Getaways Small

B ESTOFt heM I D W E S T
Small
T
O
W
N
Getaways
Our readers have made it
clear: If they could pick
only one type of vacation
to take this year, a smalltown getaway wins every
time. These destinations
feed a hunger for history,
a desire for a slower pace
and an appreciation for
mom-and-pop places
that work hard to offer
Heartland hospitality.
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BEST OF THE MIDWEST • 2010
Set in a beautiful
county park, Indiana’s
oldest operating
grist mill offers free
self-guided tours May
through October in
Nappanee.
Nappanee
INDIANA
PHOTOGRAPHS: COURTESY OF THE ELKHART COUNTY CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
Settled on the edge of north-central Indiana’s Amish
Country, Nappanee (population: 7,070) has a philosophy
centered on the phrase “Embrace the Pace.” The town has
cultivated that spirit by supporting small businesses and
an RV industry, and Amish and “English” neighbors live
out the slogan in their daily interaction.
Nappanee’s downtown has shops and restaurants
housed in historic buildings. But for the past two years,
the big draw has been the free Quilt Gardens Tour. This
year, Nappanee will showcase 17 quilt gardens and 17
quilt murals (May 25–October 1; quiltgardenstour.com).
Family-owned shops pepper the countryside. More
than 30 of these (selling quilts, furniture, crafts, landscape
plants, cabinets and more) are featured on Nappanee’s
Shingle Shoppes Tour, but that doesn’t include all of
them. Start by getting a map at the visitors center, then
head out for an afternoon of exploring.
Another good way to see Nappanee and her neighbors
is to hop on the 90-mile Heritage Trail Audio Tour. Free
maps and CDs are available at the visitors center and also
are downloadable online at amishcountry.org.
TRIP GUIDE
Where to start Elkhart
County Visitor Center (800/2504827; amishcountry.org).
What to do Amish Acres
Nappanee’s historic farmstead
is designed to preserve and
give insight into the Amish and
their heritage. In addition to the
farmstead, there’s a restaurant,
lodging, musical theater and
shopping (800/800-4942;
amishacres.com).
Where to eat La Fogata
For an alternative to traditional
Amish comfort food, check out
this Mexican place for lunch or
dinner. Colorful, with a friendly
staff, the restaurant is a local
favorite and has great chicken
burritos (574/773-0216). Main
Street Coffee House Staffers
roast the coffee on-site, including
flavors from around the world
and signature blends. Try their
moist and delicious cinnamon
coffee cake (574/773-5333;
mainstreetroasters.com).
Where to stay The
Homespun Country Inn Bed
and Breakfast Five flowery,
comfortable rooms have their
own private baths. The hosts, who
enjoy chatting with their guests,
will arrange in-home dinners
with Amish for guests who are
interested. From $79 (800/3112996; homespuninn.com). (From top) Nearby,
Wakarusa has a
dime store famous
for jumbo jelly
beans. Horsedrawn wagons are
a common sight
here. Nappanee
is dedicated to
preserving its
unhurried feel.
2010 • BEST OF THE MIDWEST
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B ESTOF t heM I D W E S T
TRIP GUIDE
Where to start For information: Lanesboro Chamber of
Commerce (800/944-2670; lanesboro.com).
What to do Lanesboro Art Center A classy collection of local
art includes mosaics, fountains, silks and more (507/467-2446;
lanesboroarts.org). Lanesboro Farmers Market Held seasonally
at Sylvan Park, the market has dozens of vendors representing
the region’s 1,500 farms (800/944-2670; lanesboro.com).
Where to eat Old Village Hall Restaurant This seasonal
mainstay with a view of the Root River Valley Trail offers special-
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BEST OF THE MIDWEST • 2010
Lanesboro
MINNESOTA
Three words best describe this Root
River Valley town of 750: outdoors,
agriculture and arts. Mostly, visitors
come for the trail system. Lanesboro
(120 miles southeast of the Twin Cities)
stands at the heart of the area’s paved
multi-use trails, including the 42-mile
Root River Valley Trail and the 18-mile
Harmony-Preston Trail. Many travelers
bring their own bikes, but you also can
rent them at the Little River General
Store (800/994-2943; lrgeneralstore.net).
Be sure to get a trail map before heading
out (800/944-2670; rootrivertrail.org).
The Commonweal Theatre draws
crowds, too. While the professional
theater offers comedies, family shows
and musicals, it has built a reputation
on its annual Henrik Ibsen Festival,
honoring the “father of modern drama”
(April 16–18 this year) (800/657-7025;
commonwealtheatre.org).
To fuel your trip, a number of eateries
feature seasonal menus and local foods.
In summer, a farmers market hums in
Sylvan Park. And if you stay overnight,
Lanesboro has 13 B&Bs to choose from.
occasion dining with seasonally inspired snazzy entrees that start
at $20 and include New Zealand lamb (507/467-2962). Pedal
Pusher’s Cafe and Coffee Bar Burgers, flaxseed pancakes
and anything made with farm eggs rule here. Special Saturday
dinners showcase ingredients that are grown locally (507/4671050; pedalpusherscafe.com).
Where to stay Habberstad House Expect hearty breakfasts
at this quiet neighborhood spot, an easy stroll to the downtown.
From $125 (507/467-3560; habberstadhouse.com).
PHOTOGRAPHS: (PASTRY, SHOPPING) BOB STEFKO; (GARDEN, BAKERY) JOHN NOLTNER; (RIVER) ZANE WILLIAMS
Shopping can fill a
weekend. (Above,
from left) Lanesboro
Pastry Shoppe shows
an upscale edge
(507/467-2867).
Berwood Hill Inn has
eclectic gardens.
From $95
(800/803-6748;
berwood.com).
Stockholm
WISCONSIN
You’ll still find plenty of Petersons, Andersons and
Ericksons in this Swedish-founded town (they originally
made their living by fishing and harvesting ice on Lake
Pepin). But modern Stockholm (population: 97, located
60 miles southeast of Saint Paul) got its start in the 1970s,
when artists began discovering the beauty along Lake
Pepin and the Mississippi River. Travelers eager to explore
this stretch of the Great River Road eventually followed,
curious about what they’d find in shops and galleries
along the way (800/658-9480; wigreatriverroad.org).
Perhaps nothing better captures that balance between
old-world heritage and new creative expression than the
festivals held here. The Midsommer Swedish Festival has
Scandinavian foods, maypole dancing and an evening
bonfire (June 26 this year). The Stockholm Art Fair
(July 17 this year) has more than 100 juried exhibitors
(stockholmartfair.org). And on September 25 this year,
Art+FIRE showcases a big wooden sculpture made by
local artists and members of the community. After a
day of celebration, the town lights the sculpture on
fire, combining new-age performance art with age-old
fascination of fire (artfireproject.org).
TRIP GUIDE
Where to start For
information: Stockholm
Merchants Association
(715/442-2266; stockholm
wisconsin.com).
What to do Abode Store and
Gallery This shop sells a variety
of art reflecting river themes
(715/442-2266; abodegallery.com).
Stockholm General Wisconsin
Foods and Mercantile Everything
in this gourmet food store
is from Wisconsin (715/4429077; stockholmgeneral .com).
Ingebretsen’s Handcrafted
Scandinavian imports, books
and foods fill this tiny storefront
(715/442-2220; ingebretsens
.com). Stockholm Pottery
and Mercantile You’ll find
locally made stoneware,
wood engravings, watercolors
and jewelry (715/442-9012;
stockholmpottery.com).
Where to eat The Stockholm
Pie Company This popular little
eatery serves all kinds of pies, from
cream to savory (715/442-5505;
thestockholmpiecompany.com).
Where to stay The River
Road Inn Built in 2005, the
modern New England-style,
spacious three-room inn and
carriage house have sweeping
views of Lake Pepin, plus spa
showers. You’ll also get a breakfast
of muffins and fruit brought to
your room. From $220 (612/3062100; riverroadinn.com).
(From top) Patrons
can get Swedish
pancakes with
lingonberries all
day at Bogus Creek
Cafe and Bakery
(715/442-5017). A
river paddle here
often leads to eagle
sightings.
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B ESTOF t heM I D W E S T
City Name
Zoar
OHIO
TRIP GUIDE
Where to start For information: Zoar Community
Association (330/874-2646; zca.org). The website has a
clickable map of the historic town’s 24 remaining buildings.
What to do Antiques in the Wash House An original Zoar
wash house behind The Keeping Room B&B houses high-quality
antiques (330/874-3181). The Cider Mill Located in a restored
cider mill, the newest business in town sells country-style
home accessories (330/316-9739; cidermillofzoar.com). Zoar
Community Association Walking Tours A costumed guide
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BEST OF THE MIDWEST • 2010
leads groups seasonally from the Zoar Store, a general store (330/
874-2646; www.ohiohistory.org/places/zoar). Zoar Town Hall
and Canal Museum This museum is full of photographs and
artifacts—plus a shop with Ohio-made products (330/874-2646).
Where to eat Firehouse Grille Tasty standouts are chunky
chicken nachos and the fist-thick club sandwich (330/874-2726).
Where to stay Cobbler Shop Bed and Breakfast A
beautifully restored home has a huge screen porch overlooking
the gardens. From $125 (800/287-1547; cobblershop.com).
PHOTOGRAPHS: BOB STEFKO
Accommodations
in Zoar are simple
but tasteful. (Top,
from left) Costumed
guides share the
town’s history.
The architecture
captures a quiet
refinement.
Most historic villages rely on carefully
preserved buildings populated part-time
by costumed interpreters. That’s not the
case in Zoar, Ohio (75 miles south of
Cleveland). Settled in 1817 by German
religious separatists who believed hard
work led to salvation, Zoar (population:
193) has evolved into a tranquil Middle
America town with busy residents and a
strong historical character.
Some townspeople tap into tourism
by running antiques shops or inns.
Others simply live in homes marked
with historical placards. The buildings,
complete with flower beds and flagdraped picket fences, cluster around a
central garden. Visitors can spend the
day browsing 100-year-old photographs
and artifacts in the Town Hall, strolling
among quality antiques shops and dining
at the local favorite Firehouse Grille.
And for people who want to learn more
history, costumed guides lead Zoar
Community Association’s guided tour of
the village. When nightfall comes, classicstyle B&Bs promise simple, comfortable
places to slumber.
Louisiana
MISSOURI
Where to start For
information: Louisiana Chamber
of Commerce and Visitors
Bureau (888/642-3800;
louisiana-mo.com).
What to do 50 Miles of
Art Studio and gallery tours
are in March and November,
though artists welcome visitors
year-round and display work in
galleries (50milesofart.com). St.
Louis University’s Henry Lay
Sculpture Park Sculptures dot
20 wooded acres. The 2-mile
gravel walking trail is lovely. Free
(573/754-4726; slu.edu/events
/layctr.html). Stark Brothers
Nurseries and Orchards Co.
This nearly 200-year-old nursery
is known for patented fruit trees
(800/325-4180; starkbros.com).
Where to eat Daybreak
Donuts The sweet perfume
of apple fritters hangs outside
(573/754-6060). The Eagle’s
Nest Bistro Try the Eagle
Sandwich for lunch (smoked
turkey breast, bacon, baby Swiss
and basil mayo on foccacia) and
spice-crusted salmon for dinner
(573/754-9888; theeaglesnest
-louisiana.com).
Where to stay Eagle’s Nest
Inn Rooms in this 1859 bank are
tastefully modest and pleasant;
rates include a hot breakfast.
From $95 (573/754-9888;
theeaglesnest-louisiana.com). n
PHOTOGRAPHS: JAY WILDE
Perhaps it’s the Mississippi River that gives such an
aura of permanence to Louisiana, Missouri (100 miles
northwest of St. Louis). Its thoroughfares have been
called some of the most intact Victorian streetscapes
in the state, and its antebellum-style Georgia Street
Historic District is on the National Register of Historic
Places. Many residents are descendants of the town’s
early settlers, who arrived here in 1817. Even the ASL
Pewter Foundry, which gained acclaim for the 500-plus
authentic pewter articles it produced for the HBO biopic
John Adams, uses molds that date as far back as 1650. But
ASL’s pewtersmiths, Thomas and Patricia Hooper, make
original designs, too, and that’s the important point:
Permanence doesn’t mean standing still.
Spending time in Louisiana might mean fishing or
boating on the river, strolling the streets to see the 20
murals around town or cruising the 50 Miles of Art
corridor. The Great River Road scenic byway links
Louisiana (population: 3,863) to Clarksville and Hannibal,
which hold a biannual studio and gallery crawl. All three
of these towns have seen artists’ communities flourish
during the past five years, with the Mississippi River
continuing to inspire creative expression.
TRIP GUIDE
Tucked inside the 1881
Grand Central Hotel, the
ASL Pewter Foundry’s
showroom gleams
with heirloom-quality
2010 •tableware
BEST OF THE
MIDWEST
(573/7543435; aslpewter.com).
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