Ship-Chic Fall Vintage Market

Day 1

Day 1: Friday, October 25, 2024
Today’s the day you’ve been anxiously waiting for, when you meet your friendly and experienced Burlington Trailways host and driver who are ready to whisk you off for a fun weekend getaway in Shipshewana, IN from the available departure location of your choice! Sit back and visit with friends as we travel today to Middlebury, Indiana and the Essenhaus Inn. Of course, we will take a rest and refresh break and a stop for lunch along the way.
Be greeted and welcomed to the Essenhaus Inn, one of Trailways Travel’s favorite places to stay as it feels more like visiting a friend’s home than staying in a hotel. You’ll have just enough time to freshen up and get ready for a real Amish treat this evening. Join Elaine and her son, Seth, at their Amish home for dinner, and not just any Amish dinner – this meal would be one considered as an “Amish Wedding Feast.” You’ll dine in the charming setting of “The Carriage House” and learn what an Amish wedding day is like complete with this special meal that would be traditionally served to their wedding guests. This evening’s meal will include: Seasoned Pork Roast and Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Homemade Noodles, Broccoli & Cauliflower Salad, Buttered Corn, Buttered Green Beans, Homemade Bread, Butter & Apple Butter, along with delicious Amish Peanut Butter Spread. For dessert (if you have room) you may choose from Apple, Peach, or Peanut Butter Crème pies served with homemade Ice Cream complete with homemade Caramel Sauce. And it isn’t a wedding feast without indulging in some Wedding Cake Dessert too!
After you have been able to look at an Amish bride’s wedding dress up close and hear all the customary traditions including the German Wedding song that is sung at an Amish wedding we will depart to return back to the Essenhaus Inn for a great night of rest before hitting the Vintage Market in the morning.

Day 2

Day 2: Saturday, October 26, 2024
Get up, it’s time to have breakfast at the Inn before we board the motorcoach to depart for Shipshewana and the Ship-Chic Craft and Vintage Market! This is a curated pop-up market hosted by Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market featuring gifts, vintage items, home decor, crafts, clothing, accessories, beauty products, jewelry, baked goods, signs and more! Old stuff, new stuff and awesome stuff all picked with quality in mind. Come shop for authentic products and meet the folks who are selling them. The show hours are from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Saturday only. If you have made your way through all of the over 100 vendors, you may like to take some time to venture out and explore some of the many shops located within a 10 minute walking distance of the Vintage Market. You can check out shops such as The Fancy Farm Girl, Red Barn Boutique, Yoder’s Meat & Cheese, Mick’s Gems and Jules. Plus, Davis Mercantile is also available in the opposite direction and houses 21 different shops on 4 levels. On the way there you will pass the Shipshewana Craft Barn, 2 Chicks and a Chair, Ole Tin Rooster, and more. Just be sure to make it back to the Vintage Market by 2:30 pm which is when the motorcoach will be ready to take you for your next adventure today.
With all the heavy-duty shopping and exploration at the Market and the local shops your energy may be starting to wane… what better, delicious, way to have a “pick me up” than to enjoy some warm homemade Cinnamon Rolls. Plus, you will most likely think that they are so good you wish you could make some just like that at home. Guess what? You can! We will be back with Elaine this afternoon who will give you a demonstration on how to make these mouth- watering cinnamon rolls yourself at home. She generally will send a roll or two along with you when you leave for ‘later’! But we aren’t done yet. We all know how the words “quilting” and “Amish” seem to go together; well Elaine is also going to share with you an inside look at the art of traditional quilt making. No fancy machines, software or computerized programs are used in an Amish lady’s quilts. She will discuss the process and creativity in choosing patterns and colors, how she marks, cuts and sews her quilts all the traditional way. Hand quilting will be demonstrated and she will explain her use of stencils to assist in her creativity. She will also have available for purchase numerous quilts, solid fabrics, and related quilt items. Please note though, only cash and checks are accepted. We have one more great surprise in store for you before we leave Elaine – every person will have their name placed into a drawing where one lucky passenger will be able to select one of Elaine’s designed and hand-quilted wall hangings to take home as a fond memory.
We bid a fond farewell to Elaine and make our way back to Middlebury and the Essenhaus Inn for the remainder of the evening. Dinner will be on your own at the Das Dutchman Essenhaus located right on the Essenhaus Campus. The Das Dutchman is home to Indiana’s largest restaurant with the ability to seat 1,100 people! You may order from the menu or indulge in their all-you-can-eat Buffet Dinner which includes 2 soups, salad bar, 4 entrees, numerous sides and cobblers and puddings for dessert. In addition, after dinner you are able to enjoy the many other activities available on the manicured grounds of the Campus until 8:00 pm including: a carriage ride through a quaint covered bridge and around the immaculate grounds; play a round of miniature golf; go shopping in one of several Village Shops - we even have some coupons for you! Here you may shop for quilts, baked goods, home décor, ladies’ apparel, Vera Bradley items, jewelry and more. Of course, a leisurely stroll around the whole area is a great way to wind down for the evening.
Inside the Inn, if you aren’t ready to turn in yet, you most likely have already discovered at least one of their many “family sitting rooms” complete with comfortable sofas, chairs, tables to play one of the many boardgames they have or just a great game of checkers and a large wall-mounted TV. It’s a great area to hang out and visit with your friends.

Day 3

Day 3: Sunday, October 27, 2024
We certainly hope you have enjoyed a fun weekend and were able to find some great treasures to take back home with you today after you have breakfast at the Inn and we check out. Your host and driver will be waiting for you to board the motorcoach to begin your journey back home all while you can share with others what you may have found or discovered yesterday. We will once more take a rest and refresh break along the way and a stop for lunch before returning you back to the location that you departed from. Once home, it’ll be so fun to utilize all the great things you purchased in your home or to give as gifts to friends and family.