When my sister came to visit from California, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with our three days together: explore a few of my favorite small towns, visit some great coffee shops, eat delicious local food, and introduce her to the wonderful world of antique shopping!
Since we were staying at my home in Columbia City, I planned three separate day trips, each about an hour or less from home. That way, we could spend more time exploring and less time in the car.
And let me tell you, my sister loved every minute of it! She'd been following my antique-shopping adventures on the blog and was excited to finally experience some of these places for herself.
If you're planning a girls' getaway, sister trip, or simply looking for a few easy day trips in Northern Indiana, here's how I'd spend three days exploring Nappanee, Marion, and Columbia City.
Day 1: Coffee, Shopping & Antiques in Nappanee
We used Columbia City as our home base for all three days. Each destination was approximately an hour or less away, making it easy to return home each evening. You could follow this itinerary over three consecutive days or break it into separate day trips.
Start your first day with a trip to Nappanee, one of my favorite small towns for local shopping, antiques, and great food.
Since we were coming from Whitley County, we stopped about halfway at Salt + Light Coffee Co. in Pierceton.
This coffee shop is such a beautiful space, with whitewashed brick, marble-topped tables, brown leather chairs, and plenty of natural light.
We ordered a cappuccino and pumpkin chai before continuing our drive to Nappanee.
Explore Downtown Nappanee
Once you arrive, park near Neighbors Mercantile and start browsing their collection of home décor, apparel, toys, and other gifts.
When you're finished, head out the back entrance and turn right to find Shoe Alley.
This fun little outdoor art display features shoe sculptures created by local artists using a variety of materials, shapes, and sizes.
Just around the corner is Bella's Books & Curiosities, a charming independent bookstore worth popping into.
Then cross the street to explore Cartoon Alley, where you'll find artwork celebrating local cartoonists.
Before lunch, stop at 1874 Found Goods for a little antique shopping.
This was my sister's first real antique-shopping experience, and she was on a mission to find a hen-on-nest dish or fairy lamp after seeing all the treasures I've been finding throughout the year.
I loved watching her discover how much fun treasure hunting can be!
Lunch at Hunter's Hideaway
For lunch, head to Hunter's Hideaway.
If you've read my other Nappanee posts, you know I'm a big fan of their peanut butter jalapeño smashburger.
I was excited for my sister to try it, and thankfully, she approved!
We also ordered the loaded Cowboy Fries and tried a delicious blueberry cocktail.
This is one of those local restaurants I keep coming back to because the food is consistently good.
Spend the Afternoon at Coppes Commons
After lunch, head over to Coppes Commons, one of my favorite shopping destinations in Nappanee.
Before going inside, check out the World's Largest Cabinet behind the building. You really can't miss it, and it's a fun place to take a few photos.
Inside, you'll find a wonderful collection of locally owned businesses, including Dutch Lady Antiques, where I almost always leave with a few vintage treasures.
Be sure to stop at Sweet Goodness Cake Co. for a macaron or cupcake.
There are also several food options throughout Coppes Commons, including an Amish café, tacos, ice cream, popcorn, and pretzels.
We were still so full from lunch that we couldn't sample everything, but it's definitely a place where you could spend several hours shopping and snacking.
Day 2: Coffee, a College Visit & Antique Hunting in Marion
Our second day was a little different because we were heading to visit my son, Jackson, at college.
But you know I couldn't plan a day out without finding a good coffee shop along the way!
Start at The Coffee Club in Huntington
Our first stop was The Coffee Club in Huntington.
This is such a pretty, welcoming coffee shop, and it's especially wonderful for families with young children.
There's an entire play area for little ones, making it a great place for parents to enjoy their coffee while the kids play.
My sister ordered The Golden Orchard, a pear and vanilla matcha that was absolutely delicious.
I went with an iced Americano made with their house-made banana bread syrup.
Both were so good!
Visit Indiana Wesleyan University
Coffee in hand, we continued to Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion to spend some time with Jackson.
If you're visiting a student at IWU or happen to be in the area, Marion also has a great antique mall that's worth adding to your day.
Antique Shopping at Jake's Antiques & Collectibles
After our college visit, we headed to Jake's Antiques & Collectibles.
This antique mall is HUGE, so plan to spend a good two hours browsing.
There are plenty of booths filled with vintage glassware, collectibles, home décor, furniture, and all kinds of unexpected treasures.
By this point, my sister had officially discovered that she loved antique shopping and couldn't get enough!
It was so much fun exploring the booths together and seeing what caught her eye.
Day 3: Explore Downtown Columbia City
For our final day, we stayed close to home and explored Columbia City, a small but charming town in Whitley County that I haven't featured on the blog yet.
Downtown Columbia City has a beautiful historic courthouse, locally owned shops, restaurants, and a compact downtown that's easy to explore on foot.
Lunch at Pickles Café
Start with lunch at Pickles Café, a retro-inspired restaurant right downtown.
They have a huge menu filled with delicious home-cooked favorites like deviled eggs, soups, Reubens, broccoli salad, and plenty of other comfort foods.
It's a great place to enjoy a relaxed lunch before spending the afternoon shopping.
Browse The Junction Café & Home Décor
After lunch, walk over to The Junction Café & Home Décor.
This little shop has a nice selection of home décor, gifts, accessories, and a few antiques.
I picked out a new purse during our visit, and my daughter found a necklace she loved.
There's also a small café serving baked goods and lunch specials.
Antique Shopping at Mercantile
Next, head to The Mercantile for a little antique hunting.
By now, my sister was getting pretty good at spotting vintage treasures, so of course we had to squeeze in another antique stop!
Explore Shops at the Sanctuary
One of my favorite places to shop in Columbia City is Shops at the Sanctuary.
This unique shopping destination is located inside a former church, and the beautiful stained-glass windows alone make it worth visiting.
Inside, you'll find a mixture of vintage and antique pieces, new home décor, clothing, plants, paint, and gifts.
There's even a café downstairs.
It's one of those places where you can spend quite a while browsing because every little section has something different.
Stop at Vintage Blessed General Store
Continue your shopping afternoon at Vintage Blessed General Store.
This charming shop carries vintage-inspired décor, locally made goods, and American-made products from small businesses.
It's a lovely place to browse for gifts or find something unique for your home.
One Last Coffee Stop at Brew'ha
Before wrapping up the day, walk across the street to Brew'ha for an afternoon iced coffee.
Along with coffee, they have a small but thoughtfully curated vintage shop that's fun to browse while enjoying your drink.
Coffee and vintage shopping in one place?
You know I'm a fan.
Take a Few Photos Downtown
Before leaving, walk down the alley between Tokyo and Casa Balbina Mexican Cuisine & Pancake House.
You'll find the colorful Whitley County mural, along with festival lanterns hanging overhead and a beautiful view of the historic courthouse in the background.
It's a fun little photo spot and a great way to end your afternoon exploring Columbia City.
Final Thoughts
These three days were such a fun way to spend time with my sister while showing her some of my favorite places in Northern Indiana.
What I loved most was that we didn't have to drive far or pack our days with complicated plans. Each town offered something different, from the creative little shops in Nappanee to the huge antique mall in Marion and the charming downtown of Columbia City.
And watching my sister discover her love of antique shopping made the whole experience even more fun.
If you're planning a girls' getaway or have friends or family visiting Northern Indiana, you don't have to travel far to find memorable places to explore.
Sometimes the best little adventures are right in your own backyard.
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