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Shipshewana, Indiana Stops
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items Coffee stops, bike rides, local shops, and places to eat and stay in Shipshewana, Indiana, and the surrounding area. These picks will help you plan a weekend with time for both downtown exploring and the countryside. Planning tip: Many businesses clo...
Map
Sections
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Shipshewana Guides
Where to Stay
Where to Eat
Where to Shop
Must Visit Attractions
Parks, Outdoors, Active Stops
Shipshewana Guides
Plan your Shipshewana getaway with my detailed blog guides, featuring weekend itineraries, favorite stops, and practical tips from my visits to help you make the most of yours.
Visiting Shipshewana for the first time? Start with my roundup of things to do, from downtown shopping and Amish cottage shops to local parks, paddling, and countryside drives. Find ideas for exploring both town and the surrounding area.
12 Unforgettable Things to Do in Shipshewana, Indiana for First Time Visitors
A little planning makes a day at the Shipshewana Flea Market much easier. I’m sharing what to bring, how to navigate the grounds, and why I’d plan around the Wednesday auctions, plus a reminder to leave room for local treats.
10 Tips to Make Visiting the Shipshewana Flea Market a Breeze
Get familiar with the area before you arrive, from respecting photography preferences and sharing the roads with buggies to planning around Sunday closures. These tips from my visit will help you explore Shipshewana thoughtfully and come prepared.
10 Tips for Visiting the Shipshewana Amish Community
Make time for the outdoors on your Shipshewana getaway. My guide to LaGrange County parks will help you find places to stretch your legs, enjoy the scenery, and add a little nature to your trip.
The Best Parks Near Shipshewana- A Nature Lovers’ Guide to LaGrange County, IN
Plan a fall weekend in Shipshewana with a bike ride on the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, local coffee and food stops, downtown shopping, and the Autumn Adventures straw bale art trail. My itinerary includes where to stay and how to plan around Sunday clo...
How to Spend an Active Fall Weekend in Shipshewana, Indiana
Where to Stay
Make yourself at home in Shipshewana with a comfortable base for exploring downtown shops, nearby trails, and the surrounding countryside.
Our home base for exploring Shipshewana. A convenient option if you want to spend your weekend browsing downtown, exploring the countryside, and fitting in plenty of good food.
Blue Gate Garden Inn & Conference Center
A little A-frame house on the river with a beautiful outdoor area, well stocked kitchen, and comfortable sleeping quarters on the end of a dead end street outside of town.
Tiny A-Frame on the River
Where to Eat
Start with a good cup of coffee, save room for pie, and venture beyond downtown for a meal by the lake. These are the food stops I’d work into a Shipshewana getaway.
Start your day with coffee and a pastry before exploring Morton Street. Check the seasonal drink menu if you like trying something beyond your usual order.
Fawn River + Morton
Save room for pie! This is an easy stop to work into a day of exploring downtown Shipshewana, whether you’re sitting down for a meal or just stopping for something sweet.
Blue Gate Restaurant & Bakery
Head beyond Shipshewana for a casual meal by the lake. We included this stop while exploring the surrounding area, and it’s a nice change of scenery after shopping downtown.
Coody Brown's Lakeside Grill
Make time for a warm, handmade soft pretzel while browsing Davis Mercantile. JoJo’s is an easy snack stop on the first floor and a good reason to take a break between shops.
Jojo's Pretzels
Our stop for a second coffee while exploring Davis Mercantile! Find this coffee shop on the first floor, and check the drink specials before ordering. It’s a convenient place for an afternoon pick-me-up during a day in downtown Shipshewana.
Kitchen Cupboard Coffee House
Where to Shop
Browse local shops along Morton Street and inside Davis Mercantile, with plenty of chances to find a gift or something for your own home.
Give yourself time to browse rather than treating this as a quick stop. We worked it into our downtown exploring and made time for a second coffee and a pretzel.
Davis Mercantile
Leave some unplanned time to wander Morton Street and pop into the shops that catch your eye. Pair your browsing with that coffee at Fawn River + Morton.
Shops on Morton Street
Head into the countryside to browse leather bags, wallets, and belts made right here in Shipshewana. We enjoyed learning about the craftsmanship behind the products. Check out the unusual hides on display, or have a leather belt fitted just for you.
Silver Star Leather
Leave time to browse this independent used bookstore at Yoder Crossroads. With everything from newer reads to classics and older collectible books, it’s a fun stop for finding your next read or a book to bring home as a gift.
Used Books by Paige
Must Visit Attractions
Get to know the culture of the area you’re visiting, then explore its creative side. These stops include Amish and Mennonite history and seasonal finds worth a countryside detour.
Make time to learn about the Amish and Mennonite history and culture of the area you’re visiting. This stop adds context to the rest of your Shipshewana trip.
Menno-Hof
A fun reason to explore the backroads in fall! Pick up the current map and look for giant straw bale creations around Shipshewana and nearby communities. Build in time for stops along the route, and check the dates before planning your visit.
Straw Bale Art
Pair a meal at the Blue Gate Restaurant with a show upstairs at the Music Hall. This intimate venue hosts musicals, tribute shows, and smaller concerts, making it an easy addition to a day of exploring downtown Shipshewana. Check the schedule before ...
Blue Gate Theatre
Plan an evening around a concert or comedy show at this larger venue next to the Blue Gate Garden Inn. The lineup includes nationally known performers and tribute acts across a range of music genres. Check what’s playing during your visit. You might ...
Blue Gate Performing Arts Center
Parks, Outdoors, Active Stops
Make time to get outside between shopping and food stops. Find bike rentals and trails for exploring Shipshewana and its neighboring communities at your own pace.
One of my favorite parts of our visit! We rode about 14 miles round trip between Shipshewana and Middlebury. The route was smooth and mostly flat, with countryside views and a few road crossings to watch for. E-bikes made it an easy addition to our w...
Pumpkinvine Nature Trail
We picked up our e-bike rentals here before riding the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail to Middlebury. The rental process was seamless, and the e-bikes made our 14-mile round-trip ride an easy, fun addition to the weekend. Plan your rental for a day other th...
2 Chicks and a Chair
One of our favorite places near Shipshewana for a walk with the dogs. The trails take you through woods, open fields, and marsh scenery, with lake views along the way. There’s also a fishing dock and a separate archery trail with 3-D targets.
Pine Knob County Park
Pair a nature walk with some beach time at Dallas Lake Park. Explore the trails and Pond Lil Nature Preserve for summer wildflowers and wildlife. We spotted deer during our visit! The small swimming beach can get busy on summer weekends, and there’s ...
Dallas Lake Park
A great pick for a picnic, a family outing, or an afternoon of disc golf. Delt Church Park has two miles of trails, a large playground, picnic shelters, and an 18-hole disc golf course. Bring dinner along for an evening outside after exploring Shipsh...
Delt Church Park
Head here for an easy woodland walk and a quiet break from downtown exploring. We enjoyed the trails, but definitely recommend bringing insect repellent. The bugs cut our visit short! If you’re visiting in March, look into the annual Maple Syrup Week...
Maple Wood Nature Center