I-90 and INDIANA

• Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
• Valparaiso
• LaPorte
• Heston
• South Bend/Mishawaka
• Elkhart

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore - The area around Lake Michigan, from the Illinois border to near Lake Station, is part of the Chicago megalopolis. Stretching intermittently from near Lake Station to Michigan City (to the east), along the lake front, is the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. You can read about the Lakeshore Park at the National Park Service web site: Indiana Dunes.
  While Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is actually along I-94 and not I-90, you can get on I-94 at exit 21 and then come back to I-90 (and the toll road) at I-94 exit 34 (US-421).

Valparaiso

Anderson's Orchard & Winery - at 430 East US-6. Telephone 1-219-464-4936.
  These folks have set up tours to carry you in style, on a wagon, through the vineyard. Then to the pond, then to their special country farm market where they have a wide array of eats (including baked items) with expectations that you'll buy some. Than you get to the tasting room to sample a variety of their own wines - FREE! There are even fancier tours but they must be schedules in advance.
  Take exit 31 of the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) and drive south toward Valparaiso. At the intersection of US-6 (about 2 miles from I-90) turn left and follow US-6 about 3.5 miles to the orchard (on your right). You won't miss the sign!
  You can view their attractive web site at: Anderson's Winery.

LaPorte

Back Road Brewery - About 6 miles south of I-90 is LaPorte. A few miles back we told you about Anderson's Winery with their (FREE) tasting room. LaPorte is the home of the Back Road Brewery. They claim to make "mind-numbing, award-winning beer".
  Certainly, you are familiar with the cliché, "bring your own bottle." These folks take that seriously. Bring your own bottle, jug, or even a water-proof plastic bag, and they will fill it... FREE! (Hope you have a designated driver!).
  Exit the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) at exit 49. Turn left and follow Hwy 39 south to Us-35. Continue on US-35 heading to LaPorte to the intersection of Lake Street (on your right just after you pass the lake). Turn right and the Brewery is a little more than a block ahead just across from the lake. They do have a phone which is rarely answered. The promise is that if you leave your phone number they'll call you back. 1-219-362-7623.

Door Prairie Auto Museum - Most of the 'auto museums' along I-90 or in barns or even out in a field, somewhere. This one is high class. Arranged in a very unusual, 3-story building at 2405 Indiana Avenue is their collection of some 50 classics plus collections of antique toys (and lots of other things).
  If you just visited the Brewery on Lake Street, turn around and go back to the end of Lake Street at Pine Lake, turn right, cross the tracks and turn left on Washington. Go the one block to US-35 (which is Indiana Avenue), turn right and follow US-35 to the Museum (it is a taller, red structure with a roof like an up-side-down ice cream cone) at 2405 Indiana Avenue. Phone: 1-219-326-1337.
Web site: Door Prairie Museum.

Heston

Heston Steam Show - This is a bit of a stretch - really off I-94 and not I-90 - but there are a lot of people who find this exhibit (and steam train ride) very interesting if not exciting. So we are including it.
  They are only open Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5p (Chicago time). Admission is free BUT to ride the 2-mail long, dual gauge train is $5 ($3 for kids).
  If you can get here Labor Day weekend, they have a big, annual Labor Day Show (extending from Friday to Monday). Everything is working and it is all steam powered. It is really quite a sight.
  Take exit 49 of the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) and turn right on IL-39. About 6 miles north of exit 49 is a fork off to the right signed Old Buffalo Road. Bear right here and at the end of this little short cut, turn right onto Galena River Road*. Follow this road (east) about 2.5 miles to the Heston Steam Show and Museum of Railroad, Agricultural and Steam Equipment (1201 East 1000 North). There is a very noticeable sign with 5 foot-high letters on the machine shop on the left side of the road.
*If you miss the shortcut, just turn right on 1000 North. It is only about 500 yards further.
  Phone 1-219-872-7405 or 1-219-778-2783. They also have a web site: Steam Show. Click on 'Exhibits' at the bottom of the page to view lists of their many exhibits.

South Bend/Mishawaka

Visitors' Center - There is certainly no shortage of attractions in the South Bend/Mishawaka area. You could spend several weeks here. As with many other communities, we recommend a stop by the Visitors' Center where you can carefully select those places you have the time to visit. They can also give you driving directions to help you get to these destinations with a minimum of frustration.
  The Visitors' Center is downtown at 401 E. Colfax Avenue in Suite 310. From the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) take exit 77 and follow US-31 Business to Colfax Avenue (just over 3 miles). Turn left, cross the St Joseph River bridge and it is just a couple hundred yards from the bridge. Phone: 1-800-828-7881.

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College Football Hall of Fame - Though our interest in college football has waned over the years, we overheard the remark: "Probably at lease one person in every car passing on the Interstates is interested in football." Maybe so but the place was far from crowded. They claim, "...something for everyone..." and have certainly made a great effort to honor that pledge. They have an excellent web site at: Football Hall of Fame. If it hadn't been so well done, and so completely informative, we probably would have skipped it.
  The one drawback for many is the admission: $10 for non-county residents. The fees slide downward for the younger - and older - ones among us but - if you are really into football, go for it. There can be other fees once you get inside depending upon which activities you choose to participate in (see their web site for details).
  From the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) take exit 77 and follow US-31 Business southbound to Washington (about 3 miles). It will be on your left (111 S. St Joseph Street). Telephone: (toll free) 1-800-440-3263.
  Hours of operation are 10a-5p every day of the year except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Days. Hours are extended during Notre Dame home game weekends.

Hannah Lindahl Children's Museum - When you are traveling with your kids (or grandkids), it is a blessing to find a place to let them blow off some steam. We've found that these children's museums are just the recipe. If you are already in downtown South Bend (perhaps at the Visitors' Center or visiting the College Football Hall of Fame) you are not very far from the Lindahl Children's Museum.
  Located on S. Main Street (which is one way southbound) just on the other side of Broadway (which is about 13 blocks south of Colfax).
  From the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) take exit 77 and follow US-31 Business southbound to Broadway (about 4.4 miles). It will be on your left (1402 S. Main Street). For more information, telephone: 1-574-254-4540. Their web site is at: Lindahl Museum.

Military Honor Park - just to your right as you enter the front entrance of the South Bend Regional Airport you will see a large, (painted) white boulder with the words: "Military Honor Park - 'Let No One Be Forgotten'". That is the goal of this new park, currently a large field with an assortment of military vehicles and a few displays featuring photos and smaller artifacts. Hours? They never close. For more information, phone: 1-574-288-5455.
  From the Indiana Toll Road (I-90) take exit 72 (US-31) and head south not quite 2 miles to the US-20 interchange (Lincoln Way). Take the second exit so you will be going east on Lincoln Way. Continue east on Lincoln Way for about 1.5 miles to the airport entrance. Turn left into the airport and on your right is the entrance to the Park. Note: this is much more than just an airport; they call it a 'Transportation Center' and that it is. Here, in this one location, is access to rail, bus, air and ground transportation to various local points.

Studebaker National Museum - at 525 South Main traces the history of the innovative (but long gone) Studebaker's progress from the Conestoga Wagon on the late 19th Century to the post WW-II, 'wild at the time', bullet-nosed Studebaker that started a new trend in auto design after the shock had worn off (slightly).
  Also on display are some other noteworthy carriages and automobiles, e.g., President Lincoln's Carriage, the 1934 Bendix and the Packard Predictor concept car.
  Admission is $6.50. Children under 8 are free. They are open pa-5p Monday through Saturday and noon to 5p Sundays. They are closed major holidays.
  Take exit 77 of the Indiana Toll (I-90) and drive south on US-31 to South Bend. US-31 is N. Michigan Street. At about 2.7 or 2.8 miles from I-90, North Main branches off to the right. Bear right on Main and continue about 11 blocks to the Museum at 525 South Main. Telephone (toll-free): 888-391-5600. You can view their web site store at Studebaker Museum.

Notre Dame University - on your way in to South Bend from exit 77 - or on your way back to I-90 - you pass by Notre Dame. They, too, have a visitors center: the Eck Visitors' Center. They recommend that if you would like to visit the campus (and there is a lot to see), you phone them first at 1-574-631-5726. You might view the university's web site for more information: Notre Dam.

Elkhart

Amish Country Tours - This is Amish country and, as stated above, the Visitors' Center has tapes and CDs for 'guided' tours. You can chose to take a buggy tour if you lake and have the time. For more information, contact the Visitors' Center. Phone: 1-800-262-8161.

New York Central Railroad Museum - Founded in 1987, this museum is not only a preserver of the great NY Central Railroad and its super trains which connected New York City and Chicago - through Elkhart, Indiana back inb the days when rail travel was the vital impetus to the economic and physical growth of the U.S.A. The museum also allow us to see and understand Elkhart's role as it functioned in this rail network. Elkhart's rail yard is still among the largest in the United States and Elkhart still is an important link in our nation's rail system. 
  From the Indiana Toll Road (I-90), turn left at the end of the long off-ramp and follow IN-19 southbound into Elkhart to its end at Beardsley Avenue. Turn right, go 3 blocks to Main Street there's a traffic light there) and turn left. Continue south on Main, crossing the St Joseph River, to the railroad tracks. Cross the tracks and turn right into the Museum's parking lot. 721 South Main Street; phone 1-574-294-3001.  
  Hour are 10a-4p Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 4p Sundays. Closed major holidays. Note that this is 'Chicago time' during the summer months because Indiana does not observe daylight savings time. The rest of the year this is Eastern Standard Time.
  View their web site at NYC Museum.

RV/MH Museum - This is an activity of the RV/MH Heritage Foundation. An unusual museum, exhibits and displays trace the history of recreational vehicles and manufactured housing going back to the 1920s. On exhibit is a variety of recreational vehicles plus many, many photos. It is really very interesting.
  Following the directions to the North Central Railroad Museum, after you cross the tracks just continue one more block to St. Joseph Street. Turn right and drive to the end of the block to Benham Avenue. Address is 801 Benham Avenue. Telephone (toll-free) 1-800-378-8694 or visit their web site at: RV/MY Museum.

contributed by Bob Masters