This is the classic Japanese-style garden. It was a gift from Mishawaka's sister city, Shiojiri,…read moreand unlike anything else in the city. Upon entering the park, one will notice how this garden sends off quite a different "vibe" than western-style gardens do. Typical of Japanese design, it was thought out quite a bit, and there is a reason behind every little detail within. Every changing month seems to bring its own charm to the park. An excellent park to go to for feeling closer to both God and nature. This has got to be the loveliest acre of land in Mishawaka.

This park celebrates the sister city status of Mishawaka and Shiojiri, a city in Nagano, Japan…read more Niwa is Japanese for garden and this park takes on many of the characteristics of a Japanese Garden. Some of those characteristics include: Water - renewal and calm Stone - longevity and forces of nature Yukimi-gata Lantern (a snow lantern) Bridges The park has all these but the water/pond which would ideally contain fish /koi. Of course, the weather here would necessitate wintering of the fish elsewhere, so it is probably a cost management issue. The park is well kept and is filled with plants, small trees, and gardens. There is also a bronze sculpture to the right of the entrance that commemorates the relationship between the two cities. Review #3099

What a great little spot. I would totally love for this to be my backyard. I will say there are…read moreBiblical references in the choices of plants if you know them. If not, there's truly not much Biblical about it. It is a great spot to slip away and connect with nature, pray, read or journal. The walking track is super short. More a quiet respite than a place for exercise. Maybe a good spot for some stretching, tai chi, meditation, or prayer.

I love to go to this garden when I need some peace and quiet. Or to pray. Or even just to eat lunch…read morealone, in silence. It's located right on the lake, so you can can hear children playing in the background and city noise but there is something tranquil about it. And the fountain nose drowns it out. Plants and flowers are marked to indicate what they are for anyone interested in walking around and checking out the garden. It's a smaller place but really pretty. They have weddings here and events, the space can be rented. It's free to visit.

What a nice surprise! This park has a bit of everything. Large shade trees and multiple shelters…read morewith a huge central playground make this place ideal for a family picnic. And parking is all around. The playground has a number of small pieces of equipment, but the showpiece is called Manitou Mountain. A large wooden series of towers and slides are enclosed in this fenced area. Swings and other pieces of wooden equipment are mixed in among the towers. In addition to the playground, there are basketball courts, a baseball field to the north and a football field to the south. The park was clean and in good condition. This is the park to choose if you are visiting Rochester. Review #3076

There's a lot of weird kids here me myself as a kid I'd like to play around go down the slides and…read moreeverything and there's a lot of kids here that like flip people off and say some pretty bad words not trying to be a kid Karen but do you know it's a little bit weird. But the slides are nice and the play equipment.

Warsaw, Indiana is well known for its beautiful lakes. However, Warsaw is also a great place to…read moretake a bit of a hike (often involving the lakes). I've taken my Tenderness Tour events through Warsaw on a handful of occasions and always take the opportunity to experience the area's growing trail system. The Beyer Farm Boardwalk Trail is a short but very beautiful trail that is also quite wheelchair friendly. The Beyer Farm Trail offers a tranquil, educational experience as one can also learn about the surrounding wetlands while doing the approximately 1800 ft. trail. You can walk or ride the trail and there's a stone amphitheater located near Kosciusko Community Hospital that is accessible from the trail. Once you get out of the wetlands, there's asphalt trail near the lake sore that will get you to the Pike Lake Campground. This isn't really a trail that runners will appreciate. It's far too short for that, however, for those looking to get away in nature this is a beautiful experience that is also well-maintained. This trail is great for strollers, wheelchair users, and those with other mobility issues. During better weather, there's lots of trees here offering tremendous shade. If you combine Pike Lake and Beyer, you get about a 2.2 mile trail experience with only a minimal incline at any point. There are two accessible parking spots at the trailhead - both are van accessible and the parking lot is paved. The trail itself is paved asphalt and a wooden boardwalk that has edge barriers. The trail's width is right around 8 feet in all places. You get a good Warsaw experience here with lots of nature, lake views, and you'll likely run into residents here as the trail is pretty regularly used.

There's something special about this place. Lindenwood is a little oasis from the city and feels…read morelike a sweet escape. It's a great place to bring family and kids. Unfortunately dogs are NOT allowed because they want to preserve the nature and wildlife. Plenty of parking spots. Trails are clear and easy to walk along. This is more of a walk than a hike. Trails can get muddy so recommend wearing boots. If you get muddy, there's a boot brush out in front where you can scrub your shoes. Don't forget to pack it in and pack it out! Happy exploring fellow Hoosiers!

I went during april which I do not recommend doing because there is literally nothing. All the…read moretrees were still dead, the ground was very muddy, the flowers were barely growing. Even with all those negative things Lindenwood still looked pretty and I enjoyed the hike. I was very Underwhelmed by the pond. I expected the pond to be much prettier, bigger and nicer looking but unfortunately it was tiny and very dirty. At least there were visible tadpoles there which was exciting to see. I cannot wait to return to this place again once everything is fully regrown.

Beautiful park. We want to fish in the pond but don't catch anything. There were a lot of people…read morefishing that day. The park itself was pleasant except for the people passed out on a bench.

Lakeside Park is a park located in Fort Wayne. It is a very peaceful park to walk around with a…read morevast array of roses and fountains. I stopped at the park while visiting Fort Wayne and was very impressed. There was a lot of care that was put into these roses and it was such a treat to find at a public park.

I've been making an effort to experience my home state of Indiana a little more these days. From…read morestate parks to roadside attractions to smalltown diners, I've been trying to simply slow down and enjoy Indiana. Chain O' Lakes State Park is one of Indiana's state parks. Located in Albion, a small city of under 2,400 in northeast Indiana's Noble County (think Kendallville), Chain O' Lakes State Park has as its main feature, you guessed it, a chain of lakes. The park has a chain of nine "kettle" lakes (13 lakes total, 9 connected). Kettle lakes are glacial lakes that were formed out of melting ice blocks. Chain O' Lakes offers small boating, 23 miles of forested trails for hiking, a hillside family cabin, a Nature Center, campground, swimming beach, picnic shelters, and the historic Stanley Schoolhouse - a historic one-room schoolhouse. Chain O' Lakes has 426 campsites, 18 cabins, waterfalls, great fishing spots, and you can rent watercraft. This is far enough from Indy that I kind of recommend making it a weekend trip rather than a day trip. There's much to do in Noble County (which also has a decent-sized Amish community). You can canoe a great five-mile path through the park's nine connected lakes (This used to be an official "challenge," though I don't know if it is anymore). There are even canoe camping sites (more isolated than the traditional camping sites). Chain O' Lakes is one of Indiana's under-appreciated gems. It's definitely less accessible than some of the parks, though it has improved somewhat over the years. It's more rustic and natural. It emphasizes outdoor experiences and its just over 2,700 acres feel like you could just get lost in them. The park is only 19 miles northwest of Fort Wayne (Indiana's second largest city), however, it feels like a world away. As someone who typically goes to Fort Ben State Park, I have a major love for these parks where you get there and forget there's a world outside the gates. If you're not the camping type, I'd probably head to Kendallville rather than Albion for the overnight. However, Chain O' Lakes has everything from primitive to more comfortable camping. So, it's easy to find something that works. I hadn't been to Chain O' Lakes in a while. Returning, I was reminded just how much I enjoy the place and how relaxing it is. A few other basics - This is a state park, so there's a fee to enter unless you've gotten the State Park pass (which I recommend for Indiana's 24 state parks). Also, fishing requires the state license and it is enforced. Finally, a couple semi-fun facts. There's a "re-entry center" located directly in the state park with a capacity of 140 incarcerated individuals. It offers educational and treatment programs designed to help people transition into the community - it also helps maintain this park, Pokagon, and the surrounding communities. It's been here since 1967 (and yes, it is safe.). Chain O' Lakes State Park also hosts The HUFF 50k Trail Run/Relay, the 12th largest ultramarathon in North America. Doesn't all this make you want to visit? I'll admit that I tend to stick in the 4-5 star range for most state parks. I love them. In terms of accessibility, I'd go 4-star for Chain O' Lakes. Because it offers so much and is really under-appreciated (in my opinion), I'm bumping it up to 5-stars. The trails, occasionally accessible, really do require someone with mobility issues to have assistance and some simply wouldn't work. Word of caution, as well, with so much water you had best plan for mosquitoes. They can be really serious around here!

Great camping spot! It's always quiet and beautiful. The boat rental closes at 4 ( I couldn't find…read morethe hours) and we didn't know that and got there at 4:05 :( only downside. The trails are good and the Dairy Queen in town is always a nice backup if the hot dogs aren't enough for your hunger

Tucked in off a street in Bristol, IN, is a place for serenity and a short walk through beautiful…read moregardens. The stone path leads to one of the 26 area heritage trail quilt gardens. Along the pathway, you will be shaded. These gardens include a huge ornamental lifelike mushroom with short sidekicks. Another photo worthy decoration is a wood carved cardinal next to a blue life sized Dutch windmill. The little park contains flowing water, a koi pond, scented roses, and multiple flora, as it winds up and down stairs on a stone pathway. Many artistic metal structures adorn the pathway. Definitely a place to visit!!!! I wish I lived closer.

For those who are fairly new in my world, you likely don't know about my long history as an…read moreactivist in the area of violence prevention with a strong emphasis on child abuse and sexual violence prevention. Since 1989, I've traveled over 6,000 miles in my wheelchair and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for a wide variety of organizations. I spend a lot of my wheeling time in Indiana - my home state and lifelong home. Among my favorite places to go in Indiana is Elkhart County, a Northeastern Indiana jewel filled with magnificent trails, a strong Amish community, a number of historic peace churches, and a vibe that just really clicks with me. My favorite trail in Indiana is the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail that winds its way through four Elkhart County communities and runs a bit over a marathon in terms of length. You get to visit a variety of cool small towns and will likely see some Amish folks on their bicycles. Quite honestly, it's awesome. If you stop in Middlebury, and I always do as I have multiple friends there, you can take a break along the trail here at the Krider World's Fair Gardens. For once, this is not small town braggadocio. Krider World's Fair Garden started out its life as a 1934 World's Fair exhibit and has been meticulously maintained ever since. I won't say it's "the" pride of Middlebury, but it's certainly one of the things of which the community is most proud. This is a botanical garden that weaves together gentle walking paths, a quilt garden exhibit, iconic structures, and facilities that include waterfalls, picnic tables, viewing benches, a gazebo, and a swing arbor. The park itself is really only about 2.4 acres. It's not a huge place, but it's a beautiful place. It can be rented for special events, weddings, and photography needs. If you're on the Pumpkinvine, then you'll run into this area as a perfect place to stop and rest and enjoy a beautiful part of Middlebury. The biggest city in Elkhart County is, in fact, Elkhart itself. But, a visit to Elkhart County isn't complete without visiting places like Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana. Yes, I'll admit that it can get a bit touristy but it's a friendly community and a place I absolutely love to visit. This part of the state has about 2 dozen quilt gardens. A "quilt garden" means that they lay the quilts out in a pattern that changes each season. You can also see "Garden With a Cause" here, a garden devoted to charities and local organizations improving the lives of the people of Middlebury. They have a replica of the "Sunrise Bench," a bench that was included in the World's Fair Exhibit and there's a Statue of Hebe and a Water Wheel House among other attractions. If you're in Elkhart County, a stop at Krider World's Fair Garden just really needs to happen. I have some photos, but I'm still trying to find them from past tours. When I do, I'll post my own photos but you can definitely capture the garden's vibe in the available photos here.

This place was great! We did the wagon ride to feed the animals and it was so fun. Very clean and…read morethe animals look well kept. Can't wait to go back this summer! Hidden gem for sure.

We absolutely loved this place! My kids and I enjoyed it SO much! The animals are so happy and well…read moretaken care of and there's so many animals to see and feed! The wagon ride is a must! What a cool experience!