If you are headed to Goshen for the standard three day long weekend, I’ve got just the itinerary for you. You can hit most of my favorite spots in three days, and if you have longer, there’s always more to explore!
Friday
Rolling into town around lunchtime on Friday? Your first stop should be Maple City Market. This local co-op has great snacks and staples you may need for your weekend in town, as well as a prepared foods section where you can grab something to go, sit down for a bite at the front of the store or right outside. If you are looking for more of a relaxing picnic, you could grab a bag of chips, some veggies and hummus, drinks and take a walk down Main Street to set up on the lawn of the courthouse, a few blocks North. If you’re more interested in doing some window shopping, grab a tea for the road and head down the street to explore the stacks at Fables Bookstore. Fables sells both new and used books of all genres as well as various literary gifts. On the other side of the street, you can grab hand made soaps, home goods, and free sniffs at Soapy Gnome. Just a couple doors down, browse beautiful collections of mid century modern furniture, artwork, and antiques from around the world at Found.
Need an afternoon pick me up? Head around the corner to the Electric Brew, Goshen’s favorite coffeehouse. Take a seat and soak in your surroundings or grab your coffee to go and head next door to Ignition Garage. Here you can flip through thousands of albums, both new and old, and listen to some nostalgic or inspiring tunes.
Your evening should begin nowhere other than Common Spirits. They’ve got seasonally inspired craft cocktails, boozy milkshakes and Vietnamese street fries - my idea of the perfect start to the weekend. The drinks are creative and delightful, the bites will make you not want to share with the rest of the table, and their fun atmosphere will have you feeling like a local. The menu is small (yet mighty), so if you are looking for more, head down the street to Venturi for fresh, hand tossed Neapolitan pizza and a glass of wine.
Saturday
Start your Saturday off right with a coffee and pastry to-go from the Electric Brew. Take your coffee and head straight to the Goshen Farmers Market. This is a year-round, indoor farmers market, complete with local produce, baked goods, meat, cheese, and artisan items. My favorite stops include flowers from Singtree Farm, pottery from various artists of Goshen Potters Guild, cheese from The Wedge, and produce from Sustainable Greens.
If the weather is right, head to the Millrace. This is a 3 mile trail (one way) that runs along the hydraulic canal on the West side of town. The trail is bike and stroller friendly, so if 3 miles seems too long for the younger ones, stop at Shanklin Park on your way South for some playground hangs or a stroll around the pond. If you are visiting during the warmer months, take your walk on over to the The Chief for a pre-lunch ice cream cone. This little outdoor ice cream stand has been around for 60 years and is ranked on Thrillist as one of the top ice cream spots in the nation! This is a must at some point during your weekend in Goshen.
Your best bet for lunch is one of our local Mexican restaurants - we’ve got a lot of them! My favorites are Los Primos, San Marcos, and Universal Tamal. Los Primos is more of a Chipotle-style restaurant, but locally owned and oh so delicious and satisfying, plus they have both indoor and outdoor seating. San Marcos and Universal Tamal are both located on Main Street, San Marcos having a great selection of authentic tacos and burritos and Universal Tamal offering a full menu and specializing in tamales.
If you are attending an evening event at the Old Bag Factory, leave some time after your afternoon nap to visit some of the shops on the first and second floor before heading up to us. For a last minute gift, visit Goertzen Pottery in the corner of the first floor.
Sunday
After a night of good food and fun at Bread and Chocolate, your best Sunday scaries cure is brunch at Goshen Brewing Company. Sleep in, head to brunch and grab some cans or a growler to take home with you. If the weather is nice, soak in the sun on the patio and enjoy your last few hours, before returning to your busy work week.
If you are fortunate enough to have an extra day on either end of your stay, there’s plenty more to do on the Best of Goshen Guide, or take a short trip to Shipshewana to check out locally crafted Amish goods, including furniture, quilts, foods, and more!
