Indiana's Amish Country is diverse, spread out, and offers a little bit of something for everything! Depending on what you want, you can find quiet, out-of-the-way Amish experiences, or if you want the services that come with a larger tourist area, you can find that too! Over 60,000 Amish live spread out throughout the state, so chances are, you are near an Amish community in Indiana.
Indiana Amish Towns
Indiana Amish country has created some culture icons, like Ben's Pretzels, a chain of soft pretzel restaurants that began with an Amish man's recipe. And Rise n Roll bakery started with old Amish family doughnut recipe. Both businesses became so popular that they are expanding and spreading.
Personally, I think just getting in the car and exploring is the single best Indiana Amish Country experience, and you can do that in many places. Watch for small signs advertising a home-based business. Buy some fresh eggs or baked goods. THOSE are my favorite Amish experiences. Okay, with all that aside, here is my list of places in Amish country Indiana that you need to check out. I am trying to keep this list updated, so if you know of an Amish-owned business in Indiana that you think should be included on the list below, please email me at [email protected] and I'll add it to the list!
Below are some of our favorite Amish towns to visit in Indiana's Amish Country!
📋 Berne
A unique Swiss Amish community about 40 miles south of Fort Wayne along US 27. The Amish speak a different dialect here and most buggies have no roof, a peculiar custom found only here. And there's the ornate clocktower in downtown Berne. Get a unique Swiss Amish experience here. I recommend just picking one of the numerous country roads that sprawl out in all directions from Berne and exploring. You'll find some treasures, among them is Countrylane Bakery & Gifts 4224 S 450 W. Full of wonderful authentic Amish baked goods!
📋 Bremen
This is an Amish town in the norther part of Indiana and is definitely worth a visit, one of the best known places to stop there is:
RENTOWN COUNTRY STORE: Another awesome, amazing Amish country store experience 1530 3rd Rd, Bremen, IN 46506
🗺️ Daviess County
I love visiting this Amish settlement that is situated along iconic US 50 east of Vincennes. This is where the Amish of Daviess County, near Washington and Logootee live and it is so fun to explore here.
Visitors and locals cruise through the backroads to discover a slower, more beautiful pace of life in Southern Indiana. The rolling hills, fields, and woods create picturesque sunsets and sunrises.
An estimated 5000 Amish live in this community, which makes it one of the largest settlements in the state of Indiana. Here are some of my favorite stops!
STOLL'S LAKEVIEW RESTAURANT: Some of the best Amish style food in Indiana. 15519 US Hwy 231 N in Loogootee. Love this place!
GASTHOF AMISH VILLAGE: 6747 E Gasthof Village Rd, Montgomery, IN 47558. This is in the southwest part of Indiana, Daviess County to be precise. I love the buffet and bakery there. But, geez, just explore the whole area, it is a amazing!
MAPLE LANE BOOKSTORE: A veritable Amish-owned Barnes & Noble, stocked with all sorts of titles from best sellers to obscure religious tracts. Located at 6726 E 400 N, Montgomery, IN
🗺️ Fountain City/Wayne County
This is one of the most accessible Amish settlements in the state. Just a few miles off busy I-70, take exit 151 north and in 7 minutes you are there!
FOUNTAIN ACRE FOODS: This is an Amish bulk food store that I have written about a ton. It does not have the full-throttle Amish Country ambiance that E & S has (and that's only because the Wayne County, Amish community is a fraction of the size of Shipshewana's) but what it lacks there it has in accessibility. Check out their huge spring cheese sale. And then, during the warmer months head to....
WAYNE COUNTY PRODUCE AUCTION: 8025 Carlos Rd, Williamsburg, in the heart of the Wayne County Amish area, this place is absolutely worth visiting to watch items being bidded and bartered upon.
There are plenty of other small Amish businesses and discoveries you can make along the backroads here. I've found tiny bulk food stores and garden centers tucked away on Amish farms.
📜 Grabill
One of the most enjoyable Amish experiences I've ever had was just exploring Grabill's very compact, but very large, Amish community. Amazing experience and the town is really just a stone's throw northeast of sprawling Fort Wayne. While there, check out Miller's Country Store at at 11205 Roth Rd, Grabill IN 46741a classic Amish bulk food and bakery!
Grabill is a quirky, mish-mash settlement of traditional Amish but also a sizable population of Swiss-speaking Amish from the Berne community.
The Amish here have really adopted solar power, so it is not uncommon to find Amish homes with huge solar panels on them to generate electricity without being on the grid.
📜 Middlebury
A charming Amish area that is part of the vast diaspora of Amish in northern Indiana. It is here that you'll find a couple of the state's best known Amish attractions:
DAS DUTCHMAN ESSENHAUS: this is a unique Amish style restaurant located in Middlebury. The food is what keeps people coming back. Broasted chicken and fresh made pies have made the restaurant a destination for locals and hungry travelers alike.
RISE N ROLL BAKERY: This place isn't Amish-owned any more, but it used to be. And their doughnuts are still amazing. There are now several Rise N Roll locations, but go to the original (well, the rebuilt original) at 1065 N 1150 W in Middlebury, Indiana, The doughnuts are amazing, especially the cinnamon-caramel crunch. Wow.
📋 Milroy
This is a small settlement with not a ton of touristy things to do, but still worth a visit if you are in the area. While there, check out:
TROYER’S COUNTRY STORE: This gem is in Milroy, Indiana (see, my list actually includes the whole state), a truly authentic Amish country store experience 10599 S State Road 3, Milroy, IN 46156
📋 Parke County
Like Wayne County, Indiana, the Amish community here is distinguished by its distinctive gray-topped buggies. Parke County's Amish community started in the 1990s from Amish that arrived from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in search of more land and less tourists.
The county was already known for its iconic covered bridges, which made the area a good fit for the Amish.
Bucolic Amish country in west-central Indiana, dotted with covered bridges and countryside. While there, check out Swarey's Variety, 3767 N 100 E, Marshall, IN 47859, a classic Amish variety store!
📜 Nappanee
The Barns of Nappanee (formerly Amish Acres) is a classic Amish tourist destination, and home of the famous Round Barn Theatre, located at 1600 W Market St, Nappanee, IN 46550. Not an Amish attraction, but a great base from which to explore surrounding Amish country.
📜 Shipshewana
This is the heart of Indiana's Amish country and there is so much to see and do here, from the world-famous flea market, to the Blue Gate, to my favorite: just exploring the backroads. BUT, if you only had 30 minutes to spend in Shipshewana and could just go to one place, this is where I would go:
E&S - An amazing Amish bulk food shopping experience. What I love so much about E &S is you get a truly authentic Amish cultural immersion. On a busy day this sprawling Amish bulk food emporium in Shipshewana attracts so many Amish shoppers that buggies occasionally outnumber cars in the parking lot. If the Amish are shopping there, that’s a pretty good bet the store is carrying some interesting stuff! So next time you are in Shipshewana, you have to put E & S on your list!
🗺️ Switzerland County
WICKEY VARIETY: This is one of the most authentic Amish experiences in the state of Indiana if you can find the place! It is out in the middle of nowhere, but if you can find the store it offers an authentic Amish shopping destination.
🗺️ Orange County, Indiana
This is a small Amish settlement. There are actually two here, an ultraconservative Swartezntruber community and a more traditional one. Explore the backroads and find buggy shops, fresh flowers, eggs, and baked goods for sale. Dan Stutzman has a buggy shop near the town of Orleans.
Renita Rowing
There is an amish store near rockville called peacheys, small but I enjoy going there
Kevin
Renita, thanks for sharing, I've heard of that store, would love to go!
Greg
I know one of the Wickey families personally and they are the most friendly and open Amish groups I have ever met!
I would love to share the story of how we met and the experiences I have had with them in the 10 years since then if you are interested.
Kevin Williams
Please do, Greg! I'd love to hear more.