Things to Do in January in Amish Country, Ohio
- Visit Amish country to see a different type of lifestyle first-hand.amish travel image by Pix by Marti from Fotolia.com
Amish country in Ohio spreads over five counties in east central Ohio, with the center of the area located in Holmes County. You need to visit for several days to take in all the area has to offer. Amish country is filled with gift shops, antique stores and cottage businesses run by the Amish. Most of the businesses are open every day except Sundays. When visiting Amish country in Ohio during the month of January, the business hours are shorter, but there are still many activities to do and sights to see. - Alpine Homestead in Wilmont, Ohio, is home to the "World's Largest Cuckoo Clock" and also has the second largest cuckoo clock retail shop. The outdoor clock is closed during the winter months but the shop is open year-round. If you like cuckoo clocks, it is definitely worth the visit. A tour of the Amish countryside is not complete without a trip to Behalt in Berlin, Ohio. Behalt is the Amish and Mennonite Heritage Center where tours are given to explain the Amish way of life from the Anabaptist beliefs in Switzerland to the present-day lifestyle.
- The food in Amish country restaurants is prepared to reflect the German-Swiss heritage throughout the region. Der Dutchman, in Walnut Creek and Sugarcreek features authentic Amish home-style cooking and fresh-baked pies daily. Farmstead Restaurant in Berlin offers a full-service menu and a buffet. Farmstead Restaurant is open throughout the week and also on Sundays.
Troyer Country Market in Millersburg lines the shelves with homemade jams, relishes, pickles and more for you to take home when you are done touring Amish country. The store offers meats and cheeses as well. You can buy Amish cookbooks and try some of the recipes at home. - Whether you are looking for a gas-powered refrigerator or a good bottle of wine, the shops in Amish country offer something for everyone. Lehman's Hardware in Kidron, Ohio, carries a full range of products from cast-iron stoves to cookbooks. The store also features a cafe in the middle of the 32,000-square-foot building.
The Village of Sugarcreek is also known as the "Little Switzerland of Ohio" and the shops lining the streets offer everything from hand-crafted furniture to locally made wines and cheeses. The winter hours for most of the shops are shorter, and many are not open on Sundays.
Stop in the Amish Door Village when visiting Wilmont, Ohio. Amish Door Village shops offer a collection of cottage industry products. - Amish country in Ohio offers a wide variety of accommodations to choose from when staying for a night or even a weekend. There are several traditional hotels and motels in the Dover-New Philadelphia area and also many bed & breakfast accommodations in Wilmont, Berlin and Sugarcreek. Gramma Young's Guesthouse offers daily, weekly and monthly rates for a two-bedroom house with a complete kitchen within walking distance of downtown Millersburg. Guggisberg Swiss Inn also has a horse stable on the premises, which offers winter sleigh rides through the countryside.
