Hi,

Some friends and I are coming over to the US soon and will be visiting the Amish community in Shipshewana. We have about 4 days before we need to be in Chicago. Is there enough to do there for 4 days or should we move on somewhere else? Or are there some good day trips that we can do? I had thought of going to Winterset in Iowa but think maybe it's too far. On Mapquest it's an eight hour car trip. We are all quilters, by the way!

Many thanks, Laura

I live 7 miles from Shipshewana. Which airport are you flying into/out of? I would be glad to help you with any questions you may have.

I can't believe it's an 8 hour drive to Chicago from Shipshewana. I think it's no more than about a 4 hour drive looking at the map. Don't go to Iowa you'd have to pass by the southwest suburban area of Chicago.

I'm not very familiar with Shipshewana, I know alot of people from around there day trip too it but I can't imagine there are more than a few days worth of things to do. My advice would be to extend your Chicago trip or perhaps even go north to sw Michigan to the Harbor Country area depending on what time of year you'll be here. There is a quilting shop in New Buffalo, Mi that my mom frequents.

I have been to Shipshewana several times and don't think you would want more than 2 days there. Tuesday and Wednesday they have a huge flea market that you could probably spend a good portion of the day at. There are a lot of nice shops in town for the other day.

Shipsy is not a 4 day thing. One or two should do you fine. I'd forget Iowa. That is a long way to go. Indianapolis is nice. Southwestern Michigan is beautiful, but much more beautiful in the summer. They are all harbor towns and the boats are all in dry dock. I'm not so much into the quilting scene so I can't help you there. Okay, maybe you should spend 4 days in Shipsy!

Shipshe "area" includes Shipshewana, Middlebury (Essenhaus restaurant)and Nappanee, plus all the small towns in between. You probably could spend 4 days. Nice places to stay in town, or try the Essenhaus hotel in Middlebury. Take a buggy ride, visit the local furniture makers, etc.
I agree the Southwest Michigan is very nice - better in the summer, and Indianapolis is a great town too. Their downtown is beautiful.
One thing, the Shipshewana area stores and most restaurants are closed on Sunday, with very few exceptions.

I used to have a cottage on a lake near Walkertown IN, Koontz Lake and went to Shipshewana frequently.

When are you coming? Do be strongly aware that the entire Midwest area is highly seasonal. Our winter months are cold and the Tuesday/Wednesday auction etc. is greatly reduced. The traders come in big time only during the warmer months, if I remember correctly.

There is a place with other Amish near Mendon MI that has a great B&B and Amish quilters could work with you. The owners are extremely close with the Amish community. You could eat suppers etc. with them as well.

You may want to hit that on the way West after Shpshewana, it is CLOSE and only a bit North and West.

Mendon Country Inn - the owners are terrific and hold quilting and women's weekends I believe- if asked.
They have a web site.

Tell us what month. It makes a difference in day trips and everything.

And swalter is correct. The drive to Chicago will be about 4 hours or a little more, depending upon traffic and where in Chicago you are going.

They sell Amish quilts that are the real thing at Mendon- direct from the quilter.

There is no way in the world it will take you four hours to drive to Chicago. It is only 130 miles on the toll road. If you don't do it during rush hour, two and a half tops.

And she was saying it was an 8 hour drive to Iowa from Shipsy, not to Chicago. Plus I might add, a more boring drive would be difficult to find.

Several years ago I spent 3 hours going 26 miles in the Chicago area. It all depends............and this was not on the city streets.

It does depend on traffic. But I can make it from Paw Paw, Michigan to downtown Chicago in just over 2 hours. Plus quilters on vacation probably have a little more flexibility when it comes to rush hour traffic. Weather can create big trouble though! Keep your eye on the radar.

Hi all,

We are coming at the beginning of April. Mapquest has the drive from the O'Hare airport to Shipsy at just under 3 hours. The 8 hour trip was to Iowa. Have heard that the weather can be anything from cold and snow to warm and sunny! One of the girls thought we could go to Milwaukee for a day when we are based in Chicago - would that be worth doing?

Many thanks,

Laura

I make this drive all the time. I use I-80 to 94 North. But even if you do the I80-90 across the top of IN and then access to Chicago on the Skyway which is quicker- it will still take longer than most of these posters think.

Right now if you try to access through to I-80 west the toll booth lines back up beyond the former leg of the feeder expressways. The IN/ILL border is and will be under construction for all of next year. It is better than it was, but especially in the Westbound agenda many of these very optimistic MapQuest and poster estimates are not correct. It takes me 2 hours and 45 minutes minimum to get from Tinley Park to a point West of Shipshewana and North of it. Shipshewana is actually farther in miles as the crow flies.

And I am literally within walking distance of the exit/entrance for I-80 on Lagrange Rd too- so that's just the expressway minimum time. It has taken us 3-1/2 hours to get to any area close to Shipshewana and that's on a lucky day with traffic that's clipping along.

There is so much to see in Chicago that taking a side trip to Milwaukee is IMHO not adviseable. Stay downtown and you could do something different for about 10 days. Or do Harbor Country in Spring coming through MI on the way to Chicago as suggested. Much better idea.

You may want to get an I-PASS or your tolls will be twice as much plus you will have to wait in all the various toll lines which adds a minimum of 1/2 hour to 45 minutes on every trip right now.

Also do not use mapquest for this area, use www.randmcnally.com. Mapquest is absolutely wrong in many aspects and doesn't even have most small lakes, relavent access roads, or up to date construction alterations in its database.

Kellibelli, I drive from the swburbs to Paw Paw on a weekly basis in the warmer months and have unfortunately sat and taken 4 hours to get there so you are right, it all depends on construction and traffic.

Laura,
April traffic shouldn't be as bad as summer and you're right in that the weather can be anything from gorgeous to a freak snow storm. How long will you be spending in Chicago. It's an easy drive between Milwaukee and Chicago but I wouldn't cut short your Chicago trip to go to Milwaukee.