Mike was wonderful! He grew up amongst the Amish and Mennonites, so he clearly knows their ‘real’ story beyond the outside world assumptions. Learning about how they’ve progressed and tried to keep up with the modern world while still respecting their individual and communal traditions was fascinating! Mike is open and honest so come ready with questions!
He also has individual ear phones so everyone can hear him clearly no matter where you are on the van or at each site.
Our only drawback - which isn’t Mike fault - was with the rain, we basically ran from the van into a barn, met some animals and then went to the next spot. If the weather was better, walking around the full farms and having the chance to possibly meet and chat with the Amish would have made this an actually immersive experience. With not interacting with any Amish beyond the stores, it was not as unique as we had hoped for. So my suggestion would be, if the weather isn’t looking good, try to rebook for another day so you can actually get the full immersive experience.
The van is extremely clean and easy for all passengers with the high ceiling. There is a large step into the van, but Mike is prepared with a sturdy steel stool for everyone to use.
There are bathrooms at the visitor center where you meet - but they are not open for the morning tours as they begin too early. Mike made a group stop across the street at Sheetz so everyone was ready for the tour! There are also bathrooms available at the creamery and country store during the tour.
Mike came prepared with umbrellas as well for anyone who needed them and was conscious of the temp in the van and made sure everyone was comfortable.
Overall - it would have been an amazing experience had we actually had the opportunity to chat with families and their kids. Having brought 2 kiddos myself, had they had a chance to say hi to other kids they would have been more engaged.
We would do the Amish meal next time to have a more personal experience.
Réponse de l'hôte
May 2022
Thanks for the comprehensive review. We do our best to manage every detail, but of course the weather is out of our control, and it did become particularly unpleasant that day. Sorry for the impact that had on the experience, but it's nice to hear you appreciated everything otherwise. We would love to have you back for a meal and some up-close contact with the Amish.