Visit Bird-in-Hand PA

Welcome to the Quaint Village Named “Bird-in-Hand”

Visit Bird-in-Hand, PA and you’ll find a small Amish country village that still looks and feels like it did a century ago. Buggies share Route 340 (Old Philadelphia Pike) with cars, scooters roll past farm stands, and the Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market anchors the village center. It makes an easy base for the rest of Lancaster County.

Where is Bird-in-Hand, PA?

Where is Bird-in-Hand, PA? The village sits on Route 340 in the heart of Lancaster County, about 7 miles east of Lancaster city and about 4 miles west of Intercourse. Route 30 is roughly 1.5 miles to the south. That puts Sight & Sound Theatres, Dutch Wonderland, Strasburg Rail Road, and the Rockvale and Tanger outlets within a short drive.

Amish Experiences

Bird-in-Hand is one of the best places in the county for Bird-in-Hand PA Amish experiences. The Amish Experience offers tours of an Amish homestead and one-room school, plus a theater show, Jacob’s Choice. You can also take a buggy ride through the farmland with Aaron & Jessica’s Buggy Rides.

How Did Bird-in-Hand, PA Get Its Name?

Bird-in-Hand is likely named for an 18th-century inn sign. As Merriam-Webster defines it, “it is better to hold onto something one has than to risk losing it by trying to get something better.” The inn was named as such because when travelling from Philadelphia (or points east) and making it as far as Bird-in-Hand, you could either find lodging there (a bird in the hand) or continue traveling to find lodging in the larger town of Lancaster (two in the bush). In the 1700s, many travelers and residents in this area spoke different languages. Early inns often took their names from an image they could paint on their sign that would be recognizable in any language, such as a blue ball, a white horse, or a hand holding a bird. Later, the communities that grew around these inns often took on the name of their local inn, such as the villages of Blue Ball, White Horse, and Bird-in-Hand. Note that even though they end up being used interchangeably, technically, the town of Bird-in-Hand and Bird-in-Hand Corporation are separate entities.

Enjoy Your Visit to Bird-in-Hand!

Bird-in-Hand is surrounded by rolling Amish farmlands. You’ll frequently see the Amish ride through town in their buggies or on scooters. You’ll also encounter them in local shops, at the Bird-in-Hand Farmers Market, and occasionally at the Bird-in-Hand Restaurant & Smorgasbord. There’s several places in town where you can take a ride on a horse and buggy!

For visitors to Lancaster County, Bird-in-Hand offers a drastic contrast to the suburban sprawl and congested highways back home. Bird-in-Hand is one Lancaster County village you won’t want to miss! This quiet little crossroads village of shops is located along Route 340 (Old Philadelphia Pike) approximately 7 miles east of Lancaster City and 4 miles west of the village of Intercourse, Pennsylvania. It’s only 1.5 miles north of Route 30 East, so even though you’re in Amish Country, you’re not far from many nearby attractions.

Below are many of the businesses you’ll find in Bird-in-Hand, Ronks, Smoketown, and the surrounding countryside.