Explore Shipshewana’s Off the Beaten Path Trail: Cottage Shops and Countryside

Connie Agritourism, Attractions & Events, Indiana, Road Trips November 7, 2024Amish Community, Amish Cottage Shops, Amish Country, Amish Culture, Amish Food, Audio Guided Tours, Barn Quilts, Countryside Adventures, Cultural Trails, Indiana tourism, LaGrange County, Local Artisans, Nature and Parks, Off the Beaten Path Trail, Rural Road Trips, Shipshewana, Small Town Charm 0 Comment

Have you been to Shipshewana, Indiana? In the third-largest Amish community in the United States, you shared the roads and parking lots with Amish buggies. You probably filled up on huge Amish meals and perhaps browsed Amish-owned shops. But have you explored outside of Shipshewana proper? That’s what Shipshewana’s Off the Beaten Path Trail is all about. We traveled the trail recently during a sponsored Shipshewana visit. As the narrated audio recording directed us through the backroads of LaGrange County, we found Amish cottage shops, barn quilts, parks, and small-town charm.

Normally, we do a trail like this all in one shot. But, because our itinerary included visiting attractions in town each day, we did it piecemeal, which worked just fine. Read more

6 Unique Southwest Michigan Beach Towns You Need to Visit

Connie Attractions & Events, Michigan, Nature, Road Trips, Travel September 18, 2024September 18, 2024Beach Getaway, Explore Michigan, Grand Haven Michigan, Holland Michigan, Lake Michigan, Michigan Beach Towns, New Buffalo Michigan, Pure Michigan, Saint Joseph Michigan, Saugatuck Michigan, Small Town Charm, South Haven Michigan, Southwest Michigan, Summer Travel 4 Comments

As you drive up the coast of Southwest Michigan, you pass through beach town after beach town dotting the shore of Lake Michigan. All of these towns have a beach, of course, most have a downtown area filled with shops and eateries, and the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail leads to wineries throughout the region. But, each of these towns has its own personality. In this article we’re taking a look at six unique Southwest Michigan beach towns we visited this summer that we’re sure you’d enjoy, as well.