, dating from the 1730's. For a completely different shopping experience, there is a huge outlet shopping mall at the intersection of Routes 30 and 896. Note that most traditional businesses are closed on Sunday.

If you're exploring the Central Market on Friday or Saturday, you may want to catch a late morning performance at Hole in the Wall Puppet Theatre (717/394-8398) two blocks away. Shows tend to run just over half an hour and include child-friendly titles like "Rumplestiltskin," "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" and "Peter Pan."

Dutch Wonderland will keep the kids entertained, as the Kingdom for Kids, priding themselves on "making firsts happen" like first roller coaster rides, first tastes of cotton candy, and the first time driving a car. The grand opening for the 46th Season is on May 2-3, 2009, and will feature a performance by hometown celebrity, Isaiah Smith, who was a finalist on ABC's hit show "High School Musical: Get in the Picture." This is a complimentary performance with paid entrance to the park. Other stage shows include Thomas & Friends Live, a favorite, and Beyond the Castle Walls, following Princess Brooke and her friends.

The park has many great attractions like the new high-dive show, A Dragon's Tale, which follows Queen Gwinneth and Puff, her pet dragon. With her dragons help, the Queen must defend her kingdom from the evil wizard and his knights. This show will be on a rotational schedule with the park's existing show, The Adventures of the Frog Prince. Another new attraction is the Twister, a circular-motion ride for the entire family. The ride spins guests horizontally, and then fluctuates in a wavelike manner. After enjoying the rides, be sure to check out the new carry-out restaurant at the park, which includes Tex Mex options like quesadillas and tacos. Kids 2 and under are free.