Get ready to hit the road and make unforgettable memories in Shipshewana—without stretching your wallet. Discover fun family events for the kids, mom, dad, and even your pets! Enjoy hands-on activities, ride animals at petting zoos, explore charming shops, and dine on delicious eats on your adventure! Enjoy a low-cost getaway that everyone in the family will love.
Day 1
☀️ Morning
- Pick up Your Free Coupon Book at the Visitors Center
- When you get to Shipshewana, your FIRST stop is the Shipshewana Visitors Center, where you’ll find brochures, a Visitor’s Guide, a 2025 Coupon Book, and knowledgeable, helpful staff to answer all your questions and point you in the right direction for your family fun adventure!
- Stop by: Das Kafe Haus, Five Lakes Coffee, or Kitchen Cupboard
- Begin your day with an energetic breakfast or drink at the best local coffee and cafes in town Choose from delicious blended smoothies, coffee, or tea. If you’re hungry, grab a cinnamon roll, bagel, or cookie to fuel your fun!
- Bike where the Amish bike on the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail
- Enjoy the great outdoors and take a ride on the 17-mile-long Pumpkinvine Nature Trail! Bring your bikes, or rent them in town, and enjoy the paved, scenic trail! Enjoy free parking at the Shipshewana Trail Head for your active adventure. Stop for a picnic anywhere on the trail or visit Mooie’s Ice Cream along the way for creamy ice cream, pretzels, and snacks!
❤️ Afternoon
- Fuel up for lunch at JoJo’s Pretzels
- For lunch, head to Harrison Street for Davis Mercantile. The four-story building is home to the locally owned JoJo’s Pretzels. You’ll smell the fresh pretzels as soon as you walk inside. For a super special treat, the kids can watch bakers twist the dough into pretzel shapes, then pop them into the oven. Choose from a variety of flavors, including original, cinnamon sugar, garlic, and more. Or go for a hot dog, chili, or chicken salad croissant.
- Shop for family games and puzzles, and ride the carousel inside the Davis Mercantile
- Now it’s time to shop for gifts and souvenirs! With more than 20 stores to choose from, there’s something for everybody inside Davis Mercantile. Dad can head over to Puzzles Plus for sports memorabilia, tin signs, and plenty of puzzles. Mom should check out Sarah Davis Ltd. for stylish clothing and accessories, and Seasons for farmhouse-style decor. While the kids will enjoy the 1906 carousel on the fourth floor, right across from Aunt Millie’s Candy & Nut Shop and Red Wagon for books, games, and toys.
- Check in at the Blue Gate Garden Inn–a family-friendly boutique hotel
- The welcoming hotel is perfect for families visiting Amish Country. Enjoy cozy accommodations with modern amenities like an indoor pool, fitness center, pickleball and basketball courts, and complimentary refreshments. With 154 rooms—including suites and adjoining options—the inn offers comfort and convenience all year-round.
🌛Evening
- Dinner and Show: Two Options to Choose!
- Enjoy a traditional Amish home-cooked meal at the Blue Gate Restaurant, including fried chicken, slow-cooked roast beef, and homestyle entrees. Pair it with mashed potatoes, homemade noodles, macaroni and cheese, green beans, and corn. Kids can enjoy chicken drumsticks, chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes, chicken tenders, and macaroni & cheese with a side of their choice including french fries. Save room for dessert and enjoy a slice of pie with more than 19 flavors.
- After dinner, head upstairs to the theater for a family-friendly live stage performance or reserve seats at the Blue Gate PAC for a night of singing, dancing, and laughing!
- Or
- Pizza, Mini Golf, Swimming, and Arcade games:
- Order a giant, hot, and delicious freshly baked Amish pizza at Shipshe Pizza & Mini-Golf, then test your skills at their mini-golf course
- Evening Fun:
- Once you’re through with dinner and your evening plans, head back to your hotel for more family fun! Play arcade games, roast marshmallows on an outdoor fire pit, splash in the indoor swimming pool, take a photo by the chicken or cow cutouts, or open up your new game or puzzle from the Davis Mercantile!
- Grab some ice cream or a sundae from the Blue Gate’s ice cream parlor and snap a family pic inside the Amish buggy for a family keepsake and next year’s Christmas Card!
Day 2
☀️ Morning
- Breakfast Buffet: Blue Gate Garden Inn
- Included with each overnight stay is the deluxe and delicious breakfast buffet at the Blue Gate Garden Inn. Dad will love the made-to-order Omelets, Mom will dig the fresh fruit and yogurt bar, and the kids will delight in 2 tasty flavors of jumbo waffles smothered in syrup. Enjoy the feast at a great value to fuel up for another busy day in Amish Country
- Horse-Drawn Buggy Ride
- Book a ride with Shipshewana Buggy Rides for a charming ride around town in an Amish buggy. Bring the camera for family photos and capture new memories as you ride by scenic farmland, Amish shops, and animals, creating lasting impressions with your kids on the adventure!
- Now that you’ve seen Amish Country from a buggy, it’s time to enjoy it on your own. Load up the car, don’t forget to grab a bag or two of Shipshewana Popcorn, and get off the beaten path! The Off the Beaten Path Audio Tour takes you away from the city on an excursion through the Heart of Amish Country. You’ll experience more than 120 Amish Cottage shops, go on a scavenger hunt for locally made barn quilts, and have plenty of opportunities for photos along the journey!
- Visit: Dutch Creek Animal Park (seasonal)
- Get ready for a wild ride through Dutch Creek Animal Park. The kids will love feeding the animals while you capture each moment with endless photos! From baby pigs and fluffy cows to pony rides and deer, experience the animals first-hand on a safari-style wagon ride. It’s a full morning of outdoor family fun and adventure!
❤️ Afternoon
- Play in the Parks
- Looking to get out and explore local parks, lakes, and play games all without spending a buck? Then grab your fishing poles, picnic basket, and swimwear as you adventure beneath towering trees, splash in the water, and play outside. Dallas Lake Park is a great spot for the kids to run around the playground, hike, and jump into fun at the swimming pier. Stop by E & S Bulk Foods for picnic fixings and Yoder’s Meat & Cheese for all of your grilling meats for lunch at Delt Church Park while the kids play disc golf or on the jungle gym. Maple Wood Nature Center offers two miles of trails for you and your family to explore. While Pine Knob Park has access to fishing, hiking, and archery.
- Head to: Cook’s Bison Ranch (seasonal)
- Enjoy an afternoon outdoors while hanging out with bison at Cook’s Bison Ranch! A perfect outing for families with kids, you’ll enjoy a homemade lunch on the ranch, grab a bag of feed, and head to the covered wagon for a unique experience to explore the 83-acre 700-head bison ranch. Your kids will be able to pet and feed a true American legend, the majestic buffalo. Learn about raising, feeding, and managing a bison herd from the experts. You’ll have countless moments for photo ops while you’re out on the family ranch.
Have an extra day for adventure? You’ve barely scratched the surface of all the exciting family-friendly experiences in Shipshewana!
☀️ Morning
- Paddle the Rivers in kayaks or canoes
- A low-cost and exciting family activity is kayaking the Pigeon River Fish and Wildlife Area at Trading Post Outfitters. Explore four trip options on up to 20 miles of the river. Flow down scenic and secluded waterways and wooded river banks where you can see deer, wild turkey, beaver, otter, and a large variety of bird life and waterfowl. T & L Country Canoes offers trips down the stunning Fawn River just like the Potawatomi Indians did. If you’re up for a full outdoor family adventure, book a campsite and bring a cooler full of food from Yoder’s Meat & Cheese and E & S Bulk Foods.
- Scream for Ice Cream at Lucy’s Vedie Twist
- End the morning with a scoop of soft serve ice cream, hand-dipped cones, and smooth velvety ice cream at Lucy’s Vedie Twist! With several flavors to choose from, you’ll enjoy a tasty treat to fuel you for the rest of your time in Amish Country!
❤️ Afternoon
- LaGrange Lunch
- Head to Restaurant Row in LaGrange for a yummy lunch at either Linder’s Tavern on Main , Fireside Craft Burgers & Brews or Destination 814. Dad can enjoy fall-off-the-bone ribs. Mom can get a freshly made sandwich or a handcrafted burger. The kids will go crazy for macaroni and cheese and chocolate dessert with scoops of ice cream on top. Three great places to fuel your journey home from your family-friendly adventure at the Heart of Amish Country.
