Amish Buggies in Lancaster County: What to Know Before You Ride

If you're planning a trip to Pennsylvania Dutch Country, chances are Amish buggies in Lancaster County are already on your mind.

These horse-drawn carriages aren't a tourist prop—they're daily transportation for one of the largest Amish communities in the world, and seeing one roll down a country road is one of the most memorable parts of visiting Lancaster.

Lancaster County has been home to Amish and Mennonite families since the 1720s, when they arrived seeking religious freedom and found rich limestone soil perfect for farming. Their descendants still farm the same land today, and the horse-drawn buggy remains central to how many Plain Community families get around.

TAKE A SELF-GUIDED TOUR OF LANCASTER:

Before or after you see the buggies out in the countryside, the Goot Essa Walking Tour is a great way to understand where that Plain Community food culture actually lands in the city.

This self-guided audio tour covers just over half a mile of downtown Lancaster, tracing the same market-day path Amish and Mennonite farmers have walked since the 1720s—right up to Lancaster Central Market, where their descendants still sell today.

Along the way you'll learn:

1. How Central Market has run on the same Tuesday, Friday, Saturday schedule since 1730

2. Which downtown buildings once supplied Amish farmers with tools and hardware

3. Where Pennsylvania Dutch classics like shoofly pie actually came from

Check out the Goot Essa Walking Tour here.

WHERE TO SEE AMISH BUGGIES:

Buggies are a common sight on the back roads outside downtown Lancaster, especially around Bird-in-Hand, Intercourse, and Strasburg. Several operators offer guided buggy rides through working farmland:

1. Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides—Rides down private Amish roads through non-commercial working farms, with options for shorter or longer routes.

2. Abe's Buggy Rides—Routes through Amish farmland near Bird-in-Hand, passing homesteads and historic sites.

3. AAA Buggy Rides—Several route options, including a covered-bridge ride and a farm tour where you can step out and explore.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO:

1. Amish farms and homes are private property. Buggy tours and organized farm visits are the respectful way to experience the culture up close—driving up to a private farm uninvited is not.

2. Buggies share the road with cars. If you're driving through the countryside, slow down well in advance and pass only when it's clearly safe.

3. Photography of Amish individuals is generally discouraged, since many in the community avoid being photographed for religious reasons. Photographing the buggy or landscape from a respectful distance is usually fine.

PLAN YOUR TRIP:

Want to see where the story continues downtown? Our full Lancaster travel guide covers where to eat, where to stay, and how to spend a day or two between the countryside and Central Market.

Check out our Lancaster travel guide to plan your trip.