That’s Gordonville, Pennsylvania for you – a slice of Amish country so picturesque it makes you wonder if someone accidentally left a Norman Rockwell painting out in the rain and it came to life.

The historic town of Baker City, with its well-preserved Victorian architecture and excellent Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, lies just an hour’s drive away.

Thanksgiving in Empire often means quiet dunes, cold lake air, and a tiny main street that makes the whole long weekend feel ...