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Welcome to The Amish of Ethridge. Home of the largest Amish community in the Southern United States!
We love to see people come to see the Amish community in Ethridge, Tennessee! This website gives visitors the best information available to plan their vacation to Lawrence County, Tennessee! There are many things to do here, and we want to tell you every detail from places to stay, where to eat, and things to do so you can design your trip how you want. We are so happy to share our lovely agricultural lands and towns with you! We want to give you our best advice so you can build the Amish Adventure you will remember! Use the list below and the menu above to make selections. There are hundreds of pages in this website so take your time and look around. We suggest the laptop or desktop version to be the best viewing experience but we are mobile responsive. Page load times are sometimes slow because we want to show you as many photos as possible. So let's start your Amish Adventure by continuing down this page!
The division of old order Amish in Ethridge is the Swartzentruber. The Swartzentruber line is said to be the most conservative of the Amish in the United States. There are Amish who are a little more open to us "English" and allow tours to stop by and see their farms. We want you to have the best experience when visiting the Amish of Ethridge in Lawrence and Giles counties! We want you to have options to see other beautiful places of interest in Amish country! Of course everywhere that has Amish people is called Amish Country locally so we continue this practice.
The Amish of Ethridge website lays out the places you'll want to see when you arrive in Ethridge and see the first Amish-themed stores. These stores are English owned and operated with Amish tour wagons out front of the wagon tour store that are seen from Highway 43. We believe the best way to see the Amish community is to create an itinerary that includes an Amish wagon tour with other places of interest in the area. Lawrence County is the birthplace of southern gospel music and where David Crockett started his political career. The Big Red Store is said to be the first mall in America, and we have 5 museums you must see. The original Trail of Tears walking trail is still here in our David Crockett State Park, and we have many outdoor adventures to tell you about as you read down further on this page!
Here is the history of the Ethridge community!
In 1941 a few Amish families from Mississippi and Ohio came to Lawrence County, Tennessee, seeking good farmland and a place they could call home. Many others came after Ethridge was discovered to be their new place to live. Today, 330 Amish families live off the land in the old order way. Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, is the largest city in the county so there are many things to do here. We have both outdoor and indoor entertainment, so we're in an excellent location for a road trip for your next vacation!
See our Old Order Amish Community!
Ethridge has over 330 Swartzentruber old order, Amish families who live in Ethridge, Tennessee, just north of Lawrenceburg! They have primitive tools and very low levels of technology allowed by their ordnung! No electricity or phones! There are estimated to be around 2,500 Amish persons here!
The Ethridge Amish community is the largest in the South!
Click on the map and enter your address into your gps and find your way to Ethridge, Tennessee, to start enjoying your Amish Adventure!
Ethridge is between Nashville Tennessee music and Huntsville Alabama rockets!
RCA Record Studio Tour Nashville TN.
US Space and rocket center in Huntsville AL.
Ethridge is on the pathway to the Muscle Shoals studios where the swampers made their hits and Lawrenceburg is the birthplace of southern gospel music!
james d. vaughn microphone
Fame Recording Studio in Muscle Shoals AL.
How do I know when I get to Amish Country in Ethridge?
When you see these signs, You have arrived!
Look for the 45 mph sign if driving down Highway 43 South. You'll see Amish country before you get to Ethridge. If you're driving up Highway 43 North, you'll see the large advertising sign on Campbellsville Road. You can park behind the Vintage Shoppe store if there is limited parking.
Amish Country Places Of Adventure!
Here are the places you'll find in Amish country in Ethridge, Tennessee! They are not Amish-owned but will guide you through Amish country with buggy rides and show you Amish and locally made goods. Due to the strict old order way of the particular Amish in this area, we highly suggest going on a tour after looking through our guide. These places of business are the best Amish country offers, so please see their pages and links below! We do not get paid by these stores and we do not represent them here. We want to show our visitors what places there is to visit when coming to Ethridge! Let's check out the list!
The Amish Wagon Ride Tours
The Amish tour company you see is just off the highway. Many visitors rate this center as very friendly and enjoy the stories you hear on the wagon ride guides you can get on from the front of the center! The store has stocked items and consignment products from vendors and Amish in the area. You can also get your Amish Maps here so you can go out in your car later. You simply must take a wagon ride tour through the community so please see their page!
Keeto's Antiques and Collectibles
The most interesting "you never know what shop" is Keeto's Antiques and Collectibles. The items are almost all consignment and handmade from local vendors. The store was once a gas station and is now converted into a store. Many visitors say Keeto's is a trip down memory lane as they have many items from 50 years ago or more that are no longer used. You must see this store!
Ike's Amish Depot and General Store
The most antique-focused store is the old greyhound bus station known as Ike's Amish Depot and General Store. Album covers for music groups have been shot in front of an old stove you simply must see. The station is still in use, so you might see Amish people getting on a bus (they can go for emergency). The station also has the best photo opportunities with old cars and buses you can see and go into! Just park and walk around!
Heart and Soul Antiques
From dyed shirts to Amish quilts to Amish jellies and jams, you can find all kinds of things inside the Heart and Soul Antiques. The old sign says "Amish Country Flea Market Welcome Center". There are several antiques and unique items inside, with many good deals to be had. There are public restrooms in the back behind the store. Make sure to go in and see what all they have!
The Dilly Dally
Make sure to get out and take some family photos with the old buses and farming equipment around the store. This place has a lot of old retro toys inside, along with odds and ends. You don't know what you'll find inside the store, so make sure to stop while in Amish country. Plus, they're located right beside Ike's Amish Depot and old bus station, so you might as well walk over and see what you can find.
Amish Country Plaza Shopping
These buildings' "L" shape is the first thing you see when coming from Highway 43 South. These businesses are quite varied and are the perfect place to get a rare find or antique. You may see an item that was the only one ever built or a famous coin. Make sure to step inside each one of these stores to see what they have! For many, it's a trip down memory lane; for others, they're more of an education in the way things were a long time ago. You won't know until you get here! More Parking is in the back of the buildings; follow the road around the side of The Vintage Shoppe! And the bathrooms are behind Heart and Soul Antiques!
Amish Country Flea Market West
Amish Country Flea Market East
The Amish country flea market is a large outdoor garage sale with rooms or sheds rented by locals who want to sell goods to visitors and guests. You never know what you'll see here; everything comes with a story! Weekends are the best time to come, but from June through September, you can find them open all week, Monday thru Saturday, except for a few on Sundays. Make sure to bring cash if you intend to buy something, although some vendors have card machines. The Amish Country Flea Market covers both sides of Highway 43, so we call them east and west!
The Vintage Shoppe
The Amish have a collection of manual clocks to keep time. The Vintage Shoppe fixes these clocks and has other clocks to buy along with great jewelry! Their showroom is great and filled with neat things to accessorize your vintage wardrobe. Many of the accessories Mike and Josh wear on their suits in the YouTube videos come from here! The store has antiques on one side and jewelry on the other. Go back on the gold standard at The Vintage Shoppe!
Plowboy Produce Auction
From April through October, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Bidding starts at 1 pm central, you can get fresh produce and Amish-made goods right off the dock! It's the perfect way to get on an Amish tour in the morning and do some shopping after a noon lunch!
Mike's Antiques and Moore
A local man named Mike Moore put in this store, and it is full of the best vintage signs and home goods you can see! This store works on consignment with vendors who trade and often rotate, so make sure to add them to your itinerary to see them while you are in Ethridge!
Andy Collins Tack Shop
This place is all about horses! Just about everything to do with a horse is found here. Andy Collins has been working with horses since he was 9, and he is 82. Amish-made goods like saddles, whips, dog collars, gun holsters, and more are in his store. Come by and see his shop, located between The Vintage Shoppe and Heart and Soul Antiques.
Where to Eat in Ethridge Amish Country?
The Amish country area is set up, so you don't have to go out for lunch or a quick snack if you don't want to. A few places to pick up some food along the way are listed below. These places are our top recommended restaurants. Some decide to take out a salt shaker and eat their Amish heirloom tomatoes on the spot, so take out your napkins and let's eat!
Amish Market
The Amish market is beside Bob's Cafe, where you can buy the things you need to go out into Amish country. The wagon tours are long, so make sure you get what you need at the Amish market, especially if you like Flowers Creamery and artisan cheeses! This store is great when you need a snack and a story from the man who runs the store!
Bob's Café out front.
Bob's Café
Bob's Cafe is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. Bob's Cafe serves you sandwiches and hotdogs for a lunch of southern favorites and quick plate lunches for those on the go. Bob's Cafe is across the street from the Amish Wagon Ride Tours and within walking distance of all the stores. Bob's Cafe is the perfect way to sit and eat while waiting on a buggy ride or get into the air conditioning for a drink and dessert after returning from a ride!
Shaffer's Meat Market and Texas Bar-B-Q
Here is one of our top recommended restaurants in all of Tennessee! The Texas experience and food are made by a real Texan who is true to his roots. You can still see him in a cowboy hat and boots, bringing out authentic Texas-style brisket smoked in a genuine wood smoker on site. They serve all kinds of southern favorites; everyone can find something they like here on the menu! As a bonus, they have a meat market with many hardy cuts of beef, pork, chicken, various fish, and seafood with exotic meats like ostrich, alligator, bison, and meats you can only get here!
Hinie's BBQ in Lawrenceburg TN.
Hinie's BBQ
Hinie's is part food truck and part restaurant. The food truck is called the Hinie Wagon, and you can see it all over town and at our local events. The restaurant is on Highway 43, where you can't miss the enormous pig looking at you. Hinie's has more of a Texas-style to their BBQ and has many other menu items and their own line of sauces like their "Hinie Liquors" infused sauce that is the home favorite! Come get a piece of Hinie!
Amish Country Smoke House from road.
Amish Country Smoke House
The Amish Country Smoke House is inside the Amish community and offers the best way to eat while watching the buggies pass by on the road. Paul and Linda McBride built their restaurant along one of the best roads for scenery and have wonderful foods to match! They have two smokers loaded with Amish cut logs to smoke their perfectly seasoned meats. Plus it's a great place to stop while out visiting the Amish and buying from their stands!
Other things to do in Ethridge!
Don't make the mistake of getting an Amish Afterthought! What is this, you say? An Amish Afterthought is when you don't include a place in your plans that you wanted to see but didn't. Then once you get home, you see how awesome the place was and have to go back! Below are some of our top places to see in the area!
Holiday Acres Farms
You don't want to miss Holiday Acres Farms if you seek an authentic farm experience! They have spring and summer flowers to pick, a complete kids' area with a giant corn pit, a corn and kid maze, a petting zoo, a farm education center, pond walks, and more! They also have painting classes and other art-related events throughout the year! In October, you get a treat as the pumpkin season starts, and the whole place is dressed for fall. Each weekend in October has its Death Ridge haunted attraction as you walk through the woods as characters come out to get you! Holiday Acres Farms is a must-see when you come to see the Amish here in Ethridge!
Top Gun Arms
Here is your chance to rent full auto firearms and shoot inside a category 5 indoor range! There are few of these in Tennessee, so get in on the action! Kids love to shoot zombie targets with a single-shot .22 caliber rifle and keep the target as a souvenir. Top Gun Arms has a whole section devoted to ladies and is operated by a team of women who can relate to a lady who needs their own personal firearms and a way to conceal them that fits their lifestyle. Many items in the store are not firearm related, such as non-lethal defense like pepper sprays, batons, flashlights, and other defense products. EMT equipment is also found here, along with police, fire, and rescue! They even have a helipad, so you may get to see a helicopter land. This family business is an Ethridge must-see point of interest you have to add to your itinerary!
Summertown Airsoft
Here is your chance to safely do a tactical BB battle with real shooters on an official field designed by a professional! The field was arranged perfectly for hiding while your buddies are shooting at you. Inside the pro shop, you can buy or rent all you need to get out on the field. Safety is a top concern here, and you must wear proper safety equipment to play. Inside is also where you can eat and hang out as a non-shooter spectator with a concession area, free Wi-Fi for you to play on your screen, and a kids' play area! Don't miss Summertown Airsoft when you come to see the Amish!
Eagle Eye Shooting Complex
If you want an outdoor range where you can try shooting skeet or 3-gun, then here is your chance! They have shotgun sports on one side, like skeet, trap, and 5-stand, and 5 pistol bays with 3-gun setups with a long-distance rifle area out to 500 yards on the other side. They have rental firearms, so you don't have to bring your own, plus all that you would need for a day on the range.
Thousand Hills Cowboy Church
The Thousand Hills Cowboy Church is just a few minutes from the Heritage Campground. Since most Amish Stores are closed on Sundays, the Cowboy Church is the perfect way to end your weekend in Amish country! The attendees dress in western attire, and the pastor rides a horse into the building. All things farm-related can be seen just behind the church, and they even have bull riding and horse riding in a gated section in the back. You'll have a great time singing "Home on the Range" here at this church!
Are you a Homeschooler or Cultural Learner?
Many of our stops have educational tours where you can see how farm life is done and have hands on learning where visitors are encouraged to participate. Many of these places also have petting zoo feeds that can be used to feed the animals. Since the Amish are a culture unlike our own, visitors combine the Amish with other cultural groups in the area like The Farm in Summertown that is nationally known. We have other groups and historical events that happened close by where the Trail of Tears and Civil War battles were fought. See our pages that feature homeschoolers and cultural education students. These places are featured in our group travel page listed next!
Are you looking for Group Travel?
We have a whole page devoted to group travel on charter busses and school field trips that include some of the places on this page. See our page in the button link below!
See the button link below where you can go straight to our Agritourism webpage to get more information before you go on your trip!
An Amish home is as distinctive as a designer home from the great Frank Lloyd Wright. Many students of architecture will see the simplicity of their clean lines and plain aethstetic.
Stantonville TN Amish Home With Metal Roofs
The Rosenbaum House.
So how do I see the Amish of Ethridge?
Getting to Ethridge is easy! We're just 76 miles south of downtown Nashville Tennessee and 65 miles north of Huntsville, Alabama. Perfect for anyone going on studio tours from Music Row in Nashville to Muscle Shoals, Alabama studios. You would go right through Ethridge and Lawrenceburg. See our 6-step guide below to help you plan your Amish adventure!
See our 6-step guide to planning your vacation!
Our 6-step guide was designed to combine your heart and your head in two groups of 3 steps. The first set of 3 is for the emotional connection an Amish visitor needs to have to feel like their trip is enhancing their experience. The following 3 steps are for the head to check to see if the logistics are right for you, so you stay in the hotel you like and pick the right restaurants and other points of interest!
Use these first 3 steps in planning your vacation!
Our desire is for all of our wonderful visitors get the most out of their vacation. Include everyone with you in the process of building your trip. Let each member pick out their favorite stops. Please do not try to do everything in a day. Plan on doing several things while you are here. If you are traveling through then pick your top selections for your itinerary! People from all over the world come here to have fun!
1. Find your Amish heart!
1. Figure out why you'd like to come to see the Amish and surrounding area before you get here! We have found that a deep longing for a calming vacation is key to having a great time in Amish country!
Please make sure you and your family are committed to exploring the Amish area and way of life to learn about the differences in how people live when they don't have modern-day conveniences like electricity or the internet. None of the Amish on the tours are actors, these people are real, and the way they live isn't a show for the public. We'll explore many conditions on this website that can help you plan your trip and what to do if weather or other criteria may hinder your visit.
2. The Amish are open all year!
2. Plan on what time of the year you want to visit! The most popular time to visit the Amish is during the summer when school is out. The growing season is in high production, and there are many chances to get hands-on with the Amish themselves while they're out working.
We've seen plenty of smiles on kids' faces when they shucked corn and churned butter on an Amish porch. The spring season is busy, and many Amish are preparing for the growing season. The Amish leather and furniture are in high demand at this time of year. The fall and winter months aren't very busy, and it's the best time to visit the Amish and talk directly to them. The Amish are good about telling you what they know and how they do things. Understand that all non-Amish are called "the English," so please don't ask the Amish about personal matters or expect them to know about current issues.
3. Find more area attractions!
3. Find an Itinerary of things to do in the area for the whole family to enjoy! Many people have come to the Amish yearly because they thought they could see it all in one afternoon. Plan for a few days to take in the surrounding attractions!
There is a lot to do in the area that is perfect for the outdoor enthusiast. Several places are in Ethridge where the Amish live, so be sure to include them as a destination of interest since they're just a short car ride away. Below is the button for our Itineraries list from our other website Visit Lawrenceburg TN. From the linked page, you can see example Itineraries that match the best times and places to plan your next adventure to Amish country!
Amish Itineraries
See the top things to do around Ethridge. Our page will help you find your kind of fun!
Our next 3 steps for planning your vacation
These next 3 steps are for planning the logistics of your stay! Your hotel, restaurants, and places of interest need your attention to plan a successful vacation to Amish country!
4. Where to stay in Lawrence county!
4. There are many places to stay, and most are very cheap, around the $60/night range, so you can afford to stay for a while. Our hotel guide will guide you right!
Today there are a few places we recommend and a few Airbnb places to rent. The Farm in Summertown has a few places to stay that are the most unique in the area. Below is our hotel guide linked in the button that will take you to our places to stay page, where you can discover every place we have to offer in Lawrence county and the surrounding area.
5. Find your inner foodie!
5. Find your choice of restaurants and places to eat! Lawrence County has plenty of unique places to eat any type of food. We have many southern-style restaurants to please any taste and can take you on a culinary journey!
Please see step 3 listed above for our itineraries page. We already have many restaurants listed and the times to be there. For anyone wanting something different or has other plans, see our complete guide to our local area restaurants to find the foods you like or would like to try! Lawrence County may be small, but we have all the major categories of food types. We have sushi, seafood, Italian, French, and the best BBQ and steaks you can get! Click the link below for our complete list!
6. Find a few things to do!
6. Find a few things to do while you're here! The places around Amish country are just as neat and interesting as the Amish themselves. There is so much to do that we devoted a whole web page to the area attractions!
The Big Red Store is said to be the first mall in America. Lawrenceburg is also the birthplace of southern gospel music, where you can see the switchboard and microphone of Tennessee's first commercial radio station! The famous Farm Community is in Summertown. The Wilburn Mill was built around 1826! So many places are a mere 20-minute car ride from the city limits.
*Bonus* - Plan your visit around an event!
Lawrence County is home to several events you don't want to miss! Scheduling your trip around an event allows you to participate in the event and see the Amish. We want to alert you to several events that are similar to the country lifestyle that is attractive to Amish visitors. Make sure to look through our list of events to see if there are a few you would like to see!
Area Events
We have a page devoted to the areas best events where you can combine interesting events to include into your vacation itinerary! See our page in the button link below!
Are you looking for Group Travel?
We have a whole page devoted to group travel on charter busses and school field trips that include some of the places on this page. See our page in the button link below!
There is plenty to see in Lawrence County, so pick out other places you would like to see while visiting our Amish community in Ethridge, Tennessee!
Indoor Activities
Indoor activities are essential for inclement weather and nightlife recreation! We have bowling, pool, and axe throwing. Yes! axe throwing at Axe Kicking in Loretto is a very popular destination for those wanting to throw axes and try to get out of an escape house where they lock you up as a group inside a group of rooms where you must use clues in order to find the key to get out! We also have Crockett Theater where you can see shows and live concerts performances! If movies are your interest then Crockett Cinemas are here to give you the best viewing experience with all the snacks and foods you would expect from a working movie theater!
Click the link button below to see our indoor activities webpage! We have collected all the best indoor places in Lawrence county to help you add these places to your plans or itinerary for your stay! The Amish don't offer any kind of nightlife so we want to bring you options to make sure you can enhance your vacation with a few indoor activities!
Outdoor Activities
We have more outdoor sports than we do inside sports. Let's divide team sports up with parallel sports. A parallel sport is one that is played the same, no matter how many players there are. So if you like golf, tennis, motorcycle and atv, or bicycle sports then we have the place you will love! We have both ball golf and disc golf courses and plenty of places to ride your ATV on wooded trails and jumping hills! We also have archery and gun ranges where you can take your best shot and be on target!
Our outdoor activities webpage is where you can find all of our listings of outdoor activity in Lawrence county! This directory explains our top places for outdoor recreation! The button below takes you to the outdoor page so click the button and get started on planning your trip itinerary with these outdoor activities in mind!
Area Woods and Watersports
We have many awesome rivers and lakes in Lawrence county. Visitors come from all over to participate in our great tubing and kayak adventures. There are three great places for fun on the water. Each place we feature opens around May and close labor day weekend. The water temperatures are a bit cold before May and after August. Crockett Shoals Tubing Company is our pick for kids 10 and under as the water is very shallow and the tubes have a bottom so you can't slide out into the water. If a child does fall out of the tube, it is only a foot deep in most places so they just have to stand up. Upa Creek kayak rentals have both tubes, canoes and kayaks and offer different drop off locations according to how long you want to float. Upa Creek is right beside a great restaurant called the Taco Shack if you want to eat after a long float. Double G canoe and kayak rental is for the person who wants a good long float with great scenery. They can even facilitate wheelchairs and other needs for those with disabilities. At Double G they can offer the longest float and the most unique way of putting the kayak in the water!
All of these places and more are featured on our webpage that is devoted to woods and watersports. Please see our detailed guide for more information on seeing which places best fit your needs for a day in the woods or out on the water!
Are you ready to take your Amish Adventure planning further?
Check out our YouTube Channel!
Wanna turn your car ride into a road trip? See the maps and trails below to include even more interesting points of interest and famous things to do in Tennessee!
We have a Tennessee Amish Map webpage where we show the state of Tennessee with Amish communities and the hotel areas on one page! There are 4 sections we use to explain each Amish Trail and how they flow into one another. You can add points of interest along the way to complete your perfect itinerary! Click the button below and make plans to go on an Amish Adventure this year!
Other Great Southern TN Points of Interest
Tennessee is home to some of the best whiskeys, brews, and wines in the country. The Amish are not usually permitted to drink but do make tinctures for medication and can supply fruits to make ingredients to makers. The heritage and methods of these makers are sure to be a place you will want to see.
Music Studio Tour
Ethridge is between Nashville and Muscle Shoals Alabama. We have a trail of music studio tours that take you inside some of the most famous studios in music recording history.
Tennessee Whiskey is nationally known in Eastern Tennessee as the best when it comes to a stiff drink. Distilleries on the Tennessee Whiskey Tour are sure to help lift your spirits! Most of them have tours and tasting rooms to sample their whiskey!
Tennessee Breweries need good clean water in Eastern Tennessee. These breweries can hop you up on their local ingredients. The Brewer Tour is sure to please any person who loves a good beer that is made by the best breweries in Tennessee!
Tennessee wineries are some of the best in the nation. The atmosphere and geography makes for a diverse growing environment for the grapes across Tennessee. Here are the best wineries to offer the visitor who knows their nose for a great wine.
Tennessee BBQ Tour
The state of Tennessee spans the flavors of Memphis to the Carolinas as our bbq incorporates our whiskeys barrels and guitar strings into a whisk to mix country charm into our bold personality.
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We (The Amish of Ethridge) do not guarantee the accuracy of the links it shares, as the URL may be changed without warning from the original location. We also do not represent any business listed above or the Amish Community we share. Anyone who consumes our content and acts on what they perceive is doing so of their own volition. We built our website and trails to show our visitors possibilities to include in their itinerary to experience on their vacation.
