
2025's 11 Best Small Towns To Visit In Indiana
There's more to see in the Midwest than Chicago, corn, and flat countryside. Indiana, known as the Hoosier State, is home to more than 500 towns and cities, many with rich history and scenic beauty. By taking a jump over to Indiana, visitors will see all kinds of fun small towns, including ones in gorgeous natural environments. You can descend through canyons in Marshall, go up dunes in Porter, or explore waterfalls in Madison. In addition, Indiana was the home of a few U.S. Presidents, which tourists can visit today. Here are 2025's 11 best small towns to visit in Indiana.
Nashville

Don't get confused by the name; this town is an Indiana classic. Nestled in the hills of Brown County, Nashville is a lovely place to visit for nature and arts lovers alike. Folks come from all over Indiana to hike at the Brown County State Park, due to its majestic rolling hills and vistas. One of the best views you can see is by ascending the historic Fire Tower off Trail 10. There are also two lakes within the park: Strahl and Ogle Lake, which are great for fishing for bass and bluegill. Within the town's cute artisan downtown, you can find a variety of cutesy art galleries like the Brown County Art Gallery and Anne Ryan Miller Glass Studio. That's to say nothing of all the cute country shops you can visit too, like the Sweetea Tea Shop.
New Harmony

New Harmony is a must-visit just for its highly unusual story. It was founded by a celibate Christian community called the Harmonists in 1814, who had visions of creating the perfect Christian society ahead of Armageddon. After a decade, they sold it off to Robert Owen, who himself wanted to create a utopia of equality, learning, and social justice. These two communities' legacies can still be felt today in the architecture and landscape of New Harmony. For example, there is the Harmonist Labyrinth, originally designed by the Harmonists to inspire contemplation. There's also the open-air Jane Blaffer Owen Sanctuary, featuring gardens and sculptures, and the Roofless Church, a cathedral that has the sky as a roof. Visitors can also get out into nature at the Harmonie State Park, which has trails for hiking and mountain biking.
French Lick

French Lick is a favorite spot for any Indiana traveler as it's home to the best hotels in the state. These hotels aren't just places to stay; they're destinations all by themselves. The historic 1901 West Baden Springs Hotel is a world-famous place that has a 200-foot dome over its atrium, which used to be the largest in the world. It's a beautiful place to visit or stay while you explore the larger French Lick Area, including the French Lick West Baden Museum. This museum has info on famous residents like basketball legend Larry Bird, mobsters, and the world's largest circus diorama. You can also sip wine at the French Lick Winery or take the French Lick Scenic Railway through the Hoosier National Forest.
Shipshewana

Shipshewana is a small rural town with a large Amish community. One might think it would be an unwelcoming place, but it's actually one of the most welcoming towns in Indiana. The Amish will take you around town with Buggy Lane Tours, but there's plenty you can see on foot as well, such as the Menno-Hof Interpretative Center, which has a recreated Amish house and a 17th-century boat that the Anabaptists would have used to travel to the New World. You can also visit the Shipshewana Flea Market, which is the largest of its kind in the entire Midwest. One of the best ways to see the countryside of Shipshewana is to get out onto the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, a 17-mile paved path that moves through several rural communities.
Angola

Angola is a perfect place for those looking for beautiful days in nature and thrilling attractions, sometimes in the same place. It sits near more than 100 lakes, but the best one in the area is Lake James. Visitors can go boating or swimming on gentle beaches at Lake James via the Pokagon State Park. There are also 13.7 miles of hiking trails in the park for anyone not looking to get wet. There is also a thrilling attraction here during the winter months, a refrigerated toboggan course that will take you down a quarter-mile track at more than 30 miles per hour. If that's still not fast enough for you, visit the Angola Motorsport Speedway to see a heart-pounding race. Relax after a day of adventure with a movie in the 1931 historic Brokaw Movie House in downtown Angola.
Madison

Madison is a charming Indiana river town that prides itself on having the largest historic district in the state. Due to large amounts of steamboat river traffic in the 19th century, it has a wide variety of beautiful Victorian and pre-Civil War era buildings to explore. These include the 1844 Greek Revival Lanier Mansion, the 1895 Pennsylvania Railroad Station Museum, and the Schroeder Saddletree Factory Museum, one of the last of its kind in the U.S. that produced saddletrees for horses in the 19th century. Madison also has a majestic natural environment, which you can explore at the Clifty Falls State Park, renowned for its limestone waterfalls, panoramic vistas of the Ohio River, and bird watching. Lastly, if you love antiquing, Madison has multiple huge antique malls, including the 16,000 square foot Lumber Mill Antique Mall.
Santa Claus

Santa Claus is a favorite vacation spot for several reasons. For one, it has the best locally owned amusement park in the state: Holiday World & Splashin' Safari. This park is renowned for free soft drinks, sunscreen, and a wide array of thrilling rides like the Legend wooden roller coaster. For another, the town is filled with fun holiday-themed attractions like the Santa Claus Museum & Village, where you can send a letter to St. Nick at a historic post office, or the Santa Claus Christmas Store, which sells ornaments and holiday goodies year-round. History buffs also have a good reason to visit Santa Claus, as it's just a few minutes away from the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, the place where Abraham Lincoln grew up. At this memorial, visitors can learn about the president, go for a hike at Lincoln State Park, or learn about pioneer life at the Lincoln Pioneer Village & Museum.
Marshall

Marshall doesn’t typically show up on lists of well-known Indiana towns, but it's worth visiting to see one of the best parks in Indiana: Turkey Run State Park. Founded in 1916, you can spend multiple days exploring all this park has to offer. These include 14 miles of hiking trails, including the legendary 5-mile challenge, which takes you over a suspension bridge, through beautiful canyons, and up a ladder. The park also features an Olympic-size swimming pool and a Nature Center with exhibits on local wildlife and ecology. Those who like historic buildings can see one of the oldest log cabins in Indiana, the 1848 Lieber Cabin, or the 1841 Lusk Home, built by one of the first European settlers in the area. If you're in the mood for fishing, go down to Sugar Creek with your pole or rent a canoe to float down the gentle waters.
Porter

Porter is another fantastic place to visit for those who love state and national parks. It sits next to one of the best parks in Indiana: the Indiana Dunes National Park. This park used to be the shoreline of Lake Michigan thousands of years ago and has left behind a beautiful landscape of tall dunes, wetlands, forests, and more. Hikers can see this rich environment on the Calumet Dunes Trail or the Cowles Bog Trail, which goes by ponds, black oak savannas, marshes, and more. If you go a little further, you'll reach Lake Michigan, where there are several beautiful beaches to relax at, like Dunbar Beach and Porter Beach. One of the more unique spots within this park is the Century of Progress Homes. These five houses were constructed for the 1933 Chicago World's Fair to showcase futuristic designs, and they now sit within the park for visitors to explore.
Vincennes

Vincennes is the oldest founded town in Indiana, but that doesn't mean it's boring or stuck in its ways. Founded back in 1732 by French explorers, there are historical places everywhere to explore. One such example is the 1809 Old French House, a French Creole structure that will make you feel like you're in New Orleans. Another is the 1803 mansion, Grouseland, which housed the Territorial Governor William Henry Harrison, who would later serve as the 9th President. Art lovers can see local paintings and sculptures at the ArtSpace Vincennes Gallery, held within the 19th-century Cyrus Allen home. At the same time, comedy fans can have a fun day at the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy, dedicated to the 20th-century comedian. After a day of exploring Indiana's oldest town, grab a cup of freshly squeezed apple cider from the Apple Hill Orchard.
Winona Lake

There's nothing like going down for a day at the lake in the Midwest. At Winona Lake, you can get the full Midwest experience of a lake day by paddling, hiking, shopping, and much more. First off, start the day at the lakeside at the Winona Lake Limitless Park, Beach & Splashpad, offering swimming, tennis courts, and rentals for kayaks, paddle boards, and canoes. Next, go for a leisurely stroll through the Heritage Trail, which will take you by multiple themed sculptures, including ones representing the Beatitudes from the Bible. Speaking of the Bible, you can visit the Billy Sunday House Museum, the headquarters of one of the famous evangelists in the early 1900s. After seeing all these places, go relax in The Village, an outdoor shopping and dining community right on the shores of the lake.
Finishing Thoughts
Just by visiting one of these towns, you can come back with a ton of fun experiences. For example, in Vincennes or Madison, you can spend days digging through the historical gems in both the historic architecture and the museums. You can also have a full beach adventure in Porter while enjoying the unique landscape of the dunes. These small towns also have lots of shopping opportunities, like the biggest flea market in Shipshewana or the Village shopping center in Winona Lake. These 11 towns are worth visiting for anyone coming through Indiana.