TEN Reasons to Visit Huntington County this Season

1. Salamonie Lake State Park

With over a half million visitors a year, a visit to Salamonie Lake State Park is a must-do during a trip to the area. They have a great sandy beach for swimming, miles of trails, Interpretive Center with bird watching area and programming. This is a great place for camping and is especially popular for boat owners ready to get out on the lake. Don't have your own, rent a boat from Pirates Cove Marina, located within the park area. Salamonie is close to Mt. Etna, Andrews and Huntington so you'll never run out of things to do.

2. Boutique and Antique Shopping

Our charming historic downtowns are bursting with new boutiques that are attracting visitors from across the region. You'll find a great mix of shops including antiques, clothing, jewelry, art, furniture, children's items, culinary delights, gifts, home decor plus way more. Link to SHOPPING

Tip: Best days to shop are Wednesdays through Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Grab your friends and head out on a Girlfriends Getaway. Check out our Antiques and Vintage Trail featuring Exit 286 Antique Mall in Markle, one of NE Indiana's largest antique stores.

3. The Original Indiana Pork Tenderloin Sandwich

It's no secret that folks travel from all over the country to try Indiana's original hand breaded pork tenderloin sandwich at Nick's Kitchen. Located in the heart of Downtown Huntington, this diner has been featured on the Travel Channel, Chicago Tribune, PBS and Gourmet Magazine, among many others. Opened in 1908, they are serving up their legendary tenderloins with the same original recipe. Make sure you grab a slice of their sugar cream pie or better yet try their pie flight!

4. Award-Winning Winery

Travel to Huntington, Indiana to experience tastings at Two-EE's Winery. Voted Best Winery Experience by Indiana State Tourism and Best Tasting room by USA Today 10 Best, you'll love visiting their gorgeous facility and the quality of their wines will have you coming back for more. Two-EE's just won 9 medals at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition including a gold medal for the winery’s best-selling sweet concord wine, Plonqé, and its 2020 Pinot Noir was awarded Best of Class in its category. For your convenience, reservations may be made in advance for both the tasting room and patio seating.

5. Northeast Indiana's ONLY Zipline Adventure Tour

You'll love soaring among the trees and over private lakes at Zip Timber Lake. There's 8 zip lines total plus bridges, floating clouds and climbing features that will leave you feeling exhilarated and ready for more! The grand finale is a 1000' zip across the lake! Spectacular! Zip Timber Lake is located at Camp Timber Lake in Huntington so consider packing up the camping supplies and making it a mult-day trip. Timber Lake does rent cabins and is currently building fully equipped glamping cabins for those who want a unique experience.

6. Farm-to-Table Wagyu

If ever there is a restaurant worthy of a road trip, it would be Joseph Decuis in Roanoke, Indiana. They have been serving up extraordinary gourmet farm-to-table meals for well over a decade with their signature Wagyu beef, Mangalitsa pork and fresh ingredients straight from their farm just a few miles away. Owners, Pete and Alice Eshelman, are passionate in their approach to delivering superior farm to table fare and they love to share this passion with their guests by offering a multitude of dining experiences at all levels from casual lunches at the Joseph Decuis Emporium to their gourmet farm to fork meals at their AAA Four Diamond Restaurant. Joseph Decuis was featured on the Travel Channel Food Paradise program and has been voted #1 Restaurant in Indiana by Open Table diners. Many guests stay the weekend at their charming downtown bed and breakfast or their Farmstead Inn situated just outside their farm. When making overnight reservations, ask for details on farm tours.

7. River Adventures and Winery Hangout

How do we even begin to describe such a cool place? Rustic River Outfitters is located just outside of Salamonie Lake State Park in Mount Etna and they are quickly becoming the locals' favorite hangout and attracting visitors from across the region. During the summer months, Rustic River rents kayaks and canoes with routes on the Salamonie River, Salamonie Reservoir and Wabash River. Options includes routes as long as 18 miles or as short as 4 miles.

Do some wine tasting. Rustic River Outfitters carries wines from Huber Winery so you can do tastings, flights or by the glass or bottle. Their sangrias and hand made slushies are outstanding! They also carry Quaff On beers for their craft beer fans. Rustic River has onsite food options including ice cream, nachos, sandwiches and specials. Stop out on the evenings or weekends to hang out in their charming outdoor spaces and check Facebook for live music events.

8. FREE Outdoor Concerts

What better way to spend a warm evening than at an outdoor concert. There are free concerts all summer long here in Huntington County so make plans to come out for Markle Summer Sounds Concert Series, Music in the City in Huntington and Final Fridays in Warren. Plus, watch for announcements on the lineup of entertainment at some of our biggest festivals. It's going to be a great season so make plans now so that you don't miss your favorite bands! Check out our events calendar for dates.

9. Learn About Vice Presidents

Come learn all about the nation's second most highest office in the country. The Quayle Vice Presidential Learning Center is committed to educating the public about the office of the Vice President as well as the history and workings of our government. A stop in at the center is a must-do on any visit to the area to see artifacts including newspaper articles, photographs, posters, campaign and personal items from every Vice President to date. Test your knowledge of each as you progess through the exhibits. This year, the Center will celebrate its 30th Anniversary.