8 Best Towns In Indiana For A Two-Day Recharge

Known as the Crossroads of America, all roads eventually lead through Indiana. Along those roads you can find inviting towns that offer great reasons to check in for a two-day recharge. Northern Indiana has laidback Great Lakes shores and Amish communities. Central Indiana brings the best arts and festivals in the state. Southern Indiana offers deeply historic communities with vast mansions and monasteries and even a holiday-themed amusement park. Here are the eight best towns in Indiana for a two-day recharge, moving south to north.

Santa Claus

Santa Claus isn't just a quirky-named community: it's one of the most visited tourist towns in the state. It keeps a good mixture of thrilling and laid-back attractions. For a good adrenaline rush, Santa Claus has Holiday World & Splashin' Safari, a holiday-themed amusement park with water slides, wooden roller coasters, and children's rides. On the quieter side, Santa Claus has its original structures at the Santa Claus Museum & Village, including a 19th-century church, post office, and a granite statue of St. Nick. Speaking of history, Santa Claus is just a short drive away from Lincoln City, home to the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, where Abraham Lincoln grew up from ages 7 to 21. It also has living reenactments of early 19th-century pioneer life at the Lincoln State Park. For places to stay, visitors can rent a vacation home from Santa's Cottages.

Jasper

Jasper stands out for its German Catholic heritage, which shaped both the lifestyles of the original pioneers who came here and the architecture of the community. For example, the Old Jasper District on the shores of the Patoka River maintains a one-room school house, the Schaeffer Barn built in a German settler style, and the old Jasper City Mill. Just outside of town, one can tour the palatial grounds of the Monastery Immaculate Conception, built in the late 19th century for the Sisters of Saint Benedict. It's often been called the Castle on the Hill due to its size and location. It also has a brewery on site called St. Benedict's Brew Works. History buffs can get the full story of all of Jasper's heritage at the Dubois County Museum, with 17 rooms through its Main Street Dubois County exhibit. Guests can take in these views while staying at the Winfield West Bed & Breakfast.

Madison

When considering southern Indiana, Madison should definitely be in the running for places to go spend a two-day recharge, as it has the biggest contiguous historic district in the state. At more than 133 blocks, its historic district has a vast array of house and factory museums to visit. These vary from Greek Revival structures like the Lanier Mansion State Historic Site, the oldest Gothic Revival church in Indiana at St. Michael the Archangel, and the Schroeder Saddletree Factory Museum, which designed parts for horse saddles. Hikers also come to Madison regularly to go hiking up to its overlooks and waterfalls at the Clifty Falls State Park. The best places to stay in Madison are historic structures such as the Italianate-style Iron Gate Inn.

Nashville

Moving up north to central Indiana, one can discover one of Indiana's most naturally beautiful communities: Nashville. It has lush hills and woodlands in its Brown County State Park, including one of the highest points in Indiana: Weed Patch Hill at 1,058 feet elevation. This state park is a one-stop shop for outdoor activities, with fishing at Strahl Lake, swimming at an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and hiking trails. The views here inspired many artists who would paint nature scenes, such as Theodore C. Steele. His home and art studio are open at the T.C. Steele State Historic Site. Nashville also keeps an active art community today through the Brown County Art Gallery. For places to stay, there's the Abe Martin Lodge in the Brown County State Park or the out-of-the-way Story Inn. This inn is in a lesser-explored section of the Brown County State Park and has been called the World's Most Inconvenient Inn due to its location by a ghost town.

Franklin

Franklin is under a half-hour drive away from the capital of Indianapolis, and is one of the best communities for a seasonal trip. The town is known as Festival Country for hosting more than 100 annual events that never fail to bring out the community and visitors alike. During the summer, Franklin puts on a grand fireworks display for the Franklin Firecracker Festival around the 4th of July, while in September, wine and beer drinkers can both enjoy their favorite drinks at the Hops & Vines Festival. In December, Franklin hosts a Christmas parade, market, and a lighting up at its courthouse for the Franklin Holiday Lighting and Winter Market. Throughout the year, one can go out for a hike by mini waterfalls at the Province Park or explore a forest near the center of the city at Franklin Urban Forest. The Ashley-Drake Historic Inn and Gardens provides luxurious accommodations for a two-day recharge in Festival Country.

Winona Lake

Winona Lake is an out-of-the-way Northern Indiana treasure where relaxation isn't just a privilege, it's a way of life. Residents can take out kayaks and go down through the creeks in the center of town to the 571-acre lake, while families can enjoy the beach and splash pad at the Limitless Park & Splash Pad. Those who don't want to work up a sweat can still enjoy lakeside views in a historic shopping outlet called the Village at Winona. This former neighborhood was converted into a place for folks to meet up for a snack at the Social Ice Cream & Sandwich Shop or enjoy shopping therapy via its several shops, like the Canal Street Market. The Village is one of the most popular spots to stay for a weekend or a two-day trip at the B&B Chestnut House.

Middlebury

For those who enjoy a good meal on a two-day trip, Middlebury can feed an entire army with its delicious Amish-style meals. Sitting in Northern Indiana, Middlebury has a large Amish population, which is why it has a one-stop shop for everything Amish at the Das Dutchman Essenhaus. Here, one can try out Amish meals in a grand buffet at its Restaurant & Bakery, sample chocolates at the Boblentz Chocolate Company, take home Amish quilts from The Quilt Shop, or book a room at the Dawdy Haus Inn. Children will also love stopping in at the Middlebury Toy Star at Martin Ace Hardware, housed inside a red barn. Middlebury is connected to several other small towns via the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, a paved trail that goes to Goshen and Shipshewana.

Porter

Porter is one of a few northern Indiana cities and towns with access to Lake Michigan, the only Great Lake that has an Indiana shoreline. What makes Lake Michigan special isn't just its size but also the vast numbers of sand dunes around it. From Porter, one can access the Indiana Dunes National Park, noteworthy for its towering dunes, such as the 120-foot Mount Baldy, and its ecological diversity, like bogs and black savannah forests in the Cowles Bog Trail. To the north of the park are several Lake Michigan beaches, including Porter Beach and Dunbar Beach. Along the beach, one also finds unusual homes called the 1933 Chicago World's Fair Century of Progress Homes, which were the cutting edge of futuristic design in the 1930s and today stand as a testament to vintage futurism. In the nearby community of Chesterton, one can rent an out-of-the-way mansion sitting by the dunes at the Furness Mansion.

They All Can Contend For The Title Of Best Town In Indiana

All of these communities could be in the running for the title of best town in Indiana, as they all bring something to the competition. Madison has its vast historic district, while Winona Lake has its lakeside setting, and Middlebury serves up an easygoing rural retreat with a side of Amish pastries. Thanks to Indiana's extensive road network, it's easy to reach all of these communities, whether one is traveling from within the state or from its neighbors.