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A shopping trip to Amish country is the perfect holiday and long weekend getaway! The pace of life is slower in Amish country. It offers a chance to finally enjoy the scenery and the time to do it. There aren’t many highways, so you have no choice but to take the back roads and see where they lead you! They may lead you to unique shops only found in Amish county. There is ample opportunity to discover those unusual items perfect for the person that has everything.
Lehmans even sells special blankets meant to keep your clothes clean and dry while riding in a buggy! © Emily Householder- Stacey
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Lehmans
Lehmans is a huge store that sells everything. Here, you’ll find all kinds of gourmet food and candy, from old-fashioned toys to candle-making supplies. I can’t walk out of Lehmans without an antique toy for my toddler and a cool, old-fashioned gadget for my husband. You could easily spend 3 hours just walking around and looking at all the cool stuff. Luckily, there is a cafe inside if you get hungry or thirsty from all that gazing!
The downtown area of Berlin, Ohio is very walkable, but parking is scarce. Definitely ditch your car if you can! Photo courtesy of S. Clyde, Nat’l Scenic Byways Online, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Downtown Berlin
Berlin, Ohio is a small town that is located near the center of Amish Country, which makes it a perfect place to set up camp if you are staying for a weekend. The downtown area is full of really cute and uncommon shops. You can find anything from quilts to handmade, wooden furniture and decorations, wind chimes, and candles.
My mom likes to park in the public parking at either end of downtown then work her way down one side of the street, and hit the other side on the way back. My husband and I prefer to park in the center of downtown so we can easily take our purchases back to the car.
The Berlin Craft Mall
The Berlin Craft Mall is probably my favorite place to shop in all of Ohio. It’s one big building with stands from a bunch of local artisans and crafters. Anything you could ever want that can be homemade, you can probably find at the craft mall. If you are short on time and you are looking to get a lot of different things quickly, this would be the place! Every time my husband and I go there, I end up talking myself into and then backing out of a handmade wooden porch swing.
The craft mall shares a parking lot with a large antique store. Additionally, there are many stores in a nearby plaza to check out as well as a self-guided tour of a traditional Amish home.
‘Tis the Season
As you might have guessed, Tis the Season is a huge Christmas store. I can’t stress the word HUGE enough. Every kind of ornament or decoration you can imagine is available for purchase. If you are low on decorations, then this is the store for you! If you want to buy all new ornaments so they are color-coded and match, Tis the Season would be the place to do that. Or, if you are adding a second or third tree, I won’t judge you, and this is the place to make that happen. Also, if you aren’t visiting during the holidays, don’t worry, Tis the Season is open year-round.
Where to Eat in Amish Country
I have a few favorites in Amish Country. Mrs Yoders Kitchen has an excellent lunch buffet, where you can stuff yourself full of the best-fried chicken in the state. Der Dutchman has the best deserts and the best donuts. Make sure you try a fry pie! If you find yourself in town on a Sunday, when most restaurants are closed, check out Bags Sports Pub in Sugarcreek.
I think I have now consumed like 4 whole chickens at Mrs. Yoders and I’m not sorry.
My husband is a big kid at heart, so when I suggested we stay in a treehouse for our honeymoon he was totally on board!
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When You Go
Getting To Amish Country
To get to Ohio’s Amish Country from Southern California, you can fly into Akron/Canton Airport or Cleveland. Akron/Canton is closer, but it’s a small airport so it can be hard to get a flight there. Either way, you will definitely need to rent a car. There are, not surprisingly, no Ubers in Amish Country.
Lodging in Amish Country
On the outskirts of Berlin are treehouses. This is where my husband and I stayed for our honeymoon! They are really romantic. They featured 2 person soaking tubs, and they even gave us bubble bath and robes. It was the perfect retreat after our wedding. We stayed at the Lofty Willow, but there is more than one place that offers treehouses in the area.
The Dutch Host Inn is a cute hotel located in Sugarcreek. They offer packages that include dinner, breakfast, and a bunch of goodies from around the area. They are a great bargain!
Hotel not your thing? There are many cabins and cottages in Amish country available to rent.
Booking.com has a wide range of tested options and you could read the reviews from past guests.
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