Day 1
We will travel northward today, arriving in Middlebury, Indiana, late afternoon. This evening, explore and enjoy the scenic grounds of our lodging, the beautiful Essenhaus Inn & Conference Center. Take a dip in the indoor swimming pool, relax on a horse-drawn carriage ride around the immaculate grounds, or go shopping in one of several Village Shops (coupons provided, shops open until 8 p.m.) all on the same facility grounds. The Village Shops showcase specialty gift items, souvenirs, quilts, furniture, home decor and more. Enjoy the Quilt Garden and Mural while on site.

Dinner is included at Das Essenhaus tonight, Indiana's largest restaurant, with family-favorite recipes and tasty treats handed down through the generations. (D)

Day 2
We begin our Amish adventure this morning, following breakfast at the hotel. We will spend the day enjoying the Quilt Gardens and shopping in the unique area shops. The Quilt Gardens... along Heritage Trail, join quilting, gardening and art into a one-of-a-kind event. A colorful patchwork of quilt-inspired gardens and quilt-themed murals linked by the roads that form the Heritage Trail. Every quilt garden and quilt mural has its own intricate pattern, many are original designs, and each has its own unique story.

We will see the Quilt Garden at Weaver Furniture Sales and make a shopping stop at E & S Sales, (specializing in bulk foods such as spices, snacks, nuts, cheese, flour, and grains. You'll also find soup mixes, cold meats, cooking supplies, books, greeting cards and more.) We'll then view the Quilt Garden at Menno Hof and visit Yoder's Red Barn Shoppes, the place to find a unique blend of high quality, hard-to- find merchandise and...over 60,000 square feet of shopping space. Find Treats for the home . . . locally made Amish handcrafted furniture, rustic log furniture, primitive pine furniture, and stylish home accents. Find Treats for your creative spirit . . . custom-scented body products, decorated, china, collectibles, books, women's fashions, and Carhartt gear. Find Treats for your palette . . . hand rolled pret- zels, tea and sandwiches, ice cream, chocolates, fla- vored coffees, and kettle korn. Next, we're off to see the Quilt Garden at the Farmstead Inn.

Lunch is on your own as you shop at the Shipshewana Flea Market, known as "the trading place of America," the largest outdoor flea market in the Midwest, with over 800 vendors filling 1,000 booths covering 60 acres. The weekly Wednesday antique auction barn has 11 rings going at once selling quality antiques and collectibles.

There will then be time for browsing in downtown Shipshewana, a bustling village with quaint shop-lined streets, specialty retailers and home-style dining destinations and family entertainment. Shipshewana is a magnet for shoppers and a welcoming atmosphere for families. Picturesque storefronts beckon buyers searching for handcrafted items and baked goods, and the Midwest's largest

flea market draws serious bargain hunters. Don't miss Davis Mercantile, home to over twenty truly great stores, from candles and quilts to entertain- ment and food. You're sure to find something for everyone to do!

We'll then depart for Nappanee, stopping at Borkholder Dutch Village, with unique gifts, crafts, antiques, and home decor among the 300 vendors in air-conditioned comfort.

This evening, we'll enjoy a delicious dinner at Amish Acres Restaurant Barn, acclaimed as Indiana's best meal, featuring the family style Thresher's Dinner with steaming kettles of bean soup along with platters of chicken, ham and beef and other savory Amish fare.

Tonight, we're going to enjoy Indiana's only professional, resident, musical repertory theatre, The Round Barn Theatre, where we'll see Rodgers & Hammerstein's, "State Fair," their only musical written directly for the screen and is now a stage musical that has critics raving from coast to coast. (B, D)

Day 3

This morning, following breakfast, we continue our journey, first stopping next door to see the Quilt Garden at Greencroft Middlebury and the Guilt Garden at Krider Gardens, the crown jewel in the Middlebury Park System.

We're off again - this time to view The Cinnamon Stick Quilt Mural and for shopping in an old-fashioned historic building with some of the most un- common treasures, including a candy counter for the kids at heart. Many wonderful gifts including Vera Bradley, Brighton, A.I. Root Candles, Timeworks Clocks, Crabtree & Evelyn and jewelry...with free gift wrapping everyday!! (We'll also see the Quilt Mural at Varns & Hoover Hardware.)

We'll then stop at the Dutch Country Mart for shopping and to view their Quilt Garden. Prepare to be captivated by the old-fashioned foods made by the Lehman family, mom and pop and all six kids, and offered at the expansive country store next to their rural home. Katie Lehman's noodles and peanut butter spread are renowned in Amish Country. There's no doubt these noodles are fresh - visitors are invited to watch Katie rolling out the dough. An observation window also provides an up-close view into the hive of the hard-working bees that Katie's husband, Norman, has tended for two decades. You can take home jars of local unpasteurized honey, 9 flavors of whipped honey made on site, plus bee pollen, soaps and lotions. The market specializes in fresh fruits and vegetables in season, sumptuous home- made fudge, maple syrup produced on area farms and a large selection of locally made foods and crafts. Take time to browse the veritable Grandma's pantry of jams, apple butter, salsas, pickles and preserves.

We'll make a quick stop at Guggisberg Cheese Factory before our last stop at Rise & Roll Bakery. Since Rise' N Roll opened its doors in 2001, this bakery has produced the highest quality and best tasting baked goods. Buy them for yourself or give them as gifts! They also have a wide variety of Amish cheeses.

We will then depart for home, arriving in Southern Illinois early evening. (B)