On the edge of the village of Mt. Eaton in eastern Wayne County, you will find an nearly brand-new RV park with more amenities than "you can shake a stick at." The two buildings at the resort are constructed of logs, with red tin roofs, giving a real outdoor feeling to the park, which sits among beautiful farmland.

Evergreen Park RV Resort opened last July 4th weekend (2006), just in time for the bulk of the summer vacation season and the beautiful, colorful autumn season in the Amish Heartland. Now, even though they've been open throughout the winter for travelers, they're gearing up for their second season of vacationers.

"The Millers, Willis and Kris, who own Evergreen, recognized a need in this area for an RV park capable of serving the big RVs in grand style," said Ella Hochstetler, the park's general manager. "This dream of theirs became a reality, and we've really seen a great response. Not only did we get a lot of business during our first season, but many of our patrons have became repeat customers already. People come for a weekend, a whole week, or even a couple weeks. Of course, Amish Country is the big draw here, but we get traffic from 250 (U.S. route) as well. We get people vacationing alone, and we get large caravans of RVs. We can accommodate them all."

Ella characterizes herself as a "people person," and says the favorite part of her job is checking people in, taking phone calls and just generally making folks happy they're here.

"I like to see them having a good time," she said.

Evergreen Park offers 87 RV sites: 52 pull-throughs and 35 back-ins, accommodating the biggest of rigs. Each site has full hook-ups (dumps), 20/30/50- amp electricity, water, cable TV (yes, that's what I said) and Wi-Fi Internet (yes, I said that, too!). It really is like home away from home. The RV area is completely blacktopped, so you won't have to worry about having mud up to your ankles if it rains.

"And pets are most welcome, too," Ella added.

Oh, you don't own a camper? Well, Evergreen also offers two cabins, each with a queen-size bed and lots of room for sleeping bags (you can come and bring your kids and the neighbor's!). Also, there are approximately 30 tent-camping sites.

Many other amenities are offered at Evergreen Park RV Resort. First of all, the resort is a member of the Good Sam Club. All Good Sam members automatically get a 10 percent discount on their stay. The office, which boasts a cathedral beam ceiling and a 10 foot stone fireplace, houses a mini store for those items you've forgotten or need to replenish, and they have some RV parts, as well. Attached to the office is a spacious laundromat (which is also open to the public). Propane gas is available, as is an ATM machine and public phone.

A pavilion is available for picnics and barbeques, and you can play shuffleboard, basketball and volleyball. Small children will love being able to play on the resorts playground.

Across the parking lot is a beautiful recreation facility and bathhouse. The shower rooms, specified for "Does" and "Bucks" are spacious, bright and clean. Although many RVs contain their own showers, Ella said many campers enjoy the roominess of the park's bathhouse. The recreation area contains fitness equipment, electronic game machines, a pool table and tables where folks can play cards or other games.

And then there's the pool. A large indoor pool is the perfect place to relax during your stay. The pool is perfect in all seasons. Being an indoor pool, it allows swimming during the cold winter months (a perfect get-away when the kids are tired of being cooped up). And, in the summer, the indoor pool becomes "outdoors," as large patio doors are opened to let in the fresh air, and major portions of the roof retract to let in the summer sun. This retractable roof sensors the weather and closes if it rains! Now how about that! A secluded hot tub is in the pool area to help you unwind after a day of sight-seeing.

November through April, the pool, exercise room and game room are available to area residents, as well, for a small charge.

There is also a church, the Bible Faith Fellowship, on site.

By staying at Evergreen Park, you'll be right in the heart of the largest Amish settlement in the world (there are approximately 8,000 Amish in Wayne County and 18,000 in Holmes County). Just up the road to the northwest, in Kidron, you'll find Lehman's, which caters to the non-electric needs of the Amish and is known world wide, and the Kidron Auction (each Thursday). Just past Kidron is the P. Graham Dunn Gallery, and in nearby Wooster, you'll find Cat's Meow Village, the Ohio Light Opera, Secrest Arboretum. Simply Smucker's is on up the road in Orrville.

Just to the south lies Holmes County, with a myriad of attractions: Troyer's Trail Bologna, Coblentz Chocolates, the Walnut Creek Flea Market, Der Dutchman and Carlisle Village, the village of Berlin (you could wander through the shops here for a whole day), Behalt, Rolling Ridge Ranch, Wendell August Forge and hundreds of other opportunities. Over in Tuscarawas County, you can visit Warther's Museum and see "Trumpet in the Land," and in Canton, you can see the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Golf courses are scattered all over the area, as are wonderful places to eat (especially if you're looking for that good ol' Amish cookin'). Other auctions (animals, farm crops, produce, flea markets and baked goods) take place in Sugarcreek (Mondays and Fridays), Farmerstown (Tuesdays) and Mt. Hope (Wednesdays). All these attractions are within a 40-mile radius.

"And we can make arrangements for tours of Amish Country for our guests," Ella said. "The tours are a good way for people to get a feel for what all the area has to offer."

So whether you wish to bring your tent, occupy a cabin or come in your RV, Evergreen Park and RV Resort should be your destination this year for your escape from life's rat race. Come, relax and enjoy all Evergreen has to offer.

-- 16359 Dover Rd., Dundee, OH 44624 (1/4 mile E. of Mt. Eaton, on U.S. 250), (330) 359-2787 or toll-free (888) 359-6429, fax (330) 359-6429, evergreenpark@wifi7.com, http://www.evergreenparkrvresort.com.