At one point during our visit to Fort Wayne, Indiana, my husband announced, “I wish we could bottle Fort Wayne-ness and ship it to crabby people.” I laughed, but then I realized that the world would be a better place if it were more like Fort Wayne, a city where Midwest Nice is much more than just a saying.
The second-largest city in Indiana (behind Indianapolis) and the fastest growing large city in the Midwest, Fort Wayne is the cleanest, friendliest city I have ever visited. Everywhere we went, we encountered people who were happy to share their love of Fort Wayne, grateful we saw it as a place worth visiting and full of recommendations for their favorite things to do in and around the town.
Here’s how hubby and I spent three lovely days in Fort Wayne.
Editor’s Note: The writer was hosted.
Fun Things to Do in Fort Wayne
Duck Pin Bowling
How much time to allot: 30-60 minutes for bowling, another 60-90 minutes for eating and drinking
This is not your granddad’s bowling alley. Rather, it is a vibrant dining and entertainment venue located inside one of Fort Wayne’s beautifully reclaimed buildings. This one, called The Fairfield, has four floors with games, live entertainment and dining. (More on the fab food in the Where to Eat section below.)
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We stuck to the first floor, where the duckpin bowling, Dartsee, cornhole and pinball games are located. The second floor houses Urban Golf, the third is a rentable event space and the basement is home to live entertainment, where we were the only white folks listening to the open mic slam poetry performances.
Are you ready to explore off the beaten path? Let us inspire you!
Fort Wayne Zoo
How much time to allot: 3 hours
This zoo is small enough to do in a few hours but large enough to have all of the animals you want, along with a couple of fun rides and informative, interactive zookeeper presentations.
My husband and I spent a leisurely three hours on a sunny fall afternoon wandering around the zoo. I especially enjoyed the presentation at the giraffe enclosure as we watched the zookeepers working with the majestic animals.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Don’t bother paying for the overhead tram ride. We expected to get a bird’s eye view of some animals, only to discover the ride doesn’t pass over any animal enclosures – although we could see a few zebras off in the distance.
Enjoy the Rivers
How much time to allot: 1-2 hours
Yes, that’s rivers plural. There are three in Fort Wayne — the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers, which meet in Fort Wayne to form the Maumee River, the largest tributary to the Great Lakes.
We took advantage of an unseasonably warm fall day to rent some kayaks from Fort Wayne Outfitters and Bike Depot. The rental agents brought our individual kayaks down to the kayak launch on the St. Joseph, along with paddles and life jackets. We had the river to ourselves as we paddled toward downtown Fort Wayne, passing the old fort, revived downtown buildings and hip riverfront bars.
The river also supports the Sweet Breeze Riverboat Tours. We originally planned to visit Fort Wayne in the summer and had booked a 60-minute canal tour. Unfortunately, by the time we actually visited in early October, the mid-week boat tours had ended for the season. The riverboat docks in Promenade Park, directly across the river from the kayak launch.
Fort Wayne Museum of Art
How much time to allot: 2-3 hours
This charming art museum is home to an impressive collection of artistic glass from a number of artists, including Dale Chihuly. Don’t miss the video of artist Martin Blank and his assistants creating the huge glass sculptures that adorn the hallway.
When we visited, it was also hosting two special exhibits, a fascinating show depicting the infamous Ghost Army of World War II and another filled with home-made ofrendas celebrating Dia de los Muertos.
Take a Walk
How much time to allot: As much as you can
This very walkable city is clean and safe and the streets are decorated with colorful art and unique locally-owned businesses. The city has curated a public art trail – you can get a free pass delivered to your phone, check in as you spot the artwork and claim a prize at the end of your trip.
Since we stayed downtown at The Bradley (more on that below), hubby and I found it easy to walk just about anywhere we wanted to go, including to the river for the kayak rentals, to the art museum and to several interesting restaurants.
Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory
How much time to allot: 1 hour
This tranquil little conservatory, one of the few conservatories located in an urban downtown, has a lovely outdoor space that was decked out in full-blown pumpkin splendor when we visited, plus three inside spaces:
- Showcase House, with displays that change with the season; we experienced the Something Blue display of blue flowers, fountains and romantic scenes.
- Tropical House, a multi-level rainforest with lush foliage and a cascading waterfall that we viewed from the front, back and top.
- Desert House, where the cacti collection was being refreshed by a few passionate gardeners when we visited.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Do not miss the gift shop. It’s filled with unique items at reasonable prices.
Shop
How much time to allot: It depends on your budget
Sadly, I had very little time for this, but on a return trip, I plan to visit the Vera Bradley outlet store. The brightly colored, bold patterned quilted bags, accessories, backpacks and totes are made in Fort Wayne. The outlet is the place to buy them at a discount.
We did spend some time at Poptique, tasting many of the 20+ flavors of popcorn the locally-owned shop sells. We also wanted to visit Stoners Fun Store, which boasts that it has been “selling funny, goofy crap since 1949,” but the store wasn’t open when we walked past.
Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum
How much time to allot: 1-8 hours, depending on your level of car fandom
While not technically a Fort Wayne attraction, this Auburn, Indiana, museum about 30 minutes north of town is well worth a stop if you or someone you travel with is a car nut.
Hubby spent hours studying each and every inch of the luxury cars displayed on the first floor of this dazzling museum. He wanted to explain the iterations of the engines while I imagined myself as a 1920s socialite speeding along in my convertible, scarf flying behind me.
I left him to wander the first floor while I headed upstairs and indulged my love of history, reading about E. L. Cord, the brilliant engineer who brought the company back from the brink of extinction.
Where to Eat in Fort Wayne
With only two nights in town, we weren’t able to try all of the Fort Wayne restaurants we had hoped to try, but we did our best! These are the places we visited and what we ordered:
Nawa
When given a choice of cuisines, I almost always choose Thai food. And Nawa (the name means “new beginning” in Thai) does not disappoint. Located on the hip block-long riverfront redevelopment called The Landing, Nawa is a beautiful Thai restaurant decorated with traditional art brought from their native Thailand by owners Te and Prill.
What I ordered: Basil stir fry with chicken, basil, onion, bell peppers, green beans and a zingy basil sauce. It had exactly the right amount of hot to make it tasty but not so much it was painful. My dining partner, a Nawa regular, ordered her favorite, the Hawaiian fried rice. It arrived nestled in a hollowed-out pineapple and was large enough for her to eat for one to two more meals.
Cindy’s Diner
How could someone named Cindy NOT have breakfast at Cindy’s?? Luckily for hubby and me, visiting my namesake restaurant was an excellent choice.
The diner sits on a corner in downtown; the small 1950s building has been moved three times in its 70+ years. Inside, there are only 15 stools at the counter. We watched the cook make our breakfast, chatted up the hard-working waitress and chose the mug we wanted for our morning coffee from among the dozens and dozens of sloganed mugs spilling out of the cabinet.
What I ordered: The biscuits and gravy. Fortunately, the waitress told me about the half-order option or I would have been stuffed. Why? Because Cindy’s serves some of the best biscuits and gravy I have eaten outside the South. The biscuits were light and fluffy and the sausage gravy was just as peppery as it should be. Hubby also raved about his eggs and homemade corned beef hash.
Pinhouse Social
This is the restaurant/bar area of The Fairfield. Located on the first floor, which is also home to the duckpin bowling machines, Pinhouse Social is a noisy place that made it tough to talk over dinner. But the reclaimed warehouse space is intriguing and, again, home to some of the friendliest folks I have ever met. Other diners stopped by to say hello and offered recommendations for more places to visit while we were in town.
What I ordered: Both hubby and I had a burger, fries and a beer. It seemed like the fitting thing to order in the erstwhile bowling alley. And definitely save room for dessert. We ordered the Grilled Pear Spice Cake. The menu seriously undersells this delicacy. This slice of cake arrives warm, in a huge bowl with two giant scoops of ice cream and some perfectly cooked pears.
The Club Room
This venue is a two-for: good food and good music. We listened to a homegrown big band while we dined. Another local favorite, it clearly drew a crowd of regulars.
What I ordered: I got the mahi mahi tacos. They were not as good as I’ve had in the Caribbean, but for a landlocked Midwestern restaurant, they weren’t bad. Hubby really liked his prime rib Philly cheesesteak sandwich.
The Dash In
This cute breakfast and lunch spot offers exposed brick walls, tattooed servers and simple fare — soups, sandwiches, breakfast items, coffee, tea and beer on tap. It came highly recommended by the proprietor of the Poptique popcorn store. It’s only open Wednesday-Sunday from 9am-3pm, so happy hour starts at 1pm!
What I ordered: The chicken salad sandwich on swirled rye with a side of creamy tomato soup. Yum.
Where to Stay in Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne is home to The Bradley, founded, designed and run by Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, co-founder of Vera Bradley. The hotel is located downtown, so it’s easy to stay there and walk or hop on one of the hotel’s complimentary bikes and ride to just about everything.
This dog-friendly hotel is filled with art that makes you smile and the same friendly service I found everywhere in town. (If you don’t stay here, but are traveling with your dog, stop by The Bradley on your daily walk – the staff keeps dog biscuits on hand for visitors and the locals who stop in for a doggie treat.)
We didn’t have time to try the restaurant at the Bradley, but we did head up to Birdie’s Rooftop Bar for a nightcap with a magical view of the city.
Our room was clean, comfortable, and far less frilly than I expected from a co-founder of Vera Bradley. When I booked it, I was a little concerned my husband would feel overwhelmed by the Vera Bradley-ness. But our room was elegant and calming, with a headboard on the bed that reflects the Very Bradley brand in an understated way.
Baekgaard truly achieved her goal of building “a hotel that feels more like a home.”
SheBuysTravel Tip: Bring a refillable water bottle. The Bradley has environmentally friendly water fillers in the hallway.
If you prefer a chain hotel, there are plenty to choose from, including:
- Wyndham Garden Fort Wayne
- Courtyard Fort Wayne Downtown
- Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Wayne Downtown
- Tru by Hilton Fort Wayne
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