An Indiana Antique Shopping Road Trip: 2 Antique Malls in Lake County

Another county checked off our Indiana antique-shopping challenge!

If you've been following along, you know we've made it our goal to visit every antique mall in Indiana, one county at a time. This weekend took us to Lake County, where we explored three antique destinations, discovered a couple of great coffee shops, and enjoyed a delicious lunch in downtown Crown Point.

Not every antique mall was quite what we expected, but that's part of the fun of treasure hunting. Here's how we spent the day and what I'd recommend if you're planning your own antique-shopping road trip through northwest Indiana.

Start with Coffee & Breakfast at Grindhouse

Start your morning at Grindhouse for coffee and breakfast.

This coffee shop has a fun, alternative vibe with band posters and hand-drawn artwork covering the walls. It was bustling when we arrived, and it seemed like a popular spot with the locals.

For breakfast, try the Butch Jimmy, a sandwich made with egg, breakfast sausage, cheddar cheese, and chipotle mayo on a jalapeño cheddar bagel.

I ordered a cappuccino with maple syrup, and everything was delicious. A great way to fuel up before a full day of antique shopping!

Explore America's Antique Mall

Next, head to America's Antique Mall.

I'll be honest, the name was a little misleading for what we were expecting. While there are antique and vintage booths, a large portion of the mall features newer home décor, seasonal decorations, toys, Funko Pops, trading cards, and other collectibles.

If you love shopping for Halloween and Christmas decorations, vintage toys, or collectible merchandise, you could easily spend hours here.

There were also vendors selling plants, candles, chocolates, and other gift items, plus a small café where you can grab something to eat or drink.

Since we were primarily hunting for antiques and vintage glassware, we didn't find quite as much as we'd hoped.

But I did find an amber hen-on-nest dish that I'd been searching for, so that was exciting! Katie and Addi each picked up a few things, too.

We didn't leave with a trunk full of treasures, but we still enjoyed exploring.

Antique Shopping Tip: If you're mainly looking for antiques and vintage pieces, start by heading to the right when you enter. We noticed more of those booths on that side of the building. If seasonal home décor and collectibles are more your thing, start on the left.

Lunch at Culinary Misfits in Crown Point

After shopping, head over to Crown Point for lunch.

There are several restaurants to choose from, but we decided on Culinary Misfits, and I'm so glad we did.

Katie and I shared the classic smashburger with fries, while Addi ordered the pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes and corn crème brûlée.

Her meal was basically Thanksgiving dinner on a plate! Everything was savory, flavorful, and delicious.

This was a great place to sit down, relax, and recharge before another afternoon of antique hunting.

Browse Antiques on Main

While you're downtown, stop at Antiques on Main.

This is a smaller, beautifully curated antique shop with thoughtfully arranged vendor booths and plenty of vintage treasures to browse.

We really enjoyed walking through and seeing what each vendor had to offer.

If you prefer antique stores that feel a little more aesthetic and carefully selected, this is a nice stop to add to your day.

Save Time for Crown Antique Mall

Your final antique stop is Crown Antique Mall.

And I hope you wore comfortable shoes because, by this point, your feet might already be a little tired!

This antique mall has not one, but two large pole barns filled with vendor booths and treasures to explore.

Give yourself plenty of time to wander through both buildings.

If you've followed my antique-shopping adventures, you know we've spent much of this year hunting for fairy lamps and hen-on-nest dishes.

Well, apparently we've added another item to our growing wish list.

Vintage bee boxes!

We spotted three at America's Antique Mall earlier in the day, but they were more expensive than we wanted to spend. Then we found two more at Crown Antique Mall.

Katie finally decided to buy one, and we were so excited to add another vintage glass treasure to our collections.

That's one of my favorite things about antique shopping. You start looking for one specific piece, and before you know it, you've discovered an entirely new collection you didn't even know you needed.

One Last Coffee Stop at SIP

After a full day of shopping, I definitely needed a little iced-coffee pick-me-up for the two-and-a-half-hour drive home.

So we headed back to downtown Crown Point and stopped at SIP.

I ordered an iced Americano with maple cold foam, and it was absolutely perfect.

Just what I needed to stay awake and chatty the entire drive home while Katie drove and Addi slept in the backseat!

Sometimes that last coffee stop is just as important as the first.

Final Thoughts

Lake County gave us a fun mix of antique-shopping experiences, from the huge selection of collectibles and seasonal décor at America's Antique Mall to the curated vintage booths at Antiques on Main and the two large buildings at Crown Antique Mall.

If you're planning an antique-shopping day in northwest Indiana, this route gives you plenty to explore, along with some great local coffee shops and a delicious lunch stop in Crown Point.

On to the next Indiana county!

Who knows what we'll find next?

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