The year was 2019, and my parents and I were spending another lovely week in Northern Indiana to…read moreroot on our Irish women's basketball team in the NCAA Tournament. Sadly, our steadfast friends were out of town, but they benevolently let us stay at their place, so everything was comfy and familiar and homey, if a little lonely because of the absence of our gracious hosts. We needed additional stuff to do on the days between games, so I suggested following the St. Joseph River to find out where it starts. On the way (back, I believe), we discovered tiny Bristol, Indiana, and its even tinier Subway, whose bathroom was extremely useful. Near that Subway is Congdon Park, a lovely waterside park right at the confluence of the St. Joseph and Little Elkhart Rivers. The park is cute and quaint and spectacular in its unexpectedness. The location is perfect, but it's not just some random piece of greenery. There's a gazebo and picnic tables and play equipment and some kind of weird deck/pier (for fishing?) and a bench swing. That's right, a bench swing. The grass is pretty well maintained, and there's a nice paved path all around the little park so that you can take a walk without getting mud on your shoes. This would be a five-star deal all the way around except that as we walked south along the shoreline from the bench swing, we were almost instantly swarmed by vicious but ultimately harmless insects--harmless, that is, unless you wanted to avoid breathing them in, because the swarms were huge and relentless. As we ran south, they dissipated a bit, but once we reached the deck/pier, they were back, and this time, they were unbearable. Bugs don't normally frazzle me, but these did. Maybe they only appear at a certain time each year, like the midges that invade Cleveland for a couple of weeks each spring, but it wasn't quite spring yet, so I doubt it. The bugs ruined what had been a perfectly charming park visit, but that's just because we happened to walk east from the parking lot and then head south. If we had gone counterclockwise, things would have been fine. You should visit this park, and you should also try to find the source of the St. Joseph River. Take a picture of you and your sweetie sitting in the bench swing and post it. You know you want to.

We visited with our grown children and our 8 grandchildren, ages 9 to infant. We had a wonderful…read moretime, the folks who run the park are very kind and helpful. It seemed a bit expensive at first, but later we felt it was well worth it, and would love to come again if we are in the area.

This place was great! We did the wagon ride to feed the animals and it was so fun. Very clean and…read morethe animals look well kept. Can't wait to go back this summer! Hidden gem for sure.

My kids love going to this playground! It's huge and I like that there's a lot for kids of all ages…read moreto do. The covered picnic table pavilion is awesome so if it's raining or too sunny we can have some shelter. There's a bathroom (not open yet, but hopefully soon!). Also I like that there are only two entrances to get into the playground area, and they're both way from the street. This makes me feel like my kids are more guarded. My negative is there are some sketchy people that do come out to just hang around here, and lots of people smoking around the playground.

This park is LOVELY ! My kids love it there !!! I love how all the parents that come there are so…read morefriendly and so clean also after the emails. Wonderful park !

Well, I'm from Illinois and I find the trails out here in Michigan need , clarification signs…read more Everything looks like grass and weeds! Also, I think they should make the trails double so, you don't hold up the other riders who are behind you swearing. So, when that happens I see BLACK!! I think they should get a CAT D11 in there to plow down those darn trees and make the trail a little bit wider for cyclists to pass. Nope, can't pass on a single trail because no one knows what is sitting in the brush/grass. I am very hesitant to become a member with Nimba because the trails are not marked from what I have seen ~! So, my point; is if you can't see it then stay off the grass. Now, in Illinois I would go to Waterfall Glen, in Lemont by the Arogon Labs. I think it was clean because of that laboratory. So, my only thing is I'll have to go out to Illinois real soon. I knew where every trail started without any guessing.

This park is a gem in the south mich/North indiana community. The history of Dr lawless is golden…read more Blessing to those who keep the park. The disc golf course is stellar. Trails are wonderful and oh my goodness, the lakes. You've got to go to understand the significance of these words.

Tucked in off a street in Bristol, IN, is a place for serenity and a short walk through beautiful…read moregardens. The stone path leads to one of the 26 area heritage trail quilt gardens. Along the pathway, you will be shaded. These gardens include a huge ornamental lifelike mushroom with short sidekicks. Another photo worthy decoration is a wood carved cardinal next to a blue life sized Dutch windmill. The little park contains flowing water, a koi pond, scented roses, and multiple flora, as it winds up and down stairs on a stone pathway. Many artistic metal structures adorn the pathway. Definitely a place to visit!!!! I wish I lived closer.

For those who are fairly new in my world, you likely don't know about my long history as an…read moreactivist in the area of violence prevention with a strong emphasis on child abuse and sexual violence prevention. Since 1989, I've traveled over 6,000 miles in my wheelchair and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for a wide variety of organizations. I spend a lot of my wheeling time in Indiana - my home state and lifelong home. Among my favorite places to go in Indiana is Elkhart County, a Northeastern Indiana jewel filled with magnificent trails, a strong Amish community, a number of historic peace churches, and a vibe that just really clicks with me. My favorite trail in Indiana is the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail that winds its way through four Elkhart County communities and runs a bit over a marathon in terms of length. You get to visit a variety of cool small towns and will likely see some Amish folks on their bicycles. Quite honestly, it's awesome. If you stop in Middlebury, and I always do as I have multiple friends there, you can take a break along the trail here at the Krider World's Fair Gardens. For once, this is not small town braggadocio. Krider World's Fair Garden started out its life as a 1934 World's Fair exhibit and has been meticulously maintained ever since. I won't say it's "the" pride of Middlebury, but it's certainly one of the things of which the community is most proud. This is a botanical garden that weaves together gentle walking paths, a quilt garden exhibit, iconic structures, and facilities that include waterfalls, picnic tables, viewing benches, a gazebo, and a swing arbor. The park itself is really only about 2.4 acres. It's not a huge place, but it's a beautiful place. It can be rented for special events, weddings, and photography needs. If you're on the Pumpkinvine, then you'll run into this area as a perfect place to stop and rest and enjoy a beautiful part of Middlebury. The biggest city in Elkhart County is, in fact, Elkhart itself. But, a visit to Elkhart County isn't complete without visiting places like Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana. Yes, I'll admit that it can get a bit touristy but it's a friendly community and a place I absolutely love to visit. This part of the state has about 2 dozen quilt gardens. A "quilt garden" means that they lay the quilts out in a pattern that changes each season. You can also see "Garden With a Cause" here, a garden devoted to charities and local organizations improving the lives of the people of Middlebury. They have a replica of the "Sunrise Bench," a bench that was included in the World's Fair Exhibit and there's a Statue of Hebe and a Water Wheel House among other attractions. If you're in Elkhart County, a stop at Krider World's Fair Garden just really needs to happen. I have some photos, but I'm still trying to find them from past tours. When I do, I'll post my own photos but you can definitely capture the garden's vibe in the available photos here.

I stopped here for a bit to destress in the green. This is a very pretty park that has been set…read moreaside though it isn't completely isolated from the noises of the buses and trucks that pass by. Still, pretty, green, refreshing. Great walking and jogging and biking trails, picnic benches, covered areas, grills, fishing areas, permanent structures with restrooms. This park has everything. Over 200 acress and connected by a 3.5 mile trail. [Review 11230 overall, 1006 of 2019.]

Nothing beats a nice stroll in the park. No matter the season! The beautiful green now has a slap…read moreshot of other colors bringing the fall features to life! But as lovers of spring and summer. Green was our calling card for sure. Very beautiful park!

This is the classic Japanese-style garden. It was a gift from Mishawaka's sister city, Shiojiri,…read moreand unlike anything else in the city. Upon entering the park, one will notice how this garden sends off quite a different "vibe" than western-style gardens do. Typical of Japanese design, it was thought out quite a bit, and there is a reason behind every little detail within. Every changing month seems to bring its own charm to the park. An excellent park to go to for feeling closer to both God and nature. This has got to be the loveliest acre of land in Mishawaka.

This park celebrates the sister city status of Mishawaka and Shiojiri, a city in Nagano, Japan…read more Niwa is Japanese for garden and this park takes on many of the characteristics of a Japanese Garden. Some of those characteristics include: Water - renewal and calm Stone - longevity and forces of nature Yukimi-gata Lantern (a snow lantern) Bridges The park has all these but the water/pond which would ideally contain fish /koi. Of course, the weather here would necessitate wintering of the fish elsewhere, so it is probably a cost management issue. The park is well kept and is filled with plants, small trees, and gardens. There is also a bronze sculpture to the right of the entrance that commemorates the relationship between the two cities. Review #3099