The Best Small Towns in Indiana to Chill Out
Indiana is known as the Crossroads of America due to the many roads that "cross through" it. Indiana's small towns are home to many such treasures, including Amish buggy tours of quaint rural landscapes, beautiful waterfall trails, lakeside dunes, an outdoor museum of historic architecture, a toboggan race in a state park, and much more. However, the most important fact to remember is that these towns offer the perfect opportunity to kick back and enjoy life. Looking for the best small towns in Indiana to chill out? You can read about eight of them down below.
Winona Lake
Indiana lake towns offer some of the most chill environments you can find in the Midwest. One of the very best lake towns is Winona Lake. Several creeks run out of the self-named lake, providing endless opportunities for canoeing right down the center of town. The beach and splash pad at Limitless Park and Splash Pad offer fun for the whole family, while the Winona Lake Trails are ideal for both bikers and hikers. On the Heritage Trail, you can see art and sculptures that represent Winona Lake's culture, history, and religious heritage. In fact, Winona Lake was the home of the famed Christian traveling preacher Billy Sunday. You can learn about his life, heritage, and beliefs at the Billy Sunday Home Museum.
New Harmony
New Harmony was designed to be a place of quiet contemplation, which naturally makes it one of the best Indiana towns to chill out. A religious group called the Harmonists established this town in 1814 as a shining city on a hill, with a utopian community in mind. They designed the town accordingly, incorporating communal houses, such as Community House No. 2, and mazes meant to evoke contemplation, including the Harmonist Labyrinth. The town was later sold to Robert Owen, who set out to create an egalitarian utopia. Their descendants, in turn, created unorthodox peaceful places such as the Roofless Church or the open-air JBO Sanctuary, complete with gardens and sculptures. Outside of this relaxing town, you can also go for a stroll at the Harmonie State Park.
Shipshewana
Shipshewana is a very traditional place. After all, it's home to one of the largest Amish communities in the United States. However, its simple charm creates a fantastic vibe to chill out. For example, you can go strolling through the countryside with the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail, or take a buggy tour of the town through Buggy Lane Tours. Within the town, there's a wide variety of antiques and vintage items you can purchase from the Shipshewana Flea Market: the largest of its kind in the Midwest, or you can enjoy a home-cooked Amish-style meal at the Blue Gate Restaurant & Bakery. If you're intrigued by the Amish lifestyle and want to learn more, consider visiting the Red Barn, also known as the Menno-Hof interpretative center, which features a replica of an Amish print shop and a 17th-century boat that early Anabaptists would have used to migrate to the U.S.
Angola
Angola offers a little something for everyone, including those with a different definition of chill out. If your idea of relaxation involves a bit of excitement, then you'll definitely want to visit Angola to take a thrilling ride at Pokagon State Park. During the winter, this park features a refrigerated toboggan course that descends at a speed of 40 miles per hour. At the park, you can also go fishing at Lake James or hike through lakeside trails. Angola also puts on a great race at the Angola Motorsport Speedway. For those who like a slower pace, Angola is home to the Ridenour Acres farm, complete with corn mazes and hayrides during the fall, along with the Satek Winery, and the 1931 Brokaw Movie House to catch a movie.
Madison
Madison has the largest contiguous historic district in Indiana, making it a veritable outdoor museum. Between this and its limestone cliff waterfalls, Madison is an underrated treasure in the Hoosier state. First off, the historic district's buildings reflect the town's varied past, from its experience as a hub for abolitionism at the 1848 Eleutherian College to its production of parts for horse saddles at the Schroeder Saddletree Factory Museum, and more. Against the backdrop of this historic district, you can ascend the hills to the Clifty Falls State Park and see all of its waterfalls alongside its canyons with the Four Falls Challenge hike. Lastly, don't forget to grab a slice from the local pizza joint: The Red Pepperoni.
Porter
Indiana shares a coastline with the second-largest of the Great Lakes: Lake Michigan. If you want to spend a day relaxing at Lake Michigan, consider visiting Porter. In this underrated Indiana town, you can also go trekking through diverse ecosystems at the Indiana Dunes National Park, just south of the lake's shore. At this park, you can hike up these dunes on trails such as the Calumet Dunes Trail or go hiking through diverse dune, marsh, and forest ecosystems at the Cowles Bog Trail. One of the quirkier attractions here is the Century of Progress Homes. These historic structures were showcased at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair as visions of the future. Today, they represent an intriguing look into vintage futuristic aesthetics. Lastly, you can go out for a day on Lake Michigan's shoreline at Porter Beach or Dunbar Beach.
New Albany
This town is just a few minutes north of Louisville, Kentucky, across the Ohio River, and has a special type of charm that can only be found in Indiana river towns. Founded in 1813 by a trio of brothers, New Albany has one of the best riverside downtowns to visit. In this downtown, you can go hiking by the river at the Ohio River Greenway, tour the luxurious Second Empire-style Culbertson Mansion, or pick up some delicious food and ice cream from Boomtown Kitchen & Boomtown Creamery. The greenway itself is an excellent hub for exploring the wider area, as it passes through the communities of Clarksville and Jeffersonville and traverses the Falls of the Ohio State Park, where one can find fossils up to 390 million years old washed up to the shoreline.
Vincennes
Most of Indiana was founded by English or American settlers, but Vincennes stands out due to its French history. French fur traders established this town in 1732 and named it after François-Marie Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes, making it the oldest founded town in Indiana. It would pass into British hands after the Seven Years' War, then into American control after the American War of Independence. It served as the capital of the Indiana Territory and has one of the largest collections of historic architecture in the state. From the red brick Territorial Capital Building constructed in 1805 to the Jefferson Academy of 1801 to Grouseland, the mansion of then Governor William Henry Harrison and future president of the United States. Vincennes is an ideal town to chill out while learning fun facts about historical figures and beloved comedic figures, such as the comedian Red Skelton. His skits and life work are on display at the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy.
A Place Of Quiet Contemplation
Guests can enjoy a variety of adventures in these small towns, from taking historic journeys through Vincennes and Madison to swimming in Lake Michigan in Porter. However, these towns also offer numerous peaceful places for you to enjoy a moment of contemplation. You can do that while strolling the halls of Culbertson Mansion in New Albany or getting lost in the Harmonist Labyrinth of New Harmony. The next time you need a relaxing and refreshing day trip, make your way to these chill Hoosier towns.
