What to do near Nappanee

[Vegascpl]

We are going to be at the factory mid May for 4 days. We are looking for suggestions about what we might do in the area. We are thinking that the best thing for us to do would be to get a hotel room rather than move in and out of the coach every day. We've never been anywhere near Nappanee so have no idea what might be in the surrounding area within about 200 miles. I'm guessing that after a factory tour we'll have just about seen everything we to see in Nappanee?

We have a motorcycle as well as a tow vehicle with us. Is there a secure area where we can leave one of them while we are gone?

We'd appreciate any suggestions you might have.

Michael
2005 Dutch Star 40' 4 slides
2005 BMW K1200LT motorcycle on lift
2006 Ford Escape Hybrid

[Vegascpl]

We are going to be at the factory mid May for 4 days. We are looking for suggestions about what we might do in the area. We are thinking that the best thing for us to do would be to get a hotel room rather than move in and out of the coach every day. We've never been anywhere near Nappanee so have no idea what might be in the surrounding area within about 200 miles. I'm guessing that after a factory tour we'll have just about seen everything we to see in Nappanee?

We have a motorcycle as well as a tow vehicle with us. Is there a secure area where we can leave one of them while we are gone?

We'd appreciate any suggestions you might have.

Michael
2005 Dutch Star 40' 4 slides
2005 BMW K1200LT motorcycle on lift
2006 Ford Escape Hybrid

[dockqueen]

safe. when we picked up our atme at the factory, we were going to get our furniture i had made. i was so excited to see it all come together, i moved the car out of the way, ran into the rv and took off. I later realized I left the keys in the car sitting in the middle of the parking lot. When I returned it was all as i left it.
Go see Shipshewana, flea market every Tues. Bike the area, no traffic. Go over toward the lake and dunes with the bike. Stay there it is a beautiful area.
Hope this helps.

[Dav5942]

Don't forget to tour the other RV facilities, Dynamax has one of the cleanest! When biking up to Michigan get your Sturgis(MI) tee shirt and great fishing on Lake Michigan. Also visit the local(Amish) wood workers, etc. in the Nappanee area. You can leave your stuff right at the factory or rent a storage area right accross the street from the main entrance. You've also got the Indiana Dunes and the Michigan Dunes close by.

[GaryKD]

All things Amish are available. Next to the Newmar plant is Amish Acres. It is a nice attraction. Inside there is a brochure rack with many different attractions for the visitor to consider doing. Then there is Shipshewana. One needs to go there and eat. All the places in Shipshewana have brochure racks.

We spent about 8 days in the area in 2006. Never ran out of something to do and never did the same thing twice.

[rebelsbeach]

Michael, I can speak from "current" experience as I am writing this as I sit in the "Inn at Amish Acres" which is conveniently located within a short distance to the Newmar campus.
I was placed over here for several days initially out of necessity,as the coach heat was NOT working and then I simply chose to stay over here for the duration my service visit.
If you do choose to stay in the coach, you must vacate the coach by 0600 when the tech arrives and then you are brought the coach back around 2:00 when they're done for the day.
In my case at least,it was more important for me to allow them the uninterrupted access to the coach, in order that they NOT have to take the time out of the day to put things back in order...With them having the coach they're able to leave a job unfinished one day and get right back at it the next morning....
I would NEVER worry about leaving anything in any lot at either Newmar or the Inn,as I've not seen anything to suggest that anyone worries about it.
Several of the RV delivery drivers leave their rigs here in the side lot of the Inn overnight and there's never an issue I've seen.

As far as things to do,there are not many things to do here in Nappanee,other than the Amish Acres "Round Barn Theater",where for instance the show "High School Musical" opens here the middle of May. There are different shows that run on a schedule which can be found at the aforementioned hyperlink.
Shipshewana is a great flea market in season,there's the RV Museum and also a Camping World in nearby Elkhart, and even a Wal-Mart in Goshen...
As far as factory tours,don't miss the Newmar Tour,but you are literally surrounded in this County by RV manufacturers....You can see Louise in the general service waiting area and she has a desk FULL of maps and things to do.
You'll find everything to eat right here in Nappanee,from very good Chinese,Italian and even Steaks and Seafood...
There are several watering holes with both smoking and non-smoking areas and even a small one screen theater in Nappanee.
To do any "serious" movie viewing you'll end up in Goshen...
If it's laundry you're needing to do,I've referenced the laundromat locations in a post at the top of the Newmar Forum.
$1.75 per wash load and .25 for 9 minutes to dry.
There's a CVS pharmacy in town,a Chase Bank and even a pretty nice hardware store.

Sorry this is long,hope it helps..

[Cruzer]

Bob's recommendations are very good and pretty much what I've experienced. I might add that on your drive to Shipshewana you should stop at Das Dutchman Essenhaus in Middlebury. Great bakery, restaurant, etc. Pretty much like Amish Acres in Nappanee, only better.

[rebelsbeach]

Addendum to earlier post...

As it was a beautiful sunny (cold)day (cold) here in Nappanee, I decided to check with the front desk and see if there was a "better" mall than the Concord Mall in Goshen.....MAN!!

I was directed,by the virtue of a printed handout,over to the University Park Mall in Mishawaka...As the desk clerk accurately portrayed, "it's a mall with a LOT more life".
Mishawaka is apparently a decent size municipality,as this mall rivals most medium sized malls I've been in...Sears,Macy's and J.C. Penny are the anchors and there are then the various other stores you'd expect...
What I found even MORE accomodating was there were MANY other stores in this area such as Best Buy,Lowes,Bed Bath and Beyooond,Dicks,and many many restaurants along the Applebee/TGIF/Steak and Shake variety.
I obviously went on a Saturday and I'd imagine the relatively nice day had something to do with the fact that traffic in and around the stores was b-r-u-t-a-l...
Anyway....just some more added ideas.

[JavaJelly]

Didn't stop but, as I was leaving today I saw the RV Hall of Fame at the intersection of I-90 and State Route 17. Looked like a new building.

[Vegascpl]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the information and you might say wake up call!

We've lived in Las Vegas for 20 years and still spend half the year here. We are also very high tech people. When I thought about spending 4 days in an Amish community I just could not imagine what I might be doing! We've never been around Amish people before. We were very impressed earlier this year when that horrible school shooting occured. In a world where everyone seems to be full of hate this is one religious group who showed us all what it was like to forgive and love your fellow man.

I really thank you all for your comments we are now looking forward to the experience.

Michael
2005 Dutch Star 40' 4 slide
2005 BMW K1200LT on lift
2006 Ford Escape Hybrid

[rebelsbeach]

Just watching the weather and it looks like I will add one more thing to do apparently in Nappanee this week....WATCH IT SNOW!!

There's a winter storm warning for Monday night into Tuesday morning...

[edgray]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">the RV Hall of Fame at the intersection of I-90 and State Route 17. Looked like a new building. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
It is new. In fact, I don't think it has opened yet. Perhaps Bob could use some of his "spare" time to research this attraction and let us know. ED

[rebelsbeach]

I'll run up and check it out Monday morning Ed...Seems like I recall that when I was here in October they were still in the old one...

[Colette and Joe]

If you head to South Bend, there is the Collage Football hall of fame; The Studebaker Museum; the University of Notre Dame, A magnificent campus, the Snite museum of fine art has a fabulous collection, The Basilica of the Sacred Heart is worth seeing, a grand edifice. And Macri's Deli in both Mishawaka and SB has the best Napoleons in the whole world.
If you need a family touch, pm me, my whole family lives there. Son lives in Bremen on Lake of the Woods.