(ARA) -- Summer is family vacation season. But families bored by the beach or tired of the theme parks can find themselves looking for something different -- a vacation that blends family-oriented fun with education, modern excitements with the best of bygone days.

They're finding it in Ohio's Amish country, home to the largest population of Amish in the United States, not Lancaster, Pa., as many assume. Convenient to both the Akron and Cleveland airports, the area draws tourists from all over the country as well as from neighboring states within driving distance. Visitors can enjoy the area's scenic farmland, old-fashioned dining and the sights and handicrafts of Amish life.

And families don't have to break the bank to find fun in the region. Here are six ideas for things to see and do in Ohio's Amish country, many of them free:

* The Midwest has the legendary Wall Drug Store and Ohio has Lehman's, an old-fashioned hardware store founded in 1955 by Jay Lehman. Established in Kidron, the central marketplace for the Amish country area, the store started out by serving the needs of the Amish community. While it has evolved considerably since then, the store and its online outlet still emphasize old-fashioned items like non-electric appliances, hand tools, hand-cranked housewares, oil lamps and museum quality antiques.

Recently, the family-owned business purchased an historic barn built in the 1840s, moved it to the store site and rebuilt it (with the help of an old-fashioned Amish barn-raising) in preparation for expanding its operation. When completed, the new store will be more than 30,000 square feet and offer interactive displays, historical information, product demonstrations, café and coffee shop, indoor and outdoor seating and a high-tech theater. The hand-hewn barn will also serve as an historic landmark for Wayne County. For more information, visit the website www.lehmans.com.

* Families may not be in the market to buy a prize-winning heifer, or even a few chickens, but the kids can enjoy the Kidron auction livestock sale and flea market. Held every Thursday, the auction is Ohio's oldest consignment livestock market. Admission is free and food vendors are on hand with traditional Amish country fare as well as kid-friendly cuisine.

On special days in spring and summer, large machinery sales also take place. For sale dates and more information, call 800-589-9749 or 330-857-2641.

* Shrock's Amish Farm in Berlin offers a unique window into the Amish lifestyle with guided home tours, a farm animal petting area, Amish buggy rides and shopping. For more information, call 330-893-3232.

* For a real taste of Amish tastes, visitors can dine at the Amish Door Village Restaurant. The 30-year-old establishment serves hearty Amish-style meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and is closed on Sundays. Two locations serve guests in Wooster and Wilmot. Carriage rides are available and the restaurant also offers a bed and breakfast.

* Quailcrest Farm, located in Wooster, offers gardens and a greenhouse. Visitors can tour the 12,000-square-foot greenhouse for some gardening advice from the farm's professional growers. Special events and programs take place throughout the year. Call 330-345-6722 for more information.

* At P. Graham Dunn Woodworking and Laser Art Gallery in Dalton, visitors can watch craftsmen engrave inspirational messages on wood items, tour the laser room and gift gallery. In Mt. Hope, Homestead Furniture showcases high quality hand-tooled hardwood furniture in a 27,000-square-foot showroom. Coblentz Chocolates in Walnut Creek provides tours and samples of hand-dipped confections, from chocolates, homemade caramels and truffles to nuts. Walnut Creek Cheese offers a variety of locally made cheeses, meats, jams, jellies and ice cream.