After working our way north we finally arrived in Elkhart, Indiana, which is known as the RV Capital of the World. More than 80% of global RV production is based throughout this region. One place where you can learn all about the RV industry is the RV Hall of Fame. The museum has displays, photos, and memorabilia that highlight RV changes and advancements from the 1920s to the present. Our friends Ray and Daisy stopped by for a few days and joined us to see some of the very first RVs and how different they were from today’s models.
We made the trip to Indiana for several reasons. Our first stop was at Wood Design RV Interiors for a few days to have some custom modifications made to our coach. We added some storage space (always at a premium in an RV!) and were especially happy to extend our table to add more room for guests. This company does great work to make your RV just the way you want it. They even have camp spots for you to stay in while the work is being completed.
Our second stop was at the Entegra factory for a few repairs and a 100-point warranty inspection to make sure our coach, Lola Belle, is in tip-top shape. The coach was also taken to S&S Automotive to have some paint flaws corrected and to paint our new door.
Normally you can sleep in your coach when you are at Entegra for service appointments, but with the coronavirus we had to make other arrangements. So we decided to give Airbnb a try and really lucked out. Whispering Pines in Elkhart was amazing—we had a whole basement apartment to ourselves! It had every amenity we could want and the hosts, Fern and Dallas, were awesome.
Northern Indiana is home to the third-largest Amish region in the United States. One of the first things you will notice is the abundance of horse and buggies. There are many charming shops full of locally-crafted products and delicious foods throughout the area. We also visited the Shipshewana Flea Market, a huge outdoor market with hundreds of booths featuring furniture, crafts, foods, and much more.
While we were in Indiana we were blessed with great autumn weather that allowed us to spend a lot of time outdoors. We enjoyed the sights and sounds of Amish Country with several bike rides along the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail. This 25-mile path, which connects the towns of Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana, takes you through some beautiful countryside landscapes.
Of course once we discovered that Mooey’s ice cream was right along the trail, it gave us (ok…me) an incentive to ride more often. The Amish homemade goodies were amazing!
I had read about the Black Pine Animal Sanctuary on an RV Facebook group we belong to. We met up with friends Kwon and Kwangju (who were also here at Entegra) for a tour of the rescue facility. Located in the peaceful Amish countryside, it exists to provide a refuge for displaced and captive-raised animals for the rest of their lives. They also educate people about responsible animal care and conservation. You could really tell the animals here were loved and well cared for.
On our continuing quest to see as many national parks as we can, we drove about an hour west to get to Indiana Dunes National Park. Located along the beach and shoreline of Lake Michigan, it is one of the country’s newest national parks. We also enjoyed Indiana Dunes State Park, which is inland and is surrounded by the national park. We walked the 3-Dune Challenge, which definitely got our hearts pumping as we went up and down the three big dunes while walking on sand.
Indiana Dunes was originally established as a national lakeshore in 1966, but was designated the 61st national park in 2019. Since it is one of the newest national parks, I had to draw the symbol on my national park scratch-off map, which is a few years old.
About an hour away in South Bend we visited Notre Dame’s beautiful campus. All of the architecture is so amazing, but we especially enjoyed seeing the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the Golden Dome. It was easy to ride our bikes around the campus and enjoy the sunny day.
We made sure to get a look at the Word of Life mural on the side of the library. It’s more commonly known as Touchdown Jesus because it is visible from the football stadium and Jesus’ image has arms raised in the same fashion as a referee signifying a touchdown. Nearby is another famous statue of Moses with his finger pointed skyward, earning it the nickname First Down Moses.
While we were in South Bend we visited the South Bend Chocolate Company. A small facility, they give behind-the-scenes tours of the candy making process, as well as their packaging and shipping areas. We enjoyed learning about candy making and tasting some free samples. The building also houses a chocolate museum with lots of history and mementos.
Just north of the border into Michigan we picked blackberries and raspberries at Lehman’s Orchard. We also picked some apples–what is available depends on the season you are there. If you don’t want to do the picking, they have many fruits, jams, and wines available for purchase. It was fun picking the fruit, but after an hour I appreciated all farm workers much more! We had a relaxing lunch at Lehman’s Orchard Brewery & Farmhouse nearby where Mike enjoyed sampling some of their local beers.
A stop at A-mazing Acres farm for the corn maze was fun too. We got lost in the maze, but luckily Mike has a better sense of direction than I do and we found all the stops and made our way out just before dark. This seemed easier when we were younger!
We really enjoyed our time in the RV Capitol of the World. Although we were there longer than planned to get everything done, we left as “happy campers”. It was fortunate that we had such great weather and were able to be outdoors biking, hiking, and even playing a round of golf. We needed that exercise after all the yummy Amish baked goods and treats! Northern Indiana is a beautiful area that provides so many opportunities for fun.
What a fun part of your “never ending story.” My bosses son is a freshman at Notre Dame this year and is in the swim team. One of my friends several years ago had been at the Notre Dame/Lady Vols basketball game here. The line to catch the bus to parking was really long, and she was at the very end. Some nuns floated by in full habit and told her, “And the last shall be first.” 😅 Enjoy your travels and stay safe!
That’s a fun story! I hope your boss’s son is enjoying his first year at Notre Dame–we thought the campus was so pretty. Even though our travels have undergone many modifications and change of plans, we are still having fun. You stay safe as well–miss you!
Wow, your talent shines every time you write about your adventures. Great photos too. Be safe.
You are too nice! Thanks for following along with us on our adventures 🙂 Y’all be safe too.
Hi Robin. What a wonderful blog! Joan directed me to your site. I love the photo of the heart made of pumpkins. Pumpkins are one of my favourite things. Lucky for me, I was born in October…the month of pumpkins. On my 59th birthday I put 50 pumpkins on my front porch. Glad you are enjoying your new life on the road. Glad you met Joan. She is full of life and one of the best people in this world. Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels.
Susan,
Rochester, NY
Hi Susan! Welcome and thanks for checking out my travel blog. We are so glad that we met Steve and Joan. They are very fun to be around and we have enjoyed several adventures with them so far. I would have loved to see 50 pumpkins on your front porch–how fun! Happy belated birthday too. I love anything heart-shaped so the pumpkins definitely caught my eye that day. Happy Thanksgiving to you also and thank you so much for the beautiful apron!
I love reading about your travels and adventures. It’s amazing to read about all the beautiful places and so many different things to do. Y’all have had so many travels out of the country and now you’re enjoying all the beautiful places here.
We too are amazed at all of the beautiful and interesting things to do in our country. It may take us years to see it all!
I love your blog, Robin. Bruce and I are going to visit our son, Joseph and Nina (our daughter-in-law) and brand new grandson (Milo). They live in Tucson, AZ. We are delighted since we haven’t been on a long trip since the pandemic began. I’ll think of you when I see an RV on the interstate, on our way there. What a wonderful life!
Hi Pam, Thanks so much for following along with us on our adventures. I am so glad you will be able to see your son, daughter-in-law, and new grandson–how special! I hope your trip is awesome. Be safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
WOW what an action packed trip. Those are some really great RV modifications and I loved seeing the Amish Horse and Buggy. Very inspiring and heartwarming that animal sanctuary is to see and learn about. The pictures of Notre Dame’ are truly breathtaking and what a very cool pumpkin heart too, and ice cream is always a great idea. Thanks again for sharing !
Hi Sandi, We did fill our time in Indiana with a lot of fun. Because we had a few weeks there, it was easier to do more exploring than if we’d only had a few days. I’m glad you are following along with us!
This was a fun post for me! I grew up in Goshen, which is only about 20 min from Elkhart. It was neat seeing you enjoy my hometown area! I do miss the Amish!
How cool that you grew up in Goshen! We so enjoyed our time in Amish country–there is so much to see and do there. I hope you are able to visit home frequently and glad you enjoyed the post 🙂