15 Best Things to Do in Shipshewana, Indiana

1. Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market

You’ve never seen shopping like this. The Midwest’s largest Flea Market, top 10 things to do in Indiana, and Leisure and Travel say it’s one of the best Flea Markets in the country! Open Tuesdays and Wednesdays, May thru September, with 700+ vendors, the possibilities are endless: landscaping, fresh produce, art, home decor, furniture, crafts, antiques, purses, jewelry…and so much more!

2. New Audio Driving Tour

Discover Off the Beaten Path with the NEW Audio Driving Tour coming in May! Travel 100+ miles and learn about the history of LaGrange County. Find out why this small town is named after Chief Shipshewana of the Potawatomi tribe, and why the Pumpkinvine is called the Pumpkinvine. Learn the legends and folklore of our small towns, and hear the kinds of stories that only the long-time locals know, like the odd story of the Skunk Lady of Howe, Indiana.

3. Amish Home-Style Cooking

The Heart of Amish Country, Indiana is known for its delicious Amish home-style cooking. Wear your stretchy pants and eat at the Blue Gate’s all you can eat buffet. Or travel 10 minutes to Tiffany’s Restaurant in Topeka. Order a Haystack breakfast meal at Shipshewana Auction Restaurant. Visiting with a family or group of people, book an Amish in-home dining experience at Woodside Diner in LaGrange!

4. Menno-Hof Interpretative Center

The Menno-Hof Interpretive Center is a non-profit information center in Shipshewana that teaches visitors about the faith and life of Amish and Mennonites.

Menno-Hof’s multi-image presentations, historical environments, and colorful displays take visitors on a fascinating journey inside the unique world of the Amish and Mennonites. Visitors see where the Anabaptists had their beginning in a Swiss courtyard and how they were persecuted for their faith in the dungeon. They then travel with the Anabaptists down the cobblestone streets of Holland and board a 17th-century sailing boat on a journey to America and freedom.

5. Explore 120+ Amish Cottage Shops & 80+ Barn Quilts

Off the Beaten Path is where you’ll find hidden jewels like
the Amish Beekeeper-owned “B Honey” for all your honey product needs. Or Silver Star Leather, where you can find beautiful hand-crafted leather goods, or Owl Toy Craft for hand made wooden toys.

Get your NEW Off the Beaten Path brochure with its large and easy-to-read map at the Visitors Center in Shipshewana, or download a digital version (map is to large to print at home).

6. Fun at the Farms

A few minutes from downtown Shipshewana is Stutzman Dairy Farm, a 6th generation family-owned farm. Watch daily milking and learn what you can make from milk. Looking for a zoo experience? Check out Dutch Creek Animal Farm to interact with Domestic and Exotic animal’s first-hand. Take a wagon ride and feed the bison at Cook’s Bison Ranch in Wolcottville. Don’t forget to check out the locally grown produce stands along the way!

7. Explore Local Artisans

The Heart of Shipshewana’s Amish Country is know for locally made items. Check out Teaberry Wood Products, Riverwood Pottery, and Silver Star Leather. Don’t forget to take home Amish noodles from E&S Sales.

8. Shop till you Drop

Not only can you taste Amish cooking, but at stores like Yoder’s Meat & Cheese, or E&S Bulk Sales, you can find ingredients to take home and make your own. If you’re a quilter, visit Yoders DepartmentStore, The Cotton Corner or Lolly’s Fabrics for top-quality supplies. Discover upcycled pieces at 2 Chicks & a Chair, or vintage pieces, antiques, and collectibles at Cherry Pickers and the year-round Shipshewana Trading Place weekly Wednesday auctions. These and so much more offer exciting shopping opportunities, filled with fun in Shipshewana/LaGrange County.

9. Grab some Eats & Treats

The Heart of Amish Country is know for its delicious Amish meals, of course, but you can also find local casual and farm-to-table dining like barbeque from Linder’s Tavern on Main, deep-dish pizza at East of Chicago Pizza, was tasty treats at Jo Jo’s Pretzels, and a juicy hamburger from Fireside Craft Burgers & Brew. Order a Haystack breakfast meal at Corn Crib Cafe, or the best homemade cinnamon roll from Country Corral.  Try the flight of ice cream from Vanilla Bean Creamery, freshly popped popcorn from Yoder’s Popcorn, and Victorian Candy Company offers endless amounts of candy!

10. Explore the Outdoors

86 lakes and rivers, LaGrange County has something for everyone. Spend evenings around a campfire at one of 10 local campgrounds, cabins or RV parks. Walk or bike the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, which winds through scenic county-side, farms, and forests. Rent a watercraft for fishing from T&L Country Canoes in Shipshewana or Trading Post Outfitters in Mongo.

11. Travel the Trails

On a slow Sunday, take a selfie with every mural along the Art in the Heart trail, or rent a bike and ride where the Amish ride on the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail. How about a country drive to see Amish Barn Quilts or stroll through a botanic garden? Take the NEW Off the Beaten Path Audio Driving Tour. Stop by the Visitors Center for maps and more information about any of our local trails & tours.

12. Guided Amish Tours & Buggy Rides

There’s no better way to get up close and personal with the Amish than to go on a guided Amish tour. Create unique & memorable family experiences by providing buggy rides and tours to a real live working horse & dairy farm with Buggy Lane Tours. Make the most of your time in Amish Country, Indiana with a local guide! My Amish Indiana customizes private tours for those who want tot see the countryside, discover new places, and learn more about the Amish culture.

13. Catch a Show

With 1,500 of seats the Blue Gate Performing Arts Center has had Daniel O’Donnell, Kenny G, Jo Dee Massina, Emmylou Harris, and so many more big names! The Blue Gate Musical Hall holds 360 of seats. Check out the 2024 musicals, Josiah for President and When Calls the Heart.

14. Play in the Parks

Go swimming and soak up the sun at Dallas Lake Park or play 18-hols of Disc Golf at Delt Church Park. Spend a day at Pine Knob Park, with field archery and a 3-D archery trail with life-sized game targets (April-October). Visit Maple Wood Nature Center for Maple Syrup Days on the 3rd full weekend in March.

15. The Official Amish County Visitors Center

Make your first stop in town the Visit Shipshewana Visitors Center for a Free Coupon Book. Talk with locals about how to plan your trip!