25 Best & Fun Things to Do in Shipshewana (Indiana)

In search of the best and most fun things to do in Shipshewana, Indiana?

Shipshewana is nestled in the heart of Indiana’s Amish County, United States. The city features picturesque landscapes, making it a perfect escapade from the busy life.

The city offers impressive Hoosier hospitality with a simple way of living and an unforgettable experience.

Shipshewana is every tourist’s dream, as the city has a lot to offer with countless opportunities to get outside and have fun.

There is something for nature lovers, shoppers, art fans, football buffs, fun searchers, museum enthusiasts, food lovers, and many others.

Are you planning an exploration of Shipshewana? Here are the top things to do in Shipshewana, Indiana.

Things to Do in Shipshewana

1. Explore Downtown Shipshewana

Your list of fun things to do in Shipshewana, Indiana, wouldn’t be complete without including an exploration of Downtown Shipshewana.

Downtown Shipshewana is the heart and soul of Shipshewana as it consists of several important attractions.

There are many beautiful stores that offer great deals on crafts, home decor, antiques, attire, and many others. Downtown Shipshewana contains stores like Aunt Millie’s Chocolate & Candy, a coffee shop, JoJo’s Pretzels, and more.

Downtown Shipshewana is an excellent spot during Christmas, with stores featuring beautiful lights and numerous family-friendly Christmas events.

There is a fantastic hotel known as the “Farmstead Inn” for those who want to stay for a while, located just across the road from the Shipshewana flea market.

Address: Shipshewana, Indiana 46565, United States

2. Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market

A beautiful city like Shipshewena offers patrons a stress free and exciting shopping experience when they shop at Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market.

Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market features 26 aisles with almost seven hundred dealers offering many unique items and rare treasures.

The market is also known as the “Midwest’s largest Flea Market” and welcomes hundreds of people from different parts of the country.

Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market occupies a forty-acre land space featuring various jewelry, beauty supplies, accessories, books, decor, beauty supplies, furniture, crafts, tools, and every other thing you can think of.

The market also offers livestock auctions, horse auctions, swap meets, and special antique sales with antique to us and vintage signs at the auction

Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market also features several food courts, including Shawna Rae’s, that serve delicious meals.

This market has about anything you need, and even more, you will surely find something that draws your attention.

Address: 345 S van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN 46565-9488 United States

3. Davis Mercantile

Davis Mercantile is a general meeting point for several people and should be on your list of things to do in Shipshewana, Indiana.

The complex has been in existence right from 1891, the era when Hezekiah Davis saw the necessity of having a place in Shipshewana for those traveling through town.

Davis Mercantile complex offers a welcoming and comfortable environment for friends and family to visit, relax and have fun.

Hezekiah’s family built many buildings and also built a hotel close to the train depot, which cannot be forgotten in the town for its role in the trade during the ancient days.

Davis Mercantile complex was moved from its original location at the corner of Main & Morton street to a block West on Main Street.

After several decades the Miller family bought the Hotel in the 1980s, and they renovated the hotel with more unique additions. As a result, Davis Mercantile complex is the exact definition of a home away from home.

Address: 225 N Harrison St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

4. Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park

Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park is a great location when you want to hang out with the entire family in Shipshewana.

The park features a diverse mix of familiar farm animals and exotic animals with several others amenities that make the zoo stand out from other zoos.

Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park offers wagon rides that allow participants to feed the animals, while horse-drawn wagon rides allow them to tour the entire farm.

The farm offers both children and adults to get close up with some animals in the petting zoo, touch and feed them.

Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park offers tours to different group sizes, including family outings, tour buses, school field trips, and tourist groups.

There are several picnic areas where you can enjoy a meal and spend the day enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Address: 6255 N 1000 W, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

5. Farmstead Inn & Conference Center

Farmstead Inn & Conference Center is a fantastic place to stay during your visit to Shipshewana for an awesome time.

The resort is a country-style conference hotel with comfortable rooms with mini-fridges and microwaves, including separate sitting areas, fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and pull-out sofas.

Farmstead Inn & Conference Center provides clean bathrooms with showers and necessary toiletries.

The facility features a nice pool, a hot tub, a kids’ pool, and a basketball court with a free Wi-Fi network available throughout the facility.

Farmstead Inn & Conference Center features a conference center containing more than one thousand people with several outdoor facilities.

Address: 370 S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

6. E & S Sales Bulk Foods

A perfect addition to your list of cool things to do in Shipshewana, Indiana. is shopping at E & S Sales Bulk Foods for a great shopping time.

E & S Sales Bulk Foods is an Amish-owned foods store different from other food stores; you will understand why once you walk into the shop.

The food store offers different food options, including homestyle noodles with seventy-five different cheeses like pepper jack, swiss, co-jack, American, muenster, cheddar, and more.

E & S Sales Bulk Foods also offers special treats in the bakery, such as cinnamon rolls, fried pies, and whoopie pies.

This is your number one go-to store when you want to purchase freshly cut meats, roasted beef, hams, turkey, and more.

E & S Sales Bulk Foods offers almost everything you need for food, including fruits, spices, been, jam & jellies, dried grain, beans, coffee beans, snacks, cake decorations, flour, nuts, sugar, and lots more.

Address: 1265 IN-5, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

7. Blue Gate Theater

Blue Gate Theater Is a venue that offers visitors a tremendous entertainment experience in Shipshewana and has welcomed many locals and tourists.

The theater has a seating capacity of three hundred and thirty people with high comfortability as they enjoy themselves.

Blue Gate Theater is a venue for numerous events and has hosted more than three hundred shows by over one hundred artists.

The theater has become a major part of the Midwest, featuring many famous musicals and concerts by renowned artists on one stage.

 Blue Gate Theater has featured artists like Josh Turner, Night Ranger, Micheal W. Smith, including Southern Gospel Favorite, and lots of family-friendly events.

There is a hotel and restaurant here that offers dinner packages serving delicious meals with incredible decorations and a lively atmosphere.

Address: 195 N Van Buren St, Shisphewana, IN 46565 United States

8. Shipshewana’s Lights of Joy Christmas Drive-Thru

 Shipshewana’s Lights of Joy Christmas Drive-Thru is a unique place in Shipshewana that will wow you.

It is a lovely Christmas light drive-thru park featuring more than two million LED lights, giving it a festive and colorful feeling.

Shipshewana’s Lights of Joy Christmas Drive-Thru is a place to visit with your entire family as they enjoy setting the radio for Christmas music.

Walk down the dozens of glorious Christmas light scenes of nearly a mile and a half long. This scene motivates the festive and energetic mood during the joyful celebration period.

Shipshewana’s Lights of Joy Christmas Drive-Thru features interactive displays like their own Humphrey the horse, which tells Christmas jokes and sings.

For a fun road trip in Indiana, do not miss exploring the top attractions and fun activities in Indianapolis and Fishers.

9. Wana-Cup Restaurant

Wana-Cup Restaurant is a locally owned restaurant that offers hearty American cuisines in Shipshewana.

The restaurant provides a cheerful and relaxing atmosphere for both locals and tourists to come in and enjoy a delicious meal.

Every single meal is made with freshly sourced local ingredients by a professional chef with a special recipe.

Wana-Cup Restaurant grilled chicken salad, hamburger steak, mozzarella sticks, onion rings, French fries, chicken fillet, chili dog, soup, pickle fries, and others.

The pizza served comes with different toppings for customers, like bacon, onions, hamburger, sausage, green peppers, mushrooms, and more.

Wana-Cup Restaurant offers drinks to match the meals served, including lemonade, root beer, diet pepper, peach green tea, sirre mist, hot chocolate, cappuccino, hot tea, and more.

Address: 295 S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

10. Shawna Rae’s at Shipshewana Auction

Feasting at Shawna Rae’s at Shipshewana Auction is one fun thing to do in Shipshewana, especially with your friends and family.

The original Auction restaurant was operated by the ladies of the Methodist Church from when it was founded in 1930 up until 1940.

The restaurant’s operation was later handed over to Milo and Ruth Miller by Curtis; a new Auction Restaurant was erected in 1950 to accommodate fifty to sixty persons.

Shawna Rae’s at Shipshewana Auction has served many people from all over the country with an impressive menu.

The restaurant serves meals made from scratch to finish, such as chicken & noodles, country fried chicken, meatloaf, omellete, haystack, French toast, and more.

Shawna Rae’s at Shipshewana Auction also serves delightful homemade gourmet cheesecake, cupcakes, and other desserts.

This is a popular food spot for many locals, and you get a chance to meet and interact with lots of them.

Address: 345 S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

11. Lasting Impressions Gift Shoppe

Don’t leave Shipshewana without shopping at Lasting Impressions Gift Shoppe for unique and special treasures.

Lasting Impressions Gift Shoppe should be added to your list of fun things to do in Shipshewana, Indiana, it was established in 1997.

The store offers a variety of unique commodities with high durability and for affordable prices, you can’t get elsewhere.

Lasting Impressions Gift Shoppe offers nice scarves, jewelry, handbags, doormats, mailbox wraps, rain gauges, yard signs, garden flags, garden decor, birdhouses, Yankee Candle Company Candle accessories, battery candles, and more.

You will also find good deals on home decor, lanterns, flawless, Shipshewana post cards, bird feeders, and more.

At Lasting Impressions Gift Shoppe you can shop for gifts for your dear ones and souvenirs for yourself as well.

Address: 145 Harrison St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

12. Blue Gate Bakery

Are you ready for some delicious treats? If yes, add a stop by Blue Gate Bakery to your bucket list of top things to do in Shipshewana, Indiana.

Blue Gate Bakery is a family-owned and operated business which is a combination of a kitchen and a bakery.

The bakery prepares every single item from scratch, such as fresh cookies, Amish baked goods, jellies, jams, gift baskets, pies, and more.

Blue Gate Bakery bakes six days in a week, ensuring the foods are fresh and tasty; they also make the items according to their customers’ requests.

The bakery also offers personal service and delivery, ensuring the foods are well packaged before sending them out.

 Address: 195 N Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

13. Blue Gate Restaurant & Theatre

Visiting Blue Gate Restaurant & Theatre is one of the best things to do in Shipshewana, Indiana.

Blue Gate Restaurant & Theatre is a popular destination for many locals and tourists searching for an incredible experience.

Blue Gate Restaurant & Theatre is owned and operated by the Riegsecker family, comprising the Blue Gate Restaurant, Theatre, and Garden Inn.

The restaurant offers some of the best Amish & Mennonite cooking in the city with a thrilling and vigorous atmosphere.

Blue Gate Restaurant & Theatre is a beautifully designed and decorated facility with locally crafted furniture and a wrap-around porch.

The establishment has been in existence for more than twenty-five years and has become a crucial part of the city. The Blue Gate Restaurant & Theatre features over two hundred and eighty award-winning music concerts yearly performed by more than eighty artists.

 Blue Gate Restaurant & Theatre’s garden consists of one hundred and fifty-four rooms with lots of fantastic amenities.

Address: 195 N Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

14. The Michiana Event Center

The Michiana Event Center is a multi-purpose venue in Shipshewana, which was initially located in Howe, Indiana.

Its location changed after a change in ownership in 2017 to its current location, although it has remained one of the most popular entertainment venues.

The Michiana Event Center is a 100, 000 Square foot trade show facility with a seating capacity of approximately six thousand people.

This center has hosted several big events like a Willie Nelson, The Six Horse Hitch World Finals, a PBR Bullfest, and more.

The Michiana Event Center comprises a kitchen that offers an extensive food menu with fried chicken, complete Amish meals, and regular concessions.

Do well to visit the Michiana Event Center and watch all the exciting events firsthand, don’t forget to try out some of the meals.

 Address: 455 E Farver St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

15. Hoosier Banquets

If you genuinely want to have a full Amish County experience, dining at the Hoosier Banquets is one of the best things to do in Shipshewana, Indiana.

Hoosier Banquets can serve and accommodate groups of up to one hundred persons, offering delicious lunch and dinner meals.

They offer an extensive food menu for visitors to pick from, including thresher’s meal, chicken dinner, mashed potatoes, fried chicken, haystack, and more.

Hoosier Banquets offers a coffee hour, which holds after the meal, where all the questions about the banquets are raised and answered.

This is a perfect venue for events, including parties & celebrations, family reunions, weddings, company dinners, and catering for events.

Address: 6335 W 200 N, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

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16. Menno-Hof Amish/Mennonite Information Center

Menno-Hof Amish is a non-profit information center and a great place to visit before your exploring journey begins.

The center enlightens visitors about the faith and lifestyle of Amish and Mennonites; Mennonites and Amish Craftsmen built its structure during an ancient barn raising.

Menno-Hof Amish features exceptional multi-image presentations, color displays, and historical environments.

This center offers visitors an amazing experience as they get an insight into the fascinating world of the Mennonites and Amish.

The visitors get an opportunity to see the modest starting up of the Anabaptists in a Swiss courtyard and see first-hand how they were persecuted for their faith in the dungeon.

Menno-Hof Amish offers educational tours with hands-on activities open to people of all ages; there is a gift shop packed with hand-crafted items made by Mennonites and Amish.

Make sure you stop by Menno-Hof Amish when you visit Shipshewana, before or in between your adventure kicks off.

Address: 510 S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

17. Blue Gate Garden Inn & Conference Center

Are you still confused about where to lodge during your trip? Add Blue Gate Garden Inn & Conference Center to your list of places to visit in Shipshewana.

Blue Gate Garden Inn & Conference Center features well-ventilated rooms featuring minifridges, microwaves, coffeemakers, large flat-screen TVs, fireplaces(some), and more.

The hotel offers a delicious complimentary breakfast with a casual restaurant consisting of nine rooms, a creamery, and an on-site bakery.

Blue Gate Garden Inn & Conference Center features an indoor pool, fantastic hot tub, outdoor patio, a gym, and more.

There is a 15, 000 sq. Ft conference and banquet space for different kinds of events, including wedding receptions, bachelor/ bachelorette, cooperate gathering, and more.

Blue Gate Garden Inn & Conference Center offers a free Wi-Fi network and a nice parking lot with a clean and peaceful environment.

Address: 800 S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

18. The Amish Village Guided Tours

How else can you truly explore the city of Shipshewana rather than Amish Country Guided Tours?

Amish Country Guided Tours takes you on a journey through today’s Amish life as you go on an Amish Village tour.

The Amish Village showcases the genuine culture of Amish with the three value-driven Amish Tour experiences such as the Amish farmhouse & village tour, the premium package tour, and Backroads bus Tour.

You get to visit farms, homes, and shops and get a taste of the cultures and traditions; this is worth every penny.

19. Yoder’s Meat & Cheese

Yoder’s Meat & Cheese is one of the best locations in Shipshewana that offers a wide range of food items and farm produce.

You no longer need to worry about going to the farm as they bring the farm right to you, offering one hundred and fifty cuts of meat.

Yoder’s Meat & Cheese offers more than one hundred varieties of cheese to suit your taste, and there are different kinds of candies, jams, popcorn, salsas, noodles, and more.

 Their consistency in offering quality fresh farm meats has kept the business operation growing and steadfast.

Yoder’s Meat & Cheese offers produce from their farm and other producers from both local and throughout the Midwest.

Address: 435 S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

20. JoJo’s Pretzels

Visiting JoJo’s Pretzels with your family and friends is one of the best things to do in Shipshewana, IN.

JoJo’s Pretzels tops the chart of the best restaurant in the city, known for serving delectable and healthy meals.

The restaurant ensures there’s something for everyone offering vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options.

JoJo’s Pretzels offers a small food menu including chips, sandwiches, hot dogs, pretzels, and more, each served with a different flavorful drinks.

They also offer different flavors of ice cream and drinks such as vanilla ice cream with strawberries, reeses whipped cream, and more, including drinks like lemonade, unsweetened tea, diet coke, root beer, coffee, and more.

Address: 225 N Harrison St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

21. Shipshewana Furniture Co

Shipshewana Furniture Co contains 95% of the Amish furniture in their spacious showroom made by professional builders.

This is a family-owned and operated business with less automated workshops than the actual manufacturers.

Shipshewana Furniture Co thoroughly inspects every piece of furniture before leaving the showroom, ensuring it is well made and up to standard.

The company features kids’ furniture, vintage furniture, mission upholstery, whiskey barrel furniture, locally made wood accents & signs, and dining room.

Shipshewana Furniture Co. features a large outdoor furniture display and accessories, occasional tables, home decor, Amish Made Woodcrafts, and more.

Address: 130 E Middlebury St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

22. Yoder’s Shopping Center

Shopping in one of the best shopping centers is one of the top things to do in Shipshewana with your travel companions.

Yoder’s Shopping Center offers you an amazing shopping experience in one facility offering different merchandise and services.

This center is a family-owned retail store with a wide variety of commodities like shoes, fabric, and clothing with excellent quality for affordable prices.

There is a department store that features an incredible shoe selection, with a hardware store featuring housewares or novelties.

Yoder’s Shopping Center also offers delightful coffee and ice cream you can take as you relax in a rocking chair where you get to watch people move, including homemade confections at Naomi’s Candies and Cafe. It consists of the Cotton Corner dealing with sewing machines and other quilting stocks.

Address: 300 S Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

23. Blue Gate Carriage Co

One fun thing to do in Shipshewana is going on a buggy ride or carriage for an exciting exploration around the city.

Blue Gate Carriage Co offers a peaceful ride in a beautiful white carriage or traditional Amish buggy.

There are different carriages for a particular occasion ranging from a 22 passenger horse-drawn trolley to black buggies and more.

Blue Gate Carriage Co offers Riegsecker Barn your, which includes educating the visitors about the gentle giant Percheron horse during the tour.

The visitors get to learn more interesting details about the horses, like where they originate from, how they are measured, what they are used for, and how they feed.

Blue Gate Carriage Co is an excellent venue for several weddings and other unique occasions like an engagement party, proms, parties, and more.

Address: 205 N Van Buren St, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

24. Silver Star Leather LLC

Silver Star Leather was founded in 2006. It is a well-known leather company in this part of the country, having served the community and also visitors for almost 15 years.

Throughout these years, the company has been a top-tier leather company in this region. The leather company is managed by two partners and a staff of Amish artisans who produce handbags, gun holsters, money clips, and gin belts.

This leather company produces more than 20 different types of unique wallets, together with leather materials such as ostrich, stingray, cowhide, eel, and hippo leather.

They have the best local artisans who use exotic materials to produce top-notch leather products such as keychains, belts, money clips, gun holsters, backpacks, handbags, purses, and lots more.

You can look around this facility and see for yourself the fantastic work done inside. You can converse with the staff about the tool used in leather working or even how these beautiful items were made.

Address: 6875 N 800 W, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

25. Arment Gallery & Gifts

Your itinerary list of things to do in Shipshewana is never complete without visiting the Arment Gallery and Gifts. It is a perfect place to shop for unique items.

Arment Gallery and Gifts contains a wide selection of unique items. If you have a particular piece in mind that you are searching for, make sure to drop by, as it is well stocked with lots of unique pieces.

The store is clean and well-maintained. Their staffs are super friendly and welcoming and always available to help you have a great shopping experience when you visit.

Address: 260 N Morton Street, Shipshewana, IN 46565, United States

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Plan a Trip to Shipshewana

In Shipshewana, You will never be bored during your exploration as there are various recreational activities and fun things to do in Shipshewana.

Shipshewana offers something for everyone that makes this city an exciting place to visit for the entire family.

Start planning your trip to Shipshewana today!