Indiana's 7 Most Laid-Back Towns
If you’re looking for a relaxing retreat free of traffic and crowds, these laid-back Indiana towns are just what you need. These hidden hamlets know how to take things slow and never take themselves too seriously. From the utopian vibes of New Harmony (a failed utopian colony from the early 1900s) to an entire town dedicated to Christmas, life is just easier in the Hoosier State. When you’re ready for a true Midwestern adventure to slow down and appreciate the small things in life, these darling little towns have you covered.
Merom
With just shy of 200 residents, Merom is the type of small town where most residents know each other and no one is ever a stranger. Meleah's Cafe offers up that old country diner vibe with mismatched tables and chairs, and a Friday night fish fry that always brings the community together. Even the local post office has a rich history, established in 1818 and still operational!
Settled along the banks of the Wabash River on the Illinois border, Merom Bluff Park Historical Views is a short jaunt from the post office of the local diner. Since Merom is located on the top of a hill (the name translates to "high place on the river”), you don’t have to walk far for breathtaking views of the water below. If you love fishing, the Merom Public Access Site is a perfect spot to launch a boat out on the water. The Wabash River is a fisherman’s dream, with opportunities to catch anything from catfish to walleye.
Shipshewana
Traveling to the northern edge of Indiana is the community of Shipshewana. While it only has about 800 residents, it has one of the largest Amish communities in the country. The area around Shipshewana has many Amish farms, so don’t be surprised if you pass a horse and buggy on your way to town. Many of the Amish farms deliver their goods to town, so a stop at the Blue Gate Restaurant and Bakery offers tasty Amish treats like freshly made cherry pies.
Scattered throughout central Shipshewana are cozy shops like Fisher's Antiques and Davis Mercantile, stocked with Amish treasures and crafts. If you passed a horse and buggy on your drive into town and wanted a hitch a ride, Shipshewana also offers buggy tours! Buggy Lane Tours takes visitors through all the town and beautiful countryside and ends with a home-cooked meal by an Amish family. If you’ve ever wanted to experience Amish life, a stop at Shipshewana will make you feel right at home.
Santa Claus
If there was ever a town that embraced laid-back living and didn’t take itself too seriously, it’s Santa Claus. No matter what time of year you visit, the entire community lights up with Christmas lights and displays from festive street signs to Christmas-themed restaurants like Fat Santa’s Pizza. One of the most delightful stops in Santa Claus is the Santa Claus Museum and Village. It’s more than just a Christmas-theme village, it’s a place that tells the origin of Santa Claus (the town, not the person), with original structures like the old church, and learn how it earned its festive name in 1856. There’s also a display dedicated to letters to Santa from children all over the world.
Santa Claus’s biggest claim to fame is Holiday World, touted as America’s first theme park that opened in 1946. Originally known as Santa Claus Land, the park expanded to include all the holidays, from Easter to Halloween. In each of its themed locations, there are roller coasters, themed rides, and festive food stands. Since winters in Indiana get pretty cold, Holiday World ironically closes right after Halloween, so it’s best to visit before Christmas!
Williamsport
In western Indiana, along the banks of the Wabash River, is the tranquil village of Williamsport. With old-world brick buildings lining North Monroe Street and friendly local watering holes like High Falls Saloon and Grill, it’s a peaceful town to spend a weekend. The charming neighborhood park of Williamsport Town Park highlights its laid-back atmosphere, offering picnic tables, basketball courts, and wide open space to host annual events like the Williamsport Summer Fest.
You don’t have to travel outside the city limits for some of the best views in the entire state. Williamsport's biggest claim to fame is the Williamsport Falls within the lush greenery of Fall Branch Park. It’s described as Indiana’s tallest waterfall, standing nearly 90 feet tall. For the best view of the falls, there is an observation tower where you can see the falls from afar, or hike the trails that lead to the base of the falls.
French Lick
In the Hoosier Uplands of southern Indiana is French Lick, a hidden retreat highlighted by the lush, hilly forests and breathtaking greenery. The natural mineral springs turned French Lick into a resort town in the 1840s, and it’s still regarded as a peaceful, meditative retreat today. The best place to enjoy the healing properties of the mineral springs is at the Spa at West Baden Springs Hotel. The beautiful domed spa screams old-world luxury with marble floors, intricate tile work, and most importantly, its signature Sprudel Bath. While many travelers flock to French Lick for the European-inspired opulence of its spa retreats, more surprises are waiting in town.
Central French Lick is where you’ll find delightful museums, like the quirky French Lick West Baden Museum. The museum weaves the tale of the early days of French Lick, as well as the circus history of the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus. If you want to explore the natural beauty of the Hoosier Uplands, the Buffalo Trace Trailhead provides densely shaded hiking trails and beautiful overlooks of the area. The trail was once a migration route for buffalo, as well as early American settlers, which is how it earned its name.
New Harmony
It doesn’t get much more laid back than utopia! New Harmony was originally settled by a religious communal group in the 19th century as a social experiment in search of the perfect peaceful existence. The experiment ultimately failed due to a mixture of economic and internal pressure, but New Harmony still serves as an idyllic escape along the banks of the Wabash River. The Cathedral Labyrinth captures the essence of New Harmony’s utopian roots with a meditative garden maze made from rose granite, surrounded by many buildings that existed during the utopian experiment.
One of the best ways to learn about the origins of New Harmony is at the Atheneum Visitors Center. The center, which has a modern architectural style that stands in stark contrast to the old-world vibe of the area, tells New Harmony’s tale through unique exhibits and artifacts. South of the museum is the Harmonist Labyrinth, a spiritual retreat removed from the noise of the city that allows visitors to walk the sacred gardens of the early settlers of New Harmony.
Nashville
Much like the Nashville of Tennessee, the Nashville of Indiana has a similar artsy vibe. With a population of under 1,000 residents and an isolated location in the Southern Indiana Uplands, it has a much slower pace than Music City. Marked by dense forests, rolling hills, and meditative creeks, the landscape has inspired artists for almost a century. Little Nashville is like a scene right out of a storybook, with colorful cottages selling locally made crafts and sweet treats. It’s where the artist soul of Nashville truly shines with shops like the Brown County Art Guild and the dreamlike Wood Fairy Apothecary.
Nashville is known as the "Art Colony of the Midwest", and one look at the landscape of the park and you’ll soon discover why. To see what inspires these local artists, head to Brown County State Park. Encompassing over 15,000 acres, it’s the largest state park in Indiana. With panoramic vistas, densely wooded forests, and rolling meadows that bloom with wildflowers, it’s breathtaking. While on a hike through the woods, don’t be surprised if you see someone painting a landscape along the side of a trail!
Take It Slow In Indiana’s Coziest Corners
When you’re looking for thrills, head to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. If you need to slow down and unplug, hop off the highway and check out these cozy corners of Indiana. These are places where the locals know each other by name and are always eager to welcome a visitor. Whether it's sitting down for an Amish meal in Shipshewana or finding your inner zen at the Harmonist Labyrinth in New Harmony, life is delightfully uncomplicated in these hidden corners of Indiana. The next time the open road calls, skip the big cities and find peace in these secluded hamlets of Indiana.
