Taking a Tour
Discover the countryside and learn about Amish life on a private guided tour of Shipshewana Amish Country. Go beyond myths and stereotypes with a knowledgeable local guide who shares real insight into Amish culture and daily life.
Enjoy a relaxed drive through rolling farmland filled with horse-and-buggy traffic, family farms, and small businesses. Your guide rides in your vehicle (or ours for an additional $50 charge; maximum 3-4 guests) and customizes the tour to your interests and pace.
Cost with your vehicle is $40 per hour, minimum 3 hours ($120). (This is the total cost, not per person cost). These are custom tours; you choose the starting time and length of the tour and you choose the date. No tours can be given on Sundays.
Learn about Amish clothing, schools, worship, and transportation, and deeper topics such as religious beliefs, rumspringa, courtship and marriage, birth and death, and differences between Amish groups. Questions are welcome throughout the tour.
Suggested stops include an Amish general store, cheese shop, bakery, and Amish country market for goodies to take home. Additional stops may be added by request as time allows—shop for baskets, leather goods, rag rugs, books, wooden toys, birdfeeders, popcorn, furniture, quilts, or fabrics. Add seasonal stops such as quilt gardens, greenhouses, produce stands, or an Amish farm. Choose your stops, or let Gary or Sue plan the route.
Or choose a theme and we'll plan around that:
- Intro to Amish Indiana
- A Deeper Dive into Amish Indiana (lots more culture and Q&A)
- Locally Made
- Farm & Garden (May thru October)
- Quilting & Crafts
- Sue's Quirky Favorites (lots of local history)
- The Foodie Tour (bring a cooler)
- The Husband-Friendly Tour (no quilts or girly stuff)
- Grandpa Gary's Kid-Friendly Tour
Questions? See the FAQ section below.
More Things to Know
- If you're visiting from the Chicago area - we're in the Eastern Time Zone , so you'll lose an hour driving over.
- For Amish buggy rides, check with shipshewanabuggyrides.com.
- For a meal in an Amish home with our friend Leah, see this link.
- See the photo gallery below, if you want to get a feel for the area.
- To book Susan as a step-on guide for your bus tour, contact us.
- Tours start and end at the Shipshewana Visitor's Center at 350 S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN, unless other arrangements have been made.
We've welcomed visitors from many places
We have welcomed tour guests from all over the United States, as well as Canada, Spain, Germany, Austria, Finland, Hungary, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Australia, Venezuela, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan. We have hosted diplomats, professional photographers and artists, college students doing a cultural project, contest winners, and every kind of family or friends group!
Quotes from Online customer reviews
"We toured six states and we all agreed when we got home that the Amish tour was our favorite part of our trip. Susan was so knowledgeable about everything and she knew so many Amish families, so we got to see way more than we ever thought we would."
"We had the most amazing tour with Gary through Amish Country. The private tour is the absolute way to go. We learned so much about how the Amish live and were able to ask so many questions. I highly recommend this experience to anyone. 5 stars for sure! "
" I wouldn’t have ever considered hiring a personal guide because that sounded expensive, but actually it was so worth it... Instead of me looking things up to answer my family’s questions, I had a walking encyclopedia right there the whole time."
"Susan provided us with a great morning sharing her knowledge as we visited many local shops and stores, schools, and sites. Her conversational narratives were informative and always interesting. I would recommend her services without reservation."
"I had the privilege of taking Susan's Amish tour not once, but twice – once with my husband and another with my family visiting from Southeast Asia... Susan's passion and knowledge shone through as she shared captivating stories about Amish culture."
"If you want to immerse yourself in the local Amish community, learn about the people and culture, and meet with some of the greatest folks in the area - hire Sue (I’m sure Gary is wonderful, too!). She spent the day with us and was a fountain of knowledge."
Frequently Asked Questions
If you don't find an answer to your question here, reach out to us via the "Contact Us" page.
No. Your vehicle is used, with your guide (Gary or Susan) in the front passenger seat. Or, use our vehicle (SUV, maximum 3-4 guests plus driver/guide) for an additional $50 charge.
Or if you have a larger group, rent a van through Good Times Rental in Middlebury - google them for more information - and your guide will meet you in the Good Times Rental parking lot and we can start and end the tour there.
Pay for your tour at the end of the tour - via cash, check, Venmo, or Zelle.
Yes, definitely! Q&A is our favorite part of a tour. Ask Gary or Susan anything you want, and they probably have the answer.
That's up to you. Our tours are private and customized, so you have plenty of input on the pace of the tour and what stops are included.
Some Amish businesses are cash or check only, and others take credit cards for an extra fee, so it's a good idea to have cash on hand. Also, consider bringing a cooler, since there are plenty of goodies to take home.
Photography is allowed as long as Amish people are not included; having their picture taken is not allowed in the Amish faith.
Since we may be visiting Amish businesses or interacting with Amish people, it's best to dress modestly - skip the short skirts, short shorts, and low necklines.
We give tours year-round, but the weather is the mildest in the spring and fall.
Our tours are not a good fit for someone with a wheelchair or walker. For a group member who can use a cane and navigate two or three steps - if another member of the group can help them in and out of the vehicle and up the steps, we can make it work. Some, but not all, places on our tours have a ramp.
Our tours focus on the Amish culture. Take a look at the stops in the tour description above, and decide if your children are old enough to be interested. Most younger children are going to want something more hands-on, but you be the judge - we welcome any age.
Gary sometimes does tours that include an Amish wooden toy maker (baby toys and barn sets), a walk around an Amish farm, and other stops that might be suitable for children.
Tipping is not expected or required, but if your tour exceeds expectations, tips are welcomed.
Definitely not surfing the internet! For a quick glance, scroll through the "My Amish Indiana" Facebook page. For a more organized and detailed look, follow the link on our home page and order one or more of our books. Susan wrote the books she wish she'd had, when she first came to Amish Indiana as a tourist!
Yes - Susan enjoys doing bus tours. Figure on about one stop per 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of your group and how efficiently your group can get on and off the bus. There is a $50 charge if Susan is doing the trip planning / itinerary (recommended), since local businesses typically require reservations in advance for bus groups.
Photo Gallery
Tour Reviews...
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