Searching for a getaway for the weekend? Why don’t you try Indiana?
Because so many interstates travel through this Midwestern state, it is known as the crossroads of America. However, there are plenty of interesting tiny communities to explore just off the interstates, so it’s by no means a temporary state.
One can find peaceful Amish landscapes, the largest historical downtown, historic utopian settlements, the world’s most stunning dunes, and one of the most magnificent hotels by retreating to these places.
The top 5 Indiana communities for a weekend getaway are listed below.
Santa Claus
This lively town is ideal for any kind of vacation. Actually, Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari is Santa Claus’ most popular attraction.
With its numerous wooden roller coasters, water park, and complimentary soft beverages, this family-run amusement park is a favorite among thrill-seekers.
The Santa Claus Historic Village, a beautifully preserved area featuring a statue of St. Nick and other 19th-century structures, including a post office where kids may write letters to Santa Claus, is another place visitors to Santa Claus, Indiana, can catch a little Christmas cheer.
Because it’s only a 10-minute drive from the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, where President Abraham Lincoln spent his childhood after relocating from Kentucky to Indiana, the town is also a favorite among those interested in presidential history.
Madison
One of Indiana’s most well-known historic towns is Madison. Its downtown section spans 133 blocks, making it one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the United States. Madison’s eight home museums are a great place for history and architectural lovers to explore.
Among the finest are the Historic Eleutherian College, established in the 1850s by the Neil’s Creek Anti-Slavery Society; the Greek Revival Lanier Mansion State Historic Site in 1844, which has stunning Corinthian columns and gardens; and the Schroeder Saddletree Factory Museum, one of the last remaining manufacturers of wooden saddle frames from the 19th century.
Madison is home to the breathtaking Clifty Falls State Park, where visitors can experience an outdoor adventure by hiking the four falls challenge to see all of the limestone waterfalls within the park’s boundaries.
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Shipshewana
A popular destination for Hoosiers seeking a peaceful country lifestyle away from the bustling metropolis is Shipshewana.
It boasts one of the biggest Amish communities in the United States, which is evident in a number of Amish eateries and establishments, including The Carriage House restaurant.
The Menno-Hof Interpretative Center is another place to learn about Amish living. Walking the Pumpkinvine Trail, which links Shipshewana with the neighboring communities of Elkhart, Goshen, and Middlebury, is the finest way to discover this little rural hamlet.
There are several places along the trail to pull off and enjoy some ice cream or a freshly prepared Amish dinner.
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Jasper
The entire small town is replete with remnants of Jasper’s role as one of the major hubs for German Catholic immigration to Indiana. Jasper is so proud of its past that it showcases the Dubois County Museum to the entire state of Indiana.
With more than 50,000 square feet of exhibits, including a reproduction of the town’s main street from the 1890s, an 1885 log house, a model train display, and community paintings detailing the town’s history, this museum is the biggest county museum in the whole state.
The two greatest historic sites are the Monastery Immaculate Conception, a Benedictine Sister convent founded in 1867 and home to its own brewery, St Benedicts Brew Works, and the Huntingburg Park baseball stadium from 1894.
Porter
The Indiana Dunes National site, located in this little hamlet in Northern Indiana, is a breathtaking site.
The dunes, which are located on the southern beaches of Lake Michigan, offer a variety of landscapes for exploration, from the marshes of the Cowles Bog Trail to the Calumet Dunes Trail, which was once Lake Michigan’s shoreline. The park offers 16 different path systems to explore.
Naturally, one may also spend a day on the actual beaches, which comprise 15 miles of West Beach, Porter Beach, and other beaches.
More than 60 historic structures may be seen in the park, including the Century of Progress residences, which were first shown as the future of architecture at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair.