Hitch up the buggy and head to Indiana’s Amish Country for the holidays! This episode of Big Blend Radio’s "Food, Wine & Travel" Podcast with the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) takes us to Shipshewana with Sonya Nash, CEO of the Shipshewana/LaGrange County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
About two hours east of Chicago and two and a half hours north of Indianapolis, Shipshewana is home to the third-largest Amish settlement in the U.S., and at Christmas the whole town glows. Sonya explains how the Amish celebrate a faith-based holiday while still enjoying the beauty of the lights, then walks us through everything there is to see, taste, and do.
In this episode:
- Shipshewana’s Lights of Joy drive-thru display, plus more than a mile of hoop lights decorating the sidewalks downtown
- Horse-drawn buggy rides, including a lit buggy ride, for couples and families
- Handmade gifts and crafts: baskets, pottery, mugs, Amish furniture, and leather goods
- Why Shipshewana calls itself the RV capital of the world, with free factory tours
- Breakfast with Santa and holiday photo ops
- Shows and concerts at the Blue Gate Performing Arts Center
- Pie, comfort food, and the My My American Pie Trail
- Where to stay, from the Blue Gate Garden Inn and Farmstead Inn to the Van Buren Hotel
- Menno-Hof, the Amish Mennonite Interpretive Center, plus quilt shops, local makers, and barn quilts
- The free gingerbread village at E&S Bulk Food Store, an “Amish Costco”
- What to do after Christmas: the Spicy and Icy Festival in January and Pajama Days in February
- A hot chocolate with a cause at Das Kaffee Haus, and the story behind Ben’s Soft Pretzels
- Tips for visiting Amish Country respectfully, including why to leave extra time for buggies on the road
Whether you’re planning a holiday getaway or just want an armchair trip to a real-life Hallmark town, this one will put you in the Christmas spirit.
LINKS & TRAVEL RESOURCES:
- Plan your Shipshewana getaway: https://visitshipshewana.org/
- Learn more about the International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA): https://www.ifwtwa.org/
- More "Food, Wine & Travel" episodes with IFWTWA:
https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/food-wine-travel-ifwtwa
- Big Blend Radio Travel, Food & Wine Digital Podcast Magazine:
https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/travel-food-wine-magazine
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