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SLOW DOWN IN ONE OF INDIANA’S SMALL TOWNS

BY PAULA AVEN GLADYCH

Some of the most notable treasures of the Great Lakes can be found in unexpected places. Though waterfront cities get much of the attention from travelers, there are plenty of quaint, historic and beautiful small towns on the Great Lakes worth a visit. Here is a selection of small waterfront towns group travelers might want to add to their itineraries.

Nappanee

In the heart of northern Indiana’s Amish country, Nappanee makes a great base for learning more about the Amish people and culture, and learning to unplug and embrace a slower pace. Downtown Nappanee is very walkable, and visitors will enjoy a variety of cuisines as well as boutique shops. Coppes Commons, a repurposed factory building that now houses shops, restaurants and event space, is a favorite group destination. It offers upcycled products, handmade fabric art and fabric stores, ice cream and a deli.

The Nappanee Center houses the Evelyn Lehman Culp Heritage Collection, which tells the story of Nappanee through permanent and rotating exhibits. Main attractions include the new Grant Family Gallery, which features the work of Amish folk artist Emma Schrock, who painted scenes of rural and home life in the Amish community. There also is a tribute to six nationally known cartoonists who called the area home.

From late May to mid-September, the center features a well-maintained quilt garden that is part of the area’s famed Quilt Garden Trail. Visitors to the area can visit 17 quilt gardens, including ones in Nappanee, Bristol, Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury and Wakarusa. The Barns at Nappanee offer visitors a more personal experience with the Amish culture. Groups can tour an Amish homestead on the grounds, take a buggy ride, shop handmade goods made by local artisans or take in a theatrical performance at the Round Barn

Many groups land in Nashville because they want to experience the 16,000-acre Brown County State Park, which offers 20 miles of tree-lined roads, hiking and mountain biking trails, horseback riding and a nature center. Groups can book private tours of the park through the nature center.

Theatre. Another popular activity is a family-style Threshers Dinner at the FarmTable restaurant, which offers traditional Amish fare.

VISITELKHARTCOUNTY.COM

Nashville

The quaint central Indiana village of Nashville features more than 200 shops, art galleries and restaurants, and is surrounded by a beautiful state park. Brown County’s arts scene permeates Nashville’s downtown with studios, galleries, classes and workshops, and public art pieces are scattered around town. Many groups land in Nashville because they want to experience the 16,000-acre Brown County State Park, which offers 20 miles of tree-lined roads, hiking and mountain biking trails, horseback riding and a nature center. Groups can book private tours of the park through the nature center.

Peak visitation to the area arrives during the summer months and extends through leaf peeping season in the fall, with Hesitation Point and other great overlooks a big draw. More adventurous groups can book guided paddleboarding or kayaking tours or take a self-guided backroads art studio tour, where they can see art being created and purchase original works directly from the artists.

Brown County State Park offers 16,000 acres of unspoiled woodland near the town of Nashville.

The nearby Village of Story is a charming stop. The town was founded in 1851 and has since been transformed into The Story Inn, Indiana’s oldest country inn, with 14 rooms and cottages, and a gourmet restaurant and bar that is housed in the former general store. The bar and a renovated barn host live music and monthly comedy shows.

Visitors can climb 928 feet to the top of Browning Mountain for breathtaking views of the area, especially during autumn, when the leaves are changing color.

BROWNCOUNTY.COM