After Memorial Day the Lighthouse is open for tours (just $5/person). If you want a souvenir…read moreticket, just ask and they will stamp the date for you. Once inside, there is a museum with pictures and historical facts. A couple of souvenirs to purchase on the first floor. The volunteers - one to every floor had plenty of information about the lighthouse and St. Joseph. We were able to climb to top and walk on the outside. It was amazing - I loved it!

There are many lighthouses to see in Michigan and this was worth the stop. It is easy to access…read moreand there is plenty of parking . It is old, but well maintained. It was built in 1832! The surrounding beach is clean and well kept. Worth the stop.

Constructed in 1862 as a hops barn, this establishment was converted into a church in 1876. Then…read morere-sold in 1915 to a local farmer, the livestock barn existed on the site from 1915 to 1998 before it was purchased by members of the Pokagon United Methodist. Rev. George Bennard was visiting the area to take part in a series of revivals, and his famous hymn "The Old Rugged Cross" was first publicly performed in 1913. The hymn did not make Rev. Bernard rich. However, he sold the rights to the Rodeheaver Company of Winona Lake, Indiana, for $500, and the copyright was renewed years later for $5,000. The Old Rugged Cross Church is located on Vermont St. in Pokagon, about halfway between Dowagiac and Niles, where my partner's sister and I stopped off the beaten path before heading to Shipshewana.

My husband and I found out about this church by accident! We were simply searching for things to…read moredo in Niles, Michigan. We were determined to find something to do close to dark and finally found this on the Internet. The hymn, The Old Rugged Cross, was first performed in this church many years ago. The hymn is near and dear to our hearts because our grandparents used to enjoy singing this song and my husband has enjoyed playing it on the piano for our children. We decided to check it out! The outside of the church is stunning! We were not able to view the inside but if we ever make it back to this area of the country we will certainly stop to see it! You should do the same especially if you enjoy this old hymn!

123 year old monument to Civil War veterans. Incredible little piece of history that still stands…read moretoday.

To look at the Soldiers & Sailors Monument now, you might think it looks a lot like the monument in…read moreIndy. The reason is that back in 1903, sculptor Rudolf Schwarz created the five bronzes for this monument after having completed many of the bronzes down in Indy. You might also think that this monument must have been here for over a hundred years. But it wasn't. It was originally located on the south east corner of the courthouse and was dismantled in 1967. After sitting in storage for five years, the monument was reconstructed at this location and dedicated in 1973. The bronzes that you see include a 10' flag bearer on top, and statues of Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry, and Navy on a lower ring. When this monument was reconstructed, it displaced the miniature bronze Statue of Liberty that was built in 1951 as part of a Boy Scouts of America program. There are six of these mini statues around northern Indiana. The South Bend mini was moved to the east side of the courthouse. This is one of many stylish memorials erected over 100 years ago that commemorates those who fought to save the Union. South Bend's is in remarkable condition and is worth visiting the next time you are downtown. Review #3108

Beautiful spaces. http://www.edenspringspark.com/…read morehttp://www.israelitehouseofdavid.com/ http://www.maryscityofdavid.org/

Rode the Pumpkinvine Trail from Goshen to Shipshewana and back to Goshen. We stopped for lunch in…read moreMiddlebury and hit the bakery in Shipshewana for a snack. Several interesting food options in Middlebury and lots of Amish shops in Shipshewana. The trail is well maintained and smooth with a mix of crushed stone and paved sections. It's largely wooded, shady, and shielded from the wind. It's mostly flat. I was there on a Saturday and there was plenty of traffic on the trail, but no congestion. Lots of Amish and Mennonites on the trail on a nice late summer day.

I traveled the Pumpkinvine Trail as part of my 25th Anniversary Tenderness Tour, a wheelchair tour…read moreof Northern Indiana raising awareness and funds on behalf of organizations working to break the cycle of child abuse/domestic violence. Among the several trails that I traveled over the course of my 13 days, the Pumpkinvine was perhaps my favorite as it weaved together an absolutely beautiful trail, cultural relevance, friendly people, and the great diversity of nature. Depending upon whom you speak with, the Pumpkinvine either starts in Elkhart's Ox Bow Park Goshen's Abshire Park. However, the Pumpkinvine website (http://pumpkinvine.org) documents the trail beginning in Elkhart and a sign at the end of the trail at County Road 850 (just about .6 miles from Shipshewana) documents your distance at 26.3 miles for completing the entire trail. If you've caught on that the trail is in the heart of Elkhart County and moves on into the edges of LaGrange County, then it shouldn't be a surprise that the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail is frequented by members of the area's Amish community who mostly use the trail utilizing bicycles as horses are forbidden on the trail. As I wheeled the entire trail from Elkhart to the end near Shipshewana, I repeatedly encountered members of the Amish community who were likely out enjoying one of the area's last decent days before the Fall chills arrive. The trail is certainly not exclusive to the Amish community and this happened to be one of the few trails where I encountered people from beginning to end even on a day that it drizzled or rained pretty much all day (including a very brief period of snow). The entire trail is paved asphalt with the exception of a 1.75 mile section that includes some country road travel that is comprised of packed limestone. This particular section, as well, is the only section that might prove to be a bit of a challenge for some folks with a mobility impairment. It's lightly traveled by vehicles, but it's a little more uneven and vehicles and buggies do travel on it. That said, my very minor concerns about it aren't enough for me to dock the Pumpkinvine a star (NOTE: IF a 1/2 star were an option, I might go 4.5). For those familiar with the trail's history, it's noteworthy that the beauty of the trail doesn't quite reveal how controversial it was when it was first being developed and how much certain landowners fought the planned usage and, to this day, hang out their "no trespassing signs" along the path to ensure no one stumbles off the trail onto their land. While I encountered no negativity along the route, there was no question that this impacted the ambience just a slight bit. The trail also has brochures that will tell you about various historical places along the trail including information regarding Chief Shipshewana and nearby Amish landmarks including a schoolhouse right off the trail. While the Amish on the whole can be a bit distant, you probably would be too if you were treated as a tourist attraction, I found them to be friendly and personable throughout my 26 mile ride and their presence adds a uniqueness to this trail you simply don't find anywhere else. Motorized vehicles, with the exception of motorized wheelchairs, aren't allowed on the trail. Bicycles, walkers, runners, and wheelers are encouraged. The trail holds events at various times throughout the year and I believe there's even a season for cross-country skiing being allowed. That's probably not in the Summer, eh? There are places to park along the trail especially as you reach the towns of Elkhart, Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana. Being in a wheelchair, it is definitely worth noting that I ran over a TON of cherry pits. While this didn't do any damage to the chair, it may be possible during the Fall season that hitting a pit the wrong way could potentially slice a tire. It's a fairly light risk, but it's worth noting. Among the many beautiful trails I've traveled over the past couple weeks, it's pretty hard to top Elkhart/LaGrange County's beautiful and well kept Pumpkinvine Nature Trail.

Historic Lincoln Highway stretches from New York to San Francisco. Opened in 1913. It was one of…read morethe first highways for automobiles. It spans through 14 states and 700 cities, towns and villages.

During a weekend visit to Indiana Dunes we wanted to get a really good hike in. We stopped by the…read moreIndiana Dunes Visitor Center and we were thankful we did. It seems if you know nothing about the area, you can be easily confused and lost. The State park actually is in the National Park boundary. The volunteer at the visit center gave us many hiking options. We ended up choosing the Bailly Homestead and Chellberg Farm. Both for the history aspect of it and the great hiking trails. It had three loops, a smaller one about .63 mile, a larger one about a mile, and the big loop approximately 2.4 miles with runs into the Calumet Trail. All are pretty easy walks. If your looking for a great hike in the Dunes area definitely give the Bailly Homestead a look. It has a decent size parking lot and restrooms. I'd also highly suggest stopping by the National Park Visitor Center as it is very close by.

This is one of the better hikes in the Indiana Dunes NP. Better yet, it's perfect for anyone as…read moreit's little more than a walk in the woods. And it's full of history. There's a parking lot, picnic tables, restrooms and other park facilities at the trailhead. Check out the map of the trails-and take a pic for reference on your phone. There are a few different trails and spurs that you can take. I like the loop that takes you through the Chellberg Farm, to the Bailey Cemetery and then have a beer or snack at the Homestead. That's about a two mile loop. If you'd just like to see the Homestead straightaway, park down by the Little Calumet River that it overlooks-three lefts from the parking lot. Easy parking down by the fishing hole and just a short walk up the hill to the Bailey Homestead. This was an 1820s fur trading post. This was the NorthWest back in those frontier days. Can you imagine? You can see what a perfect location it is. For me it's a perfect spot for a boozy picnic. Cheers!

Located along the shores of Lake Michigan,this State Park has over 1500 acres of pristine beaches…read moreand sand dunes making it one of Michigans most popular State Parks. There is an admission free to enter. Plenty of parking available. We went in the Fall midweek so it was not crowded at all.

Beautiful beach and park!…read more We came for the day to play on the beach and see the sand dunes. You have to pay for the use. There is a large parking area by the beach. As soon as we pulled in we noticed the beach on one side of the parking lot and the sand dunes on the other. We decided to climb the dunes first. There is one big hill that everyone was going up. It is challenging but fun. Great views from the top. And super easy to come down. Then we went to the beach. Sand was really nice and clean. A storm started to roll in so we had to leave the beach a little early. They do a great job of communicating and changing the flags when the beach conditions change. There are bathrooms and some food vendors. Only wish is they had actual showers to clean off all the sand. They have the outside ones but they weren't very efficient.

There is only a little to say that has yet to be told by previous reviews. So, we were driving back…read morefrom South Bend, and the wife noticed a sign along the highway that read, Chief Menominee statue next exit. It was odd because we had recently been to the Menominee Reservation in Wisconsin last year since I've been trying to research my ancestry. We had no idea that it was in the area. It was about four miles off the exit. It was pristine and a respectful way to honor Chief Menominee. The locals have done a good job.

Southwest of Plymouth, a granite marker indicates where the start of the forced relocation march of…read morethe Potawatomi Indians began. The relocation to Kansas caused the death of 150 of the 859 people who were moved. The relocation was labeled the "Trail of Death". Back in 1909, the state approved funds for this 7 foot granite statue of Chief Menominee that rests on a pedestal on the high ground of the small park-like area set aside for the monument. The Chief was the leader who resisted the relocation, but ultimately had to yield. The statue was carved by Novelli and Calcagni from Vermont and dedicated in 1909, seventy one years after the relocation began. The actual camp of the Potawatomi Indians was about 21/2 miles to the southwest of the statue. I was unable to find why this site was selected instead. Review #3078

The sign reminds you that you have crossed into another time zone - an opportunity to check…read moreanything that does/did not change automatically.