Volant, PA Travel Guide
Volant, PA Travel Guide
Plan Your Trip
Looking for things to do in Volant, PA?
This tiny Lawrence County town, about an hour north of Pittsburgh, packs more than 25 specialty shops onto a Main Street that's less than half a mile long, all built around a wooden gristmill from the early 1800s.
Just down the road, New Wilmington's Amish country fills the back roads with brown-topped buggies, roadside bakeries, quilt shops, and one of the last two covered bridges in the county.
Top Things to Do
1. Shop Volant's Main Street—More than 25 specialty shops selling antiques, candles, crafts, and Amish-made goods along one easy, walkable street.
2. Explore Volant Mills—Step inside a wooden gristmill from around 1812, with two-ton millstones and gears running through all three floors.
3. Take the New Wilmington Amish Country Driving Tour—A self-guided audio tour from New Wilmington's town square to Volant Mills, past Amish farms, shops, and buggies.
4. Drive Through Banks Covered Bridge—Built in 1889, it's one of only two covered bridges left in Lawrence County, and it's still open to traffic.
5. Pick a Cheese at the Cheese House—More than 100 kinds of cheese inside a building that, the story goes, started out as a roller rink.
6. Visit Apple Castle—A family orchard since 1861, now run by the sixth generation, known for Honeycrisp apples and fresh doughnuts.
7. Buy Amish Baked Goods—Roadside bakeries like Anna's Baked Goods, Donuts and More sell filled doughnuts, pies, and sticky buns (cash only).
8. Fly Fish Neshannock Creek—One of Pennsylvania's Keystone Select trout waters, with a full-service fly shop right on Volant's Main Street.
Download the Complete Travel Guide
Includes:
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✓ Complete travel guide
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✓ Printable map
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✓ One-day itinerary
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✓ Hidden gems
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✓ Travel tips
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✓ Offline access
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✓ Bonus recommendations not included on this page
Our Self Guided Tour
The New Wilmington Amish Country Driving Tour is a GPS-triggered audio tour that starts at the Tavern on the Square in New Wilmington and ends at Volant Mills. Without stopping, it takes about 30 to 45 minutes, but most visitors spend two to three hours with stops for cheese, apples, doughnuts, and quilts. Along the way, you'll hear the stories of the Byler Amish, their brown-topped buggies, and the mill that saved Volant.
Free Things to Do
1. Volant Main Street—Browsing the shops costs nothing; buying is optional.
2. Volant Mills—Free to walk in and see the old milling machinery up close.
3. Banks Covered Bridge—Drive through or pull over safely for photos.
4. The Cheese House and Apple Castle—Free to walk in; you only pay for what you take home.
5. Westminster College—Drive past one of the first colleges in America to teach women and men together.
THINGS WITH ADMISSION FEES:
1. Simple Life Amish Tours—A two-hour guided van tour of Amish farms and businesses near New Wilmington, priced by group size (about $100 for two people).
2. Route 208 15-Mile Yard Sale—An August yard sale stretching from Volant through New Wilmington, with a small donation that supports the local fire department.
3. Neshannock Creek Fly Shop—Fly fishing lessons and kids' camps on Main Street (a Pennsylvania fishing license is required to fish).
Food!
The Tavern on the Square
A restored 1849 doctor's home on New Wilmington's town square, serving farm-to-table meals since the restaurant first opened in 1931.
Georgetown Eats
A farm restaurant near Volant known for scratch-made dinners and Sunday brunch; reservations are recommended.
Rachel's Roadhouse
A classic Pennsylvania roadhouse on Perry Highway near Volant, known for steaks, zucchini fries, and homemade peanut butter pie.
Where to Stay
Luxury
Tara – A Country Inn—a historic inn in Clark, about 30 minutes north, with themed rooms, fine dining, and afternoon tea. Roughly 200-350/night.
Moderate
The Inn on Market (across from Westminster College in New Wilmington) and The Jacqueline House of Wilmington—both cozy bed-and-breakfasts with homemade breakfast. Roughly 150-250/night.
Budget
Hampton Inn & Suites Grove City and Holiday Inn Express Grove City—both about 10 minutes from Volant, near the Grove City Premium Outlets and Interstate 79. Roughly 110-180/night.
1 Day Itinerary
1-DAY ITINERARY:
Morning: Take the New Wilmington Amish Country Driving Tour, starting at the Tavern on the Square.
Afternoon: Finish at Volant Mills, then walk Volant's Main Street and grab lunch in town.
Evening: Dinner at Rachel's Roadhouse or Georgetown Eats.
2-DAY ITINERARY:
Day 2: Book a guided Simple Life Amish Tour of the back roads, or spend the morning fly fishing Neshannock Creek.
Extra Time: Shop the Grove City Premium Outlets about 10 minutes away, or drive about 30 minutes south to McConnells Mill State Park for its gorge, gristmill, and 1874 covered bridge.
FAQ's
1. What is Volant, PA best known for?
Volant is best known for its small-town shopping village—more than 25 shops built around a wooden gristmill from the early 1800s—surrounded by the Amish farms of the New Wilmington settlement.
2. Do I need tickets or reservations?
Not for the shops, the mill, or the driving tour. Guided Amish tours should be booked ahead, and some local restaurants, like Georgetown Eats, recommend reservations.
3. Where do I park in Volant?
Park in the lot just past Volant Mills on Main Street, then explore on foot. The whole shopping strip is less than half a mile long.
4. Are the shops open on Sundays?
Volant's Main Street shops usually keep shorter Sunday afternoon hours, but most Amish shops on the back roads close on Sundays. Plan Amish shopping for Monday through Saturday.
5. Should I bring cash?
Yes. Most Amish bakeries, grocery stores, and quilt shops take cash only.
6. Can I take photos of the Amish?
Photograph the buggies and countryside, not the people. Many Amish prefer not to have their faces photographed for reasons of humility.
7. Can an RV or camper drive the covered bridge?
No. Banks Covered Bridge only fits vehicles shorter than 8 feet 9 inches and lighter than 12 tons. Taller vehicles can take Gerber Road and Route 168 into Volant instead.
8. What should I know about driving in Amish country?
Watch for horse-drawn buggies, especially on hills, around curves, and near dusk. Slow down early, give them plenty of room, and pass only when it's clearly safe.
9. When are Volant's biggest events?
The Route 208 15-Mile Yard Sale runs each August, and Christmas on Main Street and the Christmas Cookie Crawl kick off the holiday season each November.
10. How far is Volant from Pittsburgh?
About 50 miles, or roughly an hour's drive north.
Recommended Tours
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