Amana Colonies Attractions

Today we loaded the bus and headed to the Amana Colonies for their Maifest! We got dropped off at about 11 and had the rest of the day to explore the area. One of the first places my group went to was the general store. The general store was established in 1858 and still looks almost identical to how it did back then. The building still has the original ceiling, floor, and display cases as when it first opened over 150 years ago. The general store had just about everything you can imagine, from candles and candy to pickled eggs and Christmas ornaments! We ended up going back here several times throughout the day because there was so much to look through and experience!

After the general store, we ate at a German restaurant called the ‘Millstream Brau Haus’ which translates to ‘brewing house’. This restaurant was established in 2016 because the owners of the Millstream Brewery wanted to have an authentic German Bierhalle in town. This restaurant usually offers family style eating, but unfortunately this was not offered due to COVID. For lunch I got a bratwurst and a side of German house fries! There were a few other sit-down restaurants throughout the town, as well as a wide variety of shops with fudge, popcorn, ice cream, bread, and all sorts of pastries.

Following lunch, we continued to browse through a variety of different shops. Nearly everything we saw in each store was handmade by the owners or their family. We went into a soap shop and the owner told us that everything in her store had been made or purchased within 15 miles from there. Two of the main stores I enjoyed visiting were the wool shop and the furniture store. I was absolutely astonished with the fine craftsmanship, especially with the woodwork in the furniture store. My personal favorite store was the rock shop which featured many different types of rocks, crystals, and even fossils! I enjoyed speaking to the woman who owned the rock shop, she had such a passion for her job and you could tell she loved working there.

Throughout the day I had the opportunity to try new foods, meet new people, and learn about German culture. Everyone here was so polite and kind, I loved how all the locals treated us like family! This was definitely my favorite day of tour so far, I have never experienced anything quite like it!

Aubrey Vitense ‘24

Percussion