A Day in LaGrange County: Visit Our Lavender Apothecary and Indiana Amish Country

LaGrange County is home to more than 28,000 Amish residents, the third-largest Amish population in the country, and the rolling farmland between LaGrange and Shipshewana is dotted with farmstands, quilt shops, family-run restaurants, and the kind of slow-living small towns that make a day trip feel like a real getaway.

Our apothecary sits in the heart of downtown LaGrange, open year-round, and we get to meet a lot of folks who are spending a day in the area. So here is how we would tell a friend to put a day together, with us as your anchor stop and the rest of the county worth wandering through.

Start the day at Bloomfield Schoolhouse Lavender

Begin downtown LaGrange at our apothecary shop. We grow our own lavender on the farm just outside town and turn it into small-batch products inside the shop: lotions, bath salts, bubble baths, body butters, hand creams, candles, essential oil blends, and more. One of our favorite features is our essential oil station, where you can blend your own scents into unscented body butters, bath salts, and bubble baths. It is hands-on, and it is the kind of thing you have to come do in person.

If you are visiting in summer, ask us about the Bloomfield Lavender Immersion: Fields, Flavor, and Craft, our farm experience launching in July, where you can spend time in the lavender fields, take in the food and craft of the apothecary, and slow down for an afternoon. It is the closest thing we have to inviting you into the heart of how we work.

Eat well in downtown LaGrange

Downtown LaGrange has a small but really good restaurant lineup. A few we send people to:

• Fawn River Coffee Co. A favorite morning stop for coffee and a quiet start to the day. They have a location in Shipshewana as well, if you are starting there instead.
• Destination 814. A great downtown lunch and dinner spot with a thoughtful menu, a few minutes from the apothecary.
• Fireside Craft Burgers and Brews. Craft burgers and a solid drink list. Easy choice for a casual dinner.
• Linder's Tavern on Main. A classic Main Street tavern, friendly and comfortable, the kind of place that anchors a small town.

If you happen to visit during Graze LaGrange, the local restaurant trail, you can sample small plates from a handful of downtown spots in a single trip. The Visit Shipshewana team puts it together each year and it is a fun way to explore the food scene.

Drive a few minutes to Shipshewana, the heart of Amish country

Shipshewana is about fifteen minutes from LaGrange and is the cultural and commercial center of Indiana Amish Country. It is small, walkable, and the kind of place where you can easily spend half a day or a full day.

A few of our favorite stops:

• The Shipshewana Flea Market. The Midwest's largest, open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from spring through fall. Hundreds of vendors, all kinds of finds.
• Davis Mercantile. A multi-level shopping experience under one roof, with handcrafted goods, antiques, fabrics, food, and the famous Jojo's Pretzels.
• Blue Gate Theatre and Blue Gate Restaurant. Live music and theater paired with a hearty Amish-style meal. The theater is a draw on its own.
• Menno-Hof. An educational center that thoughtfully introduces visitors to Amish and Mennonite history and beliefs. Worth the stop even if you think you know the story.
• Michiana Event Center. A regional venue just outside Shipshewana that hosts concerts, expos, and family events year-round, worth checking the calendar before your visit.
• The Black Sheep. A favorite for relaxed dining in town.
• Millie's Market Cafe. Casual breakfast and lunch with a small-town feel, located inside Davis Mercantile.
• Buggy rides. A simple, classic way to see the countryside through Shipshewana.

If you are headed slightly further into Amish country, Essenhaus in Middlebury is a destination of its own, with a restaurant, bakery, shops, and inn that have anchored Indiana Amish country tourism for decades.

The folks at the LaGrange County Visitors Center (located in Shipshewana) are a great resource for anything we have not mentioned here. You can explore more at visitshipshewana.org.

For the lake folks

LaGrange County is dotted with lakes, and a lot of our regulars are second-home owners or summer renters from the area lakes. If that is you, the apothecary is an easy stop on the way into town, and downtown LaGrange and Shipshewana both make for a good break from a day on the water. We see a lot of folks pop in for a bottle of lotion or a bubble bath to take back to the cottage.

Seasonal events worth planning around

The county has a real seasonal rhythm. A few highlights:

• Final Fridays in LaGrange. Downtown LaGrange comes alive on the last Friday of the month during the warmer months, with shops, food, and a fuller-than-usual main street.
• Shipshewana Flea Market. Spring through fall, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
• Concerts at Sylvan Cellars. A favorite warm-weather concert venue not far from Shipshewana.
• Acres Away Winery in Ashley, just a short drive south. Their tasting room and event calendar are worth a look.
• Makers on Morton Festival in Shipshewana (June), a celebration of artisans and handmade goods.
• Autumn Adventures across the county in fall, from straw bale art to harvest stops.
• A Shipshewana Christmas with the Light Parade in December, one of the prettier small-town holiday celebrations in the area.
• The Bloomfield Lavender Immersion launching in July, our own seasonal experience at the farm.

Plan your visit to our shop

Bloomfield Schoolhouse Lavender is in downtown LaGrange, Indiana. The apothecary shop is open year-round. We would love to see you. Whether you are here for the flea market in Shipshewana, a summer day on the lakes, or a quiet weekend in Amish country, the shop is an easy and welcoming stop on your way through.

You can browse our full product line online before you visit, or read more about how a restored schoolhouse grew into a working lavender farm.

Frequently asked questions

What is there to do in LaGrange County, Indiana?

LaGrange County is the heart of Indiana Amish Country and offers downtown LaGrange with its shops and restaurants, Shipshewana with the Midwest's largest flea market, Blue Gate Theatre, Davis Mercantile, Menno-Hof, buggy rides, and a network of trails and country drives. The lakes in the area draw a strong summer crowd, and our apothecary shop in downtown LaGrange is a year-round stop for visitors and locals alike.

How far is LaGrange from Shipshewana?

About fifteen minutes by car. Many visitors do both in a single day, with LaGrange as the morning or lunch stop and Shipshewana as the afternoon and evening.

Is the Shipshewana Flea Market open year-round?

No, the Shipshewana Flea Market runs seasonally, typically from spring through early fall on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Check the official Visit Shipshewana site for current dates before you go.

When is the best time to visit LaGrange County?

Each season has something to offer. Spring and summer bring the flea market, Final Fridays in LaGrange, the lavender bloom at our farm, and lake season. Fall is beautiful for country drives and harvest events. Winter is quieter, with downtown holiday celebrations and our apothecary still open and warm. The apothecary shop is open year-round, so there is no wrong time to stop in.

Where is Bloomfield Schoolhouse Lavender located?

Our apothecary shop is in downtown LaGrange, Indiana, with our working lavender farm just outside town. Visit our About page for the full story and visiting details.