Klinger Lake Marina
Boat rentals, gas, ice cream — the lake’s front desk.
4 min
— Local attractions
But when you want to drive somewhere, here's what's nearby — twenty places worth the trip, sorted by chapter. The closest is 4 minutes from the front door. The furthest takes about 59 minutes.
— The whole list
chapter 01
Klinger Lake Marina
Boat rentals, gas, ice cream — the lake’s front desk.
4 min
Klinger Lake Country Club
Eighteen holes wrapped around the south side of the lake.
5 min
chapter 02
Shipshewana
Amish cooking, quilted flower beds, unique shops and the Midwest’s biggest flea market.
20 min
Blue Gate Theatre
Music, comedy, drama — wholesome programming in a 350-seat house.
20 min
Blue Gate Performing Arts Center
The bigger sister venue — touring acts and Branson-caliber productions.
20 min
No Place Like Oz
A pocket museum of Wizard of Oz memorabilia in tiny Chesterton-style Americana.
23 min
chapter 03
Dutch Creek Animal Park
Hand-feed pygmy goats, hold baby ducklings and slide into a play pit of corn.
17 min
Air Zoo Aerospace & Science Center
Indoor rides, simulators, and a Spitfire hanging from the rafters.
50 min
Potawatomi Zoo
Indiana’s oldest zoo — big cats, red pandas, and a vintage carousel.
58 min
Binder Park Zoo
A giraffe deck where you can feed the herd, plus a remote African savanna train.
59 min
chapter 04
Bonneyville Mills County Park
A working 1830s grist mill plus quiet hiking trails along the Little Elkhart.
24 min
Langley Covered Bridge Historic Site
Michigan’s longest covered bridge, 282 feet of weathered timber over the St. Joseph River.
27 min
Swiss Valley Ski & Snowboard Area
Eleven runs, a terrain park, and the closest skiing to the lake when winter rolls in.
35 min
Pokagon State Park
Nature center, a refrigerated toboggan run, and Lake James for swimming.
49 min
chapter 05
RV/MH Hall of Fame & Museum
A surprisingly charming collection — Mae West’s house trailer through modern motorhomes.
33 min
University of Notre Dame
Golden Dome, Word of Life mural, Basilica of the Sacred Heart, the Grotto, Raclin Murphy Museum of Art, and Notre Dame Stadium.
47 min
South Bend Chocolate Cafe
Small museum of chocolate-making with a café and a factory tour next door.
54 min
Studebaker National Museum
Presidential carriages, fin-tailed cars, and 100 years of South Bend industry.
56 min