Shipshewana/LaGrange County Convention & Visitor Bureau 350 S Van Buren St PO Box 347 Shipshewana, IN 46565

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1 a GROUP TOUR PLANNER Shipshewana/LaGrange County Convention & Visitor Bureau 350 S Van Buren St PO Box 347 Shipshewana, IN Ph: or Fax: VisitShipshewana.org

2 Dear group TOUR Planner, Welcome to Shipshewana/LaGrange County where simple living is a choice! Welcome to a place of pure naturalness; where life is straightforward and easy to understand, a place where visitors are friends and guests become family. Welcome to a place of simple activities; people watching, farmer s markets, buggy rides, antiquing, flea markets, museum hopping, swimming, canoeing, performances of notables from around the country, and special events that dot the year. Shipshewana/LaGrange County, IN welcomes your Group with unique attractions, dining venues, many lodging options, and welcoming communities packed with activities to round out your experience! While in Shipshewana you will find intriguing attractions, Amish culture and treasure-filled shops. Shipshewana/LaGrange County is conveniently located in Northern Indiana s Amish Country, halfway between Chicago, IL and Toledo, OH (just a 2 (two) hour drive from either direction). The Indiana Toll Road (I-80/90) runs along the Northern edge of the county with alternate access from State Roads 13 & 120 and Highways 5 & 20. Shipshewana welcomes hundreds of groups from all over the country, spending an average of two to three days enjoying Shipshewana s Amish Country. An ideal location for high quality, great value and exceptional service offering many gorgeous yet simple venues for reunions, Groups, retreats, meetings and conventions. The region offers an array of shopping attractions and entertainment options to round out your stay along with seasonal festivals and family friendly activities. See you in Shipshewana, JoDee Hooley, CTIS Director of Leisure Group Experiences Shipshewana/ LaGrange County Convention & Visitor Bureau 350 S Van Buren St PO Box 347 Shipshewana, IN Ph: or Fax: VisitShipshewana.org

3 Shipshewana: Crafted in Tradition Discover the Amish culture rich in tradition; handcrafted treasures and feast on a family-style meal. A visit to a local museum celebrating a past culture or take a guided tour through the countryside. Shipshewana/LaGrange County, IN is known for its unhurried pace and an unspoiled countryside; where life is a blend of modern world vs. a time when life was slower. It has also become famous for its Flea Market *Voted by the American Bus Association as a Top 100 Event*, Amish/Mennonite home-cooking and family-friendly entertainment. Don t forget the small-town shopping adventure as you stroll along the streets of downtown looking for that one-of-a-kind gift. *Voted as one of the tope destinations to find a unique gift by Midwest Living* Hand-Crafted tours await you crafting itineraries that offer a full menu of group friendly activities for your group to experience. Our staff of experts is ready to help you put the pieces together, providing all the resources you need! Complimentary Visitor Guides & maps Itinerary customized to fit your group Expert Advice Step-On Guide Services Group lodging, dining and attraction options FAM tours and Site visits Web links Photography DVD s Hotel bidding service Special arrangement coordination For your personalized service, contact: JoDee Hooley, CTIS Director of Leisure Group Experiences Shipshewana/ LaGrange County Convention & Visitor Bureau 350 S Van Buren St PO Box 347 Shipshewana, IN Ph: or Fax: VisitShipshewana.org

4 ABOUT THE AMISH CULTURE: SIX SOCIAL COURTESIES Shipshewana/LaGrange County, Indiana is home to the third largest Amish community in the nation. This community s simple way of life is the reason many people visit our area to observe, learn about, pay tribute to, and purchase items locally made by the Amish. Here are a few things to remember as you travel through our area and interact with the Amish: 1 Upon your arrival, you will notice the roads filled with bikes and buggies; many people will be walking, and kids will be riding in their pony carts. Please slow down and take extra caution as you travel. Buggies follow the same road rules as vehicles. 2 Please don t honk at the horses pulling buggies. The sound easily could spook the horses. Use caution when passing, horses can be unpredictable. 3 The Amish in our area understand the fact that visitors come to get to know them. Within limits, they will visit with you, but if they choose not to, that s okay. Even if you don t get into a conversation with them, they will provide a smile and a nod. 4 As part of their religious heritage, Amish believe photographs are graven images, so please do not take photos of their faces, grown-ups or children. It s tempting, we know, please honor their culture. 5 DO stop in at their home businesses along the backroads. Many of these businesses help sustain the Amish way of life. You ll see many signs along the country roads advertising these small cottage businesses. When you see a sign, you re automatically invited to stop in; you ll be welcomed with a smile and a nod. Most Amish businesses do not accept Debit or Credit Cards and operate on a cash/check only basis. 6 Most shops are closed on Sunday so that the Amish can honor the Sabbath with a day of rest and spend uninterrupted time with their family. Amish businesses will also be closed on Ascension Day, Good Friday and Old Christmas (Epiphany). Plan your schedule accordingly. Shipshewana/ LaGrange County Convention & Visitor Bureau 350 S Van Buren St PO Box 347 Shipshewana, IN Ph: or Fax: VisitShipshewana.org

5 TOP GROUP ATTRACTIONS Das Dutchman Essenhaus & Heritage Hall Ph: or W US 20, Middlebury, IN hannah@essenhaus.com Essenhaus.com An unforgettable Amish country experience at Indiana s largest restaurant. Nationally recognized for its restaurant and bakery with over 30 varieties of freshly-made pies. Shop the Essenhaus Village Shops, enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride or stay are the Essenhaus Inn, offering unique grouponly incentive opportunities. Enjoy traditional Family-Style meals or buffet dining. Shop for that truly unique gift, home décor, baked goods, souvenirs, and so much more! Coupons provided! Spacious guest room accommodations with all the amenities you can appreciate and enjoy at the Inn, breakfast included. Visit both the Essenhaus Quilt Garden and Mural, one of 27 stops on the official Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail. Enjoy Familyfriendly entertainment performance at Heritage Hall. Blue Gate Restaurant & Theatre Ph: or N Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN groupsales@riegsecker.com BlueGateRestaurant.com BlueGateTheater.com Your visit to the Blue Gate Restaurant will be a warm and inviting atmosphere with great home-style cooking, friendly service and all the baked goods your heart desires. Shop around in any of the Riegsecker Family shops or visit our famous bakery and take home some fresh-baked goods. Over 280 shows, 80 artists and 3 hit Musicals, the Blue Gate is the best place for entertainment in Shipshewana and a household name in the Midwest. Also featuring Southern Gospel favorites and other family-friendly entertainment. Ask us about our Group packages!

6 TOP GROUP ATTRACTIONS Menno-Hof Interpretive Center Ph: S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN susan@mennohof.org MennoHof.org Explore the religious beginnings and backgrounds of the Amish, Mennonite and Huterite people from their origins in Europe to their arrival in America and their lives today. History unfolds as you explore a dungeon, a 17th-century sailing ship, replicas of a 19th-centure print shop and meeting house, a life-like tornado experience, a glimpse into a Northern Indiana Amish home, and a 16th-century martyr room. Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market Ph: S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN lora@shipshewanatradingplace.com ShipshewanaTradingPlace.com The Shipshewana Flea Market is a do-not-miss Hoosier tradition with nearly 900 booths. Vendors offer vintage items, seasonal produce, hand-made goods, re-purposed crafts, handcrafted furniture, clothing, home décor, food, and much more. Enjoy the 30,000-square foot antique auction PLUS livestock and hay auctions on Wednesdays. Open Tuesdays and Wednesdays 8am to 5pm May through September Amish Acres Heritage Resort Ph: or e: Becky amishacres@amishacres.com AmishAcres.com An immersive, all-inclusive Amish Country experience on an 80-acre restored Old Order Amish farm offering group packages that include some of the region s best entertainment, food and lodging. Tour the historic farm on foot or by wagon. Dine in the century-old Amish-built Restaurant Barn. Enjoy Broadway style classic musicals in the 400-seat Round Barn Theatre. Browse four on-site specialty shops packed with sweets, cheese, smoked meats, quilts, baked goods, and more. Enjoy the Annual Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival held every August. Voted an ABA Top 100 Event

7 GUIDED TOURS Take a guided tour through Shipshewana s countryside and discover Hidden Treasures as you experience the Amish Culture. Learn of the past at our local museum and of the present from first-hand accounts of life on an Amish farm. Your group can take a leisurely buggy ride as they visit with an Amish driver as they share about their plain faith. Buggy Lane Tours Ph: e: John Yutzi info@buggylanetours.com BuggyLaneTours.com Create lasting memories for your group with a guided tour through the beautiful Amish countryside, experience a home cooked meal in an Amish home, or tour a real working Amish/Mennonite Horse & Dairy Farm. Arrive as strangers, Leave as friends! Tour Highlights Buggy Rides, Amish Countryside Tour, Agricultural Tour, Quilt Gardens along the Heritage Trail, Covered Bridge Tour Cathy s Countryside Tours Ph: e: Lora T & Ginger L info@cathyscountrysidetours.com CathysCountrysideTours.com Offering personalized tour development services, as well as Step-On Guided services in Shipshewana and the surrounding area. Custom-designed tours for motor coaches, school groups, small group getaways, and more! Get ready to learn about local history, Amish ways, self-sufficient living, and a small community with diverse culture all why having a great time! Tour Highlights Countryside Makers, Holiday Treasures, Amish Insights, Tasty Delights, Patchwork Sampler Countryside Buggy Rides & Tours Ph: ext 1, Ben Borntreger, Local Amish Guide 4010 S 1000 W, Millersburg, IN Experience the hidden treasures of the Amish Countryside. Ben will share about his culture/lifestyle, take you on a tour of his home as you learn about Sustainable Living, tour an Organic Egg Farm or take you on a buggy ride. Tour Highlights Buggy and/or Sleigh Rides, Hidden Treasures along the Amish Countryside, Agricultural Tour, Sustainable Living

8 GUIDED TOURS Great Life Tours Ph: or e: Vickie Estep Specialized guides, fun facts, mouthwatering meals, and the most authentic experiences are just a few reasons to select Great Life Tours for your next trip to Amish Country. Tour Highlights The Grab Bag Tour, My Amish Life, Tour for a Cause, and Holidays in Amish Country. Miller s Buggy Line Company Ph: e: Scott Miller sscomll5@aol.com mbuggyline@aol.com BuggyLine.com Experience the Amish culture and heritage with us. From in-home Amish meals to farm tours and buggy rides. We can customize your group s next visit. We will help take the stress out of tour planning for you with one-of-a-kind customized itineraries. Tour Highlights Buggy Rides, Heritage Trail Tour, Vella Essa Tour, Amish Backroads Tour Orley s Tours Ph: , Orley Miller, Local Amish Guide W 325 N, Shipshewana, IN Local Amish guide offering Amish Countryside tours that is straight from the horse s mouth. Orley will share his plain faith culture with the opportunity to enjoy a tour of his home or dine at his daughter s home for a delicious meal. Tour Highlights Amish Experience Tour, Amish Countryside Tour

9 SAMPLE ITINERARY IDEAS Shipshewana Quilt Trail You don t need to be a Quilt enthusiast to enjoy Shipshewana s Quilt Trail filled with great photo opportunities, beautiful Gardens, Barn Quilts and more! Savor homemade Amish meals, and tour the rolling countryside with its Amish country schools, farmsteads and folks in plain dress with black buggies. Shop the quaint downtown or travel through the countryside and visit Amish Cottage shops; you won t want to miss a stitch Tour Highlights Local Quilt Shops, Davis Mercantile, Amish Cottage Shops, Menno-Hof Interpretive Center, Old-Fashion Amish Quilting Bee, Amish Dining, Blue Gate Restaurant & Theatre, Das Dutchman Essenhaus Patchwork Sampler Tour This tour is designed to be a one to four-day experience. Tour Highlights Make & Take adventures, Quilt Gardens Along the Heritage Trail, Quilt Presentations from Rebecca Haarer, Blue Gate Restaurant & Theater, Guided Quilt Tour stopping at several Quilt/Fabric Shops, Rug Weaving, Basket Maker, Barn Quilt Trail, Shopping Downtown Shipshewana, Amish Dining & Quilting Bee Shipshewana Splendors What better way to experience Shipshewana then to experience all that we have to offer. Tour Highlights Midwest s Largest Outdoor Flea Market, Blue Gate Restaurant & Theater, Menno-Hof Interpretive Center, Guided Countryside Tour, Amish Dining Scents & Senses Tour My fondest memories of growing up in Shipshewana, IN are of the incredible people, sites, and foods I experienced as a child. Through the years, my memories have expanded to a much deeper understanding of the uniqueness of this quaint town. Awaken your senses as you enjoy the Scents and Senses Tour and experiences the tastes, smells, sights, touches and sounds of my amazing hometown. Tour Highlights Local Perfumery, Amish Bakery, Popcorn Shoppe, Amish Woodcrafters Shop, Amish Beekeeper, Amish Quilt Shop, Amish Chime Shop, Amish Dining, Downtown Shopping

10 Group Friendly DINING GROUP FRIENDLY DINING Enjoy warm and inviting atmosphere, great home-style cooking, friendly service and delicious baked goods 5 & 20 Country Restaurant Ph: W US 20, Shipshewana, IN Blue Gate Restaurant & Bakery Ph: e: Group Sales groupsales@riegsecker.com 195 N Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN BlueGateRestaurant.com Das Dutchman Essenhaus Ph: e: Hannah Walsh hannah@essehaus.com 240 W US 20, Middlebury, IN Essenhaus.com Tiffany s Restaurant Ph: e: Gary Yoder gytiffanys@yahoo.com 414 E Lake St, Topeka, IN Shipshewana Auction Restaurant Ph: e: Lora Gates lora@shipshewanatradingplace.com 345 S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN ShipshewanaTradingPlace.com GROUP FRIENDLY AMISH DINING Taste the magic of Shipshewana/LaGrange County s Amish country and experience flavors you will never forget! Experience true Amish cooking at its best! Sit back and relax as you are served a delicious meal prepared just for your group at an Amish home. Eden Meadows Banquets Ph: Vera & Clyde Miller W 200 S, Shipshewana, IN Hoosier Banquets Ph: Linda & Ray Miller 6335 W 200 N, Shipshewana, IN Pigeon River Dining Ph: Carolyn & Gary Yoder 8095 N 800 W, Shipshewana, IN The Carriage House Ph: ext 2128 Seth & Elaine Jones 5280 S 500 W, Topeka, IN Woodside Diner Ph: Marlene Petersheim 1385 E 250 N, LaGrange, IN Yoder s Homestyle Cooking Ph: Carolyn & Henry Yoder W 325 N, Shipshewana, IN

11 Group Friendly accomodations Best Western Plus Howe Inn Ph: N SR 9, Howe, IN BestWestern.com Located just 15 minutes from downtown Shipshewana, this hotel offers exceptional service and quality accommodations. Featuring a hot breakfast, indoor pool, exercise room, suites, and laundry. We value our guest s comfort. Conveniently located directly off Indiana Toll Road (I-80/90) exit 121 Blue Gate Garden Inn Ph: S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN BlueGateGardenInn.com Located in downtown Shipshewana and conveniently located near all attractions. This newly renovated hotel offers a huge breakfast complete with an omelet chef! Indoor pool, firepit, ice cream shop, carriage rides, and more! Luggage handling available upon request. Farmstead Inn & Conference Center Ph: S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN FarmsteadInn.com Located directly across from the Shipshewana Flea Market, this is a beautiful 153 room country inn. Offering free Wi-Fi, Hot continental breakfast, indoor pool and hot-tub, delivering all the comforts of home without the hassles. Conveniently located within walking distance of downtown shopping. Luggage handling available upon request. Holiday Inn Express Ph: W 750 N, Howe, IN ihg.com Located just 15 minutes from downtown Shipshewana, this hotel is newly renovated, offers exceptional service and quality accommodations. Featuring a hot breakfast, indoor pool, exercise room, and pet friendly. Conveniently located directly off Indiana Toll Road (I-80/90) exit 121. Van Buren Hotel Ph: OR N Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN VanBurenHotel.com Located just north of the downtown area, the Van Buren welcomes you to experience small town hospitality at its best. Offering a delicious hot breakfast, indoor pool, and rockers to relax and enjoy the countryside. Luggage handling available. Hampton Inn Ph: Crystal Heights Blvd, Middlebury, IN hamptoninn3.hilton.com Located just minutes from downtown Shipshewana. Featuring complimentary hot breakfast, close to Das Dutchman Essenhaus and area shopping. Essenhaus Inn & Conference Center Ph: W US 20, Middlebury, IN Essenhaus.com Located just minutes from downtown Shipshewana. Welcomes groups to discover upscale accommodations with indoor pool, complimentary deluxe breakfast. Onsite Restaurant & Bakery facility, shopping, Live Theatre and more.

12 Getting here Shipshewana/LaGrange County highlighting off-the-beaten-path treasures, is a nationally recognized Top Destination. As the Midwest s major east/west artery, the Indiana Toll Road skirts the north edge of Shipshewana/LaGrange County, its convenience offers an ideal break for visitors. No matter where you re coming from, You re always welcome! Whatever your destination, I-80/90 exits 107 & 121 are the best locations for a Stop-over along the Indiana Toll Road. Offering several restaurants, over 700 hotel rooms and many area attractions. Airport Information Chicago O Hare Intl Airport (ORD) 150 Miles 2.5 hours Chicago Midway Intl Airport (MDW) 138 Miles 2.5 hours Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) 170 Miles 2.75 hours Fort Wayne Intl Airport (FWA) 60 Miles 1.5 hours South Bend Intl Airport (SBN) 50 Miles 1 hour Distances from major cities Chicago, IL 135 Miles 2.5 hours Cleveland, OH 219 Miles 4 hours Detroit, MI 185 Miles 3 hours Indianapolis, IN 170 Miles 3 hours Milwaukee, WI 224 Miles 3.75 hours Pittsburg, PA 341 Miles 5 hours St Louis, MO 400 Miles 6 hours Toledo, OH 124 Miles 2 hours Toronto, ON 426 Miles 7 hours INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE SHIPSHEWANA/LAGRANGE COUNTY CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU (Herein referred to as the Shipshewana/LaGrange County CVB) IS MADE AVAILABLE AS A PUBLIC SERVICE, WITHOUT EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND AND IS SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING DISCLAIMER: The Shipshewana/LaGrange County CVB and its employees shall not be held liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information described and/or contained herein and assumes no responsibility for anyone s use of the information. All materials, suggestions and/or estimated quotes are subject to change upon availability by the service provider, not the Shipshewana/LaGrange County CVB. Additionally, the Shipshewana/LaGrange County CVB accepts no liability for the content, unless that information is subsequently confirmed in writing by the recipient. Any views or opinions presented in this information are only a suggestion of the Shipshewana/ LaGrange County CVB. Therefore, the Shipshewana/LaGrange County CVB accepts no liability for Step on-guide services engaged by the recipient. This group tour planning guide is a publication of Shipshewana/LaGrange County Convention & Visitor Bureau 350 S Van Buren St PO Box 347 Shipshewana, IN Ph: or Fax: VisitShipshewana.org