2 Best Sights in Ephrata, Pennsylvania Dutch Country

A former and singular monastic community, Ephrata Cloister was founded in 1732 by German immigrant Conrad Beissel. Originally set on 250 acres of Native American wilderness, Beissel and his believers built 30 structures, including a monastery and a printing press and named their community "Ephrata." The monastic society of brothers and sisters were celibate and lived an austere life of work, study, and prayer. In the 1940s, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania took over the property and has been running it as a museum, with 45-minute tours of three restored buildings, after which you can browse through several others, including the stable, printshop, and crafts shop. Self-guided cell-phone tours are also available.

Friday is bustling at the Green Dragon Farmers Market and Auction, one of the state's largest farmers' markets, occupying 30 acres. The 400 indoor and outdoor stands run by Amish and Mennonite farmers sell meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, baked goods, flowers, and crafts. It's a traditional agricultural market with a country-carnival atmosphere. There's also a flea market, a household goods auction, and an evening auction of small animals.