10 Most Relaxing Indiana Towns
“Hoosier” is the demonym of the inhabitants of Indiana, popularized by a poem called “The Hoosier’s Nest” by John Finley in 1833. Since then, the Hoosier State of Indiana has been a rather relaxed and amicable region for many people. It is especially refreshing in the 10 most relaxing Indiana towns. Whether you are getting proper medical treatments from Warsaw or journeying into the past at either Wabash or Corydon, there is a plethora of small towns in Indiana that have wonderful and chill neighborhoods for you to saunter about. Let the hospitality of the Hoosiers soothe your anxieties away in these most relaxing Indiana towns.
Angola
Whether you are a student at Trine University or a passing newcomer, Angola welcomes one and all with serene bodies of water such as Crooked Lake and Lake James. Campers ought to pitch their tents in destinations like Angola/Hogback Lake KOA Holiday or Camp Chief Little Turtle or partake in toboggan runs and horseback riding at the Pokagon State Park. Buffalos and other wild animals can be found roaming around at both the Wild Winds Buffalo Preserve and Marsh Lake Wetlands State Fish and Wildlife Area. On the other hand, ancient steam engines and locomotives can be admired at the Indiana Rail Experience. You can learn to appreciate the Native American cultures of Indiana at the Trine State Recreation Area. Finally, you can feel relaxed and satisfied in quaint accommodations such as the Potawatomi Inn Resort & Conference Center.
Shipshewana
Shipshewana is one of the most relaxing small towns in Indiana due to its 80 or more historic barn quilt farms all over the Barn Quilt Trail. Only around 40 minutes from Angola, the many murals and motifs all over its buildings depict the beauty of the LaGrange County, while routes such as the Pumpkinvine Trail and the Culinary Trail showcase ten stops or more offering cuisines from Indiana’s Amish culture. Travelers can travel in style in Shipshewana with carriage rides around the Shipshewana Lake. Meanwhile, the Ruthmere Museum and the Menno-Hof both contextualize the Anabaptist faiths of the Mennonites, Amish, and Hutterites that have prospered in towns like Shipshewana. Do not miss out on the annual Mayfest on May, nor disregard the delightful accommodations of either the Brethren Retreat at Shipshewana Lake or Der Ruhe Blatz Motel.
Goshen
You will be gushing over Goshen’s amicable and amazing amenities on the Elkhart River. Only around 10 miles from Elkhart, travelers can marvel at the Amish and Mennonite communities that have composed this small town, especially with the River Bend Film Festival in the last days of August or wild car rodeos at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds. An enigmatic stone tablet can be found at Fort Beane, an old haven for both Native Americans and early pioneers. At the home of Howard Hawks, a famous motion-picture director, you can know more about the movie industry of the past decades. Then there are regions such as Ox Bow Park and Abshire Park that you can go exploring at your own pace. Should you wish to see more of Goshen, then consider booking a room in places like The Willows for a jolly vacation in Goshen.
Nashville
Approximately 40 miles from Indianapolis, the state capital of Indiana, the remarkable small town of Nashville entertains visitors with a number of historic anecdotes and tidbits for their admiration. Formerly known as Jacksonburg when it was first conceived in 1836, Nashville was renamed into the city of Nashville in Tennessee a year later. For years it has been a major Brown County Art Colony ever since the institution’s founding in the year 1907. The founder of the Brown County Art Colony, T.C. Steele, has opened both his galleries and garden at the T.C. Steele State Historic Site and the Brown County Art Gallery for everyone to admire both his artworks and that of his colleagues and successors. The Brown County State Park and Yellowwood State Forest are excellent destinations for exploration, and tranquil abodes such as the Hotel Nashville, The Seasons Lodge, and the Robinwood Inn are among the best places to spend your nights in Nashville.
Madison
Madison, right beside the Ohio River that marks the state border with Kentucky, is an hour-away getaway from the city of Louisville. It derived its name from President James Madison, and since its founding in 1808 the town has been the southernmost terminal of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad, considered one of the first train lines west of the Allegheny Mountains. From the J.F.D. Lanier State Historic Landmark to antebellum houses like the Shrewsbury-Windle House and Schofield House, you can learn much from Madison’s magnificent history. Additionally, you can learn all about how African-Americans and women managed to receive formal education after the American Civil War at both the Jefferson Proving Grounds and Eleutherian College. For your own personal adventures, you can go roaming through both the Talbott-Hyatt Pioneer Garden, Clifty Falls State Park, or the Heritage Trail. For fun and games, you can participate in annual Indiana Governor’s Cup race in July or the Chautauqua Festival of Art in September. Finally, for lodgings, you can look to the Butterfly House Bed & Breakfast or Clifty Inn for your daily and nightly needs.
New Harmony
Gain a new harmony for yourself from the small town of New Harmony. Located on the Wabash River and near the state border of Illinois, New Harmony was formerly a settlement of the Piankashaw Native Americans whose artifacts you can peruse at the Historic New Harmony’s Atheneum. This Atheneum is in itself a remarkable landmark feature, being a massive modern theater whose original plans are now part of an architecture collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Close to the Atheneum are stunning features like the Sacred Garden and the Cathedral Labyrinth, both mirroring the 12th-century masterpiece of the Chartres Cathedral in Paris, France. The Harmonist Cemetery and the Harmonist Labyrinth are locations which honor the late founders of New Harmony. So for those of you excited or curious to see more of what New Harmony is all about, you can feel free to book a room at the Leather Leaf Inn, the New Harmony Inn Resort & Conference Center, or A.C. Thomas House Bed & Breakfast Inn.
Corydon
Corydon, deriving its name from a shepherd in the song “Pastoral Elegy,” was the first state capital of the Indiana Territory from 1816 to 1825. Newcomers can tour Indiana’s first capitol building or learn all about Corydon’s administrative operations at the Harrison County Discovery Center. During the American Civil War, Corydon was the site of the Battle of Corydon which the accompanying Historic Site explains. Outdoor enthusiasts will absolutely be enthused by the arboreal wonderlands of both the O’Bannon Woods State Park and the Harrison-Crawford State Park. On the other hand, spelunkers will be amazed by the Indiana Caverns, the longest cave in the state and the 7th largest cave in the US. Other nearby caves include the Wyandotte Cave, one of the largest limestone caverns in the US, and the Squire Boone Caverns, which Daniel Boone’s brother, Squire Boone, hid from roving Native Americans war parties. If you are ecstatic to explore Corydon a bit more, you can spend a longer vacation in town in one of its fine lodgings like The Kintner House Inn.
French Lick
The memorable town of French Lick started out as a humble 18th-century French trading post and was named for a nearby salt lick. These days, French Lick is one of the most hospitable towns in the Hoosier State thanks to its proximity to the majestic Hoosier National Forest and its many casinos open to all. You can go horseback riding at the Stables of the French Lick Resort and hop aboard a historic train at the French Lick Scenic Railway. You might also be interested in heading to the French Lick West Baden Museum, a place which talks about basketball legend Larry Bird, or perhaps a scenic stroll through French Lick’s mineral springs that are over thousands of years old. No need to worry about accommodations, especially when you are vacationing in excellent abodes such as the West Baden Springs Hotel.
Wabash
Approximately 45 miles from Fort Wayne, travelers will not feel so abashed in the small town of Wabash. Along the banks of the Wabash River are lands that formerly belonged to the Potawatomi and Miami Native Americans before giving the land to the US government in the Treaty of Paradise Spring in 1826. The Wabash County Historical Museum in Memorial Hall exhibits a number of Native American artifacts and pays homage to Union veterans who died in the American Civil War in Indiana. In the past, Wabash became one of the world’s first electrically lighted communities in 1880. It was also a major manufacturer of batteries, measuring devices, aluminum, rubber, and paper products—such industry allowed Wabash to host Broadway shows and other performances at the Honeywell Center. Not everything in Wabash is purely industrial, especially when traipsing through the Salamonie and Mississinewa lakes, Salamonie River State Forest, the Hanging Rock National Natural Landmark, and Asherwood Nature Preserve.
Warsaw
Coincidentally sharing its name with the capital city of Poland, the small town of Warsaw is lauded by many to be the Orthopedic Capital of the World. Several world-renowned orthopedic companies like DePuy, Zimmer, and Biomet were all founded in Warsaw and continue to be headquartered in Warsaw. Aside from orthopedics, other historic landmarks in Warsaw include the Old Jail Museum, one of the oldest jails in the Kosciusko County for 112 years. Visitors might be invested in watching lively performances at the Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts, biking and trekking along the Beyer Farm Trail, or picnicking beside Winona Lake, several other nearby lakes like Lake Wawasee, and in Limitless Park. Once all is said and done, you can retire and rejuvenate for a new day at either the Chestnut House Bed & Breakfast or the Blue Heron Guest House.
Conclusion
Whether you are drawn to Corydon’s fantastic history, Madison’s contemporary attractions, or Angola's vibrant natural beauty, the 10 most relaxing Indiana towns do not disappoint when it concerns tranquility and harmony. You will particularly feel quite harmonious in towns like New Harmony and Warsaw. Adventurers need not feel overwhelmed or disappointed when visiting these remarkable Amish communities and former Native American settlements. In the end, you will fondly reflect on the memorable experiences you gained in the most relaxing Indiana towns thanks to the hospitality of the Hoosier State.
