Enjoy an Amish Thanksgiving During an Extended Weekend in Lancaster County

Key Takeaways: Thanksgiving in Amish Country

• A Different Kind of Holiday: The Amish celebrate Thanksgiving with a focus on family, religious customs, and hearty feasts, typically without modern distractions like television or sports.
• Fall is Wedding Season: October through December is the peak time for Amish weddings. These massive community events often involve hundreds of guests and require even more preparation than the Thanksgiving meal itself.
• Where to Feast: Popular local spots like Miller’s Smorgasbord and Smokehouse at Plain & Fancy Farm offer traditional Thanksgiving menus and “to-go” options, though reservations fill up months in advance.
• The “Amish Turkey” Defined: An Amish turkey is locally sourced and raised on a Lancaster County farm, often (but not always) free-range, providing a fresh alternative to grocery store birds.
• Perfect Holiday Home Base: Located near top attractions like Sight & Sound Theatre, AmishView Inn & Suites offers the ideal setting for a holiday getaway with breathtaking views of the harvest landscape.

While October’s peak foliage attracts many visitors to the area, soon guests will have holidays on their minds and we can’t think of a better destination than Lancaster County for a celebration of blessings and bountiful harvests! We have rooms and suites offering breathtaking fall views of Amish Country, so make sure to book with us.

Do Amish Celebrate Thanksgiving?

Occasionally, visitors ask if the Amish celebrate Thanksgiving. Yes, they celebrate Thanksgiving Day with turkey dinners and family gatherings in perhaps a more subdued manner, centered around religious customs and without football on TV.

Autumn is Wedding Season

The fall is better known as the wedding season among the Amish than as a time for the singular Thanksgiving feast. Daily devotions and From October through December, Amish weddings take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, usually in the home of the bride.

Hundreds of guests attend each wedding. As you can imagine, meal preparations for such a gathering are formidable.

Amish fall weddings require much more meal planning, preparation, and participation than that which is required on Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving in Amish Country

This menu from the Smithsonian American Art Museum shows the meal plan for Thanksgiving in 1905: mashed potatoes, English plum pudding, Charlotte Russe dessert, and, of course, turkey.

Here are a few ideas on where to find an equally tasty (if not more so) Thanksgiving meal in Lancaster:

Smokehouse at Plain & Fancy Farm will be open on Thanksgiving serving its Thanksgiving menu only. To make reservations, call (717) 768-4400 . Additionally, they are offering a gobbler-to-go option (Thanksgiving takeout meal). Call 717-419-1337 to place a pre-order for pick up on Thanksgiving day. See their website for menu and pricing for Thanksgiving.

Miller’s Smorgasbord (3.5 miles) serves a delicious Thanksgiving buffet with all the comfort foods you’d expect as well as PA Dutch favorites. Reservations fill quickly so call 800-669-3568 as soon as you can. Thanksgiving menu and pricing can be found on their website.

What is an Amish Turkey?

You might hear some travelers talk about enjoying an Amish turkey in Lancaster County. An Amish turkey is just a turkey raised on an Amish farm. While it can often mean the turkey has been raised free-range, that is not always the case.

If you crave a farm-raised, free-range turkey on Thanksgiving Day, make inquiries at the venue of your choosing to ensure your bird is sourced locally and has been raised in that manner.

Family Thanksgiving Weekend or Intimate Getaway

Since 2003, AmishView Inn & Suites has welcomed visitors to Amish Country. Many visitors stay with us because we’re conveniently located near popular Amish attractions, as well as well-known theater venues such as Sight & Sound Theatre (3.1 miles) and American Music Theatre (4.8 miles).

Whether your entire family plans to spend an extended weekend near Thanksgiving or you’re a couple seeking an intimate getaway over the holiday, AmishView Inn has accommodations to suit your needs and your budget.