Amish Autumn Tour

"Pennsylvania Quilt Extravaganza"

Day 1
Philadelphia PA

Independence Hall in Philadelphia
Independence Hall in Philadelphia

Check in (after 3:30pm) to the Wyndham Philadelphia Historic District located in the heart of the historic Old City.

The hotel is within easy walking distance to restaurants, shopping and famous historic landmarks. Meet your tour escort in the Coin’s Pub located in the hotel lobby for a get acquainted drink. Dinner is recommended at the “Common Wealth Old City” just a few blocks from the hotel.

Day 2
Lancaster County PA

Winterthur Museum & Gardens
Winterthur Museum & Gardens

Credit: Winterthur Museum

Breakfast in the hotel then meet your local tour guide at 9:00 a.m. and depart on a 2 hour walking tour of Americas most historic area. Your tour includes Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Betsy Ross House and Christ Church.

Depart Philly for the hours drive to the idyllic Brandywine Valley. Lunch in nearby Chadds Ford at Hanks Place known for home-style cooking.

After lunch take a short drive for an experience that will rate as one of the main highlights of the tour, the Winterthur Museum. This former country estate of the DuPont family is one of the premier museums of American decorative Arts. You will be treated to a a custom tour by a local docent for a “behind the scenes” viewing of priceless antique quilts and select rooms of the house showcasing the quilts.

Late afternoon departure for Lancaster County. Proceed to Intercourse, Pennsylvania located in the midst of Amish farmland. Check in at the Best Western Plus Intercourse Village Inn & Suites, your home for the next three nights. We suggest dinner at the historic Revere Tavern in the village of Paradise. (B)

Day 3
Lancaster County PA

Amish Country
Amish Country

Utente:TheCadExpert/GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0

After breakfast take the short drive to Lancaster; we have a appointment with the Lancaster Historical Society for a “White Glove Tour”, a private showing of Amish Antique Quilts, led by a museum curator.

Proceed to the “Central Market” which has been busy from early this morning. Take in the sights, sounds and smells of this oldest enclosed market in the country. Explore the Lancaster historic area on your own or lunch at one of the many restaurants near the market. After lunch take a short afternoon drive to Denver, Pa. to shop at the best fabric store in the Amish area “Burkholders Fabrics”.

Return to your hotel to relax . Dinner on your own at one of the nearby local restaurants. (B)

Day 4
Lancaster County PA

Amish Quilt
Amish Quilt

Serge Melki/CC BY 2.0

Breakfast at your hotel then meet our local tour guide this morning for some intensive and fascinating quilt touring. Travel through the scenic countryside and arrive shortly in the village of Intercourse, a great place to sample the area’s arts and crafts.

Zook’s Fabric Store, is known for their large selection of fabrics with good prices. Close by is The Old Country Store known for great fabrics as well as quilts.

A short drive down scenic country lanes takes us to Country Lane Quilts, a hidden gem, where Katie Stoltzfuss has offered authentic, handmade quilts from the area for almost 20 years. Here you will find a choice of hundreds of beautiful Amish quilts and all variety of fabric creations and price ranges.

Lunch will be in the quaint village of Strasburg at the “Strasburg Creamery”. After lunch continue on your travels through the countryside passing the Amish buggies driven by the Amish men with their long beards, wearing all black with big straw hats. Fay will provide information on the history of the area and the Amish. You are encouraged to ask questions about their education, church services, transportation or how the Amish relate to “The English” and the outside world. Tonight enjoy dinner and conversation with a Amish family. The family shares their home with you and may entertain us with Amish songs. (B, D)

Day 5
Phoenixville PA (Valley Forge)

Say goodbye to Lancaster county. Today will be filled with shopping – on to Berks County and the Oley Valley. Oley was settled by Germans and French Huguenots in the late 1600 and 1700’s. Once home to Mordecai Lincoln, great grandfather of Abraham and also once home to Daniel Boone. Oley has a little jewel of a fabric shop named “Ladyfingers”.

We will have a lunch break at a local cafe then depart for “Philadelphia Premium Outlets” with over 160 outlet stores.

Your hotel is a short drive away in Phoenixville where your accommodations will be at the Hampton Inn & Suites. Your hotel is conveniently located in a business park close to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, where the Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza takes place. Check in and enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure. There are several places within walking distance for dinner. (B)

Day 6
Phoenixville PA

Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza
Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza

Credit: Pennsylvania Relief Sale

Breakfast at your hotel then depart for a full day at the quilt show (10am to 6pm).

The Pennsylvania National Quilt Extravaganza is the largest and most prominent quilt arts event in the northeast, all under one roof. The exhibits at the Extravaganza will offer over 600 quilts and garments presented in gallery style as well as more than 200 vendor booths offering everything from completed quilts and garments to supplies and equipment used in making them. The quilt competition features wonderful entries from throughout the nation. The “Extravaganza” will not disappoint you. Just imagine the thousands of like minded people descending on the Expo Center, all with QUILTING on their mind. The visitors are from all walks of life and they come from all corners of the world.

You are already preregistered so you can just go right in. The hotel provides a shuttle so when you get tired just give them a call (no charge) or it is just a 10 walk to the hotel.

We meet at 6:30pm for a final get together of the group for a candlelit dinner in a charming 18th century inn: The Historic General Warren Inne known for their fine dining and atmosphere. (B)

Day 7
Philadelphia - Home

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel then transfer to Philadelphia International Airport for your flight home. (B)