Visiting Ohio's Amish Country: A Guide from Tuscarawas County

Ohio has the largest Amish population in the world, and its heart, around Holmes County, sits roughly thirty to forty-five minutes west of Uhrichsville. That makes our cottage an easy, quieter base for a day in Amish Country without staying in the busiest tourist towns. Here is how we point guests.

The main towns

The heart of it runs through Berlin, Walnut Creek, and Millersburg, with Sugarcreek (the "Little Switzerland of Ohio") on the Tuscarawas County side, closest to the cottage. Each is a cluster of bakeries, cheese houses, furniture and quilt shops, and family-style restaurants. You can hit two or three in a relaxed day.

What to actually do

• Eat family-style: the big draw is the food, fried chicken, roast beef, real mashed potatoes, and pie, served family-style at the country restaurants.
• Cheese and bakeries: stop at a cheese house for fresh curds and samples, and a bakery for fry pies and bread.
• Furniture and crafts: Amish Country is known for solid handmade furniture, quilts, and woodwork, worth a look even if you are just browsing.
• Backroads driving: half the experience is the drive itself, rolling farm country and horse-and-buggy traffic. Slow down and give buggies plenty of room.

Pair it with Tuscarawas County

Because the cottage is in Uhrichsville, you can pair an Amish Country day with the local sights closer to home: the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum, the Warther Museum in Dover, and the historic German settlement at Zoar Village. It makes for a full, easy weekend without long drives.

When to go

Fall is the classic season, harvest, color, and festivals, but it is also the busiest. Spring and summer are green and calmer, and the food is just as good year-round. Winter is quiet and cozy, a good match for a fireplace-and-day-trips weekend.

Next: the Polar Express and Tuscarawas County guide →