These 9 Towns In Indiana Were Ranked Among US Favorites In 2024
The fictional hero Indiana Jones might not have come from the state of Indiana, but these nine towns in the Hoosier State were ranked among US favorites in 2024 for their daring-dos and adventurous spirit akin to the Indiana Jones movies. From Shipshewana’s Amish cuisines and quilts to Nashville’s aesthetic appetites and appearances, these beautiful small towns will welcome and entertain you like any Hoosier or native of Indiana. Feel revitalized and renewed when venturing into the lush wildernesses around French Lick and Wabash, and get excited for the many activities you can experience in Angola and Goshen. Let these nine towns in Indiana, ranked among US favorites in 2024, become your favorite destinations in the Hoosier State.
Shipshewana
About 40 minutes from Angola, the small town of Shipshewana will dazzle and amaze all with its many murals and motifs of the LaGrange County. Go see over 80 or more historic barn quilt farms at the Barn Quilt Trail. Other trails such as the Pumpkinvine Trail and the Culinary Trail have more leisurely and simplistic dispositions, though the latter contains over ten stops with offerings of cuisines and snacks from Indiana’s Amish culture. Take a revitalizing carriage ride through Shipshewana all the way to Shipshewana Lake, and journey into the town’s past and the Anabaptist faiths of the Mennonites, Amish, and Hutterites at both the Ruthmere Museum and the Menno-Hof. The best time to visit Shipshewana is during the town’s annual Mayfest on May, and the some of the best places to lodge at are the Brethren Retreat at Shipshewana Lake or Der Ruhe Blatz Motel among others.
Angola
Angola, home to the Trine University, entertains newcomers to a number of insightful and engaging features. From the many bodies of water around Angola like Crooked Lake and Lake James and serene camping destinations such as Angola / Hogback Lake KOA Holiday or Camp Chief Little Turtle, there is a surplus of great attractions to enjoy when exploring this beautiful small town. At the Pokagon State Park, one can take toboggan runs and horseback rides through the area, while the Wild Winds Buffalo Preserve and Marsh Lake Wetlands State Fish and Wildlife Area protects much of Indiana’s idyllic wildlife, notably buffalos. The Indiana Rail Experience gives you a better appreciation of the steam engine and other locomotives that made Angola and other towns prosper, just as the Trine State Recreation Area offers insights into the indigenous cultures that call Indiana their home. Should you wish to stay a bit longer, then book a room at the Potawatomi Inn Resort & Conference Center or any other place in Angola.
Goshen
Goshen, situated on the Elkhart River, thrives with the Amish and Mennonite communities and other activities for you to discover. Only about 10 miles from the city of Elhart and 16 miles from Shipshewana one can spectate wild car rodeos at the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds as well as attend the River Bend Film Festival in the last days of August for vintage and international movies. At Fort Beane, a former refuge of both Native Americans and early pioneers, one can find a stone tablet which marks the place for what it used to be. Meanwhile, the former home of Howard Hawks, a renowned motion-picture director, is open for visitation for anyone curious about the movie industry. If you grow tired from all the exploration in Ox Bow Park and Abshire Park, then settle down in fine establishments like The Willows.
Nashville
Immerse yourself in Indiana’s artistic atmosphere about 40 miles south from the state capital of Indianapolis, in the small town of Nashville. Once called Jacksonburg in its founding in the year 1836 and renamed after the city of Nashville in Tennessee a year later, Nashville has been the center of the Brown County Art Colony since the institution’s formation in 1907. T.C. Steele, the man who founded the Brown County Art Colony, has many of his artworks on display in his garden and galleries at the T.C. Steele State Historic Site. If you are eager to feel just as inspired as many artists who come to Nashville, then you ought to go gallivanting through the Brown County State Park and Yellowwood State Forest, or perhaps see the many media of artworks on display at the Brown County Art Gallery. No need to worry about accommodations, especially as the Hotel Nashville, The Seasons Lodge, Robinwood Inn, and other lodgings will keep you safe and satisfied in Nashville.
Madison
About an hour away from the city of Louisville, and on the Ohio River which delineates the state borders of Kentucky and Indiana, Madison welcomes everyone from everywhere with its many amazing sceneries. So named after President James Madison when it was founded in 1808, Madison served as the southernmost terminal of the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad, one of the first lines west of the Allegheny Mountains. Antebellum structures such as the J.F.D. Lanier State Historic Landmark, the Shrewsbury-Windle House, and Schofield House provide contexts and insights into Madison’s past. Meanwhile, the Jefferson Proving Grounds and Eleutherian College are great places to learn all about the African-Americans and women who received formal education after the American Civil War. Go traipsing through the Talbott-Hyatt Pioneer Garden and Clifty Falls State Park, or attend the annual Indiana Governor’s Cup race in July and the Chautauqua Festival of Art in September. When all is said and done, spend your lush evenings at either the Butterfly House Bed & Breakfast or Clifty Inn.
New Harmony
On the Wabash River and bordering the state of Illinois lies the small town of New Harmony, where the Piankashaw Native Americans used to reside. Whether you are admiring Native American artifacts at the Historic New Harmony’s Atheneum or admiring the Atheneum—a massive modern theater whose original plans are now part of an architecture collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City—you will find all sorts of new attractions in New Harmony. Pray Christian homage at the Cathedral Labyrinth and Sacred Garden which was patterned after the 12th-century Chartres Cathedral in Paris, France. Then pay your respects at to the founding members of New Harmony at the Harmonist Cemetery and the Harmonist Labyrinth. When it comes to lodgings, the Leather Leaf Inn, the New Harmony Inn Resort & Conference Center, and A.C. Thomas House Bed & Breakfast Inn do not disappoint.
Corydon
Named after a shepherd from the song “Pastoral Elegy,” the town of Corydon was once first state capital of the Indiana Territory from 1816 to 1825 until power was ceded to Indianapolis. The state’s first capitol building can be toured even now, and the Harrison County Discovery Center chronicles much of Corydon’s founding history for the most curious of folks. The Battle of Corydon Historic Site memorializes some of the battles fought in 1863 during the American Civil War. Those who enjoy trekking the outdoors will certainly love the O’Bannon Woods State Park, the Harrison-Crawford State Park, and spelunking down the Indiana Caverns, Indiana’s longest cave and the 7th largest cave in the US. There is also the Squire Boone Caverns—discovered Daniel Boone’s brother, Squire Boone, when he was hiding from Native Americans—as well as the Wyandotte Cave, one of the US’ largest limestone caverns. For accommodations, look no further than to The Kintner House Inn and more.
French Lick
Get a taste of new opportunities in Indiana from the lovely town of French Lick. So named after an animal (salt) lick in addition to an 18th-century French trading post, French Lick promises the Hoosier hospitality Indiana is known for with its Hoosier National Forest to rooms at the West Baden Springs Hotel. Ride on horses at the Stables at French Lick Resort, play in one of the many casinos in town, or board a historic train at the French Lick Scenic Railway. Perhaps you can be interested in the thousands-year-old mineral springs around town or of basketball champion Larry Bird at the French Lick West Baden Museum. Either way, you will definitely be having a wonderful time in the beautiful and highly praised small town of French Lick.
Wabash
Do not feel so bashful when you are visiting the humble small town of Wabash. Only 45 miles from Fort Wayne on the Wabash River, Wabash was given to the US government by the Potawatomi and Miami Indians in the Treaty of Paradise Spring in 1826. In the year 1880, Wabash became one of the world’s first electrically lighted communities, and has been a major manufacturer of batteries, measuring devices, aluminum, rubber, and paper products ever since. One can admire Native American artifacts and pay tribute to Union veterans at the Wabash County Historical Museum in Memorial Hall. You can also watch Broadway shows and other performances at the Honeywell Center, or venture into recreational areas such as the Salamonie and Mississinewa lakes, Salamonie River State Forest, the Hanging Rock National Natural Landmark, and Asherwood Nature Preserve.
Regardless of whether you enjoy Angola’s vibrant wilderness and landscapes, Corydon’s historical contributions, and Madison’s modern amenities, these nine towns in Indiana were ranked among US favorites in 2024 for good reasons. You should definitely try seeing one or all of these amazing small towns to discern why they are so lovingly lauded and periodically praised. Travelers need not feel so anxious, deflated, or remiss upon exploring these spectacular Amish communities and former Native American settlements. When all is said and done, you will look fondly back at all your experiences earned from these favorite small towns in the Hoosier State of Indiana.
